Nipping.

[KarenW]

How do u stop a pup from nipping?it wouldn't be so bad if it were just the hands but he has started jumping up n nipping at the face. I have tried turning my back on him n he just walks away basically saying oh well and goes n finds something else to do. His mouth is always open trying to nip when he rolls over for tummy rubs. I've been telling him no bite and then when He licks instead I praise him but the lunging and nipping is new. I. Worried if I don't get a handle on it at 12 13 weeks it will become a really bad habit . I have a four year grandson tht isn't around a lot but I don't want tht happening when he comes around. Any suggestions?
In the I,mast he has actually snapped at me full force when I grabbed him n picked him up from something he didn't want to stop. Tht time I pulled his hair up on the back of the neck and he yelped n I said really loud no bite this is what the breeder told me to do . Sometimes now he just growls instead.

 

[Junebug]

I also have a mouthy puppy. It isn't done in meanness, nor is there any ill intent. It actually was rough enough that I worried I'd made a horrible mistake brining this firecracker into my house, after we'd had such a stable, well mannered dog.

He's now 4 months, and MUCH better. I really think the mouthiness is just how normal puppies play, and if he gets too mouthy you should pick him up and put him in his crate for a few minutes. Then try again. and again. Make sure to spend time playing with and training him in positive ways. Be patient, and know that it will get better. I don't recommend hitting or harsh punishment. Just put him away for a short time each time he gets rough.

 

[Chris]

I used "No bite" firmly. I try to avoid any loud noise or shaking with a puppy -- they're really just playing. Distract with a toy.

 

[Mom2Melli]

A dog has to learn not to use its mouth on people. A NO, OW and grab or tap to the nose teaches them real fast (No hitting!). Putting them down, walking away/ignoring them, and redirecting to a more suitable activity like mouthing a toy or ball also helps. I would not recommend shaking or other harsh physical correction because you don't want the pup to fear people. One can certainly express displeasure without hurting. They figure it out.

An old Aussie of mine spent hours playing a kind of "hippo mouth game" with my pup. He would put the pup's head in his mouth, open his mouth and let the pup put his open mouth in his. He would let the pup mouth and release his foot and he would do the same. It was fascinating to watch but it taught the pup mouth control. If the pup bit or got too revved up, the aussie would get up and leave or simply knock him over. As he grew up, Shay will air snap in fun or in defense but never use his teeth on another dog or human. I vowed that when I get a new puppy if Shay does not teach this game I would do something similar using my hand to teach the puppy to control the mouth appropriately by touching the muzzle, putting my fingers around the mouth, rubbing the chin, etc. I will also handle the ears and feet regularly too without allowing for a nipping response.

Work on it and let the dog know that is unacceptable. They do learn.

 

[JacqueZ]

A dog has to learn not to use its mouth on people. A NO, OW and grab or tap to the nose teaches them real fast (No hitting!). Putting them down, walking away/ignoring them, and redirecting to a more suitable activity like mouthing a toy or ball also helps. I would not recommend shaking or other harsh physical correction because you don't want the pup to fear people. One can certainly express displeasure without hurting. They figure it out.

An old Aussie of mine spent hours playing a kind of "hippo mouth game" with my pup. He would put the pup's head in his mouth, open his mouth and let the pup put his open mouth in his. He would let the pup mouth and release his foot and he would do the same. It was fascinating to watch but it taught the pup mouth control. If the pup bit or got too revved up, the aussie would get up and leave or simply knock him over. As he grew up, Shay will air snap in fun or in defense but never use his teeth on another dog or human. I vowed that when I get a new puppy if Shay does not teach this game I would do something similar using my hand to teach the puppy to control the mouth appropriately by touching the muzzle, putting my fingers around the mouth, rubbing the chin, etc. I will also handle the ears and feet regularly too without allowing for a nipping response.

Work on it and let the dog know that is unacceptable. They do learn.

That's interesting, when Honey is around babies she'll take their hands and feet into her mouth. The first time I saw her do it with my neice I nearly had a heart attack, but all she did was hold them and lick and it made my neice laugh on the feet. It sounds just like what you're describing. Was she trying to teach the babies appropriate play contact?

 

[Tagg]

So you noticed that if you got up and turned your back during this, the pup stopped. That's because in a litter, if pup gets rough and hurts a sibling, the sibling will shriek and then leave. If pup number 1 continues, mom will get involved and stop the play. This should give you an answer to what your response should be.
Never grab at a dog - puppy or otherwise. Again, you don't want to escalate play into self protection especially during an imprint stage which your pup is in. Teach it to sit and reward it for doing it. You will be teaching self control to the pup.

 

[Mom2Melli]

I watched this go on for months. Big 95 pound Aussie (not obese either! He was ginormous -- I have pix in my albums -- the red one). Both would hold their mouths open like hippos and just in slow motion maneuver around each other for hours at a time. It was great because I was working from home and trying to raise a puppy. I saw something on TV and it talked about how a "Mother Dog" teaches her puppies mouth awareness and appropriate behavior like that so I let Mayson continue. I have to say Shay has the most perfect mouth control I have ever seen. He can air snap in play while playing chase, he can air snap another dog in play or defense, but he does not mis-judge or put his teeth on.

I would handle the mouth, ears, around the eyes, tail, feet as part of calm quiet traiinng for grooming and someone simulate some of the mouthing with my hand and when she gets it wrong there is a "NO OW" and a light tap on the muzzle. If she winds up and starts nipping there is a "NO OW" and put down and turn back (don't really walk off because that turns into chase and heel nipping and ambushes) -- just inattention.

Just like they tell us in agility -- a dog has to learn awareness of its back feet, same with mouth. Dog has to learn awareness and appropriateness. Don't let it continue but also don't punish. It's learning just like potty training or leash manners.

 

[cookieP]

When mine was a puppy and had some mouthiness, I would yelp when he did any kind of biting on me. If he just put his mouth on me, that was ok, but any pressure and I yelped like one of his siblings would have if he bit them too hard. If he did it to someone else I would use two fingers and just give him a quick tap in the ribs (not painful, just to get his attention) because a quick nip is what his mother would've done to correct him. Just what I did. Everyone else's ideas seem like they'd work too.