Nipping and barking

First of all, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you.

No matter how long (I mean short) it's been since the last puppy I raised, it's always a surprise when they are not as well behaved as the grownups.  It takes getting used to again.  We form what is basically a near-wild animal into a creature that is just short of holding conversations with us, and that's probably from lack of imagination on our part.  :)  But then when it's back to square one - hey!  You mean they don't come knowing I don't like biting and barking and all that silly puppy stuff?

You don't really have to analyze why he's doing it.  Just stick to your guns on what's acceptable and what's not.  Then find a way to communicate that.  Obviously it must be okay to bark, jump around, and bite sometime or you wouldn't have a dog.  Figure those times out encourage those, but set boundaries (barking to alert but not after you give the "all clear", jumping in play but teaching an off and honor/long stays, biting toys on command in preparation for teaching a retrieve).  It sounds like he'd benefit from learning some impulse control.  Teach him long down stays - these are wonderful to work the mind while also teaching the dog that he can be rewarded for being still sometimes, as well as when he demands your attention with rude behavior.  By long stays I mean something longer than the span of a breath - a four month old should be able to hold a stay for about a minute or two - try longer times but don't be disappointed if Gilbert isn't ready for those yet.

Good luck with him!  This too shall pass . . . :)
 

Dyan, I don't know.  But, I just wanted to say I give you a lot of credit.  I was at Petco today and they were doing a puppy low cost vaccine clinic.  It was INSANE!  Barking, yelping, toys and stuff all over the floors, the PEE, I had to watch every step I took. 

Thank God Willow came out of a box like this! 

brookcove

Teach him long down stays - these are wonderful to work the mind while also teaching the dog that he can be rewarded for being still sometimes, as well as when he demands your attention with rude behavior.  By long stays I mean something longer than the span of a breath - a four month old should be able to hold a stay for about a minute or two - try longer times but don't be disappointed if Gilbert isn't ready for those yet.

Good luck with him!  This too shall pass . . . :)

Well THANK YOU for your post.  You said it all........ and your right. I AM used to adults that might have problems, but ones that don't surpise me.      The long stay will be a challenge........although I was amazed to see that he will STAY or WAIT when his food dish hits the floor. So I know it CAN be done. Believe it or not,,just am now gettine somewhere teaching him to lay down. He's decent about sit. Notice I said "decent!" LOL!     His sit is often, sit and up in the same second.  I have to keep telling him "sit" to get him to do anything. He does it right away though...lol!  But it makes sense to reward him for being still.

Lori...YOUR RIGHT~!

Dyan, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think you have already waited too long for puppy class, and to please do it now.  We take pups very young, and most positive trainers do that now, because they understand that more dogs get in trouble (relinquished, home-hopping, euthanized) because of behavior than anything else, including diseases.  So, you should be able to find a class pronto.  The reason it's so important is that playing with other puppies in class, or in day care, or at a play group is the single most effective way to have a less nippy puppy.  They learn some bite inhibition from one another. 

I would not be taking him to the laundry room when he nips, I would go there myself - just act disgusted and leave.  No eye contact, no fuss, nothing.  Much more effective for you to leave him in his own dust (oops, you mean if I bite my playmate disappears?) than to struggle with him (which some dogs find reinforcing, and other dogs find challenging and will respond more aggressively to later on).  You can teach him the "easy" exercise.  Get a piece of food, and place it in your closed fist.  Let him mouth your hand, but don't open it until he backs off (this can take a little while, be patient).  As he backs off, open your hand, let him have the treat and say "easy".  Once you practice that a while, he should be able to back off your hand as soon as you say "easy", even if you have nothing in it.  You can then use the "easy" cue to make him back off other parts of your bod. 

Do me a huge favor and try the lessons at www.clickerlessons.com.  I think that you will be amazed what he can do!  Long downs are fine, and I do teach them, but they tend to produce a lot of resistance in some dogs that is better handled by simply giving them enough mental exercise to tire them physically:-))  So, if you think he might be that type, get out the clicker - honest. 

I usually teach "No teeth" and "Easy"......Tanner wanted to take my fingers off when handing out a treat......he was the worst of all the dogs I have ever dealt with, puppy or adult dog........dogs are fast learners.....I move back the treat if I see a dog wanting to inhale it and wanting to include fingers....I keep saying "Easy" and moving the treat back until it sticks.......Tanner turned out to be one the most tender treat takers......lol.....he also picked up "No teeth" in no time at all.....during grooming and handling of any kind......

I can honestly say that in hindsight...Heidi should have started her K9 Kindegarten Manners Class WAY before 7 months.  I had such nipping problems with Heidi.  She really would have benefitted from very early bite inhibition.   Also, I used to try to make her stop when she would bite and nip...wrong!  I know now that I was simply partaking in her play session.  At 4 months...that's all it is...play.  

