# How to calm him down



## Ovie (Jul 10, 2011)

We have had Ovie a week now and he is just amazing. i,ll post some pics soon. He is 9 weeks old and is pretty much toliet trained. we've had two accidents which were our fault for not seeing his signs. He's siting to command and generally doing really well. He loves his crate which is brill. What we are having problems with is the play bitting. we redirect with toys . ignore him. yelp. etc as many have suggested but he is so persistant and gets more and more intense. We don.t want to put him in hia crate like a punishment but so far tgis is the only way we can get him to calm do. does aanybodyha have any auggestions


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## Ovie (Jul 10, 2011)

Sorry for the writing wrote on cell or mobile phone which ever you call it.


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## jammin (Jan 14, 2011)

I wouldn't worry too much about the nipping. It is usually something that naturally goes away with age, at least that's my experience. If you really want to do something about it though, and the yelping etc doesnt work, someone once told me to get up and walk out of the room as soon as the nipping started, basically letting the puppy know that as soon as he nips playtime and attention stops! This might sound like hard work, having to get up all the time, but it's apperently meant to work really well. You might just need to turn your back towards him to send him the right message. Good luck and don't worry too much! As long as you don't encourage it, it should stop eventually.


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## Ovie (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks for the response jammin. I will try leaving the room straight away. just turning the back doesn't seem to work as he makes a game out of it and bites your heels , jumps uyp your legs our starts run around me hence the game. I'm sure it will pass .


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## 1notenough (Sep 6, 2008)

you need to act like a dog when you play with your dog,since it is imposable for them to act like a human.Try grabbing the muzzle when your dog does something you dont like.squeeze firmly with enough pressure to let the dog know your the boss and in control of how the game is to be played.A mother dog would.In retrospect this is what puppies do,they dont have thumbs.It will pass.or it wont hurt as much when they get their adult teeth.good luck...........fish are nice and they dont bite


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

We are having a similar problem with our V Mac. He is 10 weeks old now and has been a nipper for the 2 weeks that we have had him. It is getting better as we do the leave the room thing, but as a warning the first couple of times we did it he got really upset and ended up having a potty accident so this might happen! Anyways he still nips and we struggle to get him to stop. One thing that has helped is giving him a bully stick or pizzle stick. They stink when chewed but giving him one and then removing it and then giving it back when he sits starts to show him that he is rewarded for not biting. Good luck.


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## Annajean (Jun 20, 2011)

I have the same issue with my V. He is 11 weeks now and he is much better than at 9 weeks when this behavior peaked. I agree with everyone else that leaving the room can help and bully sticks are a great way to redirect chewing! The additional thing that I noticed was that my V got super nippy when he was over tired - like a cranky toddler! Whenever he gets all bitey, if I put him in the crate he falls right to sleep 9 out of 10 times. Good luck and know that it will get better!


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## hollyandnick (Apr 28, 2011)

We had a trainer start working with Lucy last night. She is doing much better than she was a few weeks ago. However, the trainer said to play tug and if they start to nip at you take the toy away and completely ignore. They want to play and when you do not they get upset. It is working. Game of tug teaches them that. Also, when they listen well rewarding with tiny treat or kibble piece works very well. Lucy is totally enticed by food. We tear teeny tiny bits of a jerky piece of to give her. Also, once he has all his shots and you can walk him more outside he will get tired and stop doing that. Keep at it, we have and its working. Frustrating at times, but working.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

We tried confrontational methods like grabbing the muzzle and that only ramped Rosie up. So what worked for us was just what has been described, turning your back, and if that doesn't stop the nipping, leaving the room for a brief period, then coming back and leaving again if the nipping started over. I also agree with what others have said, that this is a phase that will almost certainly pass no matter what you do or don't do to address it. They are practicing predator-prey behavior by engaging in this type of play; they don't think about it, it isn't a play for dominance or a sign of future aggression--it's just what they do to practice genetically programmed behaviors that are normal for the species.

See link. http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=375 Click on "When Puppies Bite"


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## Ovie (Jul 10, 2011)

I agree that sometimes grabbing his muzzle just windes him up further. I've been ignoring him today and we've improved as he doesn't get 
to the point of being crazy. Though it has made him more vocal. Laying him on his back has had some effect also. Thanks for all your input.


