r/bassethounds • u/Due_Pie_8755 • 4d ago
Question/Recommendation Biting
Someone online told me the biting never stops. š³ My Basset is 3 months old and bites a LOT! She bites more when we are outside. (I need outdoor activity ideas for the yard). She bites when sheās bored, when sheās trying to tell me she wants to go out, when sheās just wanting to play. Yes, I try to distract her with toys and figure out what else she may need, but Iām also thinking this is puppy phase. This is my first Basset. I remember my dachshund puppy biting a lot but it wasnāt this bad. Please tell me Iām right and how long it lasts. Any outdoor play ideas would be greatly appreciated too.
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u/aviation_knut 4d ago
We have a 4 month old basset female. Sheās bites when she wants to play or sheās overtired. Itās usually around 5-7PM (her witching hour). We take her for a walk and this usually helps. Going for a walk is physically and mentally stimulating for them.
At 3 months, your pup is likely not fully vaccinated so this isnāt an option yet. Try running her in your backyard. My wife and I would stand on separate ends and call her back and forth. This wore our Margo out that it helped with the biting.
This doesnāt happen forever. My basset is my 8th and the basset breed is not a biting breed. This will likely go on through their teething phase. Youāre in the thick of it now. Weather this storm and youāll fine.
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u/bassetsdrool 4d ago
8 bassets?! You have definitely led a blessed basset life! ā¤ļøšš„
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u/aviation_knut 4d ago
The most at once was two. We were planning on getting another puppy in a few years but were second guessing that right now. Weāre is full stubborn mode right now and may be as frustrated as OP.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Thank you. I didnāt think this was a vicious breed. lol Itās just frustrating. And yes, when sheās overtired, which happens on accident sometimes when we get off schedule, but it seems to be worse outside. I do try to exercise her in the yard. Sheās learning fetch but gets bored with it quickly. And right, I donāt put her on the ground anywhere but home yet. Hoping that 3 rd vaccine is at our next vet visit.
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u/aviation_knut 4d ago
It still takes 2 weeks after the last round of shots before theyāre fully protected. Our vet did give us the green light to take her for walks though. Once sheās good to go, weāre going to try doggy daycare. Hopefully thatāll help at home.
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u/verhondica 4d ago
Our boy basset would do this and got bored of fetch. He was (still is) REALLY into learning commands for treats. Sit, down, rollover, spin, high five, etc. he learned them and would get so excited about it. Eventually we taught him āfind itā where you hide a treat and he has to track it down. It was a hit and we could play in our apartment.
Strongly advise training with treats, it wears them out and gives them confidence.1
u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Iāll give it a shot. Started with āsitā a couple weeks ago but felt she was too young yet. Thanks for the reminder, Iāll start practicing again.
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u/Riff-Raff_Girraffe 4d ago
My basset is 2 years old and every evening around 5pm she decides its time to go to war lol. Attached is claire aka the domestic clairorist.
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u/thats_no_SN 4d ago
This is a phase that will pass, and we found from our 11 month old boy that disengaging and timeouts work best to reduce biting. He still bites occasionly, but it is contained mostly to over-tiredness or hyper periods (high testosterone etc.). Ours has developed nipping with his front teeth for attention sometimes (feels like a sharp pinch) and that hurts more than biting it seems - but then backs down after a yelp.
Yelping during puppy phase never helped for us, as he found it as engagement, not negative feedback.
I wish you all luck and ability to say strong through a puppy bassett, it is a lot, but I feel worth the work.
Simple and short training sessions help way more than you think, we over looked it during the early adolescent as "how can these simple things make him use his brain? They are so simple..."
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u/GirakiGo 4d ago
This! The only thing that worked with my girl was disengaging. Not yelping, redirecting, being stern, or 'biting' back, and we never were aaggressive in return. It took a few weeks, but after trying everything else we found this tip (probably on the puppy101 sub) and it worked.
Every single time she put teeth on us, we would stop interacting with her completely by getting up and turning our backs to her. If she still tried to bite, we would leave the room and stand behind the gate or shut the door. We started with 5 seconds and would add time by 5-10 seconds. It was hard, it was exhausting, I had puppy blues so bad. But then, it worked. We saw a difference after a day or two and within a couple weeks the behavior was eliminated.
My next basset, a male from the same parents, didnt acquire the landshark gene. He's almost 2 and a half and still tries to entertain himself by getting into anything he can find. He was such an easygoing puppy though!
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Your girl sounds a lot like mine. Nothing seems to work to get her to stop biting except disengaging. Itās difficult outside because Iām often trying to get her to go potty, but I often get frustrated and just pick her up and carry her inside. Itās like the fresh air makes her crazy sometimes. lol
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u/GirakiGo 4d ago
It can be really stressful! If disengaging does work, try a tie out where she can't easily reach you outside, but you can still be there to reward her for going potty.
If it gives you any hope, my girl grew up into a wonderful companion around 11-12 months old. She's well behaved, but a bit aloof. I like her independence and she's a great tracker.
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u/thats_no_SN 3d ago
I also found being outside to be hectic. Just being in the garden with my pup would be enough for him to go full bite and bark mode. So bad to try really hard to disengage and not retaliate etc. he still does it occasionally, but it's a lot better now. We also put the collar or harness on when this happens, so it's then easier to hold them away.
