# Nipping in the park when really excited!



## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

I try to explain the whole thing for the bigger picture. 

Have to say that Elza doesn't bite or nip at home at all. The only thing she does when we get ready for the walk she tries to catch the arms of the coats or pullovers while we are putting it on. That stops when the coat is on me. So my bigger problem 
Recently in the last 2 weeks maybe when she plays with other dogs and gets really excited she just jumps up on me and nips at my arm or my back wherever she happens to be. This is litterally in a matter of seconds. One moment she plays with a dog then she turns on me and nips at me.  AND she even nipped the owner of the other dog too. Which is terrible. One things she does it to me but to others???? yesterday I started to address it by grabbing her collar and shake her and told her no and made her sit. I waited until she calmed down then let her off again. It seemed after a few times she hasn't done it that often. It's really tricky to catch her at the right time because most of the time she's coming from behind and I don't see it coming! :-\
Now I started to walk like an idiot (twisting and turning my head every sec) to see just in case she's coming to bite one of us and I can grab her before she gets the chance. 

What's your suggestions and do I deal with it ok? Have any of you had similar problems? I have seen other post about nipping at home but she doesn't do that. I can't put her in the crate in the park!!! :-[ and definitely can't ignore this behaviour, she might do it to someone who won't be that forgiving!!! Oh and if I put her on the lead then she would throw a tantrum cos she just wants the freedom and play. 

Thanks for advice :-[


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

adrino said:


> Oh and if I put her on the lead then she would throw a tantrum cos she just wants the freedom and play.


Let her throw a tantrum. If Riley is nipping out of control when we're out and about, she goes on lead until she calms down. "Shaking" her is more likely to be seen as a continuation of the game. She needs to know that nipping = no more fun play time. As soon as the nipping (or tantrum) stops, the leash comes off and she can go play again.


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

I'm no dog whisperer but I think dogs nip like that when they are nervous or overly excited. Look at when she's doing it - when getting ready for a walk, when you are putting on your coat, when she's at the dog park.......

I am concerned about one thing you posted. You said "yesterday I started to address it by grabbing her collar and shake her"

I would never shake a dog. It could do brain damage like it does to babies & kids who are shaken. 

If you dog continues nipping, a harsh "no" should suffice and then remove them from the environment immediately (i.e. leave the dog park or you leave the room - kind of a time out for them).

Good luck!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks *Threefsh*!
I will start as soon as it happens again. She is doing so well otherwise but I want to stop this new nipping thing before she gets bigger and she might nip someone in the wrong body part!!!  
Tantrums are happening only when she has to go back on the lead. She just jumps up going crazy on it, trying to rip the lead apart and biting it pulling it. Do you suggest to let the lead loose and just wait until she stops? I even put the lead back on her mid walk so she doesn't associate the lead with the end of the walk.
Strangely on our nighttime walk she's always on lead and she never pulls. 
I also got a slip lead which works a lot better with her. 

Vizsla baby, obviously I do not shake the life out of her. It's like a warning shake, like the mother would do it to her pup if she misbehaves. I am by no means doing any harm to my dog by doing that and I would never hurt her anyway. I have already stated in my first post she's only doing it when she's excited and playing with another dog.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Seriousy your dog is out of control and in charge of you. I would suggest that you take your puppy to training classes and not allow it off the leash until you can control her and you are sure she is well behaved in public. I know she is only nipping in play, but she is growing quickly and you need to "nip this in the bud" right away. At the moment she throws a tantrum and you giving in. It is no different than to a child throwing a tantrum, you give in for a quiet life and all you have done is reward the bad behaviour.

Let her have a tantrum, just ignore her, don't look at her, keep the leash short and as soon as she stops having the tantrum, drop a few treats on the floor. Better to have the tantrum while she is small than when she is bigger.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

adrino said:


> Tantrums are happening only when she has to go back on the lead. She just jumps up going crazy on it, trying to rip the lead apart and biting it pulling it. Do you suggest to let the lead loose and just wait until she stops?