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## LynnieB (Apr 26, 2010)

As the months go by he'll stop play biting as much. My hands and arms used to look dreadful. Their adult teeth are no where near as sharp. I just have to watch out for the sharp nails now & the powerful weight of him as he launches himself onto me.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Waring!
Please be aware of tug of war games.[/color] This enforces grabbing stagers and protective behaviors. Police service GS dogs are trained this way. 
Do not play this game unless you want a guard dog/attack dog.


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## AlbaF (Feb 22, 2011)

Hi..Congrats on your new addition!

We have been there with Alba who is know 7 months. We tried everything from the ignoring, stop game play, etc.. In the end it stopped when we were advised by a trainer to pinch the side of her cheek and yelp in a very high pitch. It is a similar reaction she would have got from her mother..letting her know that the nipping was not acceptable. Good luck


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

datacan said:


> Waring!
> Please be aware of tug of war games.[/color] This enforces grabbing stagers and protective behaviors. Police service GS dogs are trained this way.
> Do not play this game unless you want a guard dog/attack dog.


I play tug of war with mine...guess how she knows it's time to let go? The second I touch her teeth. 
I started that to show my sister who is scared of Mischas' quick moves, in an attempt to prove that she'd never bite anyone. I do it almost daily as she likes to play tug with a crazy ball of hers!

I believe it is important to never let them win the tug, and always end it on you holding the object and either telling them "leave-it" or making them sit before you give it back to them. This gives you control, instead of the dog.


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

This is what our trainer has given us on Tug of War with dogs: http://www.sfspca.org/sites/default/files/tug-of-war.pdf There is also a blurb from Dr. Dunbar at the end of the pdf.

Long story short, tug of war is not a bad game to play with dogs, as long as their are very *clear rules*. You can even let them win...with a caveat. It's better explained in the link that I can explain here.

As for grabbing the muzzle--I've found that this doesn't work, especially as it involves hands flying around the dog's face, which is what usually precipitates a nip in the first place, since flying hands are clearly toys to be played with. I also read something somewhere that it's probably not at all like another dog gently biting down on their muzzle, so it's really not the most useful correction. I think that came from an AVSAB position statement about dominance theory, if anyone wants to read it.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Here is my view:
For Dogs the purpose of play isn't about having fun, instead it's about “making prey”. Dogs don't see play as we see it. 
I am the handler and I will never allow him to win does not apply when he is grown up.
Can a stranger or a kid (any kid in the park) do that? Can they just walk up, reach out and just pet the dog? Can they run and the dog will not catch and play bite? 
Dog can chase but their teeth should never touch skin. 

I don't play tug games. Instead, I allow him the toy/sock/food/carpet/paper... or disallow right from the start.
I will ask "drop" and he spits the object out. I do not negotiate. A dog that is always loosing will spend the rest of his life trying to climb up in the ranks. At 6 months he will be more stubborn and stronger. Many will think something is wrong and will Vet check and the Vet will happily subscribe dogie Valium. Hey, after all someone should pay for their cottage and besides it's temporary only while the dog is adolescent.

If you want to calm your dog do not play games that raise their heart rate. Playing fetch, chasing things increases stress and makes them more "wired". Always end the play session with games that engage their nose. Put them on a long line and just allow them to explore and sniff. A dog's world revolves around smells. Hide treats under small objects, throw treats around. 
I know it's boring but the topic asks "how to calm them down".

Ps if they are biting your hand try and do not remove your hand, allow them to bite and yelp not too loud but close to their ear just like their siblings did. If it's too much leave the area not the room. I would reward once they start to lick. Now, if I can just stop the licking.


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## Ovie (Jul 10, 2011)

Well it's been a couple of days and I think we have made some great improvement.yes of course he still play bites but we are finding that by standing up moving away etc and ignoring him we are able to stop him getting into the crazy states he had been where he was far too excited. I try not to play tug of war at all.he is learning to leave it and drop it not 100% yet but I think we wil get there.


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