aussielover Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I have started using the water spray with excellent results. For some dogs, I'm sure getting up and walking away, time out or transferring a toy into the mouth is fine but my puppy was very very mouthy (being a lab). In fact, no other puppy I have met so far has come close to being as mouthy as Mindy. I work at a vet and some people brought in a spoodle puppy and were complaining about biting/mouthing. I cuddled and it only mouthed me once or twice very gently- nothing compared with Mindy! I have also found that her responsiveness to the word "no" in general has also improved since I started using the spray. Wizzle- I agree with your definitions of mouthing and nipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 oh- and for those whose dogs enjoy the water spray - adding a good glug of vinegar, or a couple drops of citronella oil soon stops that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 We had a bit of a problem with nipping/mouthing also. I found timeout in her crate seemed to calm Genevieve down rather quickly. I also looked for other possible reasons, like was it meal time, did she need to toilet, were her toys accessible etc. If I knew all the other boxes could be ticket (she had been fed, toileted and nothing was preventing her to get to her toys), I would give her time out. She learnt pretty quickly that she wasn't winning any points by getting nippy! We notice now she is most like that just before she is due to be fed. When we are playing with her we try to have a toy in our hand if she looks like she might want to mouth. That way we can shove the toy in her mouth when she goes for the big chomp! I have to watch that she doesn't go for my engagement ring though. Now that she is a bit older and can be walked, I think that has helped too. I am probably wrong, but I have interpreted nipping to be more like biting (often in an attempt to get attention), where as mouthing is where they are playing with you as if you were a toy.... it might not necessarily always hurt (us bigger people) or be deliberate, but I guess it encourages them to have human skin in their mouths. We try to avoid it as much as we can, as we don't want her biting our kids, or perhaps worse still, other peoples children. I too would be interested to know other peoples thoughts/interpretations on this, as like I said, I think I have interpreted it wrong. Emmy nips harder when she is hungry too. If she is more hyper (then usual).. it means she is hungry and tired. So, after a good feed, she will go outside do her business, and get on the couch for a snooze. But she doesn't get fed till she calms down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genabee Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 oh- and for those whose dogs enjoy the water spray - adding a good glug of vinegar, or a couple drops of citronella oil soon stops that! I'm pretty sure Genevieve thinks fish and chips are on the way when I have sprayed vinegar! The citronella oil could be worth a try though! Does it ruin wood furniture or leather? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 oh- and for those whose dogs enjoy the water spray - adding a good glug of vinegar, or a couple drops of citronella oil soon stops that! I'm pretty sure Genevieve thinks fish and chips are on the way when I have sprayed vinegar! The citronella oil could be worth a try though! Does it ruin wood furniture or leather? Not sure about wood and leather but it certainly wouldn't be good for dogs. It's toxic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 wouldn't be good for dogs. It's toxic. one or two drops in 750 ml or a litre (like most spray bottles) is not a great amount...Don't they use citronella in no-bark collars? before I realised it was used as a deterrent- our dogs used to be rinsed in water containing a few drops of citronella ..to keep mozzies at bay .I never noticed a problem with using it like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) wouldn't be good for dogs. It's toxic. one or two drops in 750 ml or a litre (like most spray bottles) is not a great amount...Don't they use citronella in no-bark collars? before I realised it was used as a deterrent- our dogs used to be rinsed in water containing a few drops of citronella ..to keep mozzies at bay .I never noticed a problem with using it like this. Yes, they do use citronella in some no bark collars. Its toxic to dogs if ingested in sufficient quanities, deadly to cats if absorbed through the skin and apparently carcenogenic too. I'd no more squirt my dog in the face with citronella than I would with with DDT. Its also highly aversive which of course is why it works but some folk seem to regard it as benign. A good lip roll or scruffing (which some folk would be horrified to administer) is over immediately - citronella remains on the dog's skin and potentially in its mouth and nostrils. No thanks. :rolleyes: Edited July 5, 2010 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 A good lip roll or scruffing I agree! Our pups get scruffed the very first time they nip... when very small. Usually only takes once...one has to know when and how to apply it tho! I have queries of citronella as an aversive too- my dogs have never shown any sign of trying to avoid it- and I used to use it everywhere..as a fly/mozzie repellant/deodoriser .... Don't now, cos Mum doesn't like the smell... Is there any info on it ?- I know ingestion is dangerous- but that is the case of lots of stuff we use on our dogs , or around the house...it's scary . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 what is a lip roll? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 what is a lip roll? When a pup mouths you and you push its lip over its teeth with your thumb and add some pressure to create discomfort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsKatie Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Try using the water spray on the OH then. Like this idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marley'z Mum Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 whats scruffing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 whats scruffing? Holding a puppy by the scruff of the neck to discipline/deter it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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