Help!! Nipping/I think teething!

[BaileysMom]

Bailey and I have been communicating well with everything but this! It is getting out of control and I am not sure how to tell him that furniture and my leg are not okay to nip at and chew on, but his toys are. He doesn't seem to be grasping it when I put a toy in his mouth when he starts chewing, as well as spraying the furniture with a product called "Bitter End" to get him to stop.

I take him out on a walk as soon as I can when he starts doing this, which wears down his energy so he is too tired to chew. Is this really the way to go?

When I give him a toy, he will chew it for a few seconds and then go back to nipping at and chewing what he was before. If I sprayed it with the "Bitter End" (which apparently wears off after a day), he will chew the closest "no no" thing.

I have tried telling him "ouch" when he nips, he stops and looks at me for a second, and then go back to it. I have tried saying "No, Bailey", same thing. I can't think of any way to communicate on his level so he will understand!

Help! I really don't know what to do about this.

 

[Agility23]

if hes a puppy dun worrie about it they all do he will grow outa it.

 

[BaileysMom]

I have heard that he will grow out of it, and I really don't mind that it is just a puppy phase, but my training book and other people have said that you need to teach them to distinguish their toys from the furniture and your foot, for example. I think I am failing to communicate what is his toys and what isn't. Any suggestions on how I can do this so he might understand a little better?

 

[Renee750il]

It sounds like Bailey is doing it for attention now, especially if he likes going for those walks! Think about it from Bailey's side: "Ooooh, I want to go for a fun walk . . . if I nip Mom she takes me for a walk! I'll go nip her now!"

After he's dropped the toy a time or two and gone back to doing what he DOES know you don't want him to do, try giving him a little time to think things over by himself in a Bailey-proofed room like the bathroom, alone. That takes the fun reward out of it. The longer he keeps getting attention and rewards for nipping and gnawing the furniture the longer it's going to take him to grow out of it.

Good luck - he's a smart little beggar!

 

[BigDog2191]

The water-spray isn't working? I used it on Rocky and say NO or NO BITE at the same time. Now whenever he begins to nip I say, NO and he usually starts licking or just stops and whines a bit. The only time his nipping really gets out of control is when I'm playing with him and getting him all excited but a simple but firm NO usually does the trick.

Good luck.

 

[BaileysMom]

I think the time out idea is really good. My husband thinks it sounds good, so I think I'll try that. I'll let you know how that goes!