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Nipping

Behavioral Issues
  • R

    Anne has gotten quite bitey lately! If I go to pet her after she does something good she'll nip at me playfully or if I have a treat in my hand she'll nip at it to get the treat.

    Now, I know the normal way to deal with dogs doing this is to stop play immediately and turn away, maybe say ouch when they nip… and then they should feel bad that they stopped play time because they nipped. I've been doing this anytime she nips, but I don't really think it is connecting.

    If she nips at me and I stop playing or petting her and turn away she sort of just goes "whatever" almost instantly and goes to find something else to do. She doesn't really seem to be affected by me withdrawing my attention because she bit.

    Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with a particularly bitey basenji pup who loses interest quickly? D:

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  • W

    Don't give her the treat then.

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  • L

    Since she is wandering off and not continuing to push for your attention it sounds like she is reading your turn away corrrectly. When you turn away from a dog it is a distance increasing signal.

    When you turn back and invite her back to you, what does she do?

    Remember she is still young and learning self-control. This sort of behavior is related to your other post about her having difficulty holding body position for extended periods of time. She is still learning self control.

    I like Levels because it breaks the training up into smaller parts, http://dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/Levels/ByLevel/1Level.html

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3/3

10 Jun 2009, 14:38

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    Otis just nipped my son…

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    You chose an alternative that was very hard for you, but gave Otis a wonderful chance at a new life is a situation better suited to his temperament. I do not call that failure, quite the opposite, you made for success for Otis. Sometimes love just isn't enough to overcome situational issues, but you found a perfect solution. Thank you for the update, I had been thinking about you but didn't want to ask.
  • J

    Please help…Tosca nipped at my 8 wk old!

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    3 28 Feb 2010, 03:14
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    I agree, growling should neither be rewarded or punished, it is telling you that she is not happy and distressed, especially as she is not a regular growler. It gives you the chance to de-escalate the situation and be sure everyone is safe and comfortable. A good trainer will teach you, they won't have to necessarily see it.
  • T

    No nipping here, mine draws BLOOD!

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    3 8 Jun 2007, 20:07
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    To me it sounds like the previous owners praised his bad behaviors when he would take something which would be confusing for anyone. I would begin to give treats when he does good things to retrain the idea. Use a spray bottle for growls or bad behavior. Use it to startle but dont acknowledge the bad behavior. Act like you didnt see the water and dont let him see the water bottle. The other main issue it sounds like is the socialization. I would suggest doing the basic obedience training in a Petsmart. You will have a trainer with you each time you go. You will be introducing your basenji to other dogs in your class in a controlled atmosphere. You will be in a busy store with people that will help him socialize and get used to the people. Once you have learned the tricks or commands from class and your basenji performs them with you flawlessly. Have your roommate use the same commands and gestures until your b can do them with your roommate. Then add a friend that isnt around all the time and slowly teach the dog how to communicate and receive praise and treats for his actions. I suspect that with this training, your basenji will soften that aggressive behavior and want the treats. The behavior may never go away completely, but you will always be around to keep an eye on him. If you have a dog walker, I would think that it is very important that your walker follows your guidlines for training to keep your dog safe when he is away from you. Strangers who have been bitten by a dog have had the ability to put the dog to sleep and it is important that you do not permit him to find an opportunity to slip. My rescue was food aggressive and fearful of everything. She had seperation anxiety, growled, and took 2 years to potty train. It is important to be consistant with your training. It is important to praise. My rescue settled down completely after 3years and I learned the triggers to avoid. I would also suggest not having any pull or shake playing with your basenji which would mimick tugging or tearing prey. When your basenji is relaxed, massage him. Touch his mouth, his ears, hold his feet. Teach him to understand that there is no off limit area. Have your roomate and dog walker do this as well once you feel he has begun learning from the training. Have your roommate help you bathe him, and so on and so forth. As long as one of the 3 of you can handle him in basic training, around people and handeling him you should be more confident that you are protecting him as well as the many victims he could encounter in the future. You know he is great and you want to take care of him. The best way to do that is by helping him learn to communicate with people, not out of fear. Oh, and a soft muzzle is a great way to take him for walks with a dog walker and keep him from hurting anyone else. He can move his mouth, but wont be able to open it. I bought mine at Petsmart when Caesar was a puppy and eat his seat belt off when in the car going anywhere. Do not use it with punishment, but as a tool to let him know it is time to go for a walk!!
  • C

    What is the dog whisper method for a nipping and biting B

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    @Quercus: I thought I suggested that a few threads ago? That was the only thing that worked with Querk. I thought that was a joke about spraying it on ourselves but will try this weekend. Yeah our B is getting better since we stop playing with him when he nipps. Moving slowly but surely:D