# My 2 puppies neck biting until bleeding, normal?



## Rambo.n.Rocko (Aug 23, 2015)

I have 2 french bulldogs, one of them has a 25% cross pug in his bloodline and is about 4 months old. The other one is about 6 months old. The younger one is the resident dog. The young one is very energetic and wants to play ALL the time with the older one. When he's on to something, he loses focus of my voice and commands. The older one is a gentle giant. I believe the neck nipping started with the older one and the younger one caught on. Since the younger one still have those sharp puppy teeth, it tends make the other one bleed (though he doesn't really scream). And due to the older one being white in colour, I can see the scabs building up, which I am starting to worry about.
Should this behaviour be stopped or its their way of bonding? Its only been 4 days since they've met each other but the face on the older one is worrying me somewhat. When it gets too much, I tend to put them back into their crates to relax or sometimes I might try to step in with a tug of war toy to sort of make them teamwork against me. I have a feeling that I should be focusing on trying to find ways of calming down the young energetic one (as he does this not only with other dogs but also humans). 
Any tips?


----------



## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Rambo.n.Rocko said:


> I have 2 french bulldogs, one of them has a 25% cross pug in his bloodline and is about 4 months old. The other one is about 6 months old. The younger one is the resident dog. The young one is very energetic and wants to play ALL the time with the older one. When he's on to something, he loses focus of my voice and commands. The older one is a gentle giant. I believe the neck nipping started with the older one and the younger one caught on. Since the younger one still have those sharp puppy teeth, it tends make the other one bleed (though he doesn't really scream). And due to the older one being white in colour, I can see the scabs building up, which I am starting to worry about.
> Should this behaviour be stopped or its their way of bonding? Its only been 4 days since they've met each other but the face on the older one is worrying me somewhat. When it gets too much, I tend to put them back into their crates to relax or sometimes I might try to step in with a tug of war toy to sort of make them teamwork against me. I have a feeling that I should be focusing on trying to find ways of calming down the young energetic one (as he does this not only with other dogs but also humans).
> Any tips?


Personally I do not allow my dogs to play fight as it is just rehearsal for when they meet other dogs and then practise this inappropriate behaviour on them! You cannot "calm down dogs" but you can ask for calm behaviours.

I would be concentrating on developing a rapport with the new dog separately and of course if you have only had the younger one for 4 days there is no way he can know any "commands" as yet.


----------



## Rambo.n.Rocko (Aug 23, 2015)

smokeybear said:


> Personally I do not allow my dogs to play fight as it is just rehearsal for when they meet other dogs and then practise this inappropriate behaviour on them! You cannot "calm down dogs" but you can ask for calm behaviours.
> 
> I would be concentrating on developing a rapport with the new dog separately and of course if you have only had the younger one for 4 days there is no way he can know any "commands" as yet.


Sorry to confuse you, the older one is the new dog. The young one knows many commands but only when he is focused. When he gets excited, it is almost impossible for him to focus on me unless I calm him down just a bit first.

In addition, the young one doesn't jump or bite other dogs he meets at the park, he simply sniffs and walks away.


----------



## Jenny Olley (Nov 2, 2007)

I would stop it, our dogs do play together, but we do monitor it and with other dogs, but it isn't really healthy for one pup to nip hard enough to produce blood. Think you will have to use physical barriers for the time being ie one in cage one out training or playing with you, then swap. Have them out together on walks, take them different places, so rather than being at each other they can explore the environment.
Letting pups play rough for long periods in the end may lead to real fighting, then you will have a problem. Good luck with sorting it.


----------



## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

smokeybear said:


> Personally I do not allow my dogs to play fight as it is just rehearsal for when they meet other dogs and then practise this inappropriate behaviour on them! QUOTE]
> I dont think there is anything wrong with playfighting as such.... but I def wouldnt allow 2 puppies to playfight without supervision and time outs. Playfighting can be good if its an older dog who can teach a puppy about boundries and acceptable levels but 2 puppies will just go nuts and not learn anything!
> Also 2 bully breeds will play much rougher then alot of other dogs would like.


----------

