MovieChat Forums > Snow Dogs (2002) Discussion > Biting a dog's ear?

Biting a dog's ear?

posted 20 years ago by dontforgetseventyone
28 replies | jump to latest

Does biting a dog's ear really show them you're the Alpha?

The reason I ask this is that I have recently 'inherited' a large mastiff/pitbull mix who truly believes he is the one in controll. I love the dog, but he had very little disciplining or training growing up and responds to virtually no commands, particualrly "NO" and "STOP/COME HERE". I understand I have allot of damage to undo with him and just don't want to cause him more pain if it's unnecessary.

My sister-in-law is a Vet assistant and when I asked her this question she looked at me like I was some kind of whack-o wanting to go around biting dogs all the time. But then again, she was actually believed that email about chihuahuas being more closely related to rodents than canines, so I tend to be a bit cautious about some of her advice.

Thanks!!

[–] Freaky_movie_Chick-437 20 years ago

NO YOU FRUIT, THAT'S REALLY DUMB. IF YOU BIT A DOGS EAR, EXPECT TO BE BIT BACK.

[–] bregund 20 years ago

Yes, I use this technique on many dogs and it works great. The reason there are so many dog attacks these days is that too many dog owners try to make their dog a "friend", instead of rightfully establishing themselves as the "alpha dog". Once the owner establishes himself as the alpha, then the dog is more easily trained and is much more obedient. I also use a tin can full of pennies, which I shake at the dog when he does something wrong, and a whistle. These three things can pretty much train any dog.

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] evolutioncv 19 years ago

Anyway, it is illegal to bite his dog. I think its something about a $3000 fee or something. It really works, but it does not have to be the ear. You just have to BITE it somewhere. Exept for the private areas... Then it WILL bite back. But front leg, ear and so on. In my expierience the neck is the best place.

although, i dont think i would try it on a pitbull. In any case not without protection and very good insurance (got kids :)

[–] Crazie4wolf 19 years ago

Biting a dogs ear does not show that you are the "Alpha". The dog will bite you back, no doubt. Plus- the dog'll be scared of you, thinking your gonna bite it again. At least thats what my dog would do.

[–] transitfan 19 years ago

If your dog is still a puppy, you might try growling at him/her when he/she does something wrong, this is what the mother does when the pups are still with her. (I heard that once on TV, no idea if it really works). Probably wouldn't work on an adult dog, though.

[–] scannady 18 years ago

Unless somebody here is a vet, I seriously doubt anybody would know the right answer. I'm not sure about biting a dog on the ear, but if you cup your hands over a dog's mouth and don't let him go for a few seconds when he's done something wrong, it WILL show that your the 'alpha' I've read it in exactly 8 books, and it has worked for all my dogs.

Weasly Is MY King...Get Over It!!

[–] DoctorStrangelove 14 years ago

Four years later, I've got to wonder how that worked out for you.

My guess is they don't respect and love you - they fear you.

The Doctor is out. Far out.

[–] swamprat73 18 years ago

I can't comment on whether or not the practice would work on a Pit/Mastiff, but I can testify that firmly grasping the snout with the hand, shaking and lightly biting the nose on a Lupine (read Wolf/Husky 50% and up) does in fact work. I've raised 3 litters totalling 22 pups from birth to the grave in some cases and nary a one has ever challenged me for Alpha. I have used this technique numerous time when breaking up a dominance fight or fence fight between the males, and on a few occasions when breaking up dominance fights between females but only after separating them. Males are at least smart enough to break on their own after bringing blood or minor injury to one another. The females would fight to the death if allowed to continue, and using a hotshot (only when absolutely necessary) barely causes them to break.

And before anybody asks, yes I've been bitten a few times always my own fault for not keeping an arm, hand or leg clear of the business end. Good thing is when it happens, all hostility ceases immediately between the Lupines and each goes to their own area as if they know somebody screwed up biting the REAL ALPHA! Even better now is that since they have all grown older the desire to be dominant has declined and rarely do any of them do much more than a deep belly growl toward the others, and having recently rescued a high percentage 90% albino female has permanently set the pack hierarchy. Kiowa has quietly unnerved the dominance factor amongst the lessor percentage lupines, and she is barely a yearling pup.

As an aside, once I was bitten on the thumbs while wearing heavy duty leather welding gloves as I slipped them in between the gums of one of the females to break her lock on another female through a chainlink fence. Broke both thumbs and thumbnails through the leather gloves, but never broke the skin. Anybody who thinks a Pitbull has a strong bite needs to try the welding glove test on a 55# female Lupine.

