Please help - Jackie is biting and nipping all the time!

[Stigica]

Hey!

My baby Jackie is almost 7 months old now. She is just adorable, such a cute girl. She is not spoiled, i have been strict with her. But i have a problem.

Even though i have been really strict with her, she sometimes just doesn't listen to me. At all!

I try to play with her a lot. We play with a ball, she has this animal toys we play with. We learn tricks ... we do all sorts of stuff. But sometimes is just like she does not know when enough is enough. When i want to work, even though for a half an hour, she wants attention.
She wants to jump on my laptop, she bites my hand ...

Today i came from work, took her on a walk, played with her, cooked dinner, ate, played with her again and when i wanted to rest just for a few minutes, i sat down on couch and she just started nipping and biting and jumping. And when i told her "NO", she went crazy! She obviously thought we are playing and she just went on and on with the biting. She wouldn't stop.

I would really love some help. I love Jackie so much, i try to be the best owner for her, but this biting is sometimes just so exhausting!

[Nancy1999]

If I sit on the couch, both of mine want to be up on the couch with me. The same is true with the bed. You don't always have to "play" with them when you are together; they just want to be next to you. Yorkies are little Velcro dogs, they want to be with their owners. By the way, she's teething and having some type of chewing stick will help her and reduce her biting you. Dogs have a lifetime need to chew, but the first year it’s essential that they have chew sticks and toys.

[gracielove]

Are you playing rough with her when you do play? Do you play tug with her and let her get all wound up? It may be that she is just trying to continue the play you did with her earlier.

I found with Gracie that I couldn't play with her in a way that created growling or tugging. She would just get too carried away with it and felt like I should be her sparing partner all the time. So I had to limit our activity to walks and indoor and outdoor fetch. I had to teach her that my hand touching her did not mean fight time. I had to keep her calm and quiet when we were not walking or playing fetch. If her mouth went for my fingers or hand she was told "No!" If she continued she was put on the floor.

These dogs are terriers and apparently they still have that prey mode in them. So now she fights with her toys. She can shake them up pretty good. Sometimes she wants me to shake the toy so she can feel like she has a real opponent but she doesn't go for my hand anymore. It took some time and patience.

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

If I sit on the couch, both of mine want to be up on the couch with me. The same is true with the bed. You don't always have to "play" with them when you are together; they just want to be next to you. Yorkies are little Velcro dogs, they want to be with their owners. By the way, she's teething and having some type of chewing stick will help her and reduce her biting you. Dogs have a lifetime need to chew, but the first year it’s essential that they have chew sticks and toys.

I think you didn't quite understand. I would LOVE to have her on couch or bed if she would just stay still. She has all this bones to chew ... and toys to play with .. but she wouldn't play with them. She always want to bite my hand, throw balls at my laptop. And in the afternoon she shows no interest in chewing bones whatsoever.

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by gracielove

Are you playing rough with her when you do play? Do you play tug with her and let her get all wound up? It may be that she is just trying to continue the play you did with her earlier.

I found with Gracie that I couldn't play with her in a way that created growling or tugging. She would just get too carried away with it and felt like I should be her sparing partner all the time. So I had to limit our activity to walks and indoor and outdoor fetch. I had to teach her that my hand touching her did not mean fight time. I had to keep her calm and quiet when we were not walking or playing fetch. If her mouth went for my fingers or hand she was told "No!" If she continued she was put on the floor.

These dogs are terriers and apparently they still have that prey mode in them. So now she fights with her toys. She can shake them up pretty good. Sometimes she wants me to shake the toy so she can feel like she has a real opponent but she doesn't go for my hand anymore. It took some time and patience.

I don't play tug with her. If i want to take her toy away from her (to throw it to her) and if she grabs it, i let it go. We only play fetch.

And i've always taught her that "NO" means no good. But she kinda does not understand that sometimes.
When we play fetch she doesn't bark, she just wiggles her tail (A LOT) and gets ready to fetch. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe she gets to wound up?

