Biting Puppy...

KJJ

KJJ

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How do you stop puppies from biting?! LOL!!

Thats probably like asking is the pope catholic!!
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HOWEVER - Finn the Menace is biting everything in sight!! ... Mainly trouser legs when walking past or jumper cuffs when going to stroke...

Vet suggested standing up and ignoring him... but if he's chewing your trousers that makes no difference, he just merrily carries on!!

Would you tap him on the nose? Vet said he could become head shy if this is done"!?

I have been "Scrunching/rubbing" his bum to distract him from the trousers... Or call the other dog in as a chew thing or shove a toy is his chops!!
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How do you deal with it? (it's not so much an issue with OH and I however OH's 5yr old is 'fair game' for Finn and he makes the most of it!!
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I remember having a can with old coins in it and rattling it to distract my puppy (the one before BD, who of course was perfect
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) They do grow out of it - honest!
 
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I remember having a can with old coins in it and rattling it to distract my puppy (the one before BD, who of course was perfect
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)

[/ QUOTE ]LOL oh no of course not BD!!
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Hmmm that may be and option - time to raid the childs bedroom for her tin money box!!!

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They do grow out of it - honest!

[/ QUOTE ]LOL = WHEN?!?!? He nearly ripped my skirt off yesterday as he launched and hung himself from it!! OH wasn't complaining mind you!!
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Cheeky puppy!!!
 
They do grow out of it. We learnt very quickly not to go downstairs in bare feet when ours was a puppy as she would go for your toes and she loved jumper cuffs as well. Of course she was a lot smaller then Finn so it was actually quite cute
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not sure if it will work but what about a jif lemon and squirt it at him when he lunges,maybe put water in as lemon may sting his eyes .
personally i would hate my dog doing it and would put jif in, then again its never happened to me with collies so perhaps its a breed thing.
 
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They do grow out of it. We learnt very quickly not to go downstairs in bare feet when ours was a puppy as she would go for your toes and she loved jumper cuffs as well.

[/ QUOTE ]LOL!! Feet don't seem to be a problem it's just swinging material that is attractive at the moment!! LOL!!
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Of course she was a lot smaller then Finn so it was actually quite cute
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[/ QUOTE ]PMSL!! It's cute til he accidently gets flesh!!
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not sure if it will work but what about a jif lemon and squirt it at him when he lunges,maybe put water in as lemon may sting his eyes .
personally i would hate my dog doing it and would put jif in, then again its never happened to me with collies so perhaps its a breed thing.

[/ QUOTE ]Hmmm not to keen on that idea TBH but thanks, I don't think its a breed thing, I think its def a puppy thing... Tinker the Whippet X Collie apparently did it too...
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Thanks tho.
 
Grab it firmly by the scruff of the neck and shake it - not hard enough to shake it loose though - but hard enough for it to know you're not playing and growl at it at the same time every time it goes to bite anything that isn't his. Don't pansy about, this will become a dangerous habit if not nipped in the bud - sorry for the pun!
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You don't want it where he can't be trusted with small children do you and it is only what his own mother would do naturally? He must realize you are the dominant one not him and bad behaviour is not acceptable! He is not too young to learn this either otherwise it will become just a nasty habit you can't manage at all.
Don't let his cuteness stop you!!
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[ QUOTE ]
Grab it firmly by the scruff of the neck and shake it - not hard enough to shake it loose though - but hard enough for it to know you're not playing and growl at it at the same time every time it goes to bite anything that isn't his. Don't pansy about, this will become a dangerous habit if not nipped in the bud - sorry for the pun!
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You don't want it where he can't be trusted with small children do you and it is only what his own mother would do naturally? He must realize you are the dominant one not him and bad behaviour is not acceptable! He is not too young to learn this either otherwise it will become just a nasty habit you can't manage at all.
Don't let his cuteness stop you!!
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[/ QUOTE ]Thanks hun... I was waiting to see if anyone suggested this!!! ... at no point do we let his cuteness let him get away with anything... he's just going to be TOO big to let any bad habits arise...!!!

I have been growling his name at him and telling him to stop... I used your suggested method lastnight and it soon made him stop ... he's a bit of a menace and comes back for more if your not firm.. hence why he's so persistant with the child!! However he is getting better... but she doesn't help matters by running around calling him to chase her... no matter how many times you tell her not to it's a child thing I guess
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Thanks hun... I was waiting to see if anyone suggested this!!! ... at no point do we let his cuteness let him get away with anything... he's just going to be TOO big to let any bad habits arise...!!!

I have been growling his name at him and telling him to stop... I used your suggested method lastnight and it soon made him stop ... he's a bit of a menace and comes back for more if your not firm.. hence why he's so persistant with the child!! However he is getting better... but she doesn't help matters by running around calling him to chase her... no matter how many times
you tell her not to it's a child thing I guess
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...

