# How much nipping is normal?



## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Hi everyone, posting this in separate thread in hope of some help... 

So, we've had Harley for 5 days now - came to us a week early after a fire at the breeders so we weren't quite prepared! He's gorgeous and photos will follow, but I am really worried about the 'nipping'. 

Can anyone tell me how much is normal? He doesn't so much nip as dive bomb attacks feet and will not let go. If you offer him a rope or stick to chew he will always attack the end with the hand. I've had a professional trainer round already and even she says he is worse than normal. 

I'm sure he must have been stressed out with fire, new home, vets etc and am finding it hard to maintain a balance of dealing with the 'nips' and knowing what is normal (could be ignored?) and what is not normal (needs to be dealt with). 

Help and advice very welcome!!!


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lady would full on attack us when she was really little. it would hurt...she drew blood on my once. She would attack my cousin so bad, he wouldn't want to come downstairs...not today. I have the most loving, gently cuddle bum of a dog that I have ever know. She is fantastic. 
he is so young anything can be trained out of him.

How early did he have to come to you? how old is he?
All nipping needs to be dealt with, all dogs will nip, that is what they do with their own litter. they all need to learn bite inhibition. 
Be firm with him when he bites...there are many techniques that you can use.
1- yelp high pitched and loud, sometimes even wimper
2- clap your hands and say NO
3- avert with a toy
4- pick the puppy up, put it in it's locked crate till it calms down
never resume play imidiately, they do need to know that biting means the fun stops.

you just have to find the right technique for you and your puppy.
It will get better. you just need to work on it. 

so many peopel are convinced their dogs are aggressive, i am sure he just hasn't learned yet that that is not what is acceptable


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh dear! Max will have his dive bombing moments, but it tends to be our other dog that bears the brunt. I believe that any nipping is a no, no. Your clothes, your hands, feet etc,. I think you have to be extra calm with him. Do not allow him to get over excited. Call a halt to playtimes before he gets too hyper. Put a lead on him in the house so you can grab it when he starts nipping. He needs boundaries. Set them now and be very, very consistent. Good luck.


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks everyone. He is 9 weeks now but left his mum at 6 or 7-been complicated for him. We have him set up with a crate and puppy run so we go in there to play and cuddle sometimes; adopt the yelp, take hands away and look away approach in there if he bites. If it gets too bad we just leave.
We obviously let him out and so when he has free-er time we keep him in the lounge with us, he does get a bit more excited and on advice of trainer we've got a very small harness so when he attacks we don't need to even pick him up (as this is a reward!) and can take him safely to the dining room. He gets timeout in there of 3 seconds officially-problem is he seems to like it in there even though we've removed anything to play with! We did have a lead on the harness to make it easier but he'd just sit there chewing the lead and loving it!!
Any other advice or experience of people who've come out the other side very welcome!! Thine is just so adorable though!!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh as I was reading your text I was going to suggest the lead indoors... mind you may still be worth buying a few cheap ones as it is an easy way of removing him from things/people. My boy was just the same and we got a trainer in who said yes he was very full on, basically a very cocky temperament, the yelping didn't work for us, the best thing although didn't always work was distraction, and time out in the crate was needed for all of us quite often, no-where else worked as he just went loopy attacking whatever was around (and skirting boards if there was nothing else!!), a frozen tea towel kept him occupied for a time (wet it, twist it then freeze it), he is 9 months this week, still uses his teeth if over excited but it doesn't hurt like those sharp puppy ones, but that is not very often now, I can finally get a cuddle from him - so yes it is fairly normal, it does get so much better (you really notice it by 20 weeks - I know that will seem a long way off at the moment). Try to ignore him every time he uses his teeth (not easy when he's attacking feet I know!) use a firm NO! first, he is still learning that we don't play like other puppies. Good luck.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Good advice already .. be consistent and do what works for you and your puppy. Each puppy is different, some do this alot and other don’t do it at all. I use swap method, muzzle hold and have used yelp method too. 

More info on my blog in the puppy section in Frequently Asked Questions article


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Hi dawn, glad you got through it!! With you on the cocky temperament! We don't need to worry about lack of cuddles luckily as he loves cuddles when he's calm enough and has a very soft flip side!!
JoJo, would love to read your article but can't track it down: could you give me a link? Thanks all. Feeling more hopeful already!! X


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

No problem  

http://www.mydogslife.co.uk/2012/04/16/frequently-asked-cockapoo-questions-answers/

Just ask, I am no expert or dog trainer, but I have raised a few cockapoos through puppyhood and will help you in anyway I can


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks jojo. Interesting and may give the muzzle a go if no success. He is so cute right now, curled up with a big cat hot water bottle cover I gave him (was always too bulky to use in a bed) looking cute and innocent as a little button!! Will get photos soon!


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## KCsunshine (Apr 16, 2012)

Coco was a real biter when she was about 10 weeks old, I was convinced it would never stop, she too drew blood on a few occasions, she still nips a little bit, particularly if she is bored, it's like she is trying to get our attention. 

The only thing that worked for us was to make a loud angry sound like "ah ah ah" and physically push her away from us and hen ignore her for a bit. 

But overall it is sooo much better now, she is almost 5 months old. It has not completely stopped but I think once she loses her baby teeth it will be even better.


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks Karen, only 3 months more then lol!! The training does seem to be slowly working-when I went in to him this morning he went for feet, stopped and thought about it for a while, then just went in for a sniff with little nip instead of latching on!! Progress indeed! X


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Ok, so things escalated a little today as harley went into a bit of a nipping frenzy, almost like he wanted more attention so I did just ignore him and actually removed him to his pen. This has lead to a bit of a breakdown from me tho especially as met a lovely soft mouthed puppy at the vets!!!

Other thing is his poorly tummy has been confirmed as GIARDIASIS, which is a parasite. He's potentially not been getting the nutrition he needs, always seems hungry, and I'm wondering if this could amplify his behaviour. Has anyone experienced a pup with this-or am I just trying to find reasons!? We can treat the giardiasis it now we know what it is, can't give treats still so no way to reward good behaviour other than with words.

Any help or ideas gratefully received!?


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