Nipping Puppy

[PiggyMad]

We've had our 11 week old Shih Tzu puppy for just over 3 weeks now and he's doing ever so well - just about fully house trained, understands and responds to (mostly!) sit, here, stay - so am really pleased with his progress. But the one thing I'm not sure how to deal with is his constant toe, finger and sleeve nipping. At the minute I just distract him and say 'no' (not that he seems to understand what that means!), and give him a toy - though nothing seems to live up to a sock with wiggling toes in!

Is this something he will grow out of or do I need to be more stern about it? I know he's only a wee baby, but don't want him to get away with it and turn into a nippy dog, iykwim?
Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received!

we were told to turn our backs on our puppy when she did this. it worked after a while. its their way of asking you to play.

We were told to yelp or squeal as if in pain when our pup did this. The theory is that when they're playing in the litter other pups will yelp if they bite too hard, so they just have to learn that ANY bite on a human is too hard - really ham it up and make out like they've torn your arm off! Then turn your back and ignore.

It has worked well with our pup for us... although strangers and friends don't always get the same gentleness. OUrs is now a bit older though and able to understand a stern 'No'. The hard thing is to keep a stern face or maintain no eye-contact, otherwise you'll start laughing and they'll think it's a game.

yy agree with Merkin about hamming it up. I thought I was going "ouch" with gusto until my trainer came round. Holy cow any one would have thought she'd had her leg taken off by a shark. She did the screech and then a whole 'nursing of her arm' act with added bonus slightly cowering away from my (then) tiny little adorable puppy.

Worked a TREAT

Thanks guys, I'd never even thought to feign injury!! Will try the the whole over-acting and turning away from him.

Nipping is really normal for a puppy - they need to learn about their teeth and jaws while they are still tiny.

Google bite inhibition by Ian Dunbar - his article explains why they nip and what you can do about it.

I'll second the sudden noise/ yelping. (often a sharp intake of breath is enough!) but don't pull your finger/ hand away quickly, because that makes it more of a game, and they will go after it!

Perfectly normal behaviour- if you watch the way they play with their litter mates, you can see that. But once they learn that nipping= play stopping, they quickly learn.

Thanks for the reference to that article daisy - worried me a bit as it says 'nip-control' should be learnt by 3 months and he is that this week .

Though he did seem rather shocked when I gasped and yelped today, then he started licking my hand Hope he catches on quick!

Thanks again ladies :)

I shouldn't worry too much about exact dates - like children, they all develop at different rates.

It will pass, I promise. And a nipping puppy definitely does not result in an agressive dog.