[–] strefi 18 years ago

Ok this is scary. I have to say swamprat73 has been bitten way too many times by her own dogs to be able to say: "nary a one has ever challenged me for Alpha".

Having said that you should NEVER, EVER, EVER BITE ANY DOG FOR ANY REASON!
I am a professional dog trainer (12 years now!) and there is no use in ever hitting a dog much less biting one!

All of my dogs have been over 100lbs and extremely dominant working breed males. I have never been threatened in any way by them because the key to being the "Alpha" is really in the fine print. The details. Your day to day behavior not anything you did once or twice in a moment of anger. Actually, the alpha doesn't anger easily at all. He/she is too "big" to get flustered by the "lil' guys". Discipline is in the details and dogs welcome it and respect it more that way. Dog admire fearless people. Fearless people do not BITE!!!!!

Screaming at, striking at or bitting a dog teaches the dog either a) you're insane and not to be trusted fully or b) you are actually afraid of the dog or you wouldn't overreact like that. Both could get you bitten eventually and neither is what you want your dog thinking about you!

I could go on and on about why this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard but instead I'll just give you my pesonal experience with this "technique".

A crazy young breeder of Mastiffs used to bite the puppies ears so they'd respect her if they ever came back (bigger and stronger!). My client had told me she freaked when the nut bit her puppy the day she took him home. About 3 years (and 200lbs!) later we were all at a dog show and I was handling the Mastiff.

Seeing the so called "breeder" the owner told me "Watch out because he hates her guts and may go after her!" I laughed! The dog was a such a SWEETHEART to everyone, it seemed rediculous. But the owner insisted and stayed by the ring in case I needed help in restraining him. When the breeder came into the ring to ask the judge something, the dog growled so loud the earth shook.
I calmed him down and told him "Don't worry baby. If she comes any closer I'LL bite her."

The judge came up to me and asked if he has a temperament problem (he had already checked the dog no prob) and I had so say:
"NO. He is an absolute ANGEL. That lady over there bit his ear and he hates her now, that's all."
The judge almost fell over with laughter and actually asked the breeder if it was true. She admited it (far at the other end of the ring of course!) and grinned and then I shouted:
"Why don't ya come take a little nibble NOW???? Please bite harder this time so he really gets the message -you IDIOT!" Of course she just quickly ran off.

You don't hit a dog because it makes them shy away from hands (and bite them too) and you don't BITE dogs because it will make them shy away from your face or bite it too! BTW. The coin-can idea is stupid as well and so is the rolled up newspaper deal. Startling a pup like that could give it noise phobias (thunder -fireworks etc) later and is not worth it even if it works sometimes. There are better methods that don't cause any form of trauma.

TRUST is the most important thing in the canine-human relationship. It is so sad that many people break that trust and never bond properly with their dogs.
I could perform minor surgery on my big mean police dogs and all they'd do was sleep through it trusting that I always know best, knowing that I am not CRAZY!

Trust is priceless at times when the sh** hits the fan: dog fights, your dog's been hit by a car and in shock, your dog is very sick or stepped in glass or is very scared etc. He should turn TO you for help.
PLEASE DON'T BITE YOUR DOGS!

[–] strefi 18 years ago

And don't even get me started on how dangerous it is to bite a dog that already thinks he's bigger and better than you (as the 1st poster describes)...

[–] jonrod 18 years ago

Abuse? You are taking this way too SERIOUSLY. I thought I was serious. I thought was a misconception of how to gain a dog's obdince. I strongly disagree with the term "Man's best friend." this is exactly what the film is doing just with all the other childrens films, making dogs look like cute little friends.... (That we abuse!). You should know that dogs are pack animals. They are not friends. Winning a dog's respect is a mix of all interactions you do. If you take care of them, play with them, care for them when they have problems with thier body. They'll know you care. In the family I live in, the two activties that show direct dominance is feeding the dog (It's not just filling the dogs need, it's showing that your alpha,), walking the dog (Filling the dog's NEED of exercise. Showing your alpha because he has to follow you). Dominace dosn't happen in a second, that's just saying that " I wish the dog would obey me and be friend, and I don't have a clue.".

