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Training : Nipping/Play Biting While your dog should be taught not to chew on you or play with you by nipping at your feet and hands, certain methods of correction should be used so your dog does not ultimately fear your hands coming close to its face as a form of correction. Spanking, clamping your puppy's mouth shut or smacking it on the nose with a newspaper does not work to teach your puppy what you are trying to communicate. To effectively change this behavior it is essential to teach your dog what "No" means. This can be done easily through the use of the leash and collar and perhaps even a squirt water bottle or water hose while saying "No." Your young puppy may need to drag a leash around the house, under supervised conditions of course, so that when it goes after your hands or feet, or if it decides to grab onto your child, you can pick up that leash, give it a gentle snap-and-release while saying "No", then praise it for responding. For families with small children, I often recommend they leave several squirt water bottles within reach of the kids so if they need to do the correcting, they can. A direct spray to the face while saying "No" often gets the desired response - to stop nipping/biting - and the follow-up praise teaches the pup to understand that nipping and play-biting is not allowed. Immediately following the correction, place a toy in its mouth and praise, "Good puppy!" Being consistent is most important in that your dog will learn quickly that it will not be allowed to nip or chew on anyone - ever. You must take the time to teach your dog that you are not a dog, its littermate or a giant squeaky toy. Remember to always, always, always praise your dog after each correction. This reinforces the good behavior as much as the correction eliminates the bad. Feeling confident that your dog will not cringe or shy away from you or others who attempt to pet your dog will be your reward. Your dog will learn to trust you and others under all situations. Your trusted companion can be just that. By-the-way, forget bitter spray products, cans of coins and, what one of my clients told me her vet recommended, hot sauce! In my opinion, these are a waste of time and money, they teach your puppy absolutely nothing and can be downright mean. « back to top 
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