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Can you not pick her up by the scruff of the neck too?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hi KJJ
Ki was exactly the same, you couldn't even stroke him without him mouthing you! It is a Ridgeback trait but they do grow out of it - eventually!!. I have found shaking a plastic bottle filled with stones can work as a distraction, also a "time-out" area is good, somewhere he doesn't particularly want to be, I shut Ki in the porch alone for a few minutes when he got too rough. Also, replacing your leg, hand, trousers, child with a toy he IS allowed to chew will help matters. Smacking makes a Ridgeback worse as they think this is a great game, but I agree with Maesfenhorse, pick him up by the scruff and shout loudly at him. My poor daughter got the brunt of it too - but I have to say, it's turned her into a little toughie!! lol. They are now best mates and she firmly puts him in his place.
 
Haha was just about to email you!!!!!
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Hi KJJ
Ki was exactly the same, you couldn't even stroke him without him mouthing you! It is a Ridgeback trait but they do grow out of it - eventually!!. I have found shaking a plastic bottle filled with stones can work as a distraction, also a "time-out" area is good, somewhere he doesn't particularly want to be, I shut Ki in the porch alone for a few minutes when he got too rough.

[/ QUOTE ]The only place we can really shut him is the kitchen or garden.. but he only finds another distraction!! LMAO!! - A drawer handle or a blade of grass etc!!
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Also, replacing your leg, hand, trousers, child with a toy he IS allowed to chew will help matters.

[/ QUOTE ]This is what I have been doing although he'd rather go for the hand that is giving the toy!!
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Smacking makes a Ridgeback worse as they think this is a great game, but I agree with Maesfenhorse, pick him up by the scruff and shout loudly at him.

[/ QUOTE ]This is the problem... OH smacks him and he comes back from more, pouncing and stalking... will try the tin/bottle with stones/coins... or carry on with what M suggested
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My poor daughter got the brunt of it too - but I have to say, it's turned her into a little toughie!! lol. They are now best mates and she firmly puts him in his place.

[/ QUOTE ]OH's daughter only stays with us every other weekend.. so it's not all the time which is good... however it's a nightmare hearing her saying "Finn No Finn No Finn No" aaaaaaarrrggghhh drives me mad and I tell her to get out if that's all she's gunna say... cos it's obviously not working.. bless her!!
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You just have to be really firm as everyone is saying, maybe a smack across the bum, but never face or nose. It's just too sensitive! Apart from that, hows the wee cutie settling?
 
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You just have to be really firm as everyone is saying, maybe a smack across the bum, but never face or nose. It's just too sensitive!

[/ QUOTE ]Once you have prised his jaws apart I think it's too late to smack anyways... much prefering the scruff technique as Maesf.. has said it's only what 'mum' would do!!
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Apart from that, hows the wee cutie settling?

[/ QUOTE ]He's getting BIG!!! settled in very well!!

Last week he could curl up in my lap and go to sleep.... this week he's too big and fallsof so has to sleep along the length of my legs instead!!!
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I was lucky, the Beast was never much of a nipper, either were my uncles 2 labs although in saying that the 6 year old has all of a sudden starting to become v.disobedient.

They just grow so fast! But he does look lovely!
 
What we did was every time the teeth clasped onto something was yelp quite loudly and then if it was repeated got up and walked away from the puppy. More than anythign in the world they want to be with you so depriving them of your company is a killer!

However you need to make sure everyone follows the same rules. Brego pretty quickly stopped nipping us but because other people wouldn't do as they were asked he continued to do it to them for longer.

Emma
 
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I was lucky, the Beast was never much of a nipper, either were my uncles 2 labs although in saying that the 6 year old has all of a sudden starting to become v.disobedient.

[/ QUOTE ]He's just a cheeky menace and tries his luck... he doesn't do it ALL the time which is good.. just when he gets VERY excited!!!
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They just grow so fast! But he does look lovely!

[/ QUOTE ]They do indeed... he's doubled in size already!!
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What we did was every time the teeth clasped onto something was yelp quite loudly and then if it was repeated got up and walked away from the puppy. More than anythign in the world they want to be with you so depriving them of your company is a killer!

[/ QUOTE ]This is it - it's just the getting him off!!!
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However you need to make sure everyone follows the same rules. Brego pretty quickly stopped nipping us but because other people wouldn't do as they were asked he continued to do it to them for longer.

Emma

[/ QUOTE ]Again this is the problem... OH's 15yr old is at home and brings all her friends round who do nothing but encourage the "mouthing" ... I have told OH that the dogs must be shut in the kitchen (behind dog gate) when her friends are round as it's only making a rod for our own backs!!
 
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Again this is the problem... OH's 15yr old is at home and brings all her friends round who do nothing but encourage the "mouthing" ... I have told OH that the dogs must be shut in the kitchen (behind dog gate) when her friends are round as it's only making a rod for our own backs!!

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The truth comes out lol

You don't want to be training the puppy you want to be training the kids. We actually had to end up banning our motherinlaw until she agreed to follow the rules. She was like anti-training it was a nightmare!!!
 
