# Need help discouraging ankle biting



## ShutterBug (Jan 21, 2010)

Ok, so we have a pretty good handle on the basic chewing/biting issue, I think. We're starting with basic prevention by keeping as much of our stuff out of Mya's reach. If we do catch her chewing on something she's not allowed, I take it away and replace it with something she's allowed to have.

With biting, if she bites anyone hard enough to cause any discomfort, we say "ouch!" in a high voice and walk away and ignore her. Even my older two kids are taking part in this training, and have gotten quite good at it. The little one doesn't interact with the puppy unsupervised at all. Mya looks so dejected when she bites too hard and we won't play with her anymore LOL

What has me stumped is the ankle biting/chasing. For some reason, Mya only does this to me (at least so far). She chases around after my feet, nipping at my ankles and chewing/tugging on my socks/slippers/shoes/pant legs. I'm not sure how to get her to stop, especially when she nips hard enough for it to hurt. I can't do the "ouch!" and walk away, because she sees any movement from me as an invitation to chase after me. How do I stop it from being a fun game for her and teach her it's not acceptable behaviour?


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

The correction comes BEFORE the bite/nip happens. Pups do this to get your attention and initiate play. Neither one is appropriate and the question is what does the pup have to do to get those things from you (attention/play). 

First step in the process is being aware when a nip is coming. You have many tactics to use....a quick step toward Mya/invade her space before she bites (she should stop in her tracks), stamp your foot on the floor, sharp-handclap, a verbal UTT, a hand held out like a stop sign, slap the wall....anything that interrupts the charge.

The harder part is teaching the attention or play process. For attention do you want her to sit politely for petting, affection and attention? For play do you want her to get a ball, a tug or a toy? Both have to be taught/learned.


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## RedyreRottweilers (Dec 17, 2006)

Most puppies will try this at one time or another. We battle this with Gracie still from time to time.

This gets the most severe correction from me. Stamping of feet, frowning, sometimes a finger pointing, and a KNOCK IT OFF with direct eye contact.

Then I redirect to a toy. You just have to make coming after your feet and legs no fun at all. Most of the time they outgrow this. I try to really head it off early and strongly because it is a dangerous behavior due to the hazard of you tripping up over the dog.


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## lillie20 (Oct 17, 2008)

As a pup mine would ankle bite, usually when we went out walking and he just wanted to play and do something else. Just think of the show everyone watched out their windows! To my advantage having him on a leash really helped to control him and pull off my legs. I would just stop where I was and make him sit a foot or so away from me til he calmed down.


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## ShutterBug (Jan 21, 2010)

I'm bumping this up, because the ankle biting is not getting any better, despite our best efforts. If anything, it's getting worse as Mya gets older and more active. 

When she's decided she's in a playful mood, no one can walk more than a couple of steps without her crazily attacking their feet. I've read some people say that standing totally still and ignoring will show them they're not gaining anything from the biting, but that's easier said than done with sharp puppy teeth buried in your flesh LOL That said, I've got the two older kids trained (LOL) to try not to run away and to stand still and ignore her until I get to them to detach her. It's hard for them, though, especially when her little teeth make contact with their legs/feet. 

I don't understand why... when it comes to mouthing/biting hands (when playing or cuddling with her), if she bites too hard and we yelp "ouch", she sits right back and we can walk away and she seems to realize she was too rough. But when it comes to biting at our ankles, if we yelp "ouch" and try to walk away, she thinks it's a big game and chases us. 

I've tried to be really consistant with stomping my foot and yelling "Ah ah ah!" when she's coming at someone, or once she's already attached to a pant leg/sock. She'll let for for a split second, but then she's right back to biting whether you've tried to walk away or not. 

You should see me trying to walk across the living room: Step, bite, stomp, yell, try to sneak a step, stomp & yell to deflect a bite, step, bite, yell, stomp.... Rinse, lather, repeat. 

About the only person in the house she leaves alone is my 2yo, because he screams bloody murder if the dog so much as attempts to get near his feet while he's walking LOL I'm not sure if that tactic will work for the rest of us, though LOL


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## lillie20 (Oct 17, 2008)

Whats the age on your cute Mya? My pup did the ankle biting til at least a year. Now almost 3yr, did it the other day, got excitied from jumping in the snow and had a moment like a pup and went for my ankles. Rare that this now happens. But yours sounds like it needs to be corrected since going extreme, but will outgrow.


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## KEichman (Jan 7, 2010)

ShutterBug said:


> I've tried to be really consistant with stomping my foot and yelling "Ah ah ah!" when she's coming at someone, or once she's already attached to a pant leg/sock. She'll let for for a split second, but then she's right back to biting whether you've tried to walk away or not.
> 
> You should see me trying to walk across the living room: Step, bite, stomp, yell, try to sneak a step, stomp & yell to deflect a bite, step, bite, yell, stomp.... Rinse, lather, repeat.


