Nippy Tibby!

[Fruitcakes]

Our Tibetan Terrier is 14 months old and still nips when he's over excited. It's like a switch flips and he tips over into being aggressive. It's so quick that we cant recognise the triggers.

We would remove ourselves but we can't, nor put him in a pen, because he then bites harder. DDog has begun to bark aggressively when he's lunging and nipping. It's happening quite frequently.

Any ideas of behavioural strategies? It's beginning to worry us.

How does he get over excited?

Various situations really.

Today he was playing ball in the garden but suddenly got overstimulated. Post having been walked he is often very giddy.

Also, I've just though of another situation, where DDog often tries to steal my slippers off my feet then gets frustrated and nippy.

Maybe time ball play and have a 'stop' command' and stick to it so there is no chance of over stimulation and he knows that it's time to stop.

After walks sometimes my dog takes himself off for a grizzle and a rub on the rugs. It's as if he's calming himself down but as he is isn't causing any problems I leave him to it. Are there any toys you could give your dog on his return as I find if mine is a bit 'worked up' if I give him a deers antler to chew on he takes his energy and frustration out on that before collapsing in a sleep.

Not sure what you meant by you can't remove yourself? When mine was younger and bitey I used to slide him out of the room (avoiding teeth) and shut the door to give him a few min timeouts. You could always invest in a slip lead which is easy to loop over his head so when he nips you can walk him out of the room and give him a timeout.

BiteyShark thank you. Lots of great advice there. Will definitely try the sliplead, and antler idea and agree that timing/stop command could be the way to go.

It does make things easier if you know when they may happen so it does help to jump in before he does become nippy and lungy.

Agree about distraction so after walks keep him on a long line and harness or give pop him in his crate to rest, or toy to chew.

I would not recommend using a slip lead, if he is lungy this will tighten around his neck and make him more aroused. Also good luck trying to put that on a nipping lungy dog. He will soon learn that as you approach with the lead he will either up the nipping behaviour or run away so you cannot catch him and you will then be chasing him around as he darts at you to nip and runs off.

It is much more effective to remove yourself not him from the situation it is a clearer signal.By the time you remove him he will have no idea what the timeout was for.

So indoors this is no problem just leave the room. If he is in the garden you will have to work out an escape route -maybe stand in a shed,behind a gate etc. It needs to be instant response to the behaviour.

Thanks for the reply. That all makes sense.

Today I have kept him on a long line and have been able to nip any overcitement in the bud.

I think this will also make it easier to grab hold of him so I can remove myself from a nippy situation, because he grabs, nips and runs at you (puppy play I presume). When he does this he's really full on and avoiding the teeth is quite difficult!

Thanks for everyone's advice .

I

@ nip any excitement in the bud see what you did there

This stage will pass ....

It's worth remembering that they do grow up, like toddlers.