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Old 03-30-2015, 04:31 AM   #1
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Default Nipping my son

Hi again,

I'm really hoping someone can help me with an issue I have with Sunni regarding nipping at my son's feet. To start with he is developmentally disabled and very gentle. So I think Sunni knows he's easy prey. He actually says excuse me Sunni, when he's trying to walk and she's chasing his feet. I've told him to stand still and give her a toy. Use a firm voice and say NO, or Stop. That works perfectly with me…she literally never does it to me. We are starting puppy training tomorrow night and I'm bringing my son, but it is getting to the point that he wants me to put her in her xpen every time he's in the same room. I just don't know how to teach him to be firmer. I know this is probably more of an issue with me helping HIM learn, but I'm at a loss. I would say he's kind of like a 9 yr old in a grown man's body. A lot like Forest Gump…thats not an insult to my son but describes how sweet and gentle he is. I wanted the puppy to be fun for him to, but as it is, he's becoming afraid of her! All 7 ish lbs of her. I've raised puppies before, even when my triplets (my son is the third of the triplets) were 3yrs old..then again when they were 5 yrs old..and as adolescents and never had this kind of problem. She is spunky! Even when she's not feeling great she wants to play. So, I welcome any suggestions. Pretty much any tips I've gotten on this site have worked beautifully. She never bites me..and she actually doesn't bite my son, but she goes after his feet (socks) and the bottoms of his pant legs. I guess me telling him to be very very careful she's tiny..dont kick her accidentally has worked…but, so much that he's not able to be firm with her. Ugh…Help
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Old 03-30-2015, 05:08 AM   #2
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She's just a baby, her way of playing, all my girls went through this faze, Correction is a must, if you are around you will have to do the correcting if your son cannot.
When she does this have your son use the same command word you use to stop this kind of play, replace with a toy as you have been doing. It must be consistent, yorkies can be a bit stubborn wanting their own way. Patience is a must with these little monkeys.
She is at the testing age, "well I got the finger, let me go for the arm".
We have some members that are excellent at giving training tips. Hopefully they will come along shortly.
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Last edited by matese; 03-30-2015 at 05:10 AM.
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Old 03-30-2015, 05:36 AM   #3
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When I got both of my pups they did similar things with my son. I know they where just playing, but my son didn't like it and he went though a faze where he didn't like the dogs because of it. Once the pups got past this faze, he now loves them. One thing you could try is putting the pup on a leash in the house. Have your son walk around, or whatever causes the dog to go after his feet, and when the pup does the undesired behavior, say "no" and pull Sunni away from him. Continue doing this a few times each day and I think Sunni will quickly learn this is not acceptable behavior. Good luck!
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Old 03-30-2015, 01:59 PM   #4
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When Callie was biting feet the only thing that worked for us was saying no and squirting her with a water bottle.
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Old 03-30-2015, 02:50 PM   #5
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Your baby is simply developing her prey drive by chasing and nipping at things just as she did her littermates - she doesn't know better. To her, it's entirely natural and indeed it is instinctive for young pups to nip, bite and play aggressively in order to develop their prey drive.

Here is a similar training method to one I use but I usually just say "yes" to mark an approved behavior in place of the clicker as young toy puppies sometimes fear a clicker or its sound when young but use one if you dog is okay with it. This trainer teaches a fun-loving, normal, nipping puppy how to gain some control and avoid this totally normal puppy behavior from becoming part of his routine behavior as he grows older, though most grow out of it whatever you do or don't do as they age unless they are highly prey-driven or dominant.

ClickerSolutions Training Articles --

Biting Pant Legs & Ankles

Chasing your moving feet and biting ankles and pantslegs is a 100% natural dog behavior! But it's not much fun for you. Let's apply the four steps of problem-solving to find a solution:

1. Identify the specific problem. Here, biting ankles and pants legs.

2. Define what you want the puppy to do instead. The answer to this question is *never* "Stop doing the problem behavior." You could suppress the behavior, and the dog could choose to do something even worse! Save yourself a ton of frustration -- and your dog a ton of confusion -- and choose a preferred behavior. In this instance, I'd say, "Walk nicely next to me."

3. Manage the situation so the undesired behavior becomes unreinforcing or impossible. Why is the puppy doing it? Because it's natural to chase and bite moving things.

So step one, if the puppy pounces, STOP MOVING. As soon as the puppy pauses, click and treat -- reinforce the pause in activity. Start walking... stop the moment his teeth touch your ankles, legs or clothes. Never again take a step while the puppy is biting you.

If you don't have time to do that, then MANAGE the situation and put the puppy somewhere where he can't bite you! Or take a different route! Don't get frustrated by your lack of planning and blame the pup.

If you find that the puppy does it only at certain times -- when he's overstimulated or tired, for example, or when you first get home or when you put the leash on -- manage the situation. Identify the triggers and plan for them.

4. Train the preferred behavior. Teach your pup it's fun and reinforcing to walk by your side. Reinforce heavily for any steps at your side -- this is a great foundation for loose-leash walking.

In this method, the dog has learned walking with mom is fun -- more fun than biting ankles and pants legs.

It is never, ever necessary to yell at, growl at, shake, muzzle grab, or otherwise physically punish this behavior. (Gee, I bet those behaviors make the pup anxious to walk at your side during loose leash walking. NOT!) ) Be proactive, not reactive. What has the pup learned if you use physical corrections?

That type of correction says, "I am bigger and stronger and you must do what I want." Is that what you want your pup to learn? If your pup is ever going to get large, or if he's ever going to be around children, physically-challenged people, or the elderly, I don't think you do. Teach what you want -- don't react and punish. If you have to react, YOU screwed up and let it happen. Don't punish the puppy for your poor planning.

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Old 03-30-2015, 04:23 PM   #6
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Wow, thank you all for the advice. As usual I've learned some new things that I can start working on. I kind of see that I will have to be the one to teach her that NO, to the feet/pant leg thing applies to all people, not just me. I was able to use some of your suggestions Yorkietalkjilly I have gotten my son to Stop moving when she's nipping at his feet. Tonight, he was finally able to have dinner without saying OW Sunni, and me putting her in her playpen just so he can eat in peace, lol. It has been about 10 yrs since I had a new puppy, and they did come from a breeder at 12 to 14 weeks, so I can see what a difference a good breeder does make in the initial socializing of a puppy. Lord knows what this little baby's life was like before I adopted her….but, I doubt she was left with her litter mates and mom long enough. Thanks again everyone
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