We're in the same boat with our 13-week-old Shih Tzu mix. I can't tell you if this will work over the long haul, because we just started (at the suggestion of our puppy class trainer), but we walk with a can of coins, and when she approaches to nip or attaches to our pant legs, we shake the can. It seems to be the only thing (so far) that consistently interrupts the behavior long enough to give a follow up command (sit or down, etc.) and then praise. Another alternative to a command that we do is tossing a toy...she seems to nip at our ankles more when either she wants to get our attention to play or she needs to go #2.

Let's keep this thread going and share ideas. I'm not sure I'll be sane if this continues until she is 1 year old!


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## ShutterBug (Jan 21, 2010)

Mya's 11 weeks old. 

We have a training class tonight, so I'm going to bring it up with our instructor. I'll let you know what she says


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Sounds like you're only doing half of the process....trying to intercept/interrupt the bite. 

The split second she stops her charge you have to praise/pay attention to her for NOT biting...ie: teaching her that she doesn't have to bite to get your attention/affection/playtime. If you don't do that, she doesn't know what to do except bite.


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## misty073 (Mar 31, 2009)

does she have something she can chase? My puppy was doing this but it has really almost stopped. We have been giving a firm "NO" and she backs off...but she also has a JRT who is more than willing to let her chase her  does she play ball or have any thing that does move that she can chase...something on a rope or even a rope that she can tug?


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## chandres (Feb 19, 2010)

My doxie did this quite a bit up until she was a year old, but toward the end, she'd only do it to my 6 yo daughter, who is more timid than the rest of us, and would run if she thought her ankles were under attack. You're right, walking away never worked, we had to turn to face her and say "NO". When she walked away, we'd call her over and give her attention. Once my daughter got the hang of not making a mad dash for the stairs (the doxie can't go up those!), the biting was gone for good. Good luck, hope you got some info from the trainer tonight!


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## lalaperson (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm having the same issue with my puppy, except he bits at my hand too. i have little red marks all over. I was wondering if i should trying using the bitter apple spray i use so my rabbit wont chew my baseboards or cord. Has anyone tried spraying bitter spray on their hands and ankles to stop this?


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## misterW (Apr 25, 2010)

My 12 week old german shepherd can be a bit annoying w/ this sometimes, when she is in a wild mood. I wasn't sure how much energy to put into stopping it, as I expected (I hope) that she would just grow out of it anyway. Sometimes she does it hard though, so I am trying to stop that. 

What I do is try to keep an eye on her -- I can see when she gets that look in her eye. I then try to give her a discouraging noise, yelp, hey, etc. I also sometimes drag a stick and she bites that instead. Looks a little ridiculous, and I wish she would just stop altogether, but it seems to help.


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## Shruti86 (Mar 24, 2013)

Staying still and ignoring the pup is next to impossible because then the pup starts pulling on the toes and that just hurts a lot! It's quite annoying when they bite the ankles and pull your pant legs (all my gym lowers have 8 holes each by now!). My 10 week old lab does this every night and the only way I am able to deal with it is to play with him. I make him fetch. I play with three toys simultaneously because with one he will often go after it but come back without getting it and start the biting again. With three toys, I can always get my hands on one while he is fetching something else. He will always want all three toys for himself so even if he has a chewy ball (that also bounces) in his mouth, he will still go after the other toy I throw. 15 mins is all I need to make him dead tired. He will drink a lot of water and fall asleep soon after. Mssion accomplished!


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Try teaching her what you want her to do. Praise her when she doesn't go after your ankles/feet. Clicker training might help a lot here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77--cCHPyU


In the meantime continue to withdraw attention when she does go after you. Wear heavy socks or shoes so she can't hurt you during the training process. Plant your feet and stare up at the ceiling/sky. She is trying to entice you to play in her game and when you move you are doing what she wants. By withdrawing attention and not playing the game she will learn that this is not an option for play but you have to be consistent every time. 

My pup was an ankle biter and by doing these things he stopped completely by 6 months.


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## sharpei (Mar 15, 2013)

every time she nips at ankles she needs the time out treatment or redirect not just when it gets to the point its painful. if you let it happen some times she learns its ok as long as its gentle. you need to actually remove the habit completely. unfortunately for you ignoring alone may not work because the action of biting on your ankles is self rewarding. aka she enjoys it whether you interact with her or not, and eventually she gets your attention even if its negative attention she most likely finds that a reward. I would recommend time outs for absolutely every nip incident at the ankles. the time outs can be really brief just 15 seconds in the crate for going after ankles (or lacking a crate into another room with no interaction with you) but in the long run if she learns that every ankle nip equals a time out it may decrease. also when she gets into the high strung mode may be the best time for redirecting her energies into training since she seems the be into grabbing and biting, tug or fetching or a similar activity or training lesson may be the way to go . so far the nipping is getting her several things. time to tug and chew on some one she loves, attention eventually, some of it negative but it is still attention. you need to try and out reward what she gets out of ankle biting with other behaviors. I am going to assume at this point you start to get signs when she is starting to get hyper, increased activity maybe a little pre emptive chase before the biting starts (maybe there is no signs before it begins I have seen dogs go from sleeping to hyperactive in seconds) but if you do notice signs that her activity level is getting up there try some training on other things to head off the biting before it begins.


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