Thanks for everything! And if you have another advice, please share it with me.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I'll post here what I just posted on a similar thread that was about another dog with a similar problem:

Have your tried the Nothing In Life Is Free method of dealing with him, where every bite of food, toy & visit outside is worked for and he has to control himself, learn impulse control in order to get what he normally gets to live? It is one way to help a cussed little creature full of himself start to look at the owner as his leader and the one who has absolute say in everything! Once he begins to see you control his world - his every bite or pee session, he'll tend to learn to look to you in a different way. A dog who has a leader never bites it or takes advantage - it goes totally against their canine nature. I think once you Google the NILIF method, read up on the theory of it on several sites, you will see how it will start to teach your little one who is the ONLY leader in your little family pack and he will start to respect you more.

In time, after working with a behaviorist, you can gain his total respect & he wouldn't try to bite you to save his life! In the wild or feral state, dogs work for everything they get in their pack and live strictly according to what the leader allows, so they are well-versed to this type of hierarchy and adapt quite well and comfortably to having a strong leader. Most pet dogs are just like toddlers - in their minds, they want their way and to run the show but for their own good, mommy & daddy step up, kindly show them who is really boss and sit boundaries & they happily grow out of toddler-terror ways.

Kids with strong, responsible parents just grow up happier, healthier and much more well-adjusted than those with the weak mommy who gives them cake for breakfast, lets them throw things at the TV screen, play in the cold without a coat & allows them stay up until midnight! Read all about NILIF method, start working with your little one to gain control of his impulses & teach him all good things come from you - but he gets them ONLY once he does what you say. He'll start to settle down once he gets his role in the pack right, knows to listen to you and learns to control himself. Once he learns how fun this can be & how delighted you will be in the "new" dog you have, he'll be more into it than ever. That's when a tight bond will form between the two of you and you can work as a good team. And every good team has a good coach who directs everything.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Stigica

I think you didn't quite understand. I would LOVE to have her on couch or bed if she would just stay still. She has all this bones to chew ... and toys to play with .. but she wouldn't play with them. She always want to bite my hand, throw balls at my laptop. And in the afternoon she shows no interest in chewing bones whatsoever.

Have you tried holding a bully stick and letting her chew on that instead of your hand? Merrick 6" Bully Stix

May I ask at what age did you get her? Dogs taken away from the mother too early, don't learn inhibition of the biting reflex, and it may take some training on your part. When she bites, give a firm no, and place her in her x-pen with a chewing stick or toy. One game I played with Joey was taking a dust mop to the floor and let him chase it round and round, it really wore him out.

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

I'll post here what I just posted on a similar thread that was about another dog with a similar problem:

Have your tried the Nothing In Life Is Free method of dealing with him, where every bite of food, toy & visit outside is worked for and he has to control himself, learn impulse control in order to get what he normally gets to live? It is one way to help a cussed little creature full of himself start to look at the owner as his leader and the one who has absolute say in everything! Once he begins to see you control his world - his every bite or pee session, he'll tend to learn to look to you in a different way. A dog who has a leader never bites it or takes advantage - it goes totally against their canine nature. I think once you Google the NILIF method, read up on the theory of it on several sites, you will see how it will start to teach your little one who is the ONLY leader in your little family pack and he will start to respect you more.

In time, after working with a behaviorist, you can gain his total respect & he wouldn't try to bite you to save his life! In the wild or feral state, dogs work for everything they get in their pack and live strictly according to what the leader allows, so they are well-versed to this type of hierarchy and adapt quite well and comfortably to having a strong leader. Most pet dogs are just like toddlers - in their minds, they want their way and to run the show but for their own good, mommy & daddy step up, kindly show them who is really boss and sit boundaries & they happily grow out of toddler-terror ways.

Kids with strong, responsible parents just grow up happier, healthier and much more well-adjusted than those with the weak mommy who gives them cake for breakfast, lets them throw things at the TV screen, play in the cold without a coat & allows them stay up until midnight! Read all about NILIF method, start working with your little one to gain control of his impulses & teach him all good things come from you - but he gets them ONLY once he does what you say. He'll start to settle down once he gets his role in the pack right, knows to listen to you and learns to control himself. Once he learns how fun this can be & how delighted you will be in the "new" dog you have, he'll be more into it than ever. That's when a tight bond will form between the two of you and you can work as a good team. And every good team has a good coach who directs everything.

I've heard of that method before, but never really quite read about it. Thanks for the advice, i'm googling it already. I really want a well balanced dog who will listen. That way we're both going to be happier. Thank you, really.

