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  1. #1
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    Nipping at clothes while outside

    This section of the board is become All-Stormy, All-the-Time! Hopefully future viewers will find the threads useful, lol.

    So I feel like we've been incredibly lucky so far in that Stormy is not a super piranha puppy. (I think we lucked out that at 9 weeks, just as she started biting, she went back to visit the breeder for a couple of days and her littermates reminded her about bite inhibition.) Anyway, she does get bitey during the crazy-puppy-times- you know, a few times a day when for about 20 minutes she runs zoomies and launches at our faces and she loses her mind. I've had a lot of success in the house during those times by redirecting her with a toy shoved in her mouth or putting her into a short time out if she's too worked up.

    But I'm trying to find a similarly successful tactic for when we're on a walk outside. Every few days, we'll be leash walking around the house or down the street and she'll suddenly go into Wild Child mode and start play growling and biting my pants and shoes. My usual tools (toy/crate) are not at my disposal. I've tried untangling my clothes and holding her mouth shut with a brief, "no bite" but that seems to escalate her. Once we're back in the yard and I can unleash her safely I can usually distract her with a stick or ball, but getting back there can take time! Anyone have other strategies for this situation?
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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  2. #2
    Senior Dog bmathers's Avatar
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    Diggity does something similar where in the middle of a walk, he will all of the sudden grab the leash and start tugging it and shaking it like a wild man. And the worst part is he'll try to grab it right where I have ahold of it and his teeth invariably get my hand. It's the weirdest thing because it happens all of the sudden and it's like he gets some weird energy boost and needs an outlet. I asked my trainer for her advice and she told me to grab ahold of his collar or harness and drop the leash and just stand there. She said if I am not holding the leash, it won't be interesting to him anymore. And she was 100% right. He almost instantly drops it. If I pick it back up too quickly, he grabs it again and starts all over, but if I want for about 20 seconds, he is usually done and we can continue on the walk. Not sure how to translate this into Stormy grabbing your pants and shoes (obviously you can't drop your pants!!), but do you think she'd stop the behavior if you just stopped in your tracks and looked the other way from her?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmathers View Post
    Diggity does something similar where in the middle of a walk, he will all of the sudden grab the leash and start tugging it and shaking it like a wild man. And the worst part is he'll try to grab it right where I have ahold of it and his teeth invariably get my hand. It's the weirdest thing because it happens all of the sudden and it's like he gets some weird energy boost and needs an outlet. I asked my trainer for her advice and she told me to grab ahold of his collar or harness and drop the leash and just stand there. She said if I am not holding the leash, it won't be interesting to him anymore. And she was 100% right. He almost instantly drops it. If I pick it back up too quickly, he grabs it again and starts all over, but if I want for about 20 seconds, he is usually done and we can continue on the walk. Not sure how to translate this into Stormy grabbing your pants and shoes (obviously you can't drop your pants!!), but do you think she'd stop the behavior if you just stopped in your tracks and looked the other way from her?
    That's exactly how it happens. We're fine, and then boom! Exorcist Puppy! Sometimes she grabs and deathshakes her leash. I've tried ignoring her but within a few seconds those needle teeth penetrate the cloth and she's hitting skin.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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  4. #4
    Senior Dog bmathers's Avatar
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    I can totally relate!! Deathshakes is the perfect description! It is the weirdest thing.

  5. #5
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    Have you been teaching "leave it"? Use that.

  6. #6
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Throw cookies. Bring ones that are big enough to find outside. Use a cue. Enough. Hey. Leave it. Drop it. Whatever. Then just toss some treats on the ground, let her eat them, and then keep going like nothing happened.

  7. #7
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    Yep, working on leave it.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  8. #8
    Senior Dog SamsonsMom's Avatar
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    I used a clicker to get Ashers attention. I would carry a pocket full of his kibble and use that clicker. It was always a fine balance between rewarding him and teaching drop it / leave it. The clicker treat combo did work. I ordered my clicker from Amazon and still have a bag of them. I use around the house still. Have fun with that little one. We all know they grow so fast.

  9. #9
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Buy tougher cloths.

    I remember with Hemi I went though 4 pair of dress pants and I have no idea how many dress shirts. Finally I started buying tougher clothes until it passed. It will pass with the training and so on but those sharp puppy toenails, the sharp teeth. Yeah wear jeans and tougher clothes Carhart, Deluth Trading Company etc. Dress cloths from there stood up.

  10. #10
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    Bring treats and ask for a different behavior. The problem with “leave it” is it’s hard for them to understand - it’s easier to teach them what to do instead. We always teach “leave it -come here” which means leave whatever has your interest and redirect your attention to me. Kind of hard to do if your are the thing you want them to leave. What I might do in your situation is carry treats and when she gets like that try to lure her into a few steps of nice heeling (because that’s a behavior I will eventually want). Anything that distracts them (with the food) AND gives them a more desirable behavior that you can then reward.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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