We took Radar and Shelby to the lake today (5th time since getting Radar), and he exhibited some behavior I have never seen in him.
My boyfriend and I were about knee deep in the water, the dogs were having a blast swimming and splashing around, and Radar turned, swam to Clark, and tried to grab his swim trunks. I called him to me thinking he was just too deep and getting overwhelmed, but when he came to me he jumped up, grabbed my shirt, and bit my stomach (no punctures). I headed back to the shore with him and he jumped up to bite my hand that was holding the leash and felt his teeth on me.
We went on the beach for a time out and he was just beside himself with anxiety because Shelby and Clark weren't with us. He refused to even look at me for more than a second, so I kept him leashed until he calmed down, finally. I brought him over, on leash, to Shelby and Clark who were playing and he immediately went to Clark, jumped up, and bit his thigh leaving three puncture marks. I pulled him away but Shelby got between Clark and Radar, play bowing, and Radar jumped on her and bit her, too. She yelped and tried to lay the smack down on him before Clark pulled her away. We immediately separated the dogs and headed back to the car.
He used to go after clothing and legs/feet/hands/arms when he was very young but he hasn't done it in about a month. Is this just bratty behavior brought on by being over stimulated? Maybe just a bad day? Or is this possibly a problem cropping up? Clark wears the same clothes all the time, and plays with Shelby like he was all the time, and Radar has never tried to bite either of them. Radar has never tried to jump up and bite me like that, or go after my hand. He's super respectful of my space and my skin all the time except for today.
Part of me wonders if this could be some kind of herding thing coming out, and he was just really frustrated that no one was listening to him. It does sound a lot like the herding behavior I've heard of from cattle dogs and such that are very physical with their herd, and I think it was a redirection onto Shelby because he was just out of his mind with anxiety or frustration.
Does anyone here think that maybe I should be giving him even more mental stimulation and come up with a game that helps him 'herd' things into doing what he/I want them to do before we can find a herding trainer? He loves to play games!
What should I do when he does make contact with skin with the full intent to bite instead of making a mistake while being playful? I did a scruff shake and then immediately denied him attention while we were on the beach, but I don't think it's a good idea, since nothing's stopping him from correcting us back.