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fjfenton
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Location: Leeds, UK
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 52
Female 
 
21-02-2012, 10:04 PM

How can I stop her biting and nipping?

I was wondering if anyone can give me tips on how to stop my puppy from biting and nipping?
She is worse during play, I have tried to ignore the behaviour and stop the game when she starts getting too 'bitey', I have also told her 'no' in a stern voice and moved away from her, but she continues to leap and grab at any part she can get hold of, and although she is small it really hurts and sometimes she breaks the skin. I don't want to shout at her or anything because she is young, she is playing and I don't want to crush her spirit; however she needs to learn when enough is enough and not to get 'carried away'. Obviously I want to nip this in the bud (no pun intended!) and would like some advice on how best to discourage/reprimand this behaviour without being 'harsh'.
Thanks
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Wild Rose
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21-02-2012, 10:50 PM
First, teach your dog to take a small treat from your hand without using teeth. A piece of kibble is fine, just hold it in your hand so she can sniff, but not take. She'll try using teeth, then resort to licking. When she licks, give it up. Repeat a dozen times in a single session after she seems to understand. If your dog is tiny, you can even use breakfast time for the lesson. After that, tell her in a nice voice, "take" and give her the treat. Use the take cue a dozen times. Pick up all the toys. Give her one, using the take cue so she doesn't associate take with only food. You are helping her develop the self discipline to have manners.

Do not play rough games with her for at least a week. Work on training, sitting nicely at the door gets praise and a treat. Coming front and center when called gets praise and a treat. Work on take, then on give, trading a toy for a treat, then giving back the toy. Give her brain a rest from her usual play times by replacing it with training.

When you go back to playing with her, the instant her mouth goes on your skin, stop and walk away. Don't wait for her to get "too bitey". All bitey is too bitey. Walk away and ignore her until she stops pestering you, then wait an additional five minutes. Don't look at her, don't scold, hold your head up. If she is also a jumper, work on having her sit instead of jump.
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Jenny
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21-02-2012, 11:02 PM
Hi Fiona, I have two 12 month old male litter-mates. When they were very young from 8wks to about 4 months one of them was very 'mouthy' and would nip when playing. It drove me mad and I was really worried that he was going to end up an aggressive dog. I tried everything from leaving the room, turning my back on him (at which he would jump up and grab), replacing my hand in his mouth with a toy etc etc. I'm not actually sure what worked in the end as I carried on doing them all but suddenly it just stopped and he has never done it since. Puppy teeth are so sharp and I know it really hurts Good luck and don't panic - she will eventually get the message.
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fjfenton
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21-02-2012, 11:04 PM
Hi, thanks for that advice.
I have been working on the sit and she will sit nicely for a treat, she has also learnt 'wait' before she gets her treat or dinner (which she also has to sit and wait before getting).
I will try what you say with the toys, although she doesnt seem overly bothered by her toys. She enjoys chasing a ball - is there a way i can work that into this training (her attention span is extremely short & often she forgets about the ball before reaching it)? Her main source of 'fun' seems to be going after peoples feet & socks - which is also what i want to stop.
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fjfenton
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21-02-2012, 11:08 PM
Originally Posted by jenny.g View Post
Hi Fiona, I have two 12 month old male litter-mates. When they were very young from 8wks to about 4 months one of them was very 'mouthy' and would nip when playing. It drove me mad and I was really worried that he was going to end up an aggressive dog. I tried everything from leaving the room, turning my back on him (at which he would jump up and grab), replacing my hand in his mouth with a toy etc etc. I'm not actually sure what worked in the end as I carried on doing them all but suddenly it just stopped and he has never done it since. Puppy teeth are so sharp and I know it really hurts Good luck and don't panic - she will eventually get the message.
Hi, thanks. I have also tried substituting my hand/foot etc for a toy but this seems to make her worse. I take some comfort from your words though as I am very concerned she wont 'grow out' of it and will continue to nip.
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Wild Rose
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21-02-2012, 11:40 PM
If she likes to chase a ball she can be taught to fetch.

With ball in her mouth, put a treat to her nose. Put your hand under her chin. She'll have to drop the ball in order to sniff. The ball drops into your hand. Say "give" and let her have the treat (you could say, drop). Repeat a dozen times. Now, she is trained to give up an object. You'll have to work on this, of course, with toys and other stuff so she will give up whatever she has.

Bring her to you, say "fetch" and bounce the ball, just right in front of you so she gets it on the first bounce and is right in front of you. Praise and ask her to "give". Treat. Keep doing this and after five close bounces, let the ball go a little farther. When she catches it, praise and let her bring it to you. Do not step to the dog. You want her to give you the ball, not drop it and run to you. This is why you want her giving you the ball. Do not toss the ball to get her away from you while leaving. Do use it when she goes after feet. You could create a fetch insane dog, so only play fetch in fifteen minute increments, then put the ball away and give her a chew toy.
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Wysiwyg
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22-02-2012, 07:37 AM
This may be helpful:

http://www.apdt.co.uk/documents/Playbiting.pdf

I find that generally pups tend to get much worse around say, 14 weeks, and this can last for a few weeks

My own dog was known as "mad bitey puppy" as she was a real puppy biter, but she became wonderful with bite inhibition etc as she hit 22 weeks and over.

There are various "tricks" such as for example, throwing kibble onto the floor before you come downstairs, if the pup tends to go for ankles in that situation. You can then gradually throw less and less and then eventually put i a command such as Sit, this then enables the pup to not only get out of the habit of biting in that situation, but gets the pup thinking and being rewarded for Sitting with a toy, food or interaction.
Hth.
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smokeybear
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22-02-2012, 08:01 AM
Have a look at this link for some useful tips and info

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/168
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BeagleBella
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Location: Peterborough, UK
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22-02-2012, 09:58 AM
My pup was really bad for biting and nipping, and then when I tried to walk away she would bite any part of me she could get hold of (socks, trousers, cardigans).

what I began doing was yelping, and acting like she really hurt me (holding my 'wound') then instantly got up, and would turn away from her - either look out the window, or just look to the ceiling. After about a minute or so, she would look at me as if to say 'what the hell?' but she finally got it.

Biting has really calmed down now. It might be worth getting some teething gel too, as that really worked for me

Hope you get on ok. xx
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sarah1983
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22-02-2012, 10:12 AM
I redirected Rupert on to a toy when he got bitey. If he refused to redirect I left the room and shut the door behind me for 10-30 seconds. Went back in, repeated as necessary. I'm doing the same with Spencer, he's stopped mouthing me now but still doing it to hubby who insists on playing with him that way I've found yelping can actually get them more worked up and excited and bitey. Both mine have been adolescents rather than young pups though.
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