Nipping Giant

[Rovertee]

Hi

My 15 month old male (castrated) GS has started mouthing and appearing to nip other dogs whilst playing. He is generally sociable and I have noticed his slight change in behaviour more so lately. When my husband was walking George off lead he so say played with a springer, the springer yelped and owner said that our GS had bitten, (sorry) although there was no blood.

Right now I am putting it down to adolescence. He gets exercised on and off lead twice a day and is a lovely happy GS.

Any ideas or training tips please. Hopefully it will be a passing phase...

Thanks

[Guinevere]

Sorry to hear that George is being naughty. I have found my mini Arthur is sometimes boisterous with certain dogs. I have found that if I can distract him as the other dog is coming I can avoid any situations. There are lots more experienced people than me on here who willbe along soon
Sharon

[Tulip]

My two occasionally do this; it's likely to be just over-excited play and him going over the top. The yelp is the Springer telling him off, so to speak; often when Maisy does this, she actually turns to play immediately afterwards! Completely normal.

[BeeBee]

Renae (mini not giant) has a pal, Teddy who's a bichon-schnauzer cross and they absolutely love each other and happily rough & tumble & wrestle play when they meet up. They both like playing with their mouths and literally hang off each others lips, and do seem to nip but clearly don't hurt each other as they don't stop or seem to mind. I do step in sometimes when I think it's looking a little bit too nippy as I think they're getting a bit overexcited & it might end in tears, but it can't be hurting either of them as they both go straight back & start over again. They love it but I'm not sure all dogs would.

She doesn't do it with all dogs either, neither does Teddy, they seem to have worked out they both like it & do it. Maybe your boy is doing this?

[daisys_mummy]

Does he do it with people as well?

Keep a close eye on him, and if he gets naughty and over excited, and the other dog doesn't like it - just stop the play.
Take him away from the action and have some time out.

Keep on doing this, if he doesn't get the hint push him onto the floor and hold him there to let him know it's unacceptable behaviour.

Often though, the dogs with sort themselves out, but it's not nice when little dogs don't understand - big dogs, esp Giant puppys, can be a bit clumsy, so help him understand boundaries and he'll be much better behavaed, and happier with other dogs

[Mari Obi and Fingal]

Does he do it with people as well?

Keep a close eye on him, and if he gets naughty and over excited, and the other dog doesn't like it - just stop the play.
Take him away from the action and have some time out.

....so help him understand boundaries and he'll be much better behavaed, and happier with other dogs

Excellent advise, Daisy's mummy. Nipping is not acceptable behaviour, full stop.
It is easier to sort it out now than later on after it has become an established habit.

When the play heats up, before the nipping starts, give a warning cue to your dog (eg "ah-ah", or "calm" etc) to mark the time when he starts to get too excited. This is a cue for him to calm down. If he doesn't immediately tone down the game, and tries to nip or gets more excited, give a "final warning cue" (eg "ENOUGH!") and stop the game immediately and take him away for a time-out. Maybe a little basic, happy obedience *eg "sit", "look at me", "heel" for a few seconds.
Ensure the other owners are aware of the rules, and they can keep their dog away at this point.
After you have established your control over him and the games, and he has calmed down slightly, you can let the game continue.

As soon as the game starts heating up again, repeat the same procedure in a consistent manner. Every time, relentlessly. If you don't, he won't get the point you are trying to make. After a few times he'll would have realised that the first warning cue ("ah-ah" etc) is a sign to calm down, or else the fun will stop. Eventually, he will start self-regulating his behaviour, and the internal feeling of "heating up" with the game will become his internal cue to calm down (as you would hve interveaned every time the game heats up, and given him a negative consequence for his action if he does not cool it.)
Dunno if this makes sense, but it works!

[stacyr]

Ozzie does this with people (though not so much me as I do pin him down if he does!). He seems to do it more with men. My OH and son are the ones that have a rough and tumble with him and he will wait until their back is turned then sneakily nip them on the bum or leg. My son pins him down too but OH just carries on playing which is why I wonder why ozzie does it to him more. He does is alot to OH's brother (over 6ft and built like a house) - thats interesting. He doesnt hurt when he does it at all, but he still shouldnt do it should he

[daisys_mummy]

Make sure the boys know to tell Ozzie enough is enough.

He knows you're in charge, and so won't play with you, but he see's the boys as pack mates, and they need to make sure he knows he's the bottom of the pile, so to speak.

Make sure he never wins at any games, tug of war, or wrestling, or anything, and that time out means time out.
If he nips them and won't take the hint, get them to swiftly pin him, hold him for a sec, then walk off again and ignore him, he'll soon get the hint.

Rough play is fine, but again, he's got to know boundaries.

[stacyr]

Yep you are so right Daisy's mummy - I will certainly tell them. My son takes more notice of these things than OH and then he wonders why Ozzie "starts" on him ha ha (shouldnt laugh really but arent they amazing to know who they can and cant get away with things with)

[daisys_mummy]

He is only playing, but they don't realise their own strength, especially during wrestling time!
They soon figure out who's the sot one, and it is usually the man

[Snazy]

Good advice from Mari. We start this at puppy classes by teaching them to come away from playing with another puppy (practising puppy recalls) easy to do with them on lead, and reward by allowing them to go back to the game. It teaches them to keep an ear on what you are asking and not just get totally focused in the game.

If your dog like squeeky toys, you can keep a special one just for walks which will get his attention and reward him for coming away from the other dog.

[riiseni]

Before I give any advice I'd like to know a bit more about him.
Is he an insecure dog or a bolshy dog? Does he nip when he chases or when he plays?
Is he facing the other dog when he nips? Is his tail up or down? Does he show teeth?
Does he run in to see another dog or do dogs come to him?
Are you near when he nips?