Major Problem With Bean

[kim & Tilly]

I have tried to stop bean biting from putting her out when she starts, to using a shaker (that made her worse)

If i let her in from outside , out of her cage, out of her run, or even into a room, she goes mental, running round biting Tillys legs and making her cry jumping up trying to bite fingers and hands. jumping on the kids and biting them..

I need help, if i cant stop her i will have to rehome her! i keep telling myself she is still a puppy and things will calm down, but when???

If i take her out and give her a good run she is still like it...

I dont know what to do :wacko:

 

[hellybobs]

Do you mean biting in a nasty way or biting as in playing????

Dippy play bites and sometimes makes Inca and my dads dog yip but there is no malice in it.

The shaker does work with her but I find if she gets too giddy a loud sharp "NO" stops her in her tracks and I make her lay down at the side of me but I had to persevere with her.

She sometimes tries to play bite with us but again I do the same as before and iut works.

How old is Bean now?

 

[kim & Tilly]

Do you mean biting in a nasty way or biting as in playing????
Dippy play bites and sometimes makes Inca and my dads dog yip but there is no malice in it.

The shaker does work with her but I find if she gets too giddy a loud sharp "NO" stops her in her tracks and I make her lay down at the side of me but I had to persevere with her.

She sometimes tries to play bite with us but again I do the same as before and iut works.

How old is Bean now?

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Shes ten months..

Its not really hard but not just playing it hurts

If i say no or do they shaker she just barks at me, the kids are becoming scared of her...

I have read Jan Fennel and we have tried the ignoring thing which does work

She just seems to get so excited

 

[~elizabeth~]

How much exercise is she having? Gelert could be a pain for play biting upto about the age of one (when he stopped completely), and would get very overexcited in the house if he didn't have two reasonably long walks a day, with lots of free running. :unsure:

 

[kim & Tilly]

huuummmm could probably do with more to be honest

 

[~elizabeth~]

I think coursing whippets need quite a lot of mental and physical stimulation, they are very intelligent with a lot of energy and stamina, and so can be a handful if they aren't getting enough play. I remember once we both had bad flu for a couple of weeks when Gelert was a young dog, and he went from having been pretty good to a complete over-excited nightmare dog until we got back to the normal routine again. :wacko:

 

[julie_s]

We used to look after a young lab who had the same problem... a large nippy lab is no fun for anyone. Having an overexcited snappy nipper is no use if you've got kids, the kids get frightened and this usually makes the pup more excited and it's not so easy to ignore them then.

The technique is a kind of a enforced submission which I think is only used as a last resort, after you've tried the extra walks and suchlike. Anyway if the dog persisted with the snappy biting thing even after he had been ignored we used to scruff him and lie him down on his side and hold him down at the shoulder and hip until he stopped fighting and then let them up imediately and praise them in a calm way. Later on we would also make it look like the kids were holding him down so they would have a higher rank than him as he seemed to think they were all puppies like him.

The technique was recommended to us by an dog trainer (I think wolves use a similar thing to assert dominance in the pack) and although it took a good few go's to make it work it certainly worked and he'd stopped it by the time his two week holiday with us was over.

I stress it should never hurt the pup eg don't try the technique on concrete, you don't need to use too much pressure if you place you hands on the shoulder and hip and you shouldn't restrain them for any length of time (they usually give up quite quickly).

Julie

 

[kim & Tilly]

We used to look after a young lab who had the same problem...  a large nippy lab is no fun for anyone. Having an overexcited snappy nipper is no use if you've got kids, the kids get frightened and this usually makes the pup more excited and it's not so easy to ignore them then.
The technique is a kind of a enforced submission which I think is only used as a last resort, after you've tried the extra walks and suchlike. Anyway if the dog persisted with the snappy biting thing even after he had been ignored we used to scruff him and lie him down on his side and hold him down at the shoulder and hip until he stopped fighting and then let them up imediately and praise them in a calm way. Later on we would also make it look like the kids were holding him down so they would have a higher rank than him as he seemed to think they were all puppies like him.

The technique was recommended to us by an dog trainer (I think wolves use a similar thing to assert dominance in the pack) and although it took a good few go's to make it work it certainly worked and he'd stopped it by the time his two week holiday with us was over.

I stress it should never hurt the pup eg don't try the technique on concrete, you don't need to use too much pressure if you place you hands on the shoulder and hip and you shouldn't restrain them for any length of time (they usually give up quite quickly).

Julie

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Thank you for the advice :thumbsup:

I took her out for a really long run she was field running then in the woods for a good sniff and squirrel chase, then back on the path for dog sniffing and a paddle in the river.

She def needs lots of stimulation :wacko: she is all curled up in a ball now a sleep

I will make sure i do this every day i must admit i have lapsed a bit, its been a quick 10 mins round the park :- "

If that doesnt work i will try the restraning thing

 

[Whippets Rule]

The scruffing and pinning technique should really only be used as a very very last resort and only on certain dogs.

I have seen it used on the wrong dog and the results are disastrous,the dog can become very aggressive.

Only use the pinning technique if you have plenty of dog experience and you are strong enough to accept a bad reaction from your dog. x

 

[Rae]

[i will make sure i do this every day i must admit i have lapsed a bit, its been a quick 10 mins round the park  :- "
If that doesnt work i will try the restraning thing

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Well done for being so honest Kim. I dont think that Bean is any different to most whippies - if Lucas (8 months) doesnt get 2 or 3 runs a day he cant settle. I sometimes have to play in the garden with him at 9 pm if he is still bouncing off the walls (w00t) Although it manifests itself in a different way ie he doesnt nip its the same thing, he hasnt had enough stimulation.

