Biting on walks

[HandbagsnGladrags]

I have an 18 week old cavapoo puppy who is a joy a lot of the time, but I'm finding walks a massive challenge. I think he tends to get over excited around halfway round our circuit of the block and will bite at my legs. I've had so many pairs of trousers ruined. When he does it I pick him up and tell him 'stop' and wait til he calms down. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm struggling with it and dreading walks. Today he decided to play up halfway across a zebra crossing with cars waiting - it was embarrassing.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Would appreciate any advice.

[Pugfostermum]

He’s over stimulated. Try shorter walks and more sleep. Focus on training calm behaviour rather than covering distance.

[coffeecupsandfairylights]

It's over-stimulation.

How long are the walks and is he getting plenty of time to sniff and explore without too much zooming about? He should also be getting around 18-20 hours of sleep at that age so make sure he's not over-tired.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

So the walks would only be about 20 minutes if I didn't have to spend so much time calming him down.

[coffeecupsandfairylights]

I would cut the walks in half and do shorter but more frequent outings in that case.

Mine got really over-stimulated as a puppy and needed much shorter walks than I thought until he was about six months old when he finally started coping properly.

[Wolfiefan]

Walk less. Training and brain games and play in the garden. Stop doesn’t mean anything to an overtired pup!
at that age we would go somewhere and just sit and watch the world go by for a bit!

[HandbagsnGladrags]

Ok, thank you.

[Branster]

Also I'd suggest trying not to pick him up (easier said than done, I know).
And, if possible, talk very calmly to the puppy when you try to correct this behaviour.
He might be a bit young for this, but you'll get to a stage when you'll be able to calm him down just by placing your hand on his back when you feel calm and confident. No idea how it works but it's always been my trick when my DCs got carried away with playing with our dogs and it all goes crazy. Easier than stopping the children.
And it might help protect your other clothes during this training stage if you have a dedicated pair of trousers for walks only and wellingtons. It doesn't matter if it won't look as smart as you'd prefer, it does the job and it will only be for a few weeks.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

Another question - is it better to walk him on non busy roads? I can do side streets, but I tend to walk down a fairly busy road towards the park. Is this making things worse for him?

[allboysherebutme]

Wear old clothes and try playing games. Putting his food around so he has to search for it, or hid bits in a box.
Freeze a treat in an ice cube, buy a kong toy and let him lick a treat from that, if you put peanut butter in make sure it's xylitol free.
Make him a little quiet place to calm down and it won't last forever.
If he's chewing other things you don't want him too, buy some bitter apple spray and spray it with that, they don't like the smell. X

[allboysherebutme]

Also try puppy classes, some places are free or cheap if you search around.
Some vets to puppy meet ups once a week.
Also I prefer to drive to the park and spend the whole of the walk in the park. X

[Branster]

@HandbagsnGladrags

Another question - is it better to walk him on non busy roads? I can do side streets, but I tend to walk down a fairly busy road towards the park. Is this making things worse for him?

I think half and half would be a good mix if you have the opportunity.
Lots of great dogs never had both options as puppies and they turned out OK.
It's all about you engaging with the puppy as much as possible.
Busy road so the puppy is comfortable around loud noises and a lot of activity. But it can be overstimulating. So small gradual doses.
Quiet road where you can engage more and have more chance of getting his attention. Also great to practice training.
Learn good behaviour on quiet road, then replicate on busy road.

[coffeecupsandfairylights]

@HandbagsnGladrags

Another question - is it better to walk him on non busy roads? I can do side streets, but I tend to walk down a fairly busy road towards the park. Is this making things worse for him?

Definitely.

Lots of noise and traffic can be hugely overwhelming even for adult dogs. Yes, they need to get used to noise but at eighteen weeks of age my priority would be making walks calm and enjoyable, not something you dread because the puppy is finding it all too much.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

Thanks everyone. Just wanted to add - he's not a particularly nervous puppy. Sleeps in his crate all night. Can be left for a couple of hours. Likes to greet other dogs and people. So I think it's a case of over excitement rather than anxiety.

[Paq]

Bring a soft toy with you. If he has a toy in his mouth he can't bite you.

Also, a soft toy pressing into the roof of his mouth has a calming effect on dogs.

Got this tip from a Dog's Trust adviser.

[pumpkinpie01]

Do you live on a busy road ? If so I would stand at the end of your drive a few times a day holding him so he can get used to lots of noise /cars/bikes then when you go for a walk he might not be as over stimulated.

[ElenaSt]

Very short lead and don't pick him up!

[HandbagsnGladrags]

@pumpkinpie01

Do you live on a busy road ? If so I would stand at the end of your drive a few times a day holding him so he can get used to lots of noise /cars/bikes then when you go for a walk he might not be as over stimulated.

No, we live on a quiet street. I tend to walk him to the end of the street then down a busy road, then back round quiet streets. I think I'm going to drive to the park today though. Husband is away so am walking solo, he seems better when there's two of us.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

@ElenaSt

Very short lead and don't pick him up!

I do the short lead thing and this makes him more frustrated/excited as he's trying to get to me and can't. He's literally like a different dog when we're out on walks.

[Wolfiefan]

Trying to get to you?? Is he actually being anxious and wanting to be picked up?

[KangarooKenny]

My dog didn’t like walking towards the approaching cars, it overstimulated him, I always crossed over so the cars were approaching us from behind.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

@Wolfiefan

Trying to get to you?? Is he actually being anxious and wanting to be picked up?

No he's trying to bite my legs. I pick him up to calm him down. But others here have said not to.

[plaidpajamas]

Whether you should pick your dog up (or not) is an interesting debate.

Some argue that it provides reassurance and so if your dog is upset, anxious or scared, it's the right thing to do. Others say it rewards/reinforces the bad behaviour and so doesn't provide an incentive for them to change.

Only you know your dog, but if you're positive it's excitement and silliness rather than nerves, then I would probably try not to reinforce the behaviour. However, I would also stop taking him to places that clearly overwhelm him as you're putting him in a position where he can't really win.

Our trainer always said "set your dog up for success" and I've always followed that motto, really. You could try "capturing the calm" in the house - basically, whenever he behaves well in the house (without being asked) reward it calmly. It should encourage him to behave that way more and more - then you can take that behaviour into the garden, to quiet streets and then eventually into busy and noisy situations.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

@plaidpajamas it's interesting the difference of opinion you get.

Today we drove to the park - lots of people and dogs around, but no busy road. He was much better behaved. Still biting the lead but rather that than my legs...

[ElenaSt]

If you pick your dog up around some prey driven dogs such as Sighthounds you would be exposing your dogs underbelly which can sometimes trigger an automatic response of the other dog to jump up with the aim of nipping your dogs belly.

Your dog will feel vulnerable and threatened and you risk your fingers, hands and even face being nipped or bitten.

[HandbagsnGladrags]

Just wanted to come back and say thanks for some of the tips which seem to be working. I think it's busy roads which cause the issue and I think he does get a bit anxious with all the noise. We've been doing a combo of driving to parks, and quiet street walking, which seems to be helping.