# Hectic chewing



## symeon kazanas (Jul 3, 2006)

What would make a dog bite like a typewriter when he wasn't doing that before? This is not a sport dog but a PPD. HE did it today and a couple of other times. 
He was being worked in prey drive, when he is worked with a lot of pressure from the decoy he bites as he should (holds on and shakes). 
Basically when he fights the decoy the harder the fight the better he bites.

Any ideas? Thanks


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Check his mouth for sores, broken teeth. Check for an ear infection.


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## symeon kazanas (Jul 3, 2006)

Mouth and ears are clear.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Then you have pushed him too hard in some manner or the other.


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## Leo Hinojosa (Sep 4, 2007)

Try correcting the behavior using a bungee or a larger sleeve where the dog must bite hard and hold on with the pressure of the bungee pulling him back.

In time you will see the bite development....If the dog does not bite properly, stop and do not reward...

If the dog bites correctly, reward for the correct behavior. 

Much of this type of work is very dependent on the person working the dog.
As a handler/Owner there is not much you can do to try and correct this on your own.

Leo Hinojosa


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## Joel Anderson (Apr 16, 2007)

My experiance shows that a dog that Bites and continualy shakes the bite is usually a bit nervy and that may be some of the problem. A very confident dog bites and drives in to the bite and trys to dominate the decoy. I am sure none of us can really make a fair assesment without seeing the dog but a somewhat educated guess is a start.


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## symeon kazanas (Jul 3, 2006)

Does it matter that he only does this when in prey?

Thanks


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I would have to see the dog work, and know more about how he was worked. There is a thing as TOO MUCH drive in prey. If you have built it too a point where the dog is nearly hysterical, and then rewarded it this can happen.

With many dogs that have what most people see as high drive, what you are really seeing is a 6 or 7 out of ten (best way I could think of of verbalizing this, as I do not talk about this to people) This level might with drive work go up a bit, ( .something) but the dog is incapable of going any higher.

Then you have a different dog, one that is 8 or 9, and you drive build at an early age, but this dog is capable of not just a little higher in drive, but 10 or 11. With the work coming at an early age, the dog is not mature enough to deal with this and it causes hectic behavior.........in this type of dog.

This basic theory can be applied to defence as well. There is no such thing as working a dog in prey, as it is not a matter of what you do, it is what the dog percieves that you are doing that counts. Unfortunately, strong dogs often do not have strong visual signs that they are going into defense. Especially if they are strongly stimulated as pups.....the intensity you see could very well be covering the defense you might see otherwise.

I have seen some of the work you have done with very very young dogs, and that amount of overstimulation could be your problem with the type of dog that I described.

Did I say I needed to see a video???? LOL

Anyway, in the work I have done, I have seen dogs that have thresholds (high end) for prey that are too much for their brains to handle and these dogs rarely need any sort of drive building of any kind. Rag work can be considered drive building.


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## symeon kazanas (Jul 3, 2006)

Actually, that makes a lot of sense. 
Thanks


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Thanks, most of the know it alls who have never trained a dog in their life seem to think I am clueless. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Bryan Colletti (Feb 16, 2007)

I don't have the time right now to go back and read this whole thread. However, in my years with dogs, I find Hectic Chewing if on the bite occurs, it is almost always Genetics at play. Two other factors of course create this as well. Bad decoy's and an over anxious obnoxious handler, who makes the dog hectic. The dog will feed off a handler and you are nervous, anxious, or even extra pumped up during the bite work, you may be teaching your this behavior. Combine a nervous or hectic handler constantly chattering with either over-praise or over-"get him boys" you will make the dog a nervous wreck if he/she has thin nerves.

A good decoy will always be able to direct you and the dog, tell you when it is appropriate to pump up your dog and give confidence, and when it is time to touch your dog, time to praise, and to be calm and supportive, as a GOOD DECOY is reading the situation properly. It is multi-tasking at it's best. Because most handlers new to dogs can't easily get on the same page with the dog and decoy, and often miss the important cues the dog's body language provides to them. They also don't read the decoy well either. So, I always talk to the handler and instruct them to show which emotion and when.


Bryan

www.k9cs.org


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I see hectic chewing as a stress issue. If there are no signs of tooth problems or other issues of the mouth, then it is stress. It is kind of like biting your finger nails in a pressure position. If it is a DDR dog then the decoy should work it in as much prey as possible. Conflict from both ends of the lead can cause that. I have used this trick; the decoy can put their hand under the dog's bottom jaw and look away. It freezes the month to the sleeve position and with calm words slowly release the botton hand then the sleeve. It has worked for me in decoying. Avoid eye contact!!!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> I see hectic chewing as a stress issue. If there are no signs of tooth problems or other issues of the mouth, then it is stress. It is kind of like biting your finger nails in a pressure position. If it is a DDR dog then the decoy should work it in as much prey as possible. Conflict from both ends of the lead can cause that. I have used this trick; the decoy can put their hand under the dog's bottom jaw and look away. It freezes the month to the sleeve position and with calm words slowly release the botton hand then the sleeve. It has worked for me in decoying. Avoid eye contact!!!


For the most part I agree. A dog with a genetically firm grip can be stressed, through improper training to become chewy. 
A dog without the genetic grip has to be taught to hold the grip. It doesn't necessarily mean that dog is stressed.


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