belgian malinois puppy biting and eating everything Behaviour

Discussion in 'Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)' started by Mylinda, Dec 9, 2021.

  1. Mylinda

    Mylinda New Member

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    belgian malinois puppy biting and eating everything

    hello my name is Mylinda, im new to the group. We got a belgian malinois puppy about 5 weeks ago. she is great with the exception of 2 things. she eats everything, glass nails, clothes ( not just chews them up but literally eats the chunks of clothes or blankets she chews up), and her favorite rocks. we have tried everything we can think of to stop her but nothing works. 2nd issue is biting. she constantly bites us. no matter what we try we cant stop her. We redirect her with favorite toy or bone and she just drops them and bites harder than before. we have tried to yell ouch to distact her and make her thing we are hurt ( which we are, we have puncture wounds and bruises all over us) tried ignoring her does not work. please help us we love her but can not continiue to have major wounds form biting and do not want to have to put her down because she eats something and we have to put her down due to severe damage form glass or nails.
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  3. Toedtoes

    Toedtoes Member

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    How old is she?

    Biting:

    Don't yell "ouch" - it sounds like a bark to a dog so doesn't portray the same effect that we want it to. Instead, you can try a wimper sound. But that will have no effect without proper training.

    Make sure the puppy has plenty of chews. When she tries to bite you, give her a chew and praise her when she takes it. Then move away from her. Don't give her the opportunity to come back to chew on you.

    Make sure she is getting enough sleep throughout the day. Oftentimes, we tend to overdo things with our puppies - because they're puppies and cute. That can make it difficult for the puppy to calm down - they get overstimulated. A case of "zoomies" is fine, but a puppy shouldn't be so hyped that she won't react to noises, etc. If she gets that hyped, it's time for a nap. You can use baby gates or an exercise pen to confine her to a safe area.

    Chewing:

    Put things away. Keep unsafe items away from her reach. I know, harder than it sounds, but is the most important part.

    Don't ever chase her or yell at her when she gets a hold of things. That will either cause her to play "keep away" or to resource guard.

    Start teaching her "let me see it" and "sit for it". With "let me see it", give her a toy. Then, simply hold an edge - don't pull or wiggle it or anything - and say "let me see it", when she releases her hold (often it's in an attempt to get a better hold, that's OK), take it and make a big deal over the toy. Ignore her until she sits. As soon as she sits, give her the toy and praise her. Also make her sit for treats and meals. With meals, have her sit until you put the bowl down, then give her a release command (OK, eat, etc) to start eating. It can be good to use a hand signal also.

    Once she learns that giving you her toys is good - dogs want you to want their toys, they just don't want you to keep it - and she sits promptly to get it back, you can add the next step "all done now".

    For "all done now", randomly and infrequently, when you get the toy, give her a treat and simply say "all done now" and put the toy away out of sight. This teaches her that sometimes she doesn't get it back, but still gets rewarded for being polite.

    At the same time, work on "leave it". BEFORE she puts an item in her mouth, when she first looks at it, say "leave it" and redirect her attention from the item. This works best if you limit her ability to roam to just the room you are in. Again, use baby gates, exercise pen, and/or doors to limit her ability to roam out of sight.

    If she does get hold of an item she shouldn't have, use the "let me see it" and give her a treat when she gives it to you. Then simply put the item away out of sight.

    Once she readily lets you see items, you can use the "drop it" command to have her simply drop an item where she is at. With this, she won't be bringing it to you, she will just drop it where she is. When she drops it, call her over to you and give her a treat. While she is getting the treat, your partner can quietly pick up and put the item away.

    Puppies are a lot of work. They WILL get into everything and it is our responsibility to keep unsafe items away from them.
  4. Chris B

    Chris B Member

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    Malka and CaroleC like this.
    The advice already given is extremely good, but I would add, get her to training and fast. This breed needs training and needs to have their brain stimulated otherwise they make their own entertainment as you are finding
  5. LayToya

    LayToya New Member

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    Hi! It's been a while; any update?
  6. DorTindel

    DorTindel New Member

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    Hey! Eating everything and excessive biting are common behaviors in puppies, but they can be managed.
    For the eating issue:
    Make sure your puppy has a lot of chew toys to redirect her chewing behavior.
  7. DorTindel

    DorTindel New Member

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    Keep potentially dangerous items out of her reach and puppy-proof your home.
    Consider crate training or using baby gates to limit her access to certain areas.
    Regarding the biting, be consistent in teaching her bite inhibition by yelping or saying "ouch" when she bites too hard, then immediately redirecting her to an appropriate toy. You can find more useful information about puppies and dogs at https://cutepetcare.com/dog-keeps-stretching-neck-and-looking-up/. Good luck!
  8. Toedtoes

    Toedtoes Member

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    The OP is over two years old. In addition, advertising is not allowed.

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