Kodee is only 5 mos old, and is still in the "learning" phase of training. I don't have any type of training collar at all, just his flat collar, as he's too young for the prong, etc. I also know that you don't "correct" a pup until they are older (in regular training). However, I have a question:

Kodee has developed a habit of nipping and/or jumping on me (say, when I'm sitting at the table working on the computer). He seems to do this to get my attention so I will play with him. I normally push him off with a firm "No" (verbal correction). But this method is not working. (BTW - I do think he understands the "no" command, as he listens most of the time when he's doing other things he shouldn't be doing - like if he jumps up to kitchen counter and i say "no", he'll hop down, etc.) But when I say "no" when he's jumping/nipping at me, he just jumps up/nips/gets more excited. Sometimes I'll stop what I'm doing to do a quick training session to get his attention on something else, but i swear - I don't have time to do training every 5 minutes!

So, how do I deal with this? Is there a way to "correct" him? If I throw his toy, I'm rewarding his behavior. If I "train", it helps, but only til the training session is done. he is getting exercised, so I don't think that's the problem. And I don't want to crate him as "punishment", although i do put him in his crate with something to chew on, just to get him out of my hair sometimes - I figure it beats losing my temper with him.

Sorry this is long- just wanted to give all the details. I'm at a loss as to how to handle this. Please give me any advice you can offer. Thanks in advance!

 Quote: kori bigge

Kodee has developed a habit of nipping and/or jumping on me (say, when I'm sitting at the table working on the computer). He seems to do this to get my attention so I will play with him.

He's learned persistance pays off. He's smart so he's figured out that bugging you will get him play time.

Instead of piecemeal 5 minute play sessions when he's demanding it, try and work him out on your schedule. Then, when he's bugging you, firmly push him away with a calm "no" or "settle down". You're probably going to have to do this over and over until he understands that pestering you won't lead to anything fun.

And I don't think crating him is necessarily punishment if he's had a good workout and you don't lose your temper while you're crating him.

Kori, try tying him to you (or to your chair if it has arms) for those times that he's being a pain. I wrap the leash around the arm of the chair, and can fairly easily divert my pup's mouth from nipping by using the leash to control her head. Once she realizes that she isn't going to get me to move, she settles down fairly quickly and will lie down when I release her.

If your do is doing something for attention the best thing you can do is refuse attention. Ignore the dog completely if you can. If you are working and the dog is too distracting silently take his collar, make no eye contact and walk him to his crate and put him in. Remember even a verbal correction is a form of attention so try and get away from doing those.

I agree with Sarah, I don't know if you have children or not but there is a saying amongst us parents that states, negative attention is as good as positive attention when the kiddies are trying to get your attention. That being said, little Kodee has learned that bugging you, bugging you, bugging you, will make you stop whatever you are doing to play w/him. First thing I had to learn was that crating was o.k. There is nothing wrong with allowing him to learn to entertain himself a little. If he has been exercised (and I mean good) if you have things to do, by all means put him in his crate if he cant behave. I was able to put Levi's crate near where I was working so that he would be close to me. I never responded to whining, especially if I knew he had gone potty. If he whined too much his crate was put somewhere where I wasnt. After a time they learn that behavior does not pay off. However, there is nothing wrong, once he is behaving in his crate to determine a stop point in your schedule to take him out and reward him for his GOOD behavior, jostle him around a bit, a love, a treat, a quick game of tug, maybe an opportunity to be w/you and behave, if not, he can go back in the crate. Once I got over my "oh poor thing has to be in the crate so much" I realized the problems it solved were far outweighing the guilt. Aside from the fact that now Levi will go to his crate all by himself, all the time and even guard it from the other dogs, hoard things, etc because his crate is his special place and he knows it. Remember he lives on your terms, you don't live on his...little stinker, lol

Lynne-I think I will try the leash trick.

Benjamin-I agree with the "refuse" attention, in theory, but he nips hard - hard enough to be pretty painful , so I can't ignore him when he gets like that. I may try a combo of your idea and Lynne's - maybe leave out the verbal correction and just use the leash to move his head away from me?

Any other ideas are still welcome.....

Hmm...unless you're overwhelmed, I would avoid the crate as a punishment or as a reaction to unwanted behavior.

Edit: This is not to say that you can't put him in there. Wait until he's not bothering you and do some Obedience, then (stay very upbeat) give a "go to bed" or whatever you use, and throw a treat in. That's just me, though.

If he's actually jumping up and putting his paws ON you, you can pinch his toes (I believe Ed shows this in the Basic Obed. video) or correct with a good cheek-grab and a growl (read: Theory of Corrections, specifically "Pack Structure corrections" -- Also, some of the Puppy Packe Structure work will help him to understand that he needs to be more calm in the house.

If he's got enough energy to boing this much in the house, increasing his daily walks might also help. 30-45 minutes a few times a day is not inappropriate at this age. Put him in mentally stressful situations (near busy roads, etc) and take a different route each time to optimize the mental stimulation from each walk. Before AND after each walk, do 3-4 minutes of fast OB, and he should be exhausted.

 Quote: kori bigge

Benjamin-I agree with the "refuse" attention, in theory, but he nips hard - hard enough to be pretty painful

I'd read Ed's "Theory of Corrections" Article. He says this about nipping:

"Grabbing a pup firmly by the scruff of both cheeks and firmly holding them as we stare into their eyes and firmly warn them to 'KNOCK IT OFF'."

The rest of the article has good info. Find it here: http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/theoryofcorrections.pdf

Robinn - somehow I missed your post before my last post LOL. Yeah, I don't mind crating him and letting him entertain himself, but I'd like to increase his "free" time in the house. With little kids in the house, usually he is crated unless i'm doing something in the kitchen (which is a lot). I do let him be loose sometimes in the living room (all our rooms are gated off w/baby gates), with me in the evening after the kiddos are in bed. I don't let him be unattended w/my kids, so he does have to be crated quite a bit. As his potty-training is going very well, he is just now starting to spend more time on the carpeted areas with me and the kids, when I can be right there watching everyone. I don't lose my temper when I put him in his crate, I'm just matter of fact about it like I usually am, even when I'm irritated at him. He almost always gets a treat for going to his crate, as well. And I give him a chew toy so he's not bored (he does like his crate).

I will try to increase his exercise time as well as all of the other suggestions. It just dawned on me that I haven't increased his exercise much lately, but he has grown a lot! I need to up the exercise as he grows, and I hadn't thought about that for a while. So that is probably part of the problem now that I think about it.

Thank you all for your help!!!

I had real probs with getting my rott out of this habit at that age, a prob i hadnt had with past dogs. I used a method pretty much like David said, which was fine for me, but my partner struggled to correct him. Her smacks on his bum, or cheek grab when he was nipping just resulted in him trying to catch her hands, as with when she would push him away (he thought it was a great game, she didn't!). I got her a very small water pistol and rattle bottle (plastic bottle with stones in) which she would hide up her sleeve and shoot him with in the face when he nipped, the rattle was used to try and stop this behaviour as it would start. If she didnt have it to hand and he jumped up and nipped then the pistol in her pocket would go up her sleeve and the bpup would get squirted. although i have explained to her about pack order etc this is her first dog and corrections and timing are something she is unsure of, so rather than physicall corrections from her i tryed a rattle bottle and water pistol for her.
This method took far to long though imo, he stopped nipping me early on by using methods along the lines of Eds.