What can we do about a nipping pup

I'm BabyDoll's daddy my wife (BabyDoll's mom) post the message below in new messages and someone said she should post it here. So I'm doing it for her.

This is her thread:


"Need help with my Baby Doll"


Hi, so glad to be on ya'll site!! My Baby Doll is 6 mos. and a hand full. She is a yookie-poo. She bites, bites, bites, when I'm trying to do my work, when I'm getting ready to leave, or leaving her out of her kennel in the morning. She is always by me during the day. She seems to need our attention at all times.

Hi
there`s a good basic article here http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=14526 about pups.
Could you give us an idea of her day? Do you train her at all?

Oh yes she has had training. Petco $100 bucks, six weeks. It did do some good. We look at the Dog Whisper just about every day. She has a nipping problem. She knows when my wife puts shoes on she's going out the house. And she'll start nipping at her heals. Her way of play is nipping at our hand. Not fun at all. When we feel her teeth on our skin we stop playing with her.

We love her and we know she is still a pup.

Thanks for your help ClaireandDaisy

The following article should help with the biting.

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discu...c=64170.0;wap2

I am afraid training is a life long exercise.

Do you spend time playing with your dog so she knows there is "alone" time and playing time?

Has she got toys, bones, kongs etc to amuse herself with?

I found getting a crate helped me out with Millies bitting of course she still bites but only in certain circomstances now our problem was a bit worse then just puppy bitting but it made a huge difference to her character.

Do you watch your puppy a lot? This can be very stressfull for the dog as they dont like to be watched it means you want something from them thats were i found a lot of Millies bitting started. So a crate helps take this stress away. I put mine behind me and Millie at four months took to it after 2 days!! It can take longer for some dogs but its such a good thing to have it helps with toilet training too and gives the pup a safe, snug place too retreat to were no one else can go. Its not the answer to your problem but it will help a long with training.

This is a good way of teaching her that the fun stops when she nips.
However, if she`s getting over-excited about Mum leaving she`s not that rational, so what I would do in that case is to teach an alternative behaviour.
So maybe teach a sit or down or go to your bed? Build up, rewarding when she does it. And use it when the dog is getting over-wrought.

Another good ploy is to simply stand perfectly still till the silliness stops and the dog is responsive. Then ask for a sensible behaviour and reward.
If she is biting your hands, you could keep a short lead on a harness on her in the house to save your fingers?