1.) Get a very tough (indestructible) lead

2.) There are 2 methods to deal with the tantrum. You can either stand perfectly still and not move until she relaxes, or you can give her a "heel" command (we use "let's go!") and take her on a very controlled walk. She may fight it during the walk, but you should just ignore her and keep walking until she gives in. Remember, YOU are in control, not her.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

About a month ago, Finch started doing this at the dog park. She'd be playing with other dogs, then suddenly she'd turn the play on me, jumping at my arms, back, wherever she could grab me and nip. It was annoying and embarrassing. I tried stroking her to calm her down, but she'd start right up again as soon as I released her. I tried putting her on the lead and walking her away in a heel, but she's start grabbing the lead and shaking/pulling it. Finally, I filled an Altoid container with coins and put it in my jacket pocket. The next time she did it, I shook it a bit and she stopped immediately. She hasn't done it again since. This coins in the can technique is what broke her from her puppy nipping too... she isn't totally fearful of it - she doesn't cower or run away, it just gets her attention and she stops what she is doing. I don't know if this will work for your dog, but if the lead thing doesn't, you might give it a try.


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Pippa also has done this when she has been very nervous or over-excited/stimulated. I find saying, "Pippa sit!" (this is a command she is SOLID on) and then keeping her in the sit for about 15 seconds helps break the cycle immediately (she knows she can't move until I give the release word). If for some reason it doesn't work(I honestly can't remember the last time that happened), I too clip on the leash and walk her at a heel for a bit.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

I would also make sure you mark the behavior with either "no" or a "no" noise, like eh eh. So if by the time you get the lead on is a few seconds later, she still knows why the behavior is occurring. I wouldn't just stop taking her to the dog park because then she won't get the chance to fix a problem that occurs at the dog park (you said you aren't seeing it in other areas). I also would make an effort to get her to stop when you're putting on your coat at home. She should know that behavior is never ok. 

We used the spray bottle when Oso used to run into people's legs and it was really effective. We also have used "time outs" Where I usually don't even take the time to put his lead on. I say "eh eh" take his collar and walk him out of the dog park, put him in a sit and maybe a minute or two later we go back in. It sounds like your little girl just has extra excitement that translates from dog to you. Sometimes I run with Oso at the dog park, I zig zag and try to trick him about which way I'm going to go. He used to kind of jump up and nip at me once in a while while doing that. I made the eh eh noise and stopped running. He eventually stopped doing it as his goal was to have fun and whenever he did that the fun stopped. 

Also, it's ok to look like an idiot sometimes at the dog park.  In order to do the best training, sometimes you just have to look a little silly. It's worth looking silly now to have a well behaved dog in the future, embarrassing as it may seem. While learning loose leash walking, I looked pretty bad for a while. Strangers even gave me advice on what to do. Now, Oso is pretty good on the leash. I still have to look ridiculous sometimes (I stop or back up when he pulls), but now we can have long walks where he looks like a pretty well behaved dog.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks for all the advises so far. 

I'll see what happens in the next few days. She will be at doggy day care today but from tomorrow I start more training with Elza. 
My partner says she doesn't do it to him, so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. :-[ Mostly it's me who teach her new things and I'm quite strict too. 
Where we walk Elza daily it's not a dog park. It's a just a huge park where everybody can come and enjoy the outside. The dogs can be off lead if they behave ok. 
Not a lot of dog around but we have a friend with a pug and they play together sometimes and that's when she gets so excited. 
I think I might have to go back a bit and start to walk her on the lead more often for longer periods. I thought that was good advice. 

*Luv2laugh* thanks for your reply. We tried the spray bottle when she barked but it didn't work with her. Just made her bark even more and also tried to use a little box with coin inside. That made her do the same, just barking at it. 
I have mastered the zigzag walk!!!  I read it on this forum and started it a few months back and Elza has been following me around ever since.  
I'll see how it goes and let you know the outcome! 

Thanks again


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Another thing to keep in mind is using a long line. That way she can run around in the park but if you want to keep her from running off and jumping on people or nipping then you can still keep her in control. 