I'm sorry if see you me serious, I'm just trying to clear to things up.

http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/feature/2002/01/18/dogs/index.html

Here's an article. Saying how disney tried to make a cute comdey about sledding and real sledding is dangrous. I'll agree that they tried to make it cute and nice, but what there missgin is realistic facts and timsin and training. Let the kiddies watch it and have thier amusment, just don't be dumb as Ted here, to think that they can do it because he can. Nothing comes easy

I object that they should get rid of the races. The race is job for dogs, that's the immpresion for sled dogs. What do want to do. Go get a huskey and think it's cute or a campoion when it's going to crazy with the owner not having a clue.

How children see dogs, they should go hug a wolf. Oh wait there going to freak because it's the BIG BAD WOLF.

[–] chocolate_rulez23 18 years ago

I agree with Strefi.
I have had my dog for eight years now and we have never hit him, bitten him or anything and he has never ever bitten anyine except when he played as a puppy lol. You can now put your finger in his mouth and he would hold his mouth open so he doesnt hurt you. Trust is a key aspect in respect, you cant respect someone you dont trust them.

[–] armeeta 17 years ago

There's no need to ever bite a dog. Alphas do not "bite" as "breeders" and "trainers" say.

Biting would be abuse. What alphas do is nip subdominant dogs, usually near the mouth or neck.
This is equivalent to a small "pinch" not too hard though.

Though you should not do this, esp. with dogs that have been adopted or are bigger than most medium dogs. Use the ever-popular no. Just use a loud, strong voice. And give him treats when he does listen.

[–] lilsase1 17 years ago

As an owner of unruly dogs I have actually found that biting an ear can get their attention. But the best way to establish dominance with a dog, get the dog on their back, look into the eyes and say NO while staring them down. This has been a tried and true humane none abusive way to establish dominance. I have found I maintain best control when I do this. Biting the ear is perhaps something that might work in Alaska but not in the real world.

[–] betenoire-1 17 years ago

What alphas do is nip subdominant dogs, usually near the mouth or neck.
This is equivalent to a small "pinch" not too hard though.

That is exactly how a human "bite" would feel like for a dog. Our teeth aren't as sharp and our jaw not as powerful as those of a dog. You can absolutely bite your dog and as long as it isn't injured, there is no real problem. But whether you should really do it and what your relationship with your dog will be, is another matter. It *can* be an educational technique, but I'd say you have to be really in touch with your dog to use it.

[–] WPP-author 17 years ago

Well, my puppy bit my dad once and he bit her back on the ear, and she's never bitten him again. It didn't scare her one bit. She just respects my dad more.

Come on, men! Who wants some? I'll have you all one by one.

Captain of Team Norrington

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] itrhymeswithoranges 17 years ago

I'm not sure. I have deffinitely heard the ear biting thing among dogs or maybe wolves as the sign of alpha. I'm not sure if it works for people. I'm no expert so don't go quoting, but you should probably look a little more into it.

[–] dany5 17 years ago

I'm with freaky movie chick, biting a dog's ear ranks right up there with not taking anesthesia for tooth extraction...dumb and useless.

[–] TR_Wolf 16 years ago

IF YOU BITE OR HURT YOUR DOG, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE!!

Simple as.

[–] jjgraywolf 16 years ago

No self respecting dog musher on the planet would EVER bite a dog on the ear. Stupidest thing I ever saw in a movie. Other than that it was pretty good and did a pretty good job of portraying a green-horn on a sled.

SupernaturaL ... the best thing the CW has to offer

[–] eclecticalbohemian 16 years ago

hmmm, i don't think ceasar millan would recommend biting a dog's ear and expect to become alpha/pack leader... my dogs an overgrown baby though, maybe he'd let me nip him

[–] choctawdogmusher 15 years ago

I've been running dogs for 12 years, and never heard of that until the movie.

For me, I don't believe in focusing on dominance work. I find it silly, and most techniques out there are just going to ruin your relationship with your dog (don't even get me started on Milan). I use positive reinforcement, and it has worked very well for my team. I agree with the poster above who talked about working on trust.

Kristen & the Fuzzy Huskies Team
http://www.freewebs.com/kristenssleddogs

[–] Tiphareth 15 years ago

I always employed putting my head atop my canine's head when he overstepped his place, which blessedly was very rare, but it seemed to deliver the message well.

Oh, how I miss him

`~~æ~~`

[–] IfIWereASausage 15 years ago

lol, and that's the reason there are so many dog attacks now days - people seem to think that if you treat a dog like a human it'l act like a human and be all nice. A wild dog wouldn't hesitate to make it's position known in a pack and you shouldn't hesitate either, else the dog becomes dominant and starts attacking everyone.

Botton line: dogs are not cute adorable pets. Dogs are animals and neeed to be treated as such