I completely agree with the method of you leaving the room as opposed to putting the dog away.  I did the latter at first, then started leaving the room instead.  It did make a difference...

And, yes...this too shall pass.  In the meantime...protect yourself. 

what do you do if your dog keeps following you from room to room and keeps biting/jumping?

Oh man...just now getting back here. Well,,,I have not put Gibby back in the laundry room....we have been ignoring him.  We also realize that IF he starts getting out of hand...we tell him quietly that he must be a good boy....and then he stops it.   We realized that if you yell at him good things or bad..he gets so excited that he is really really bad.   My husband is one of those NO at the top of his lungs kind of guy.;...to kind of scare the heck out of him....but he is no longer doing that either.....so we are making progress.

I will check out that link Anne....and thanks for the closed hand/easy idea.

snownose

.....I move back the treat if I see a dog wanting to inhale it and wanting to include fingers....I keep saying "Easy" and moving the treat back until it sticks

Definately try this Dyan. I used this method too when I first got Willow.  And,  it also worked great for her.  I used the word "Gentle" instead of easy.  She takes stuff almost too gentle now, LOL.

Might this be misdirected prey drive? 

Somewhere along the line the conversation went the wrong way.

Gibby takes things very gently from us.   That is one area where he is very good even when excited to get the snack.

Its when he wants to play.  Its the way he plays.  He gets your attention by biting and barking.  Its one thing when he does it in the house, but he also sometimes does it when we are walking....almost always on our way home in the exact same area when almost home.  He starts biting the leash,,,then will get in front of you and start jumping and barking and biting. Either/or all of the above.   Hard to ignore a dog that is in front of you barking....and jumping.  But that is what I am trying to do.    The more excited he gets the more out of control he is.  But we have learned that talking softly to him settles him down a lot.

Last week I was walking him and a man down the street that was staying at the house for a few days fell in love with Gibson and the next day when I walked by again he came out and yelled.."hey,,can you bring Gibson back to see me!"  So I did.  He was happy to see him and started jumping, biting and barking...and even the guy lost patience...even though he riled him up pretty much.  He is a puppy... the guy knew that he was doing it...but it was still embarrasing besides not wanting Gibby to think that is the proper way to act.

dyan

He starts biting the leash,,,then will get in front of you and start jumping and barking and biting. Either/or all of the above.   Hard to ignore a dog that is in front of you barking....and jumping.  But that is what I am trying to do.    The more excited he gets the more out of control he is.  But we have learned that talking softly to him settles him down a lot.

Last week I was walking him and a man down the street that was staying at the house for a few days fell in love with Gibson and the next day when I walked by again he came out and yelled.."hey,,can you bring Gibson back to see me!"  So I did.  He was happy to see him and started jumping, biting and barking...and even the guy lost patience...even though he riled him up pretty much.  He is a puppy... the guy knew that he was doing it...but it was still embarrasing besides not wanting Gibby to think that is the proper way to act.

Best always to change the environment (walk a different path)  or do a quick change to what you are doing.  Won't ever work if you create a head-on confrontatin with the pup by ignoring.  What I would do is change direction-go sideways-or turnarund, pick up the pace or slow the pace, point at birds, pick up some grass, start singing, anything that gets you out of that situation and leaves the pup wondering.  Until the pup knows basic obedience and is firm in the commands you should give the pup what the dog wants or create a distraction or alternative interest for your self, not the dog.  Always seems to work for me.

spiritdogs

I would not be taking him to the laundry room when he nips, I would go there myself - just act disgusted and leave.  No eye contact, no fuss, nothing.  Much more effective for you to leave him in his own dust (oops, you mean if I bite my playmate disappears?) than to struggle with him (which some dogs find reinforcing, and other dogs find challenging and will respond more aggressively to later on). 

Hey! That's exactly what I did with Woobie!  Nice to see I did *something* right!     It does work really well.  They're left all alone with no one to challenge!  It was the only way I was able to get Woobie to stop biting my legs when he wanted to play. 

DPU

Best always to change the environment (walk a different path)  or do a quick change to what you are doing.  Won't ever work if you create a head-on confrontatin with the pup by ignoring.  What I would do is change direction-go sideways-or turnarund, pick up the pace or slow the pace, point at birds, pick up some grass, start singing, anything that gets you out of that situation and leaves the pup wondering.  Until the pup knows basic obedience and is firm in the commands you should give the pup what the dog wants or create a distraction or alternative interest for your self, not the dog.  Always seems to work for me.

Thanks Dave...kind of been doing that by starting to run..... but of course running REALLY gets him excited.  But pickng up grass...and doing something like that, I will try.   So if that works on the outside...and walking into another room and closing it if I have to...on the inside..... I feel more confident.

Oh my gosh...I sure forgot about how difficult it could be teaching puppies...lol!