I still use a long line for my pup and he is nearly 12 months now! If we are in a park where there is likely to be joggers or kids going crazy then the long line gives me the extra insurance that he isn't going to cause trouble. When we are out in the fields or the woods then he can run around.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Born 36, Boris has been really obedient on recall until two weeks ago, when he has just started picking up nice smells. When he finds a nice smell, he has definitely got selective hearing, if you know what I mean :-X I asked my trainer about it this week and she said, it was normal for these point retrieve breeds to behave like this and suggested I also use a long line to bring him in when he finds a nice smell. She said I have to make it fun and interesting for him - have a favourite toy ready, and once he starts to come, run in the other direction calling him. Not to make him sit so often now when he comes as he does that so well, but to play with him with the toy. I have had a busy week so far so haven't had an opportunity to practice anything. Hope it works. 

Is anybody using whistle training??? My breeder said she had started to train the puppies with a whistle, but I have never used one and don't have a clue how to start - could use some advise, please :-\


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

This is such an interesting thread. 

My puppy was running behind me and jumping/nipping this morning in the backyard. First time it happened. Wow, that's not pleasant! 

Sometimes I can tell she's really agitated or over-excited but it's so annoying that I cannot figure out what it is. I'm really unsure what to do.

I'm also conflicted about the leash. My breeder said not to use the leash or crate in a way that could be seen as punishment. She also said that in the first days on the leash I should walk faster than normal, so that the dog will actually focus her mind on keeping up with me and not on leisurely sniffing everything. It worked very well so far but I'm not exactly a 20 year old. LOL. Maybe it's a hint?

But she's really against long cord lines (the breeder, that is)! I was thinking about getting one, but she made me promise that instead of using a long lead I would drive to an open field, let the puppy loose and just walk behind her. Like a play-hunt.


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

hotmischief said:


> Born 36, Boris has been really obedient on recall until two weeks ago, when he has just started picking up nice smells. When he finds a nice smell, he has definitely got selective hearing, if you know what I mean :-X I asked my trainer about it this week and she said, it was normal for these point retrieve breeds to behave like this and suggested I also use a long line to bring him in when he finds a nice smell. She said I have to make it fun and interesting for him - have a favourite toy ready, and once he starts to come, run in the other direction calling him. Not to make him sit so often now when he comes as he does that so well, but to play with him with the toy. I have had a busy week so far so haven't had an opportunity to practice anything. Hope it works.
> 
> Is anybody using whistle training??? My breeder said she had started to train the puppies with a whistle, but I have never used one and don't have a clue how to start - could use some advise, please :-\


Mac is whistle trained. It is a life saver when we go somewhere where he can run away long distances. I don't want to be the crazy owner that is yelling!! There are some threads on here on whistle training but basically to start use the whisle in the house and give them a treat then wait til they are in another room and blow the whistle and they will come to get the treat. Then when their dinner is ready use the whistle as the release or okay command for them to eat. Soon they start to think whistle means treats. Next step is to use the long line and blow the whistle to get them to come to you when outside. Repeat this loads and loads and loads. They start to do it when off lead. Mac is tough one and I would say his whistle recall is only about 60% depending on what it is tha distracts him.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Thanks Born36, will give that a try - my husband is always saying - can't you call him a little quieter!!!

I think that recall is going to be a tough one when outside with lots of distractions. My biggest problem is the heal work - he is nose to the ground and away - no amount of treats is helping. I just talked to his breeder who does working trials with his mother and she said that heel work can be difficult with Vizsla. Will have to keep practising :-\


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## ironman_stittsville (Oct 12, 2011)

adrino said:


> ... Tantrums are happening only when she has to go back on the lead. She just jumps up going crazy on it, trying to rip the lead apart and biting it pulling it. ...


Hi Adrino. My Phoebe did some of this behaviour when she was under 1 yr old. It is pushy behaviour that I really didn't like. I immediately stopped the fun time by executing very brisk walks/sprints/turns while she is on leash to get her back in synch with me. I didn't make any eye contact with her, just hooked her up quickly and started into a brisk walk or sprint arbitrarily turning into her, going around trees...

One other thing I would recommend is a shake can ( soda can with some pennies in it ) that you can shake once or twice abruptly when she is out of her mind. This may interrupt her 'mischief' (sp?) and help her to listen to you and get herself back under control.

My 2 cents,
Rh.


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