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Have you tried holding a bully stick and letting her chew on that instead of your hand? Merrick 6" Bully Stix

May I ask at what age did you get her? Dogs taken away from the mother too early, don't learn inhibition of the biting reflex, and it may take some training on your part. When she bites, give a firm no, and place her in her x-pen with a chewing stick or toy. One game I played with Joey was taking a dust mop to the floor and let him chase it round and round, it really wore him out.

Yeah, i tried that as well ... :S Worked for some time but it's like...when she wants to play, she does not want to chew on a stick. :S

I got her too early, you're right. Because of that i really want to train her well, i'm not just giving up.

[Stigica]

Oh, i have one more question.

Sometimes Jackie really seeks attention. She brings me all of her toys, jumps on my arm, stuffs her toys in my hand ... like she really wants to play. It's not that i don't want to play, i don't want to play whenever she wants to, otherwise she'll get the feeling she can get anything when she wants to.

I sometimes feel so bad because i don't play with her and she looks like she really wants to play. And i feel so bad when i say "NO" and she gives me that sad look. Is it ok for me to not feel bad?

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Stigica

Oh, i have one more question.

Sometimes Jackie really seeks attention. She brings me all of her toys, jumps on my arm, stuffs her toys in my hand ... like she really wants to play. It's not that i don't want to play, i don't want to play whenever she wants to, otherwise she'll get the feeling she can get anything when she wants to.

I sometimes feel so bad because i don't play with her and she looks like she really wants to play. And i feel so bad when i say "NO" and she gives me that sad look. Is it ok for me to not feel bad?

There's nothing wrong with saying no, you can make your dog too demanding by letting him call all the shots. I believe kids and dogs feel safer knowing they aren't the boss, you are, it's a tough job being the alpha. Just don't make the mistake of some and only giving them attention when they are bad.

[gracielove]

As long as you have put in plenty of activity, training and exercise time with your dog then you should feel fine saying no. Usually if you have put the time in the dog will be tired enough to be content. Maybe if you break up your sessions with her into two or three shorter work and play times through out the day she will not be so energetic when you have other things to do. If she is an extremely energetic or hyper dog she may need her exercise time in the morning and the afternoon.

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

There's nothing wrong with saying no, you can make your dog too demanding by letting him call all the shots. I believe kids and dogs feel safer knowing they aren't the boss, you are, it's a tough job being the alpha. Just don't make the mistake of some and only giving them attention when they are bad.

Thank you, i feel so much better. I always feel guilty, cause i really try to play with her as much as i can and when i need just a few minutes to rest or work she always jumps on me ... and bites me ... even though i have been really strict with her. But i guess i have made mistakes ... + she was taken from her mother very soon + her jaw problem (she has overbite) which makes her bite even more ... I'll discipline her even more and hope for the best. Thanks!

[Stigica]

Originally Posted by gracielove

As long as you have put in plenty of activity, training and exercise time with your dog then you should feel fine saying no. Usually if you have put the time in the dog will be tired enough to be content. Maybe if you break up your sessions with her into two or three shorter work and play times through out the day she will not be so energetic when you have other things to do. If she is an extremely energetic or hyper dog she may need her exercise time in the morning and the afternoon.

We go for short walks in the early morning, a bit longer walks in the afternoon and sometimes in the evening as well. We play in the early morning, most of the afternoon (because i want to get her tired cause she goes to sleep after the morning exercise and sleeps till afternoon) and again in the evening. But she never gets tired.
She is always jumping around, no matter how often we go on walks ... I noticed that sometimes going on walks is not a great idea ... when we come home she is always hyped, jumping and running around even though we walked for 2 hours. It's like she never gets tired.

But thanks for the advice about breaking up sessions. I'll try that as well.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Stigica

Thank you, i feel so much better. I always feel guilty, cause i really try to play with her as much as i can and when i need just a few minutes to rest or work she always jumps on me ... and bites me ... even though i have been really strict with her. But i guess i have made mistakes ... + she was taken from her mother very soon + her jaw problem (she has overbite) which makes her bite even more ... I'll discipline her even more and hope for the best. Thanks!

I had a rescue that was very needy and the trainer told me to not pick him up when she demanded it, but to wait until she was good/quiet, then pick him up.