I just recently (1 1/2 months ago) got a cane corso puppy. He is excllent with me, I have him enrolled in puppy classes and he is doing very well. Occassionally he mouths or bites my hand while playing and I correct him immediately. My husband lets the puppy bite him constantly and never corrects him because he wants the puppy to like him and not think he's mean. The puppy acts like my husband is a chew toy or another puppy. Is my husband's behavior bad, and will it make the puppy think that he is above my husband in the "pack?" My trainer from puppy school said that my husband will have his hands full when the puppy gets older and my husband thinks that the trainer is extreme and mostly nonsense. She doesn't encourage tug-of-war, which he plays with the dog and he rough houses with the dog. Any helpful info that I can show him, or should I just let the two of them be as long as the puppy respects me and all others who come into the home (which he seems to do). The puppy is pretty gentle with other people, he may bite/mouth their hands once but I tell them to correct him and tell him no and give him a toy and it seems to work. It seems that once my husband walks into the room the puppy gets all crazy and hyper and starts jumping on him and biting his pants leg, etc. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Your not very smart hubby is going to eventually take a bite from this dog - sorry, but that's the truth of the matter. He is training the dog that it's OK to bite him in play, and this will escalate as the dog gets older.
I'm fine with your husband taking a bad bite, since he is training the dog for that specific purpose, apparently. However, this does increase the risk of the dog biting other people- you may want to mention this to your husband and/or insurance carrier. I also think that the Cane Corso's are one of the breeds that are on the "one bite and we drop your insurance" list- it's worth checking that out with your insurance carrier also.
Sorry if my answer seems harsh but your husband is playing with fire there. :rolleyes:

I think you can find a happy medium between roughhousing and safe dog manners and obedience training.

Obedience training, serious obedience training, will be the key. If pup can learn that rough time only happens when dad wants it to, and it ends when dad wants it to. . .no problem.

Get your dog 100% obedience trained and you can usually get away with guilty pleasures like wrestling and play fighting without it creating problems. You can do that because you have a real element of control with the dog, you have a good relationship built through the obedience training, and the dog knows the rules.

Letting the dog just run up and bite you whenever it wants though. . .is a no no. For a pet, you can't let that happen. Bite inhibition training will be necessary.

Does that make sense?

Note: If the dog starts showing serious signs of dominance issues. . .like food aggression, growling when you try to push him out of your way, etc. . . .all that roughhousing has to end immediately. You can't have that kind of fun relationship with a dog with serious rank issues.

I know how frustrating those 'significant others' can be! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> You received very sound advice, follow through with it. If your husband wants to have 'bite play' with the pup, then redirect it a tug (toy) and make sure the pup understands when play sessions are over.

All the work I put into not letting my pup jump up is undermined by the 'other' who encourages her to jump up on him. :rolleyes: At least now he is the only one she jumps on and if he gets upset with her it gives me an excuse to be all over him like a piranha! Good Luck and tell him he is being a bonehead and will get what he deserves.

Thank you to all three of you who wrote back to me. I am going to print out the responses and show him. As of now, I would say that he has no control whatsoever over the puppy and the puppy is only 3 months old. The puppy listens to me pretty much most of the time and I am the only who takes him to obedience school. I am going to continue through at least 1 year of age because I know this dog is going to be a lot to handle. The breeder that we got him from said that I should have no problem being alpha but that my husband will have a problem because the puppy is going to try to assume the position of my "husband" and be above John. I already see this kind of stuff taking place because John just says "oh he's just a puppy, you have too many rules for him." I'll keep trying and any additional info any of you have I would love hearing. Thanks again.

I feel your husband will indeed take care of the problem on his own but hopefully with care as not to ruin this dog. I personally don't see where there is a problem at this stage of the game which it is. Most dogs are very smart in learning what behavior is acceptable to each individual in the house & I feel that perhaps your husband & not you really controls the dog but irregardless of that if you do have control over the dog it's behavior will not increase around strangers.

Maybe your husband needs to get a rope and put it on the tug. That way he is not biteing his hand when they are playing. My rottweiler does not bite me on the hand after i put a rope on the tug. Before he had my hands all chewed up. He is about 6 month old now and does not bite my hand. Just let him know when play time is over. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> You may want to get bite training puppy dvd from Leerburg ,if that what your husband wants him to do.
-----------------------------------
love from our dogs make all of us better people

One in favor of the “Dad” -Well seeing how every one is right from their perspective and I can relate to it, I wont down play any one but I will in all honesty have to go with Van Camp. This is why. The husband is stimulating your dog mom, he has become the sparring partner - with some ruff stuff now and then, that I encourage as well, if you have kids don’t let them play rough with the dog, and visa versa – especially if they are very young. The dog needs to learn a lot of things, and a sparing partner is good, as long as no one goes over board here you will just do fine, and actually benefit along the line. Be aware of turning him in to a mommy’s boy - lap dog. Yes I have seen it; too much sweetness spoils a good pudding (dog) for everyone. And toys are a nicer way of growing away from the big sharp teeth that evidently take the place of small milk teeth.

Chrissy, to me, there is nothing wrong with your husband playing with the dog, but a cane corso is a very big dog. You dont want a 100lb pup thinking its ok to get excited and started chewing on limbs. I dont know about cutting out tug-of-war, because the tug o war can be replacement play time instead of the dog chewing on your husband. You have to teach him what is acceptable play and what is not. But I dont allow my dogs to jump on people or play rough with people. There is a time and a place for rough housing and bite training. does not sound like you want to do bite training either, but puppies like to play and chew on things, and Im sure this dog will play rough when he gets older. If you are worried about your dog being friendly with people then socialize the heck out of him. I have a couple of friends that have cane corsos and they can get pretty territorial so they have to watch them sometimes. It does not sound like this is the case with your pup, but he is only 3 mos. so hes got some growing up to do.