Help Needed! Constant nipping/biting

ModernFemme

Arts'y bulldog farts'y
Community Veteran
Oct 5, 2012
882
61
Delaware
Bulldog(s) Names
Sir Remington (Remi)
I am starting to deal with all the puppy stuff just fine. Potty training and chewing are under control. The one thing I can't seem to get him to work on is not nipping ME or my clothes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to play with him on the ground, but whenever I do so, he just goes bananas. He can't control himself. Especially if my head is at his level. He actually ends up hurting me pretty good at only 13 weeks by either biting my hands, arm, or my face.

I've tried giving a firm no command and showing him the toys he can bite on, and when he does latch on to them, praise him profusely.

I've also tried tipping him over and give him a good 30 seconds of social isolation, but I don't know if it's effective.

Is there something I could be doing better?

Help needed!

Love,
Bitten Fingers.
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
Wait for him to grow out of it?? :ROFL:


Seriously, they are nippers and biters! Just try to continue to redirect to a toy and calm him down. They seem to totally play with their mouths! It does get better and the more chew toys the better!
 
OP
ModernFemme

ModernFemme

Arts'y bulldog farts'y
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Oct 5, 2012
882
61
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Sir Remington (Remi)
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I get that they are going to nip, but drawing blood to me is way too rough - regardless of what breed you're dealing with. Maybe I'm just a worry wort - but the idea of letting them grow out of it could really turn something into a lifelong bad habit. I'm going to keep trying!!
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
I get that they are going to nip, but drawing blood to me is way too rough - regardless of what breed you're dealing with. Maybe I'm just a worry wort - but the idea of letting them grow out of it could really turn something into a lifelong bad habit. I'm going to keep trying!!


Ummmm.... I didn't see the drawing blood part. I was only saying its part of their puppyhood. They will grow out if it. Of course, if they are hurting you or anyone else, you correct the behavior. Just like any other bad behavior. I've raised Rotties and Dobies so I'm familiar with lots of breeds. Your pup is not being aggressive, but playing too rough. I'm certain you can negate this with consistent correction.
 

bullmama

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Jan 28, 2010
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My Pookie Bear was a total PITA and very very very hard to curb on the biting. Especially latching on to clothing!! What worked to get him to let go was some basic obedience training. When he would latch on to our pants we grabbed the loose skin of the neck and he would let go and we would tell him no. It was not easy at all and took way longer than any other pup I have had in my LIFE!! He drove me bonkers! :loco: Like I said tho, basic obedience training (sit, stay, come, treat) made a big difference.


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Winslow

New member
Aug 6, 2012
31
5
San Diego
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Winslow
Don't worry he will get better! These are some of the remedies we tried with Winslow (who is 20 weeks today):
1. redirect to new toy
2. putting that bitter spray stuff on our hands (bad idea...if you end up touching your mouth later for whatever reason, you will taste the bitter and its so gross!
3. spray water on them from a spray bottle everytime they bite...(you need to be secretive about it I guess because if they see you grab the bottle after a couple times, they know you are going to spay and stop automatically)
4. shake a can of coins every time they bite (same thing as above though, they catch on...it worked for like 2 days and then stopped working as he became immune to it!)

so we tried all those for a while, but I think the main thing that I think works the most is:
5. the "shun" method or a small time out...So, when they bite and you say "No", you need to turn around and ignore them for like 20 seconds...don't look at them or anything, because then you are "giving them attention" and they think the biting gets them attention. If this doesn't work, you can take it to the next level and physically leave the room every time he bites for 20-30 seconds...apparently the thinking here for them is: "Oh, every time I bite mom, she stops playing and leaves me, so i should stop"...My puppy kindergarten teacher (who was into positive reinforcement only), suggested putting them in a small bathroom or secluded place for "time out" (not their crate though!) for 20-30 seconds every time they bite. I guess the key is consistency though, you have to do whichever method every time they bite, because if you let them bite sometimes they will think its okay.

Anyways, over time, PLUS him eventually losing most of his teeth (the teething thing makes them bite i guess), his biting is a very minimum now and isnt hard anymore too!!!! I don't know which thing worked overall, but maybe its a combination of all of them over time plus him growing up! :)

good luck!
 
OP
ModernFemme

ModernFemme

Arts'y bulldog farts'y
Community Veteran
Oct 5, 2012
882
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Delaware
Bulldog(s) Names
Sir Remington (Remi)
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My Pookie Bear was a total PITA and very very very hard to curb on the biting. Especially latching on to clothing!! What worked to get him to let go was some basic obedience training. When he would latch on to our pants we grabbed the loose skin of the neck and he would let go and we would tell him no. It was not easy at all and took way longer than any other pup I have had in my LIFE!! He drove me bonkers! :loco: Like I said tho, basic obedience training (sit, stay, come, treat) made a big difference.


