Quote:
Originally Posted by ladyb00
Glad to hear there are many other people tearing their hair out with nipping and it's not just us. We got our 10week old German Wirehaired Pointer 'Albert' on Saturday and he is into everything and biting with the sharpest of teeth and claws. We are trying the ignoring and 'yelping as if it it hurting' when he trys and sometimes it works but his attention span is so short. He also seems to go for every plant to bite in the garden which worries me as I know some can be dangerous to animals although I'm not sure what is and isn't. I try to ignore him when he bites the plants but he still seems intent on chewing them. Any advice!! I suppose he will settle down a little once he can go out more (only just had first jab so still a couple of weeks to go yet). A friend of mine says you can buy something which you spray onto items to stop them chewing them..anybody tried this and is it any good!. Looking forward to many more chewed feet.....  |
I would start to teach the "leave" command
Hold a treat in your palm, make him sit and offer him the treat, if he goes for it close your palm amd say "leave" firmly the second he withdraws open your palm and say take it, if he "snatches" close you palm again. Only let him have the treat when he isn't trying to grab it (if that makes sense).
This will take time to teach but it is good to make a start. I would keep him away from the plants for now by attaching a long line in the garden and not letting him at them.
I found a "time out" worked better than yelping, some dogs seem to find the yelping too exciting.
If the dog is being over playful and gets nippy then a few minutes out of the room with zero attention then reintroduced calmly will help but i would re iterate this will take time (possibly a couple of months of hard work). It is an age and stage thing and you just have to train through it in a consistent way