and all other dog owners of wisdom! (Paula, that means you, too.)
My children need your help. The puppy thinks that they (meaning anyone 4 and 1/2 feet or under) are walking raw hides. My children don’t like this game.
My question is: What does one do about the nipping? The books I’ve read say to ignore the bad behavior and that what the puppy really wants is attention. I’m thinking that I like my children and would just as soon keep them, limbs intact.
Thank you, one and all, for your assistance in this matter. I promise to say several prayers for you the next time I’m standing by the curb doing nothing while my puppy sits and…. plays.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
Our most successful tactic was to put the puppy (now almost 3 years old) in the kennel (ahem, that would be a “kunnel” according to Kate) when she misbehaved in such a fashion.
The dog trainer we were required to see for several sessions when we first adopted her from the humane society (she was about 2 months old at the time) recommended that we never used the word “no” with her. I just don’t buy it.
Good luck! A puppy is a LOT of work!
>>>A puppy is a LOT of work!
Tell me about it!
(Oh wait a minute. I guess you did.)
PS. I have read the same advice about never saying “no” to the puppy.
Well, what DO you say when the dog’s got your 3-year-old’s arm in its mouth? 🙂
Oh and puppy baby teeth are so very needle sharp. Ouch! You can take the puppy’s muzzle in your hand(around top and bottom of the puppy mouth) and say firmly “no bite”. You will have to do this consistently every time. You can also do the “into the crate” time out if the first correction doesn’t work at first. And you can do diversion after correction, give her a real chew toy and play with her and show the kids how to do that. You can also try keeping her on leash all the time for a while when she’s around the little ones. I’ll see what else I can come up with after more thought.
Kennel works but those teeth hurt so the simpliest way is gently take you hand around the top of the snout and squeeze the sides gently but with purpose. The sharp teeth will hurt the inside of the dogs mouth but to understand no you do not nip with your teeth. Do this every time the dog (if you can catch it) wants to nip. She will squeal as if you are really mean. If you’re are consistant, that nipping will stop and it must all be done this first year. Also always use short firm commands and really only one person initially is the Leader – You.
If the deed is done mouth around your childs arm. Squeeze those gums on the side into the teeth she will release the child. Hand still around the mouth, Tell the dog to sit. (push her butt down to a sitting position) say Stay and NO firmly. All is done quickly. Don’t believe never say no.
Tone of voice and eye contact put you in control.
The dog is an animal and you love it to pieces but some things are not acceptable. She needs lots of chew toys, she teething and that arm is so soft. Good luck. It’s trial and error.
Puppy may be getting a bit overstimulated with the children playing and all the family newness on both sides. Try to keep her calm and give her lots and lots of exercise. While you’re exercising her, start a little beginning obedience. With her on a leash on your left side and most of the leash folded up in your right hand, pull straight up gently on the leash (above her head) and push her little rear down (also gently) with your left hand and say firmly “Elody, sit”. When she does, praise her up quietly so she doesn’t get excited. When you step out walking, tell her firmly, “Elody, heel” and take a few steps and then repeat the sit exercise. Vary the walk time with the sit time. Keep it interesting and fun for her. She’ll like it and be learning too. And you’ll be gaining control and teaching her how to listen to you.
When you want to stop the training while you’re walking, tell her “free dog” and let her roam around you. She’ll begin to learn the difference between free time and work time. Oh and back when she’s learning heeling the leash should be loose when you’re walking and she should be pulled back into position beside you using “Elody, heel” when she starts to stray away from your side. I’ll try some puppy learning prayers, too.
We always did the kennel for biting, too. That’s what the trainer at puppy kindergarten recommended. I highly recommend that. The Humane Society has great classes.
If puppy has an arm in her mouth, if you take puppy by the nape of the neck and pull up and back a little, her mouth will open and you can remove her from said arm. Then you can circle the muzzle with your hand and proceed with the firm squeeze and “no bite”. Also, you can then try rolling her over on her back and holding her down until she calms down, talking to her calmly and firmly. Hope some or all of this helps. She thinks she is playing with other puppies and doesn’t realize the harm she is doing. The more excited everything gets the more she may misbehave. And, when you use diversion, don’t do it when she may interpret it as rewarding bad behavior. She does need to learn “nipping” is a no-no and has consequences.
We used Lois’ technique of grabbing her by the nose (fingers circling her snout) and growling at her in a low voice, “no bite.” I think consistency is the key here. Do it every time. We had no problems after an initial “testing” period.
Make sure she’s getting lots of down time too. I wouldn’t necessarily crate her because she’s biting, but she does need crate time. Are you using a schedule?
There are some sprays you can use that taste awful to dogs but don’t hurt them. One is green apple something or other. They are mainly for chewing, but I think they work for stopping nipping too, because it just tastes so bad.
Sorry, it’s been a long time since I’ve helped train puppies, so I don’t remember the name…I look around online and see if I can find it.
Here’s a link for the item at a pretty easily accessible store:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?dest=9999999997&product_id=3635337&sourceid=1500000000000002217280
You can also get it at any petstore. It’s safe to spray on your kids arms and hands too – as long as they wash before they eat off their hands. (the taste would be pretty gross)
One method that always worked for me was putting my thumb on the dogs tongue and holding the tongue down while saying “no biting”. After two or three times of doing this, no problem.
I agree with crating the dog, and make sure she does have something that is okay for her to chew on.
So, what’s the word? Is Miss Elody doing better? Paula uses so few words and says so much. I was waiting on her post.
Lois, I was just thinking of you as Elody & I were out for an evening stroll!
Thank you for all your input. You truly responded to my cry for help, and now we are putting your words in action!
Thanks to the all the rest of you, too. Paula, you’re a gem & I know I can lean on you when I need to…
Elody is doing better, though she still thinks it’s fun to attack the children. I tell them not to laught & shriek but again, NOT laughing & shrieking is a learned behaviour for THEM just as much as not nipping is a learned behavior for Elody.
She’s a beautiful little pup, though. That makes all of this so much easier.