I read the different posts on nipping and biting and I was thinking that Niko, my now 10 week old rottie was just being a pup. But tonight he seemed particularly "wired" for some reason. We went thru the usual attacks on my pant legs and ankle biting, not to mention the way he lunges at our shoes when we walk. But his most recent tirade was a bit much for me. My ten year old was laying on the couch watching television and Niko was playing with his tug toy throwing it around and growling at it. He then jumps on my son and grabs his ear and starts to pull backwards as if trying to pull him off of the couch. My son pushed him off and came into the bathroom where I was bathing my daughter and says, "Look at what YOUR dog did." There was this HUGE gash from the tip of his ear almost down to the tip of his ear lobe. I asked him if he corrected the pup by shaking him and he said he didn't because he just caught him off guard since he was playing alone. I immediately walked him back into the room where Niko was and instructed him to place Niko in the crate. Again Niko starts darting back and forth barking and growling (wagging his tail the entire time). I screamed "NO NIKO!!" and told my son to do the same. He place him in the crate and said "Mom I don't want anything else to do with Niko for the rest of the night." And rightfully so, I'm thinking he is going to need stitches (it's just that bad). I cleaned him up with some surgical scrub and betadine. My son I can handle, but this Niko....his nipping and biting is beginning to be a bit much. How do I correct this ASAP without diminishing his drive or crushing his confidence because he was bought to go through protection training as well? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Does your son play fight or just regular play with the puppy? My first tendancy is to blaim poeple before animal.It sounds like the pup has high pray drive and is seeing your son as a pray toy.He should have been instantly shaken for his actions but the situation seemed that that wasn't possible.I think part of the solution is to tell your son to not be so accessable to the puppies bite when the pup is rough playing.And of course to correct the pup when he is biting your son at all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />