Kiri is biting a sleeve!

[draggar]

We've been trying to work Kiri for schutzhund. It was very slow going with her (well, she is a bitch - and not just because she's a female dog! ). It's not that she can't do it, it's just that she gets bored easily. Add in the fact that she acts like she's bored and then will lash out at the target with lightning speed.

Ever since I've been going to this club and working Kiri she's been on a bite sausage (like this one but a little longer).

Yesterday the helper took out a puppy sleeve (made of similar material as the sausage and very soft for the dog to bite). Kiri took to it and did some pretty nice bites with it - including pulling it off the helper 9they're supposed to do that) and running around with it.

Looks like Kiri is now up to the next step.

(Too bad her daughter, Pepper (Athena) is far ahead of her - she's already doing blind searches!).

[Evil Queen]

Oh, hey, I need to ask you about dogs.

My dog; Carmen*, has started nipping at me a while ago. Mostly playful nips but it's starting to get a little more aggressive. I don't think she realizes that it hurts, which is why she only does it to me still (she's still afraid of most men but slowly getting used to my roommates).

Any ideas what's going on? I'm constantly telling her "Don't use your teeth! That hurts!" and she stopped for a little while. (She's smart and seems to understand English well) Do you think she's getting restless? I work full time hours and don't always have the time to play with her the way I want to. The weather is getting nice though, do you think she's getting bored?

I've tried buying her toys, she doesn't touch them. Tennis balls are OUT, the noise they make when they bounce scares her still. I did discover that she LOVES the little bone shaped Rawhide chews and bones in general (rib bones are her favourite so far).

Ideas?




*Carmen is the one that was badly neglected by her previous owner, when my friends took her (she came with the house they bought) they decided she was too much work to get back to normal, so they gave her to me. She's doing quite well when it comes to other dogs now though sometimes when they run up to her she still gets spooked. Not sure if I mentioned this before. It's been a while if I have.

[draggar]

Give her something better to bite and when she bites you, tell her no and if it continues grab her muzzle (from the top) and snarl at her, even show your teeth of you need to.

[Evil Queen]

It's so obvious (to me). I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner. Thanks Draggar. Next time she nips, I'll try that.