[MollyOwner]

Our little beagle is now about 100 1/2 weeks old. She is fetching with her favorite squeaky toy, listening for the sound after I throw it and running and bringing it back.

She seems to enjoy a little tug-o-war after bringing it back but doesn't seem to mind when I finally take it back from her. I then throw it again. It seems like the tug-o-war is the part she really enjoys. If I wait for her she will drop it but tries to play bite on my hand instead.

Am I teaching her bad habits at her young age by doing this? When we wrestle and I let her play bite on my hand, is that bad as well?

I just want to make sure I am not teaching her something before she is even four months old that may be problematic down the road. Thanks!!!

 

[RosCole]

We do the tug with one toy only (a rope) and we haven't had any problems at all b/c the dogs never get agressive, they know its playtime!

As far as the play biting, that is a no no. We do not allow our dogs to nip/bite/mouth us at any time. That is a lesson better taught very young. Substitute your hands with a chew toy, have fun and good luck

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

I actually instructed people NOT to tease Quinn and Grayson like that. I do not like it when my friends' dogs try to bite me in play, so I made sure that no one would teach our puppies to do that. Now, one can't even get them to bite!

Nothing wrong with tug - they play it with each other, after all. I've read not good things about it, but I have NEVER seen a dog become aggressive because of that.

 

[Tucker]

The only thing I have seen with the tug game, is that you should win more than the dog. This shows them that you are the dominant one.

Another thing I have heard, that if they bite or nip you, you let out a yelp and stop playing with them. This will show them that it hurt and if that happens, they don't get to play anymore. I personally haven't had to do this, but if you search the archives, lots of others have.

 

[LoAndBeholden]

Yeah, the play biting needs to be stopped. I was very adamant about it when we first got our beagle and nipped it in the bud...BUT my boyfriend thought it was cute and continued to let her do it to him---even though I told him that was a bad idea. To this day HE is the only one she will chew on and NOW he's annoyed with it because she's no longer a puppy but a DOG with teeth that can hurt. Now when he tries to correct her she won't listen and he doesn't understand why she won't stop. I told him it was because he let her do it when she was little. I'm just glad she doesn't try to chew on anyone else. She definitely WON'T try it with me.

 

[Faiers]

Originally Posted By: Tucker's Dad

if they bite or nip you, you let out a yelp and stop playing with them. This will show them that it hurt and if that happens, they don't get to play anymore.

Penny was a hand biter/nipper with razor sharp baby teeth. I tried everything - someone suggested I wipe my hands with Tabasco (I didn't like this idea at all) however, as a last resort I tried it - Penny loved Tabasco!!! Someone else suggested I yelp and stop playing - it quite quickly worked!!! She rarely bites now, but still gently mouths, I haven't quite stopped that yet.

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

If they tried to bite us, we grabbed their bottom jaws and told them no. That worked WONDERFULLY. The yelping did absolutely no good for us.