Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Mouthy 9 month old cocker spaniel - tips?

12 replies

FiddleFigs · 19/02/2018 13:20

My 9-month old cocker spaniel has started to get quite mouthy. He doesn't ever hurt us - it's definitely not nipping or biting. I don't want him to think it's ok, but he doesn't seem to respond to "no", withdrawl of hand/food/wrist/clothes, ignoring, distraction with teddy/ball. The only thing he will respond to is a sharp "leave!", but then he goes off and has a big sulk.

Is this just par for the course for a 9-month old cocker? Can I do something else to stop this habit without seemingly hurting his feelings? He's a really sweet pup, but he is sensitive and very sulky if he feels hard done by.

OP posts:
SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon · 19/02/2018 13:37

Yelp, withdraw hand and look sad. It will take a while since you've let him get this old without understanding teeth hurt humans.

Pinkponiesrock · 19/02/2018 13:53

If you imagine that another older dog would tell him pretty sharply if he was getting above himself then that’s what you should do.

Sharp ‘No’ then walk away, he’ll learn he gets nothing from that behaviour.

He should be finished teething but maybe he has a stubborn one or 2 that are still hanging on and bothering him?

I remember someone telling me, and this might be complete rubbish, that the bone plates in their heads, and other body parts, fuse properly around a year and that can produce teething like symptoms.

They fuse earlier or later dependent on breed.

BiteyShark · 19/02/2018 14:10

With my cocker spaniel any mouthing was always treated with a time-out so either I removed myself or I removed him from the room. This was the most effective treatment as he hated not being with us so quickly realised that mounting resulted in just that.

Original poster
FiddleFigs · 19/02/2018 15:42

Thanks Bitey I’ll start removing myself from the room.

Swimming, as I said he has just started doing this, so I’m not sure whta you mean by suggesting I’ve “let him get this old without understand teeth hurt humans”. Anyway, he isn’t biting, nipping or chewing, so he isn’t hurting. He’s just sort of teasing gently with his mouth.

Pink that’s really interesting about fusing plates - thank you.

OP posts:
SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon · 20/02/2018 06:52

Anyway, he isn’t biting, nipping or chewing, so he isn’t hurting. He’s just sort of teasing gently with his mouth.

Doesn't matter. Dogs should always be taught teeth hurt humans and if that's instilled when they are much younger, you don't get them trying to mouth human hands once this old.

DeepfriedPizza · 20/02/2018 06:58

But the dog has only started doing it so how are you supposed to teach it’s wrong if the dog has never done it before?

BiteyShark · 20/02/2018 07:07

My cocker has gone through many phases so behaviours seemed to come and go or changed as he got older. Age 6-11 months was his most challenging period.

SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon · 20/02/2018 09:19

deep when they first come home. All puppies mouth in the first 3months. If you let them get away with mouthing that doesn't actually hurt, then of course the behaviour can return. A 9month old puppy that wants to chew more again, but has been taught teeth in contact with human skin hurts, will chew and mouth other things.

Also the op has tried shouting at the dog, which she states upsets him - unsurprisingly really since she's not tried teaching him teeth on human skin hurts.

DeepfriedPizza · 20/02/2018 15:46

You have met every single puppy in the whole world to know they all mouth for the first 3 months?

Original poster
FiddleFigs · 20/02/2018 22:11

swimming you are being unnecessarily antagonistic and a bore. My pup did nip as a very young pup and we addressed that and it stopped. He chews other things (he has a large selection of chews). He’s been fine and is a great dog, but he has JUST STARTED mouthing in a very different way to the nipping. And I’m simply asking for advice on how to deal with it while not upsetting him. You don’t have any advice. Please stop commenting. (And I didn’t shout at him. Where did I say that? What makes you so superior? Urgh. Honestly, people like you make me not want to ask advice on here.)

bitey yes, he does seem to have entered a new phase - this mouthing and suddenly selective recall (he used to have perfect recall!!).

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 20/02/2018 23:17

Oh the recall completely went and I still shudder remembering that phase Sad. Stick with it because it does get better and mine right now is lovely (16 months) but god he was an awful teenager Grin

DeepfriedPizza · 21/02/2018 08:23

Pizzapup came to us as a teenager so we didnt' notice a behaviour change.

She was a street dog so no training as a pup and she has never mouthed at us so she perhaps grew out of it with no training, fancy that.
Also she has no recall.

I am not being very helpful Grin

There's a guy on youtube called Zak George, he is a dog trainer and has a bajillion videos. I'd imagine he has one on mouthing. He is gentle but not too gentle.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page