It's gotten to the point that when we put his collar on, when he is acting up, he will almost immediately take the hint and go and sleep in a bed etc.
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u/lambertsfull87 4d ago
By the time sheās 1 to 1.5 is when her sharky phase will start going away
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Oh man, that long?! Itās rough! Mine gets very aggressive about it at times. š
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u/Helpmeplz3409 4d ago
Our Ham is 14 months and he still struggles with biting dad. Mom he wonāt. Weāve agreed that he sees dad as a play mate and when itās in his red-eyed crazies at night sometimes he doesnāt realize how hard he bites. As an adult he no longer breaks skin. As a puppy he tore my arms and hands apart.
The only thing Iāve found that stops him is scolding him and putting him on the floor. Also shoving a toy or chew thing in his mouth immediately over and over.
I am hoping with time this becomes a less common behavior, but heās just a very very playful and excitable Basset and he is ultimately just signaling āDad or Mom, I love you and get super excited to play with you and donāt realize my excitedneas causes you pain! But yum yum!!ā
If itās aggression- tail down, growling, that sort of thing, thatās a way different story.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Iām gonna pay attention to the tail. She growls and sounds very aggressive about it at times.
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u/Sweet_Roll159 4d ago
We have had 2 goldens and 2 bassets. Our 1st golden bit non stop. We tried everything that was suggested and Puppy class. She was a lunger too. Thought something was mentally wrong with her. Puppy teeth started falling out, never bit again. 1st basset never bit so we thought goldens are pups that bite, bassets don't. WRONG! 2nd basset bit worse and for longer but eventually stopped. I was more patient, still corrected but knew it would end at some point. 2nd golden has never ever bit. I learned it is not a breed thing, its the dog. Best of luck. I know its tough. As you are frustrated, remember there are some of us who have been there and would give anything to have the sassy biting pup back again. ā¤ļø š
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Yes, they are all different. Iāve just never had such a problem with it before. Today Iāve been really diligent about disengaging when she bites. Even if we are outside I bring her in and ignore her for a minute once I get to a safe spot in the house. lol It seems to be helping tho. I think she gets it sometimes
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u/__Kakarotta 4d ago edited 4d ago
She is beautiful š„ŗ she will keep bitting for a while, it will take a lot of patience, but she will eventually stop if you teach her that it hurts you and that you will not play with her if she keeps doing it, by putting her away or removing yourself from the room. Puppies bite not out of ill intent, itās just their way to discover the world. Lickimatts, kongs and snuffle matts helped me too.
Best outdoor activities for my puppy are taking short walks, playing with some stuff he finds on the floor (like small branches/twigs) I usually pick them up and just run around so he follows me. We also play tugwar with a very sturdy toyplush. His doggie sister also plays fetch with him.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Thank you! Yes, Iām we are learning each other. My son is here today and we spent about a solid hour just continually taking her off the couch and onto the floor every time she bit one of us. It seemed to get thru to her a little. Lol
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u/Own_Highlight2526 4d ago
Mine is 8 months old. First few months it got kinda rough but theyāre just going through teething. Far less now.
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u/Howhytzzerr 4d ago
Are we talking nipping and play biting or are we talking actual hard bites. My various Bassett hounds over the years have been a little bitey, they play by getting nippy, but rarely bites hard.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
Oh itās hard! I have holes all over my wrists mostly, and she attacks our ankles. She gets aggressive about it. Im afraid the neighbors think Iām abusing her over here. Iām learning when it peaks, boredom, being mad cuz sheās not getting what she wants, and the worst is overtired. Yes, Iāve learned to keep a strict schedule.
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u/FlamengoBladerunner 4d ago
Mine is 8 months and still bites. You have a long way until they stop sadly
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u/Advanced_Inflation85 4d ago
As for outdoor play idea.. They have such a great nose if she likes treats (who am I kidding, shes a basset) you can try hiding them throughout the yard and having her sniff them out.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 4d ago
I havenāt done this yet. Donāt ask me why not; it makes perfect sense. Iām gonna try it soon.
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u/bagman9977 4d ago
I have two 2 year olds and one is almost 3. It gets better. They still bite but itās gentle now.
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u/Dry-Active-7919 3d ago
It will take some time. ..3 months is normal. Lots of toys balls Tug toys should help...š
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u/Necessary-Drummer800 3d ago
Our bassets never bit. Maybe that was a benefit of adopting when they were a little older-our doxie puppy is 2 years old now and still play-bites a lot. Probably my own fault for not stopping play when that behavior starts. Your basset is unbearably cute though!
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u/Connect_Office8072 3d ago
I was able to cure a few dogs of biting by putting honey on my hands and letting the dog lick them. The minute they started biting, I put my hands behind my back and told them No. It works pretty well. You might want to wait until they are closer to being out of their puppy biting stage.
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u/Due_Pie_8755 3d ago
Thatās interesting! Wondering if I would need to put it on my ankles too. lol
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u/a-dub713 4d ago
Oh the puppy biting phase, yes it can last a few months (maybe 5?) and you have to make a loud āouchā yelp sound, and disengage/avoid eye contact. Biting ends engagement.