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The truth comes out lol

[/ QUOTE ]LMAO!!!
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You don't want to be training the puppy you want to be training the kids. We actually had to end up banning our motherinlaw until she agreed to follow the rules. She was like anti-training it was a nightmare!!!

[/ QUOTE ]This is it... It's a shame that the dogs will have to be shut out but it's for the best unless they can live by our rules.. and TBH I'd rather them shut out that the "kids" reprimanding them!!
 
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This is it... It's a shame that the dogs will have to be shut out but it's for the best unless they can live by our rules.. and TBH I'd rather them shut out that the "kids" reprimanding them!!

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Could you not make them agree to some sort of set of rules, if you visit you must agree to this or you can't come round?

I know I sound like a cow but we did do this with MIL!!!
 
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Could you not make them agree to some sort of set of rules, if you visit you must agree to this or you can't come round?

[/ QUOTE ]Thats down to OH to set those rules really... words were had with his daughter lastnight about friends coming round anyway!! PMSL!!
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I know I sound like a cow but we did do this with MIL!!!

[/ QUOTE ]No not a cow... someone who doesn't want the training of their dog undone in one visit!!!
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Not sure about spraying lemon in his face (yikes!) but a water spray would work. If you have it with you while you're walking around it will be handy when he goes for the kill. The trick is not to let him see that the water is coming from you........somehow! I used this when my new dog was hanging off my old dog and it worked a treat. He should let go and you can walk away and ignore him so he. Shaking by the neck and shouting 'OUCH' very loudly is a tried and tested way too as previously suggested.
 
dont know if this would work for your little monster but when brok was doing the same thing we would yelp in a high pitched noise then totally blank him. he hates not being spoken to so this was like hell for him
 
Mouthing is perfectly normal for puppies of all breeds. My big dog still does it to my old collie.....and she is almost 2 years old now. She doesn't do it to me though but then I don't live outside with her 24/7.

Daisy (the big puppy) went through a phase of jumping past me and trying to catch me with her teeth, not in a nasty way at all just high spirits, when she was about 6 months old. I took my wooden feed spoon around with me for a little while and if she tried to do it then I very gently bopped her on the nose; she would stop and sneeze and then go off and find something else to have fun with.

Your pup is much younger than she was though so I would think he is teething and is really just trying out his teeth. Keep loads of chewys around the place and offer them to him to chew instead of your trousers. Alternatively when he tries to snatch at them, jump and spin around whilst loudly saying NO! Approach him and shoo him off - it will frighten him a little - then turn away and walk off without looking back at him.

I have this problem with Tia Ribbon - even at 6 years old she still tries to grab my trousers with her claws as I go up the stairs......cats are somewhat different at trying to train though LOL!!
 
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Not sure about spraying lemon in his face (yikes!) but a water spray would work. If you have it with you while you're walking around it will be handy when he goes for the kill. The trick is not to let him see that the water is coming from you........somehow! I used this when my new dog was hanging off my old dog and it worked a treat. He should let go and you can walk away and ignore him so he. Shaking by the neck and shouting 'OUCH' very loudly is a tried and tested way too as previously suggested.

[/ QUOTE ]Well shaking by the neck.. is a winner!! Infact I don't even have to shake... the second that I go to grab his scruff he squeaks and runs off... I don't even need to make contact with him!!
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dont know if this would work for your little monster but when brok was doing the same thing we would yelp in a high pitched noise then totally blank him. he hates not being spoken to so this was like hell for him

[/ QUOTE ]Yelping doesn't seem to prevent the problem... he'll stop a second then carry on..
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Mouthing is perfectly normal for puppies of all breeds. My big dog still does it to my old collie.....and she is almost 2 years old now. She doesn't do it to me though but then I don't live outside with her 24/7.

Daisy (the big puppy) went through a phase of jumping past me and trying to catch me with her teeth, not in a nasty way at all just high spirits, when she was about 6 months old. I took my wooden feed spoon around with me for a little while and if she tried to do it then I very gently bopped her on the nose; she would stop and sneeze and then go off and find something else to have fun with.

Your pup is much younger than she was though so I would think he is teething and is really just trying out his teeth. Keep loads of chewys around the place and offer them to him to chew instead of your trousers. Alternatively when he tries to snatch at them, jump and spin around whilst loudly saying NO! Approach him and shoo him off - it will frighten him a little - then turn away and walk off without looking back at him.

I have this problem with Tia Ribbon - even at 6 years old she still tries to grab my trousers with her claws as I go up the stairs......cats are somewhat different at trying to train though LOL!!

[/ QUOTE ]Thanks Tia... yep I believe it is because he is teething - I have got hundreds of chews everywhere but apparently trousers are nicer!!
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... the grabbing his scruff works well.. so we are going with that for now... I realise that this is something all pups do... so am hoping he'll soon learn what he can and can't chew!!!
 
For teething Brego much preferred soft things to chew on. People recommended things like frozen carrots which is certainly a good idea (hard and also soothing) but he wanted something soft... perhaps get some rope toys or soft toys which you are happy for him to destroy...

Emma
 
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