# Questions about bite sleeves



## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

I just got a new bite sleeve, as the puppy sleeve was getting a little too hard on me. My mali is a year old (in a couple of days) and the one I got is a Horton's Level 2. It appears well made, and honestly although I've used it some already, still looks new, so I think it will hold up.

As a beginner, maybe this is normal, but it seems to me like the 'harder' sleeve just made the dog bite down with more force, so my arm is still covered with bruises. It doesn't hurt, just leaves a mark from the pressure. I can see where this may be logical, the harder sleeve makes her bite harder to maintain a grip, so probably par for the course. Or maybe I should just be proud that she has a full, hard grip!

Anyway, it made me think that possibly I should have gotten one with a bar in it, or maybe I'm just being a wuss. Since I don't have access to a 'real' decoy, I've just been keeping things simple and doing it myself and teaching my son to be one. So far, I don't see much problem, but it may be more that she is genetically a strong biter. There wasn't much training to it, I think she will bite anything you let her. Just so no one gets worried, my son isn't 9 years old, he is 24 and in law enforcement, so has at least been involved as a spectator in some dog work. He would like to work into a k9 unit one day.

She has a near perfect out will do a long bite, likes to bite high, decent dog for someone who isn't a dog trainer. Using a sleeve/bite builder as a reward has improved her focus while heeling a bunch as well.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

I was curious to see how it was gonna work out for you.  getting only the level 2. 

part of the allure for the dog with the belgian type sleeve is that the dog is crunching down on your arm, and can feel it moving in there.

of course the dog bites harder, that is the point 

If you cannot feel the biting with that type of sleeve, there is a problem...
One thing you dont want to do is dissuade the dogs from biting hard, this can happen with certain dogs when the owner works them, the dog ends up biting softer, becuase they dont want to hurt "daddy". Luckily or unluckily I have never had this problem with the dogs Ive owned 

it is not a huge jump to a 3 or the police model, mostly just thicker and a little more dense. At least that is how it is with the Euro Joe sleeves, I assume it is similar with yours. I personally would have gotten the police sleeve.  

A bite bar sleeve is also a great tool obviously

one thing you can do is use sports wrap, a guantlet of some kind, neoprene or leather, or even just use an elastic bandage on the arm, putting it on tightly will spread the pressure over a larger area...if you are a wuss  (j/k)......

Just remember, ideally the bruising should come from the molars, not the canine teeth 

I use a euro joe #5 when I play with my dog, and still get occasional bruises, mostly the bones just hurt though, but I am a wuss too now lol...


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## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

Mine doesn't have any problem with 'hurting daddy' either. The back teeth are what does it, leaving red marks, plus I think it's a little thinner around the bicep, so she left a big 3 in. bruise on the inside of it. About the first time she took hold of it, she was kind of tentative, cause it was stiffer, but now she is biting hard, and like you said, that is the idea. Nothing I can't live through, but looking back I should have probably gotten the police model. I think I was being conservative in my dogs biting ability, assuming she was probably a 'middle/softer' biter, rather than being like a lot of people and thinking I owned the hardest biting dog on earth! She has kind of impressed me in that regard, she bites hard, and completely full, if she doesn't get a good initial bite, she pushes forward, getting a mouthful, and then crushes your arm. She is a good-sized bitch 65 pounds at a year old, so that may have something to do with it, although my feeling is that it is more a genetic thing. I don't think she will grow much more, finish at 70 or so.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

jim stevens said:


> Mine doesn't have any problem with 'hurting daddy' either. The back teeth are what does it, leaving red marks, plus I think it's a little thinner around the bicep, so she left a big 3 in. bruise on the inside of it. About the first time she took hold of it, she was kind of tentative, cause it was stiffer, but now she is biting hard, and like you said, that is the idea. Nothing I can't live through, but looking back I should have probably gotten the police model. I think I was being conservative in my dogs biting ability, assuming she was probably a 'middle/softer' biter, rather than being like a lot of people and thinking I owned the hardest biting dog on earth! She has kind of impressed me in that regard, she bites hard, and completely full, if she doesn't get a good initial bite, she pushes forward, getting a mouthful, and then crushes your arm. She is a good-sized bitch 65 pounds at a year old, so that may have something to do with it, although my feeling is that it is more a genetic thing. I don't think she will grow much more, finish at 70 or so.


they all seem to be a little thinner on the bicep. I wont take bicep bites from this dog with the euro joe, without a gauntlet. although they seem to be made ideally for forearm., people just flip it around for bicep

cool....keep on crushin


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## Peta Het (Feb 13, 2011)

I've been thinking of ordering the Police model from Horton's too. How is the quality? I'm not too concerned with feeling the bite. I like the Belgian type sleeves. I have not purchased anything from Horton's before though.


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## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

I wish I had gotten the police model, cause I can definitely feel the bite. This is what mine looks like after two weeks. Little year old mali bites pretty hard


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

yep...

I know you were asking about the sleeves in the other post, but I dont remember you asking which level...

for these type of sleeves, I would get a level 2 for pups, and the highest level for bigger pups and up...the dog can grow into it if it is a little too tough for them, and yer gonna need it anyway 

you can wrap your arm, even just an elastic bandage can help. 

one thing I do sometimes is stuff a smaller towel in the sleeve.

If the bruise was a pinch from the front mouth I would stuff towel in back of sleeve to make it tighter on the bicep, sometimes if it is too loose, you get pinched. If the bruise was from the back of the mouth crunching your arm, I would put towel in front for some extra padding....

do you have to flip the sleeve around to take bicep bites or is it made to take them? is it padded at the top as much as the bottom? thanks....


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## Brad Trull (Apr 9, 2012)

I have a Hortons puppy sleeve ; still good after a bunch of years. I would wear an archers gaunlet, I had from when I shot a longbow , worked well and kept the bruises to a very minimum


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## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

It is a level 2 sleeve, probably wrap it with elastic bandage on the bicep. For whatever reason if you do a long bite, she will bite higher on my arm. It isn't as thick at the top.


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## Peta Het (Feb 13, 2011)

I ordered the Belgian Police sleeve from Hortons a couple of weeks ago. I wish I could comment on it but it still has not shipped  Hope it is worth the wait.


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## Peta Het (Feb 13, 2011)

Anyone know anything about this Belgian sleeve from Leerburg ?
http://leerburg.com/VA020.htm
If Horton's can't get me a sleeve soon I am thinking of reverting to this one.


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## Brad Trull (Apr 9, 2012)

Peta Het said:


> I ordered the Belgian Police sleeve from Hortons a couple of weeks ago. I wish I could comment on it but it still has not shipped  Hope it is worth the wait.


 Mine was; it took over a month to get mine; that was like,5 yrs ago. When talking to them on the phone ; if memory serves me , each was handmade and not made ahead of time .


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## Mario Fernandez (Jun 21, 2008)

Brad you are right Horton makes every thing one at a time. Last year order their compression bite sleeve and it took a month to get t me. Its a nice sleeve but haven't used ...going to be selling it. 

Mario


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## will fernandez (May 17, 2006)

Peta Het said:


> Anyone know anything about this Belgian sleeve from Leerburg ?
> http://leerburg.com/VA020.htm
> If Horton's can't get me a sleeve soon I am thinking of reverting to this one.


I think charlie kirchner sells the same one for half the price


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## Peta Het (Feb 13, 2011)

I received the Horton's Police sleeve today. It is super nice. The dog likes it too...a lot!


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## jim stevens (Jan 30, 2012)

Glad you got it, I think they are nice.


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