# Still mouthy at 18 months....



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

My Caue is still very mouthy with strangers. I have to warn new people that want to pat him that he will most likely take their arm in his mouth. With people I know I get them to make him sit before they give him attention. Sometimes it helps if they pat his chest instead of the top of his head.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

It isn't a popular move for "don't use the crate as punishment' majority, but I ordered Lucky to bed if he was told stop biting and didn't listen. At 18 months this wasn't a problem but it sure was when he was 5 months. Frankly....I didn't have the time to deal with a disobedient dog that KNEW what I wanted but ignored me. Especially when my kids were doing the same thing. It was a matter of my sanity.

Perhaps you can put her in isolation. I think timing is important. If you isolate her almost the second it happens (not allowing her to spend time nipping) then I think she'd get out of the habit.

When Lucky was 9 months he was fine IN the house but would go into excited biting binges occassionally in the backyard on the tie-out. In that instance I used aromatic cheese to distract him and eventually he either grew out of it or got out of the habit. 

Good luck...I know those 18 month old puppy teeth hurt too because they have some power behind them.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Danny is still mouthy when he is playing. If he puts his mouth on us, we walk away from the play. It's just his personality and he would never dream of intentionally hurting us, so we just walk away and play at a time when he is not so excited.


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## kooie (Jul 29, 2008)

I also walk away when Finnigan won't stop biting. I get up very quickly and storm out the door. I watched him from the window after I did that one time and he looks around with this very lost look and then he whimpers , its like he's saying hey... I get it... if I bite my fun is over. They will learn real quick when they are being mouthy your going to leave the room and then their playmate is gone.
I always come back in about 2 minutes later and act like nothing happened. Then if he starts it up again I leave and return about a couple of minutes and act like nothing happened. I talk real sweet to him and then get on the floor to play with his toys and if he comes at me with those needles that are in his mouth I leave again. He has cut way back on this biting thing.
I have also placed Finnigans tail in his mouth when he's biting on me, he likes to chew on it and it teaches him to go easy.


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## avgeekjlb (Jul 29, 2008)

*I was told...*

I was told by a trainer one time that when they got like this and you didn't want them too that you could curl their lip under before they got started good. They would feel this and not bite down. I have always been afraid that he would hurt himself. I'm glad mine's out grown the mouthy stage. You could always teach her the "easy" command. This works great if you are playing with her and she is playing mouthy.

Jonathan


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

avgeekjlb said:


> You could always teach her the "easy" command. This works great if you are playing with her and she is playing mouthy.
> 
> Jonathan


That is true...Lucky really latched on to the "gentle" command. I haven't had to use it this last year, but sometimes I'll practice with him to see if his jaws get softer when I say it. And they do. I think its easier for them to get softer rather then completely stop,


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## avgeekjlb (Jul 29, 2008)

*Easy*

The easy or gentle command is a natural thing for them since they are retrievers. They have to know not to damage the bird. I used to carry my previous golden Zach with me hunting when I used to bird hunt. He was great and always was easy with the birds. The command just ends up being really great for day to day as well. Ike is almost three and doesn't mouth much anymore. He does some when we play though but never rough.

Jonathan


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## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> My Caue is still very mouthy with strangers. I have to warn new people that want to pat him that he will most likely take their arm in his mouth. With people I know I get them to make him sit before they give him attention. Sometimes it helps if they pat his chest instead of the top of his head.


Ahh Griff tends to be more mouthy for a head pat as well - I try to have appropriate "mouthy toys" such as a stuffed sock handy. Some dogs prefer a tennis ball - they are retrievers and holding something in their mouths is very natural. Once he has something in his mouth he is calmer - kind of like a pacifier. :


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## Sienna's Mom (Oct 23, 2007)

Thanks everyone LOL, you are so right about the "pacifier"  Everytime I come home Sienna is making roo roo noises in her crate and she HAS to have something in her mouth as she wriggles. She is a very oral pup.

I do have to be on the lookout when we pick up my son from his camp- Sienna gets a little too excited when she sees a child holding a "lovey" :uhoh: and wants it, but other than that thankfully seems to realize she needs to be calmer around kids and is in heaven when they want to pet her.

We've always had a smile on walks- if you find her a good stick to hold she walks so much better- like she has a purpose :

I do feel better that I am not the only one, I thought she would've been grown out of it more by now. I will keep practicing EASY/GENTLE and no bite, maybe more of the toy transfer...


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

If Murphy starts to bit me, and he does sometimes, I either walk away or if I have a toy near by I will give it to him so he has something else in his mouth besides my hand or arm..


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