Ankle biting

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TinaSeed
Posts: 2
Joined: 05 Mar 2020, 17:48
First Name: Tina
Dog #1: Nelson
is a: P/S Mini Dog
Born: 17 Jun 2019

Ankle biting

Post by TinaSeed »

We have a 10 month old mini, he is fun, intelligent and energetic. He is coming on with his training, but one thing we just cant crack is ankle biting.
When we get home from a walk, he plays/fights when we try to take off the harness but as soon as it’s off he starts biting my ankles, socks, tops of shoes, bottoms of trousers, bare ankles, socks anything he can get his teeth on. It is constant. I stand still, I offer a toy, I try to distract, all to no avail. He will be distracted for a second and hen back to biting. He only does it to me, and my sons girlfriend, none of the males in the house, although he did have a good go at a visiting male friends socks last week. We just can’t seem to break this behaviour, advice very welcome.
Oscar 12345
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Joined: 02 May 2017, 11:28
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Dog #1: Oscar RIP Sweety
is a: P/S Mini Dog
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is a: B/S Mini Dog
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Re: Ankle biting

Post by Oscar 12345 »

Tina welcome to the forum. I would be using a "a a" or "no" at the very point you think he is about to "attack". Then when he stops praise with a good boy calmly because he is probably stimulated from his walk. Don't take off his harness if he isn't calm, just wait a few mins and maybe ask for a sit and then treat. Keep doing that, he will get the message that Mum isn't impressed with the biting. Be consistent and keep still whilst you are doing the training.
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zeta1454
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First Name: Leigh
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is a: P/S Mini Bitch
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Re: Ankle biting

Post by zeta1454 »

Welcome to the Forum Tina :-)

Your mini is still young and also going through adolescence just now so he will be affected by his hormones which can lead to over excited behaviour, loss of concentration and forgetting training. Adolescence in dogs is a phase and can be challenging but it does pass and you just need to continue with training even if it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference just now.

Is the ankle biting only after returning from a walk or is it at other times too? It certainly is something you want to stop happening and I would definitely try to find a distraction technique which does work. When you return from a walk you maybe need to think of a new activity that will draw his attention away from your ankles and see if you can break the habit he has developed. An example might be to use a training toy such as a Nina Ottosson treat dispenser which is set up for him to go and find some treats as soon as his harness is taken off..or you could just create your own hidden treat set-up for him to explore with tiny pieces of cheese or kibble hidden in cardboard boxes, kitchen roll inner tubes, clean small plastic flower pots, empty egg cartons etc. If you make up games which will test his brain and offer rewards, this may be sufficient distraction to take his mind off ankle biting. You need some activity which will be rewarding for him - a fun game, food treats, finding a special toy or whatever he really loves to do or have and break the cycle of nipping and biting. If he really does love chewing on something find an acceptable chew toy such as an antler or Yak stick which may also help him to settle after a walk or a physical game.

Schnauzers are intelligent little dogs and do need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise so the more "brain games" you can find for him to do as well as general training the better. Do also make sure that he is not getting over stimulated or too tired on his outings or even from activities in the house as over tiredness can also lead to unwanted behaviours such as nipping.You might also find checking the ingredients of his food and treats to be sure there are no additives or high carbohydrates/ sugars which can trigger hyper activity and behaviours such as nipping and biting in some dogs.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Magic - Silversocks Sharade at Darksprite
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