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I seriously thought I was the only one who tried grabbing the nape of his neck. (It just came naturally to me as a cat owner) Great suggestions, thanks. I have tried a lot of these, but i think I've been failing at consistency. I have just been trying to restrain him from biting my face (where he draws blood on my chin. It's not a huge amount, but enough to really sour my mood!) I have found the the shunning part calms him down, but I haven't recorded how well he does after the 20 seconds or so is up. Blowing in his face worked at first, but that has totally stopped working now.
 
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ModernFemme

ModernFemme

Arts'y bulldog farts'y
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Oct 5, 2012
882
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Sir Remington (Remi)
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Ummmm.... I didn't see the drawing blood part. I was only saying its part of their puppyhood. They will grow out if it. Of course, if they are hurting you or anyone else, you correct the behavior. Just like any other bad behavior. I've raised Rotties and Dobies so I'm familiar with lots of breeds. Your pup is not being aggressive, but playing too rough. I'm certain you can negate this with consistent correction.

The only real breed I'm familiar with on an intimidate level are huskies, and as puppies, they start out super docile. It's amazing how much energy the bulldog puppies have compared to the larger breeds that end up having wayyyy more energy as they get older.
 

Scueva

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Sep 27, 2012
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Chicago, IL
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Duchess
Mouthwash worked wonders for duchess. Rubbed mouthwash on anything she wasn't suppose to bite, then in her mouth. She stopped biting within a week. She is now 6.5 months and won't chew anything except her toys! They hate the taste and it's not harmful. I wish I would have known this trick on dogs I've had in the past! Hope this helps!
 
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ModernFemme

ModernFemme

Arts'y bulldog farts'y
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Oct 5, 2012
882
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Sir Remington (Remi)
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Mouthwash worked wonders for duchess. Rubbed mouthwash on anything she wasn't suppose to bite, then in her mouth. She stopped biting within a week. She is now 6.5 months and won't chew anything except her toys! They hate the taste and it's not harmful. I wish I would have known this trick on dogs I've had in the past! Hope this helps!

That's genius. This totally reminded me of the show Intervention, when this particular alcoholic was so desperate for something, she started drinking an entire half gallon of mouthwash :/
 

hnhammond

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Aug 20, 2012
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Mouthwash worked wonders for duchess. Rubbed mouthwash on anything she wasn't suppose to bite, then in her mouth. She stopped biting within a week. She is now 6.5 months and won't chew anything except her toys! They hate the taste and it's not harmful. I wish I would have known this trick on dogs I've had in the past! Hope this helps!

Is this really not at all harmful? I may try this...
 

Scueva

New member
Sep 27, 2012
738
22
Chicago, IL
Bulldog(s) Names
Duchess
Is this really not at all harmful? I may try this...


I learned the mouthwash trick from the dog training school I took her to. Them first time i did it she literally almost did a backflip. Never harmed her no adverse reactions. She still barks at the mouthwash when she she a bottle of it. Lol. She doesn't chew anything except her toys-knock on wood-. If you try it let me know how it works for you!
 

Gunny B

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Jul 19, 2012
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Marysville, Wa
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Gunny Beaufort & Denali (Boxer)
Gunny would love it. I have to hide the wine from him. *sigh*. They could probably do an intervention on him.
 

Davidh

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Mar 21, 2011
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BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
Don't get on his leave with your face then it will not get bit. When you get on his leave he thinks it's OK. Puppies play bite and some are rougher than others. When he gets too rough stop the playing. When he grabs your clothes, grab the back of his neck as others have suggested. He will eventually grow out of it. We had one that loved to bite all the time and we just kept telling her NO and putting a chew toy in her mouth and if she did not stop, we gave her a time out in her crate to rest. You will find when they start getting tired they will start to go crazy, so it's nap time.
 

Vince00

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Feb 14, 2012
587
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Estevan, Sask
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Kain
Basic obedience training to show leadership role in combination with consistently by stopping the behaviour with a shhht and slight poke to show "no" or whatever method you use and replace with a chew toy you approve of will get you great results.

In the meantime the baby teeth are ruthless but staying on it now is key.

Lastly learn the energy level of your puppy, reward calm submissive behaviour and stop "before" the red zone which can be awfully close as a puppy as they have so much gusto :)

Good luck!


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