Comments on: The Importance of Teaching Bite Inhibition

By: jenna

jenna — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:16:25 +0000

Hi Jodi!

I am so glad that my answer to your bite inhibition question was useful and flattered that you came to visit my website! After reading your comment here, I realized you’d also posted this question on Yahoo Answers so I answered it there. Here is what I said…

There are really no short and easy answers to these questions and, without meeting your dog, it’s hard to even feel confident making suggestions. Aggression is SUCH a serious issue and not something that can be remedied easily.

The good news is, Kit is a PUPPY and the chances that she’s really a dangerously aggressive dog already are fairly slim! Keep in mind that I am just another Shiba owner – not a dog trainer or behaviorist – but here are some points/ideas that may help you figure out what to do next.

– Shibas are not necessarily more “dog aggressive” than other breeds, but they are a more primitive type breed. Their social structure and communication methods are very different from breeds like spaniels. They tend to have a very well-defined sense of personal space and little patience for other dogs who invade it!
– Like I said before, Kit is just a puppy. She’s just doing what puppies do, although possibly to enthusiastically. She needs to learn self-control and better communication skills.
– There probably were a handful of warning signals each time she “attacked.” Unfortunately, most new owners don’t read doggy body language and if those signals flash by in an instant, you will miss them.
– A good trainer can help you learn to read your dog, other dogs, and situations before the escalate. Find one. Preferable a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (doubtful that this includes the PetSmart trainer).
– Keeping her away from other dogs is reactionary and will probably have opposite the desired effect. Socialize her with older, calmer dogs who will not get in her face and will help her learn how to communicate and negotiate with other dogs. A good trainer can help you find dogs to socialize with.
– All of this socializing and training will go more smoothly if it can be done off-leash (in a safe, securely fenced area of course). Most dogs feel much more insecure when leashed because their freedom to protect themselves – and even to communicate properly – is restricted. Also, your stress and concern are communicated to her through a tense leash, making her feel there is a problem she has to handle for you. (I’m not suggesting you go to a dog park and turn her loose with other dogs to learn to socialize. Dogs do learn from other dogs though and the right doggy teachers can make a big difference.)
– Re the HOA, I don’t know anything about that sort of stuff, but my GUESS is that they would have to have documented aggression incidents (dog bites involving hospitalization) to make any legal demands on you.

Also, here are some great books that might help you.

– Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships With Dogs by Suzanne Clothier
– On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas
– The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
– How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do by Stanley Coren

By: Jodi

Jodi — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:37:42 +0000

Hi Jenna! You answered my question on Yahoo about bite inhibition and I am happy to report that it worked AWESOME!! Kittie no longer nips or bites. She will ocassionally take my hand in her mouth when we are laying on the couch at night, but now she sorta sucks on it like she’s trying to nurse or something. There is no pressure or teeth! What a relife from the sharp little puppy teeth! I however have a new problem that I need shiba peoples advice on! Kittie is now 14 weeks and is the perfect pet around me and she even loves strangers. I have been socializing her with the other pups and dogs in the neighborhood since we got her at 10 weeks and we have had zero problems. Notice I said had. On Thursday when my husband was taking Kit on a jog he ran into Tessie a boston terrier. Kit did her normal tailwag greeting and went over to say hi, next thing my husband new Kit was snarling and had the other dogs face wrinkles in her mouth!!! YIKES! She did not hurt Tessie (I think maybe the bite inhibition training kept her from breaking the skin and doing damage) but she scared her and royal cheesed the neighbor. My husband told me this and I went “huh, Tessie must have started it somehow, Kittie would never attack like that.” Well I now see that that was a HUGE and irresponsible mistake on my part because yesterday she repeated the behavior with an italian greyhound puppy who had previously been her best friend (no damage, just snarl and grab), and she did it right in front of the president of the home owners association who happens to be incapable of reconzing the diff. between a shiba and an akita and hates both. So now I am the irresponsible owner with the ‘vicious’ dog. Our HOA is very strict and I was told by a friend that there might be a petition to force me to rehome her or move. This seems really drastic to me, so I need advice on what type of training to give her so that this doesn’t happen. I don’t want her to live a life without doggie friends, but I can’t risk loosing her either. I don’t know what to do. Any help from people who have had a similar problem would be welcome.

By: Maura

Maura — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:50:13 +0000

Frozen baby carrots! Nutritious, yummy and good for the teeth.

By: jenna

jenna — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:15:11 +0000

Thank you! Not only do I not mind if you send people to read this post, I’m flattered.

Pups from one-pup litters have a special hurdle to overcome. I’ve talked to a couple breeders about this in regard to bite inhibition (because of a rescue Shiba that had been a single pup actually). They told me that they try to get them mixed in and playing with pups of a similar age as soon as possible. That’s tough if you don’t have another litter available though!

By: Masako

Masako — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:08:00 +0000

Great blog post! Winnie grew up a singleton (no siblings) and her mother didn't do much in teaching her about bite inhibition. Of course my breeder did try to get as much interaction with other pups as much as possible - there was coincidentally another singleton Shiba about the same age as Winnie and they were playmates, but I have a feeling they didn't have an opportunity to spend a lot of time together. I think I had a really tough time with Winnie throughout her puppyhood because of all of this. But, you are absolutely right - with consistency, vigilance and building their confidence, all of this can be turned around. I hope you don't mind, but if I get any questions about bite inhibition, I'll be sending them to this post. Masakos latest blog post..Beyond "Sit", "Stay" and "Come"

By: Maura

Maura — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:18:38 +0000

Forgot to add..

Consistency is the key in whatever training you do with any pup.

Unfortunately with Shibas… they have that mind control and have mastered the talent
of manipulation..

so i write the consistency part to remind myself.. “DON’T LOOK TOO DEEPLY IN THOSE EYES! STAND YOUR GROUND!”

i’m so weak

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:38:12 +0000

Great article and responses. I agree about instinct, and biting being a natural reaction especially when a dog feels there’s a threat, real or imagined. Earning your dog’s trust is so important, as is socialization in as many situations as possible. Even then it’s impossible to duplicate every possibility, vigilance is important when outside the dog’s comfort zone. Michelle gave an excellent example of how quickly things can change putting anyone, including an owner, in danger. Thanks Jenna, with summer and more dogs/owners enjoying time outside the security of their homes and yards, it’s important to remember dogs will be dogs no matter how well loved, cared for, or trained.

By: jenna

jenna — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:23:27 +0000

Michelle – You said it… instinct. I think too many people forget that biting is a natural reaction for a dog!

Bonnie – Pretty smart way to end up with only one pair of ruined pants. lol

By: Bonnie & Sushi

Bonnie & Sushi — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:19:17 +0000

I used to wear the same pants when I'd come home from work, they were called "the Sushi pants". Lots of teeny little holes from Sushi grabbing at them. Bonnie & Sushis latest blog post..10 Mistakes New Pet Owners Make

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Shimi has excellent bite inhibition with his family, but has the fierce Shiba loyalty and fear of strangers. He is so gentle with us that he can clean bits of food out from under my fingernails (trying to get every last bit of treat) and never hurt me. We can play rough and he knows when he’s getting too rough and will go grab a toy so we can keep playing. But he still injured me pretty badly when I got in the way of him protecting me from the big dumb dog next door who just had to come over the fence to check us out. I just point this out to illustrate that dogs aren’t the same in every situation and you should never take it for granted that your dog will always know when to practice bite inhibition. I’d like to think that he would have figured out he was biting me, but he didn’t. He was all instinct at that point and probably didn’t know I was there, even though I stopped the big dumb dog from fighting back (Thank God he was more obedient than my dog.)