Biting and nipping dog behavior is beginning to become a habit & it hurts.

by Kathy
(California)

Hi all-I went through and read other posts, but thought I'd bring it back up and see if anyone is having this trouble with and older puppy. Khloe is almost 6 months and always has tried to chew on our hands/fingers when we rub her tummy. She also nips at my toes, sandals (when I walk), pj's, pants.

This happens mostly when I take her outside at night. I've tried to turn and ignore her, but she just continues to nip. I've hollered "ow" and she stops for a moment, but then starts up again. Sometimes, she'll just jump up and nip us in the face. I've used a squirt bottle, newspaper, putting her back in her pen (for a time out), holding her snout shut and telling her "no bite", and most recently, squirting bitter apple in her mouth. She doesn't like that, but I feel bad squirting it in her mouth. I've pinned down into a submissive position & told her "no bite", but that only lasts for a moment.

We've been to obedience class & they just say, ignore her. For Khloe, ignoring doesn't seem to work. Maybe, I need to enlist in a trainer... I teach Kindergarten & see how often children behave poorly for their parents and great at school. I wonder if it is the same for dogs. (They know just how far to push..)

Thanks for any help. She is going to be spayed next week. Maybe that will help.

Comments for Biting and nipping dog behavior is beginning to become a habit & it hurts.

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Sep 11, 2011
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Try real bones
by: Anonymous

I buy themer bones cut into 3 or 4in, boil them for about half an hour or so take ouT the marrow let it cool, I put it and lOLA ON TOP OF A CLEAN WEE WEE PAD AND SHE CHEWS ON IT FOR HOURS TILL THSERE IS NOTHING LEFT ON IT AND SHE CONTINUES TO GO BACK TO IT, TAKES IT OUT OF HER TOY BOX. iT IS ONE OF HER FAVS. i THINK PERHAPS THEY NEED SOMETHING TO KEEP THEM BUSY WHEN THEY ARE BORED.

Sep 11, 2011
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biting & nipping
by: Sherry (Alaska)

I certainly don't have the answer. But, Cinderella was like this too. She is now about 18 months old. She still greets me with nips, but they are not painful any more, and are less frequent. She licks more than nips now (toes, hands). She has two toy poodle companions too, who did the same, but Cindy the Coton was definitely the worst of the 3. I would find scabs on their skin around their heads when I brushed them from their nippine each other, but not any more. We did many of the same things you do to try to get her to stop, (no bitter apple though). I think if you just try to keep up with correction it will happen. Cinderella was older than 6 months when she stopped hurting, more like 9-12. Just be consistant. There was no change in her after she was spayed either. Now, when Cindy wants attention, or wants to play, she will slap her teeth together to get our attention. It is funny when she does this and is hard for us not to laugh. She is also learning to use her inner voice...growly, very cute and much better than her shrill bark! Hang in there... she will calm down. Best of luck...Sherry & Cinderella

Sep 11, 2011
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substitute a toy to bite
by: Iris Miller

When Tuffy gets too rambunctious and wants to bite and wrestle, I will grab his toy and shove it in his mouth and tell him "bite this"!!
"I use one of Tuffy's tug toys we play with that he is used to having in his mouth, like his stuffed toys or a heavy rope we play tug of war with.(always let him win!) It is really important to ignore when they do something you don't want to do, do not look at them, and walk away, to really ignore them until they calm down. Do you teach your dog "down" and stay commands?
I think Dogs use their mouths like we use our hands,and it is true, you must be consistent with your training and do walk away. I hired a trainer, she trained me, not the dog. That is a good trainer. She also said to stop picking him up. She asked me if my dog were a larger breed would I be picking him up and carrying him around? True? Yes, (but I still do pick him up occasionally), but never on a walk, we don't go that far to have to carry him home. Good luck.

Sep 11, 2011
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Your Puppy Needs a Puppy!
by: Anonymous

Next month we will celebrate our Coton's first birthday! Her name is Cupcake. I had heard that Coton's needed to be with other dogs, but I just couldn't afford to get two Coton's at the same time.

Do not count on spaying to solve the biting problem. Spaying mellowed Cupcake only during the healing time. After that, she was back to her old playful puppy self.

Consistant training does help. I never let Cupcake chew on me, but my husband would let her chew on him. When she tried chewing on me, I would say "No Bite" and put her down. I would not play with her while she was biting.

Long walks and energetic play definitely helped calm her down, but she didn't stop biting people until my son's "weekend dog" came to live with us two weeks ago. Now Cupcake and a chihuahua run and play and wrestle until they have no energy left. They are both cuddly when they are done playing and Cupcake no longer bites people!

Cupcake also seems to handle separations better now that she has another dog with her.

If getting another dog is not an option, you may want to take her to a dog park for small dogs whenever possible. Your dog will appreciate the socialization and the playfulness that only another dog can provide.

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