# Fear Biting :(



## Mcunnin4 (Jan 15, 2013)

Hi,

I have a male vizsla about a year old. Since he was a puppy he has gotten away with alot of stuff but has made progress as we started to put our foot down within the last few months. I know this will most likely have been the reason for my issue but I am desperate for answers. I am so embarrassed by his problem even though I probably caused it. 

He has been having ear problems lately and so I took him to the vet and they put him on antibiotics etc. While we were there, they needed to get his temp (rectal) and also inspect him like normal. He bit two different vet techs in a matter of an hour! This was NOT acceptable...I immediately grabbed his mouth and looked into his eyes and with a firm strong voice said NO BITE. Hes always been nippy even as a puppy but I thought he would outgrow it. 

The more I look into it, the more I realize he does nip and bite quite alot. Note: when I say bite its not a clamp down I want you to get hurt bite---its more of a I dont like what you are doing or I am not used to this happening so I will bite you. To me this sounds like fear biting. It has never broken skin or anything but one day it could and my worst fear is him being euthanized because of it. When I first got him I didnt really know what I was doing and I see that now but I did my best. He was also enrolled in obedience class and passed but this issue is REALLY worrying me. Im sure since his ears were so inflamed that he bit out of pain as well, but the doctor went to touch his feet and scratch his butt and he still went to bite her?

I dont get it. I scratch his butt all the time and he is very mouthy in general like I said but I am so used to it I guess I just turn a blind eye to it as I know hes never bitten me hard even when it looks like hes going to to some other people.

ANY advice would be great  im embarrassed and ashamed I feel like I failed as a doggy mom! 

I dont even like bringing him to the vet because they always tell me how unacceptable my training has been and that I need to enroll him in a class (which has been done!)


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

The vet should just have him muzzled. Our Vizsla is fear-aggressive and we just muzzle him before we even go into the vet's office. I feel like the vet should be used to dealing with dogs like that? A lot of dogs are scared of the vet and will try to bite, my vet said it is a pretty common thing.

You can Google "counter-conditioning" for a method to train your dog to not be so scared (basically teach him to view going to the vet as a good thing). This may or may not help depending on the severity. But as long as your dog isn't ever aggressive in normal situations, I wouldn't worry too much.


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## Mcunnin4 (Jan 15, 2013)

jjohnson,

Thanks for the feedback! At least I'm not alone

He actually is very excited to be anywhere new, even the vet. But I realized I never really socialized him to me touching his feet or odd areas which is HUGE when they are puppies (STUPID ME!) 

I guess I will invest in a muzzle. I thought it was more common than not too? They totally made me feel like im one in a million when I went. 

Have you ever used a water bottle for training? Does it work?


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

I haven't. When we trim Gus' nails or do something like that that he hates, we constantly feed him treats. So he has come to learn that nail trim= lots of yummy treats. I would start that way, and the goal is eventually he'll let the vets touch his feet and stuff. 

Here is a link to the BAT method, which we have used in the past http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/bat/

Although, it sounds like your problem isn't so severe. If your boy is still excited to go into the vet's office, sounds like he's not really fearful, but just doesn't like his feet touched. Personally, I wouldn't spank him or squirt him or anything when he nips the vet, because then he'll learn that not only does having his feet touched suck, but "every time they do it I also get spanked and squirted"! At least, that is the theory....


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Mcunnin4, although it wouldn't hurt to have a muzzle in your home inventory of dog stuff, the Vet's office should also have them on hand. According to conversations I've had with my Vet, this is NOT uncommon. Plenty of dogs are fearful at the Vet's office.

I once had a Bluetick Coonhound who was terrified of the Vet. We just routinely muzzled her for her exams/shots. The Vet provided the muzzle. Once we got her through it, she was rewarded with praise and a treat. Don't hesitate to use a muzzle. It makes everyone safer, and you will feel calmer, too.


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## Mcunnin4 (Jan 15, 2013)

Thank you mswhipple!

Makes me feel loads better...do I just tell them ahead of time and they bring it out?


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes. The minute you walk into the office (either the waiting room or the exam room), just tell them he is fearful and you'd like to have them muzzle him, for everyone's safety. Really, they should be accustomed to this. Also, remember that if you feel the least bit uncomfortable with the way your Vet's office operates, there are many others to choose from. You are hiring them... you are the employer... keep that in mind.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Yes, they definitely shouldn't be acting as though this is unusual! Vets see this all the time. The type of biting you are describing definitely sounds like fearful and inhibited biting (i.e., the dog is not using the full power of their jaws with intent to hurt, but inhibiting their full maiming potential)--the goal is to get the vet to back off. Counterconditioning could be useful, but a muzzle is very sensible until you can work with your dog to reduce the anxiety.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

My Ruby is very very stranger aware, anybody spooks her and she will fresh air snap them (yet strangely enough, kids friends can pull her all over the place), I blame it on myself for not socialising her enough when she was a young pup, we live in a very rural area and I just didn't take her into town enough..my bad mistake. Flip side is that when we go shooting she's a totally different dog, all the guys and girls that are one the hunt can stroke her over or under her head and she relishes it, I'm no dog behaviour scientist but I reckon she knows when she's got her self in for a good time.


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## Gingerbread (Aug 7, 2013)

Our male viszla is also very mouthy, but only with me as my husband won't let him get away with it. My wake call came a couple months ago when he went to mouth a stranger who was patting him. The stranger was used to dogs and didn't mention anything, but I felt it was a lucky escape and have since been very firm with a 'NO' every time he goes to mouth me in greeting or play and will turn my back and ignore him. It's slowly working and he now very rarely mouths me and we have also been more careful of strangers coming up to say hello to him as he's wary of them which is understandable. Keep persevering with not letting him mouth you. We also do a whole body 'groom' where we will mess with his feet, inspect his mouth and clean his ears, make sure there's no dirt around his nipples etc just to make sure he's comfortable with being handled.
JJohnson's method of distracting with treats sounds great to use at the vets and maybe going for a 'fake' check up with them if they'll let you might be an idea for familiarisation when he's not in pain. Also I agree with the others, you're the customer, if your vet makes you uncomfortable, change them!


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