7 month old puppy still nipping - advice please

[reikizen]

our lovely lab doesn't nip us (or very rarely) but always goes to nip if a visitor or someone out on a walk puts their hand down to stroke her. Of course we say 'no' firmly and ignore (sometimes leaving the room/putting her in her crate if too bad) but by then the damage has been done and nervous visitors/small children are scared to death! Or if we are out on a walk, I am so embarrassed!
She broke the skin on my dad's hand the other dad and that is clearly not on. She is very excitable generally with strangers/visitors, always has been.

Rather than teaching her not to nip, in this scenario you will probably have more success teaching her what you would like her to do instead. So how do you want her to greet visitors and be petted? Perhaps in a sit.

To begin with I would stop anyone trying to pet her on a walk. You need to stop her rehearsing the nipping behaviour any further. Be firm with people! I would also have her contained when people enter the house so you can bring her to meet them in a controlled fashion. You will need the visitor and people petting to get on board to help you.

Put her on a lead and have them come towards her slowly. Reward her, ideally with a clicker or clicker word and treat, for the desired calm behaviour. As soon as she lifts paws off the ground, breaks the sit etc the approaching person should step back, and only approach again when she's calm and sitting (or doing whatever you would prefer her to do when greeting people). Keep going, rewarding the calm behaviour and having them back off and she should learn quit quickly that the way to be able to get the fuss and greet the person is to stay calm. It will have to be done with patience and in steps as the nearer they get the harder she will find it to stay calm.

These links refer to jumping but if the nipping is due to excited greeting, I think these methods are likely to help as they will improve her self control and show her how to behave.

www.clickertraining.com/how-to-teach-your-puppy-not-to-jump

brilliant, thankyou. Have been using the suggestions and can already see a difference in my behaviour.