So, I was pulling something out of the oven and had on an oven mit. Remi was in a playful mood and ran by, grabbed the mitt off my hand and proceeded to run off with it. He was VERY proud of himself. Now, every time I put it on he tries to grab it off my hands...I know it sounds silly to you all you do this for a living, but is some of the "sleeve" work instinctual?

I'm not planning on going that route with him, mostly becuase I think I would mess him up...

Are there some games that I *CAN* play with him that won't mess him up in the head, or should I stay away from all prey play?

As always - thanks for the input and advice in advance.

BTW: His ears are MUCH!!! better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

it sounds like you have a cool dog. may i ask why you think if you play bite games with him you will mess up his head? i don't remimber where i saw this but somebody on this forum made a statement i thought was right on. "its not the dog that is trained to bite that is dangerous, its the dog that ain't trained." if you train it the dog will know when it is ok to bite something and play tug if not you dog wouldn't know any better if he was going to bite at the wrong time. it sounds like Remi has a little bit of drive just cause he is taking your mit. he has now related your oven mitt to play cause he nows it will get a response out of you. let me guess you probably chase him around the house telliing him to let it go. remimber that game you use to play in school when we were mean little kids. we would take something of somebody's and just throw it around and not let the kid that owns it have it. why did we do it? to get a response out of him/her. samething here, Remi is doing it to get a response. if you REALLY don't want to do any kind of bite work then DON'T chase him around the house and teach him to out. everytime he grabs your mit, grab him by the back of the neck and tell him nine or no, which ever your using. if he grabs something like a sock, perfect opertunity to tach the out. grab him, NOT MEAN OR HARD, and keep telling him to ous or out until he drops it then its good out. as far as games to play... honestly the only games i can think of, the dog uses prey drive at least a little. even pet poodles that can't get their mouth around my fingure <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> plays tug with a rope uses a little prey drive. i hope somebody else may an idea. my suggestion though really rethink about bite work. if the dog has the bite/tug in it, the dog needs an out let to release it. if not it is going to bite something just cause it wants to play but it is going to be completely out of line. i have a gsd that is 1 yr and a 1yr&3yr boy and i couldn't ask for a nicer sweeter dog. she is so soft with my youngest that it is almost humorous. really please rethink it and just do some research about it. i can almost guarantee (i don't have the figures) that there are more dog bites by dogs that aint trained then dogs that are trained to bite.

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So, I was pulling something out of the oven and had on an oven mit. Remi was in a playful mood and ran by, grabbed the mitt off my hand and proceeded to run off with it. He was VERY proud of himself. Now, every time I put it on he tries to grab it off my hands...I know it sounds silly to you all you do this for a living, but is some of the "sleeve" work instinctual?

I'm not planning on going that route with him, mostly becuase I think I would mess him up...

Are there some games that I *CAN* play with him that won't mess him up in the head, or should I stay away from all prey play?

As always - thanks for the input and advice in advance.

BTW: His ears are MUCH!!! better. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I wouldn't shy away from any prey driven games. Think of them as a tool. I would suggest the Flinks video Building Drive and Focus. I purchased it recently and am very pleased with it. You can use Remi's drive to increase his obdeience and focus. Even if you have no plans to continue in any type of bite work. It will deepen your relationship with Remi, increase his focus, BO, and provide good excersize.

Review Ed's extensice articles as he touches on the subject (and related topics) numerous times. I printed out the articles I refer to and keep them handy in a 3 ring.

As for the Oven mit - I would correct this behavior immediately. Burning dinner is one thing, yourself another.

Drives are genetic.

Hope this helps!

EwS

Someone gave me an awesome analogy.

If you're a nice person, does learning how to box make you a bad person? No, it just gives you confidence so you lead a more confident happier life and are able to defend yourself should you ever need to. Dogs are the same way, bite training a dog (especially prey biting!) doesn't change your dogs personality at all, there's not much you can screw up in my opinion. Your dog will still be as friendly and, if anything, more playful than ever, it'll give him something exciting to do with his natural skill.

You don't teach a dog to bite, a dog already knows how to bite, you're just teaching him when it's appropriate.

Guys - Thanks for all the responses.

I don't chase him around the house when he takes the mitt, actually I let him run away with it and then he will lay down. I tell him to out and he does, I go pick up the mitt and then I tell him "we're done" which is his cue for all the games are over. (I use that when we're playing other games, like retreiving a ball)

I think he's got pretty good drive, he will chase anything that moves, that I let him chase. His favorite toy is a piece of rope and I drag, and he loves even more a towel wrapped and taped up (but it only lasts a few days at the most).

He loves to play tug, and even at 10 months still loves to run by and grab my hand. He never bites hard, he's learned that, but will put my WHOLE hand into his mouth when he does.

I do put him into drive to do obedience and he's got an excellent and quick down, sit and down-stay. I guess I'm just worried that if I start down the path and then don't have the time to finish him correctly that he might end up being a little off.

I guess I need to have someone evaluate him to determine if he's got a good stable head, and then move forward.

Thanks all!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

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I guess I need to have someone evaluate him to determine if he's got a good stable head, and then move forward.

I'll tell ya now he has a good head. if he was messed up as soon as he put your hand in his mouth he would bite and hold on for the ride. if he were messed up the first time you tried to correct him he would flip on you. if he were messed up as soon as you took the mitt away he would defend it and challenge you to take it. it really sounds like you have a great dog you are just worried which is fine but like everyone said if you train him to bite when it is ok you will be fine. like he said all dogs bite it is just putting it on cue so he knows he can bite is the importent thing. as far as the games thing goes. guess what every time you throw a ball guess why he chases it, prey drive. when he plays tug...yep prey drive. if your dog has it, he has it just use it to make him a better dog not a dog that has no release of all this built up energy. think of this. lets say you love to...run. one day your husband said i don't want you to run any more. ok fine. you would be ok for a little while but sooner or later it is going to drive you nuts. you will find some way to release all that energy you use to use running. samething. if you don't give your dog an out for all this built up prey drive he will find his own way to release it

Hi Jennifer, i just bought the large tug from leerburg, and the dogs love it( my puppy attacked it taking it out of the box, cracked us up). If your dog likes to play tug, buy a tug, it is christmas time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />, also after a good session with the tug, they're very content, AL

I think I probably should...the first thing he looks for in the morning is that rope, and the last thing he has in his mouth at night....What's amazing (to me anyway) is my 4 year old will play tug with him, and Remi lets my 4 year old "win" every time.

I'll do some Xmas shopping for Remi today, a new video and a tug toy.

Thanks all!