Snappy When Excited

[SupaDupa Mini Cooper]

My 6 month old Cavalier has a tendency to get excited - especially when we are going in the car - and tonight in particular, when I was trying to put his harness on he was snapping at me trying to bite my hand. I decided that I didn't want to encourage that behaviour so I put him in his crate and left without him (he is crated when we aren't home). If he does bite, it isn't a true bite but more of a grab (never leaves a mark).

He also tends to get a bit snappy if the kids are running around the backyard - I think he gets too excited and wants to play.

Any suggestions on how to discourage this behaviour and get him to settle? As soon as we get his harness or lead he goes nuts.

[melinda10786]

I used to stop what I was doing and completely ignore my boy when he behaved like that and he was doing it at the same age as Cooper. He soon learnt that he was not going to get any reward for that behaviour. If he got too excited during play time, he was placed in a time out to calm down, and if he did the same thing afterwards, he was placed back in time out (this was in our bathroom behind a baby gate).

Once he remained calm, we praised him like it was going out of fashion, and rewarded so he knew that was the more acceptable behaviour. He eventually learnt to keep calm and as he got older too the habits disappeared.

[Red Fox]

My 6 month old Cavalier has a tendency to get excited - especially when we are going in the car - and tonight in particular, when I was trying to put his harness on he was snapping at me trying to bite my hand. I decided that I didn't want to encourage that behaviour so I put him in his crate and left without him (he is crated when we aren't home). If he does bite, it isn't a true bite but more of a grab (never leaves a mark).

Firm NO and a bit of a scruff (doesn't have to be excessively hard or nasty, you don't want to scare the living daylights out of him but you do want him to take notice). The dog will soon learn that the behaviour is unacceptable. Much more effective than stuffing around with time outs IMO.

He also tends to get a bit snappy if the kids are running around the backyard - I think he gets too excited and wants to play.

That part is easy - don't let him run around with the kids, only have him outside when both they and he are calm. Both kids and dogs need 'feral' time to run around. Just not together. When the kids are playing give the dog some downtime in his crate instead.

[Jumabaar]

My 6 month old Cavalier has a tendency to get excited - especially when we are going in the car - and tonight in particular, when I was trying to put his harness on he was snapping at me trying to bite my hand. I decided that I didn't want to encourage that behaviour so I put him in his crate and left without him (he is crated when we aren't home). If he does bite, it isn't a true bite but more of a grab (never leaves a mark).

He also tends to get a bit snappy if the kids are running around the backyard - I think he gets too excited and wants to play.

Any suggestions on how to discourage this behaviour and get him to settle? As soon as we get his harness or lead he goes nuts.

That was a great thing to do!! Well done.

The other thing you can do is randomly during the day put the harness on him leave it on for 10minutes then take it off so you make it less exciting. And if you stop putting it on each time he starts biting it means by the time you do actually want to take him in the car he will behave and get to go. Touching the lead currently means he is going out. You can start teaching him that touching the lead doesn't always mean he is going out. Once he starts to behave when you put on the harness or touch the lead you could just pop out the front as a reward for remaining settled, but once again not every time.

When the kids are excited in the yard can you take the crate out and give him a yummy bone? At first well away from all the excitement and move him slowly closer so he associates all the movement and noise with doing his own activity and ignoring it. My dogs only play with kids when they are seated so, particularly when they are young dogs or children 1- so the dog can escape and 2- so the child can't bounce around and get the dog bouncing around.

[SupaDupa Mini Cooper]

Thanks for the replies - I didn't think anyone was going to!

I think I will work at desensitising him to the harness and lead - and continue to ignore his bad behaviour.

Mostly I'm glad I'm not the only one that has had this happen :)

At the moment he has access to the backyard any time when we are home, so I'll tell the kids if they are going outside and plan on running around they need to make sure the door is closed first with him inside.