Nipping

My corgie is 15 weeks and the nipping has started. Any thoughts or suggestions would be nice. I currently tell her "no" when she nips me, but she seems to be nipping more when I do this. What else can I do? I know nipping is normal for this age and I have plenty of toys for her. There are soft ones and ones that she can chew on, but she is not interested in the ones for chewing (like teething toys). Please help! I do not want an older corgi that thinks it is okay to nip or bite. !!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Betts on August 2, 2010 at 10:59pm

I always worry that the nipping won't stop, but it always has. I either substitute something chewy, like a rubber toy, when my puppies have nipped, or I yelp and turn my back on them/walk away. Rufus quit nipping incredibly quickly using that technique, although now when he's really excited and lively he pretend nips, but he always looks up at me with a very mischievious face.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Weekley on August 2, 2010 at 11:11pm

I think I am going to try the yelp and turning my back away. I read some info on old forums and everyone seems to have positive outcomes with it.

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Permalink Reply by Gromit, Sparkle, and Doug on August 2, 2010 at 11:45pm

Betts is right on, just a surprised yelp and pulling your hand back will do it. Puppies have to learn the rules and since they can't read (they learn that at about 3 or 4) we have to teach them like their mom or other older dog would.

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Permalink Reply by Renee Kovacs on August 3, 2010 at 7:14am

Yep, agree! Over-react & yelp like another puppy would, pull back & walk away. I did this any time dog teeth touch human skin, period. That's my rule - dog teeth don't touch human skin. Didn't surprise me when I heard Cesar Milan express the same sentiment. Unconditional rules are always the easiest to teach - it's when we 'condition' them that dogs get confused. No such conditions as "well, it didn't REALLY hurt me" or "It was an accident" or "It's only okay when it's me, but not the kids."

When I worked for a vet & when I was a groomer, augh how many times I'd say "Does your dog bite?" and people would defensively say "Oh, well, a little, BUT he never bites HARD." {sigh}

Dog teeth should not touch human skin. <-- period! =)

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Permalink Reply by Beth on August 3, 2010 at 10:13am

With Jack, yelping only excited him more, though I've heard of it working with many puppies. I would turn away and if he'd persist, I'd step over the baby gate, walk out of sight for less than a minute, and then go back and try again.

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Permalink Reply by Krissy C. on August 4, 2010 at 1:49am

Mira is 12.5 weeks, and has started this too. I have yelped, but learned to NOT turn my back. She already is showing herding instincts, and IMMEDIATELY will bite at my heel. So, that trick wont work anymore.
Here's my rundown: I will yelp and turn my head (and not look at her for a few seconds) at which point she will typically sit down and wait for me. Once or twice of this and she wont nip anymore until our next playtime.. (Eventually she will give up, I'm sure. She is just super willful!)
If that doesn't help, I will try distraction with another toy. If she doesn't want it, I act like I am about to put it away, at which point she attacks it.

That works pretty well for me. I'm the only human she knows that she hasn't broken skin on, and she spends most of her time with me, so that's sayin something, right? I hope? hah.

Good luck!!