I'd try to get her interested in a toy so that you can play with her in the garden too, and also distract her when she does start (being careful not to teach her biting Tilly = play with toy :wacko: ) The kids can play with her with a toy too so everyone should benefit. Mine all love the squeeky tennis balls from Company of Animals.

Have you tried teaching her other behaviours by clicker training? Using their brains can tire then out too :thumbsup:

I wouldnt pin her down - you are punishing her for being excited which seems unfair. Who wants a miserable whippet? IMO there are other things which are more appropriate. :luck:

 

[becpeters]

We had this problem with Harley up until he was about 13 months old, really biting us hard we were at the end of our tether but then all of a sudden it stopped. He only does it on the odd occasion now if he's in a grumpy mood or we try to move him from his favourite radiator at bedtime to go outside to toilet when he's comfy :wacko: other than that it just disappeared. However Joshy has recently started biting Harleys legs but not touching us so having to work that one out now i do think a lot of it is to do with the attention thing but since Harley and Josh have been getting two runs in the fields every day at the moment they have been too tired to do anything, not looking forward to when the free running ceases a little for winter, the nut cases will be back in the house!!!!! :- "

 

[julie_s]

Sorry I had no idea the 'pinning' technique could cause as many problems as it solved, I have only one case to relate to and it worked well, that's my lack of experience showing.

I reckon perhaps you might be best to ignore me and go for the excercise option. We use a tennis ball and rope thingy to play with on walks and Ruby loves that. It also makes for easy girly throwing too :- " !

Julie

 

[FeeFee]

I've had this problem with a couple of young rescue lurchers I've had, and went right back to teaching bite-inhibition like you would with a very young puppy - so play with the dog but as soon as it nips yell 'ouch' loudly and turn your back and fold your arms. If the dog keeps nipping at you, walk away and separate yourself from him - he will pretty soon get the message that nipping = end of game/attention.

It's also much easier to teach a dog to do something rather than not to do something, so set up some replacement behaviours (eg retrieving a toy) that you can use to distract him if he starts getting excited and nippy.

I also found it helped to spend some time training basic commands, and to get them really solid so that I could command a 'sit' or a 'down' to interrupt any silliness. If you make the training fun with a clicker and lots of rewards it will help tire the dog out mentally as well, which will keep him calmer. Two or three 10 minute sessions a day can work wonders!

I'd certainly agree with others above regarding the 'pinning' technique. This was originally developed to be used by experienced behaviourists to deal with highly aggressive dogs (and was pretty controversial even then), it is totally inappropriate for an excited puppy.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[kim & Tilly]

I've had this problem with a couple of young rescue lurchers I've had, and went right back to teaching bite-inhibition like you would with a very young puppy - so play with the dog but as soon as it nips yell 'ouch' loudly and turn your back and fold your arms.  If the dog keeps nipping at you, walk away and separate yourself from him - he will pretty soon get the message that nipping = end of game/attention. 
It's also much easier to teach a dog to do something rather than not to do something, so set up some replacement behaviours (eg retrieving a toy) that you can use to distract him if he starts getting excited and nippy.

I also found it helped to spend some time training basic commands, and to get them really solid so that I could command a 'sit' or a 'down' to interrupt any silliness.  If you make the training fun with a clicker and lots of rewards it will help tire the dog out mentally as well, which will keep him calmer.  Two or three 10 minute sessions a day can work wonders!

I'd certainly agree with others above regarding the 'pinning' technique.  This was originally developed to be used by experienced behaviourists to deal with highly aggressive dogs (and was pretty controversial even then), it is totally inappropriate for an excited puppy.

Good luck!  :thumbsup:

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i can do this and it is working, but try telling an 8 and 10 yr old that they have to do this :wacko: sometimes they do sometimes they dont

 

[kim & Tilly]

[i will make sure i do this every day i must admit i have lapsed a bit, its been a quick 10 mins round the park  :- "
If that doesnt work i will try the restraning thing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Well done for being so honest Kim. I dont think that Bean is any different to most whippies - if Lucas (8 months) doesnt get 2 or 3 runs a day he cant settle. I sometimes have to play in the garden with him at 9 pm if he is still bouncing off the walls (w00t) Although it manifests itself in a different way ie he doesnt nip its the same thing, he hasnt had enough stimulation.

I'd try to get her interested in a toy so that you can play with her in the garden too, and also distract her when she does start (being careful not to teach her biting Tilly = play with toy :wacko: ) The kids can play with her with a toy too so everyone should benefit. Mine all love the squeeky tennis balls from Company of Animals.

Have you tried teaching her other behaviours by clicker training? Using their brains can tire then out too :thumbsup:

I wouldnt pin her down - you are punishing her for being excited which seems unfair. Who wants a miserable whippet? IMO there are other things which are more appropriate. :luck:

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no point in telling lies that wont get me the right help...

I will go doggy shopping and get lots of squeeky chewy toys

 

[kim & Tilly]

We had this problem with Harley up until he was about 13 months old, really biting us hard we were at the end of our tether but then all of a sudden it stopped. He only does it on the odd occasion now if he's in a grumpy mood or we try to move him from his favourite radiator at bedtime to go outside to toilet when he's comfy  :wacko: other than that it just disappeared. However Joshy has recently started biting Harleys legs but not touching us so having to work that one out now i do think a lot of it is to do with the attention thing but since Harley and Josh have been getting two runs in the fields every day at the moment they have been too tired to do anything, not looking forward to when the free running ceases a little for winter, the nut cases will be back in the house!!!!! :- "

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Great to hear from you again.... :huggles:

We really need to meet up for a run around the park :thumbsup: