Hello all,
I have a South African Boerboel who is 1 yr old and he has a problem with trying to nip me after I give him a bite correction with my hand. After he bites the leash I give him a bite correction and right after I do he tries to go for my hand. How I give him a bite correction is to sharply jab him in the neck. I do this if he bites the leash after I give him a leash correction. He doesn't ever nip me or bite me but he does go for my hand or arm right after a correction.

Simba doesn't bite the leash all the time but only when I pull at him to come forward or put pressure on his neck. I do this because he is hard to control when he gets real excited and hyper and he doesn't want to listen to me as usual. He is only 1yr old. I try and make him sit before I put his leash on or if he is really hyper, but this is when he doesn't listen and I pull on his neck to give him a leash correction and then he wants to bite the leash. Should I not make him do any commands like sit when he is in this excited state?? Should I just let him calm down first and then give commands? What do I do next to better assert my dominance and let him know that this is not allowed??

Many thanks,
Cynthia

Hi Cynthia

You have a very handsome boy there!

I am reluctant to give advice because I have only had my lot for 3 years, but what I have learned from my breeder and other hugely experienced bb owners has been invaluable, do you keep in touch with your breeder? Also bb specific boards are useful.

My own experience is that they are very slow to mature and this may have something to do with it, my 3 year old male goes wang eyed and mouthy when corrected at times, he has been known to chuck himself on the floor like a toddler when having a strop.

As you know, they weigh a ton, (and are not especially smart!) they are stubborn and do need masses of discipline, firm but fair always, and challenging them with ob and mental excersise will bond you two massively, repetition is the answer.

If you would like some excellent advice from folk that have had bb's for decades, let me know and I will pm you links to the sites I use for specific bb questions, they are a nice bunch of people with a lot of knowledge - that said, this forum is by far the most down to earth and has common sense advice by the truck load, plus sensible advice for dogs with aggression problems; I don't necessarily think that is what is going on with your boy, as I said, they are mouthy and they do challenge corrections at times!

Let me know if I can help you with referrals for other boards, let me know and I will pm you.

Regards

Hi Tracey,

Thanks for the info! I would love to get the links to other sites that you know of. I can use all the information on Boerboels I can get! It's nice to know that what Simba is doing is a normal breed behavior.

" I do this because he is hard to control when he gets real excited and hyper and he doesn't want to listen to me as usual. "


Excited about what, for example? Strange dogs? Groups of people?

Usually he gets excited when he first comes out of his kennel or when he comes inside from being outside. One time he got excited when my fiance came outside in the backyard with us. I try and walk him everyday around the neighborhood and I just recently started biking with him. I can tire him out by walking or playing with him and after a few hours have passed he's excited again about something or wanting to play. It would be nice to have him in the living room with us laying down and relaxing and not having to worry about him getting riled up. I do give him bones to chew on when he is up front with us but it doesn't keep his attention that long. Seems like he always has to be into something.

This sounds like more than one thing to address.

"After a few hours" it's time to drain off frustrated energy again.

1. Can you give us an average exercise schedule? I know this might sound off-topic, but frustrated energy is a huge mark against you when you want a focused or calm dog.

2. What is the routine for having him come out of his kennel?

3. What kind and how often are your training sessions?

"... need masses of discipline, firm but fair always, and challenging them with ob and mental excersise will bond you two massively, repetition is the answer."

Words to live by!



eta
Can you tell us how you proof commands for distraction?

Edited by Connie Sutherland (11/01/2011 05:25 PM)
Edit reason: eta

We found it hard to get the buggers to settle even after a good yomp, food and ob, they are by nature, daft, immature and taxing!

My routine is 45 mins fast road walk before work, an hour off lead running and playing with the tennis balls after work and lots of basic ob stuff in the house, our clocks have just gone back in the UK and I am still going over the fields with a torch to let them go nuts to let the steam off, at the age your boy is his bones have yet to set, and you may have been told by your breeder not to run him out yet, but a short 5 or 10 mins flat out won't hurt, and may give you the burn off he needs.

Someone told me once, this breed isn't for everyone, and I have learned so much with this breed that I didn't worry about with my English Pointers, its horses for courses and this breed is one of the hardest I have ever had to work with in my life time with dogs, but are really worth the graft.

I will pm you the links to the boards I use, you will pick the wheat from the chaff as you go along, but 99% of the time you will get straight forward information that you are looking for.

Enjoy your boy, I adore my Boerboels, they are clowns but so loving, they are happiest with people that 'get' them, so I will hand you back over to the experts and email you the links.

Kind regards
Tracey

Just a question... why are you jabbing him in the neck? I'd come after you too, if you were jabbing at my sensitive spots. I'd try preventing him from biting the leash, first. Bitter apple or something spicy sprayed or painted on it, and then marking him for correctly ignoring the leash and him controlling himself.

If the breed in general is pretty dumb, wouldn't it be easy to mentally exhaust them? I'm thinking puzzles and work to eat toys.

If he has any sort of prey/chase drive a flirt pole could come in handy, too, after you teach a solid out so he's not dragging you off when he latches onto the toy/rag. It's much easier on his bones since you can do it on grass or sand (yay sand!)

(you folks are gonna get sick of hearing me preach the praise of the flirt pole!)

 Quote: Cynthia Hackett

It's nice to know that what Simba is doing is a normal breed behavior.

What he's doing is also very normal behavior for most any 1 yr old dog.

Samantha said "why are you jabbing him in the neck?"
I think this is a Cesar Milan idea, that has taken over the world. *shrug* I think my dog would try to bite me as well, if I jabbed him in the neck!

Exercise and mental stimulation have already been hit on, but I would like to know what kind of a collar are you giving him corrections on? Do you use NILF at home, and are you familiar with pack structure?