Lizzie Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Slight problem with Pierce's behaviour when OH arrives home from work. All the dogs get very excited, Pierce almost howls with delight and can't wait to greet him.....BUT he keeps nipping OH in the groin! He's finding it very painful and I almost wet myself laughing! I do realise this is a problem, I don't want to do the wrong thing by Pierce and upset all the work we have done with him. Suggestions needed please! BTW He doesn't do this to anyone else, so I do believe its genuine affection from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Could he try 'no' and turning his back and ignoring Pierce... Either than or smearing his groin area with bitter apple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceylacy Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Oh dear and ouch! ( ) Teach them all to sit - (hoping that they're foodies of course) - when your OH comes through the door he asks for a sit from all of them and then gives them all a bikki - and ok - off you go ...... by that time hopefully they will all have calmed down ....... Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted February 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Could he try 'no' and turning his back and ignoring Pierce... Either than or smearing his groin area with bitter apple Ended up getting a nip on the backside with that one! I have to admit pierce is very much a pup still, it is down to training and he has calmed down considerably from when he first arrived. Will try the biccies suggestion and buy a cricketers box for OH for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 That's normal behaviour for a GWP. They either do that or shove their nose in your crutch. It needs a quick reaction from oh as soon as he walks through the door. Depends on your commands. Oh focusses on Pierce and says loudly sit or down (if he will normally do this). If Pierce does the unfortunate your hubby says ouch loudly as though it is very painful (probably is), steps back from pierce and continues to act hurt, rubbing the area. That's how you stop pups mouthing your hand. Pulling away quickly and making a song and dance about it. Pierce should be hurt that he has caused harm to your hubby and shouldn't do it again. If that doesn't work hubby could walk into the room holding something infront of him so that Pierce can't get to his groin area and tell him to sit down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Pierce turned Nutcracker :D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisam13 Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 When either I or Ian come home and greet Ron he lauches himself into us and more often than not headbutts Ian in the nuts So NOW if he runs and tries to launch himself at us we lift our knee as he approaches as a barrer and it stops him jumping up maybe buy him a groin guard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one.eyed.dog Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Sorry but, I PMSL at that one. I use the lifting the knee technique myself. Lottie does nip some times but, I think it is over exitment. She is more of a talkative mouther but, I must say she is very gentle and a sharp NO usually does the trick. Can't wait to meet the wee man. From pictures he looks very similar to Potty. I know they are the same breed but, I mean colour and busted sofa fur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 You're not stopping the behaviour by lifting your knee up though. It is a quick fix to save your hubby but you want to stop this from happening. This is pup behaviour that he hasn't been told is unacceptable so needs to know this isn't on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzycharm Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I would suggest that the behaviour should be ignored - as in, your OH should walk in and totally ignore all the dogs, maybe hang coat up and make a cup of tea. Once the dogs are calm and are not jumping about, then he can say hello quietly and calmly. The pup will quickly learn that it recieves no attention (good or bad) for that behaviour, and gets attention for being calm. I know its very hard to ignore (well painful ), but any attention/interaction is what the pup wants and has learnt that he gets it by doing what he is doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Ditto to everything that Dizzycharm has said, coupled with Jacobean's suggestion re. OH carrying something ordinary to protect "that" area (sorry, but ) By ordinary I mean something like hubby taking off his coat before entering the room and folding it over his arm, or maybe his rucksack if he takes one to work. I'm not advising using it as something to ward off or shoo away with (as Pierce may come to resent that object amongst other reasons) just something to keep in place to avoid injury for the time being. A purely personal view and not dismissing anyone else's ideas for one second but I wouldn't admonish in any way, like saying NO or anything. I like a dog to be pleased to see me and would worry about this sending a negative message. I love dogs to express pleasure but it has to manifest itself in a safe and acceptable way for all involved. For those who don't know me, I'm so puny that I can't afford to be "bounced" by anything larger than a Chihuahua hence the reason for posting my own thoroughly tried and tested "greeting tone-down" methods here. I want a waggy welcome, a dog smiling fit to bust and even wriggling with delight but not one so excited that they might harm themselves or me. I'm sure that none of us would be happy about any other family member nipping us or knocking us to the floor by way of a greeting, so why should it be any different with a dog? An ex-OH of mine was one of those who believed that the most flattering doggie welcome was a frantic, frenzied jumpy uppy one and used to encourage my Weimaraner and Collie/Lab to do this - excited high pitched voice when he came in, patting his chest and so on. This obviously "trained" them to do that to visitors too. I found those little hide twist chews very useful in that particular case. When the doorbell rang, I used to give the dogs a chew each and in the minute or so that it took them to deal with the treat, the visitors had settled and the dogs just went and said their hellos in a friendly but calm fashion. Failing all else, a codpiece or cricket box and trousers doused in angostura bitters Edited to say that further to Dizzycharm's wise words, I'd add that "ignoring" (to me) doesn't mean "mean, horrid or brusque". Nothing wrong with OH chatting to Pierce as he walks into the room but I'd suggest doing it in a quietly cheery voice and avoiding eye contact until the dangly bits danger issue has been resolved None of what I've said is about "rank reduction", it's about getting Pierce to know what is acceptable, just as you would with anyone whose welcome was inappropriately OTT. I must try it on my French and Italian friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 How are you getting on with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted May 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Hubby's nuts are now safe. Pierce has calmed down a lot from the manic doglet he once was. He's still got a lot of bounce in him, but it is directed at where his lead is hung up, very little mouthing now, my baby is growing up. Thanks for all the advice, loads of it made perfect sense when I thought about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one.eyed.dog Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Can we have some photos of the wee boy. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estweyn Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Well, I had similar behaviour (without the little nip) when I had two gsds, I had to take some action because my father in law comes to let them out during the day when I was at work, he is now in his 80s and very fit but faced with two jumping excited idiots I was worried he may be knocked over. So we went down the lines of ignoring all attempts for attention and getting them out the back door as soon as possible. It did work, they still wag tails and give greetings but know that they are going straight out and head to the back door. Then the initial enthusiastic rush is over with no casualties, my father in law then goes into the garden and throws toys for them and generally spoils them for an hour. Now I have only one, things are considerably calmer anyway, there is not another dog to compete with... Its a consistency thing, always doing the same thing and getting all the members of the family to act in the same way. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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