Doodle only bites when we play outside! Help!

[Michelle & Oliver]

8 month Oliver never bites or plays rough when we are inside. He even walks off the leash at the prairie path we go to. He was so easy to train and is a very smart, loving dog. He gets plently of exercise and socializes with a lot dogs and people.

 

He’s overall a perfect dog, except when he gets really excited while playing outside and loses all control!!

 

It doesn’t happen all the time, but he will get fixated on the play and he loses all control of his actions. He will bite, jump up on me, and growl. He will still do it even when I turn my back (he bit my butt the other day! Ahhhhh) It’s really scary because he is usually such a loving, playful dog.  I have bruises and scratch marks all over my arms from him.  I will grab his collar and have him lay down until it seems like he is calm and he’s fine after that.  He probably does this once a week.

 

He would do something similar when we would take him for a walk when he was about 5 or 6 months old.  It only lasted the first minute or two on our walk, but he would be fine once he got going. He eventually got out of that once he got older.

 

A friend of ours is watching him for a few days and I am concerned because they have a daughter who is 8 years old and I don’t want him to do it to her.

 

Can anyone help with suggestions?!?

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Myla has started doing this when we get home if he ignore as we are supposed to she's jumping up and down and biting our shirts etc, this is a new thing. (she's 3) so we now have to enter and go right in the kitchen to block it off until she is calm. Where do these things come from?? She's fine otherwise and it doesn't matter how long or short of time we are gone. She did this to my mom and ripped her shirt! Biting and scratching. She's WAY too excited to listen at this point we have to walk away from here or sometimes stuffing a toy in her mouth helps a bit. I would say to the sitter not to let him run with the child in the yard. Just to be safe.

[Michelle & Oliver]

Ollie and I were playing outside today and he did perfect! I made him sit and stay when I threw the ball and he waited till I said "go get it" before he got up. I kept doing that throughout our play and he was doing really great. I think that really helped him know that I am still the leader and not playing with him as one of his buddies. I even tried to run around the backyard to see if he would chase me and he didn't! I decided when to end it so he knew I was incharge of the game. Hopefully we are going to continue this positive play!! Thanks guys! :)