# Advice for teenage V nipping



## Kazi (Jun 8, 2020)

As always I turn to the forum in times of need ! My V Reggie is a great boy, learning well and 70% if the time he is great. The issue i am encountering is him jumping up and nipping me, he has just turned 11months and we have an incredible bond so I know the nipping isn’t to hurt me but I just can’t figure it out. For example I can be in the kitchen usually busy and he will jump up and nip. It can b really sore, he seems to b trying to tell me something but what ? He doesn’t lack attention, he’s loved 💯 and it appears to b directed at me only. My response is firm and recently I’ve been taking him straight to his crate. It doesn’t happen that often and at this point I’ve not figured out the trigger so any advice would be appreciated.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

I’m no expert but seems he needs a stronger consequence when doing that. We found spray bottles and a squirt to the face with a firm NO has been working great to serve as a means of driving home a consequence for bad behaviors. We bought a 6 pack of small bottles we have positioned strategically around the house and take one with us when outside.


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## Kazi (Jun 8, 2020)

Thanks, I do have a squirt bottle that I used when experiencing the sharkies I will give it a try. 👍🏻


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## rchik43 (Apr 12, 2020)

My Pillu is 10 months and he does exactly this more recently , only with me in the family . funny how you come to the forum and see someone else having the exact same behavior!! He is just trying to communicate something...not really biting. yeah , but to your point , what?? I have come to the conclusion that it usually is one of a few reasons
1. need more food
2. potty break
3. needs me to play with him or sit around him and not go off into my room to work leaving him in the other room

More often than not it's the food , he has suddenly started demanding more food, may be a growth spurt at this age ( almost 1/2 cup to a cup more sometimes than the recommended cups for his age).. He is quite lean though , so I know he is not over eating. If I walk to the door and call him and he is not looking to eager to follow, I know it's not to do with going outside. Sometimes, if I think he has eaten enough, I play tug with him for a few minutes and that usually helps.

I do use the squirt gun occasionally, but usually one of these other things settle him.


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## Kazi (Jun 8, 2020)

Good to hear someone else’s perspective. I don’t think it’s food I think it’s more to do with attention. Just before reading ur post he’d had his dinner, been for a walk and when I sat on the couch he came right up and nipped me again ! It could b a sore way to ask me to play but I will try to possibly read the situation better. Squirt bottle is poised for action and I live in Hope he will grow out of it.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

The squirt bottle has tranformed our lives with our Vizsla when it comes to dissuading unwanted and sometimes dangerous behaviors. We only use it for very serious things where all other attempts at redirecting and ruling out other issues first. The rule is 10% correction 90% praise for us. When Ellie is behaving in the kitchen we randomly give her praise and small treats that we keep on the kitchen island. No jumping and surfing, she gets all this fun and random treats! Surfing only gets her a scold and a spray to the face. She learned in 2 days that it is not worth it to surf, but it is worth it to behave and walk around us or sit and watch us nicely as one of those praise / treats may come at any moment! We try to always praise when she is doing any good behaviors even mundane.

Another example the spray bottle helped was outside with mulch around our property. There is too much to keep her separate from it and she absolutely loved eating it. No form of redirection, interception, or verbal correction ever stopped her. She was simply too quick to catch as the mulch tends to even be spread around in the grass from lawn maintenance. The spray bottle put a quick end to that, along with praising and rewarding when she walks near mulch yet does not put it in her mouth. Its been weeks now and we haven't had any mulch vomit or worries if that piece of mulch she swallowed would cause a blockage.

We are always sure to allow her the opportunity to demonstrate good behavior right after a spray/correction, then promptly praise her for that. We never want her to think that we are permanently upset with her. I'm just so happy something simple as a spray bottle works with Ellie, our last dog would have thought it was a fun game!


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## Kazi (Jun 8, 2020)

Real food for thought in ur post. I think possibly I do need to focus on the good behaviour more as u suggest as I tend to forget to reward him when he’s behaving around the home 👍🏻


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## Kpl (Aug 30, 2020)

Dan_A said:


> The squirt bottle has tranformed our lives with our Vizsla when it comes to dissuading unwanted and sometimes dangerous behaviors. We only use it for very serious things where all other attempts at redirecting and ruling out other issues first. The rule is 10% correction 90% praise for us. When Ellie is behaving in the kitchen we randomly give her praise and small treats that we keep on the kitchen island. No jumping and surfing, she gets all this fun and random treats! Surfing only gets her a scold and a spray to the face. She learned in 2 days that it is not worth it to surf, but it is worth it to behave and walk around us or sit and watch us nicely as one of those praise / treats may come at any moment! We try to always praise when she is doing any good behaviors even mundane.
> 
> Another example the spray bottle helped was outside with mulch around our property. There is too much to keep her separate from it and she absolutely loved eating it. No form of redirection, interception, or verbal correction ever stopped her. She was simply too quick to catch as the mulch tends to even be spread around in the grass from lawn maintenance. The spray bottle put a quick end to that, along with praising and rewarding when she walks near mulch yet does not put it in her mouth. Its been weeks now and we haven't had any mulch vomit or worries if that piece of mulch she swallowed would cause a blockage.
> 
> We are always sure to allow her the opportunity to demonstrate good behavior right after a spray/correction, then promptly praise her for that. We never want her to think that we are permanently upset with her. I'm just so happy something simple as a spray bottle works with Ellie, our last dog would have thought it was a fun game!


Goodness! What is it about mulch? Our Goose was going for it like crazy for a while too.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

@Kpl tell me about it with the mulch. She is finally mostly broken of the habit and we can now enjoy the yard together without stress. Going to try the same strategy to break her habit of hunting for used chewing gum, it’s very gross pulling that out of her mouth.


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