# Puppy Attacking my Trousers!!



## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

My puppy, Ringo, goes for my trousers, and I've read in a million books that this, and all the nipping and mouthing etc is normal, and I've been squealing like a puppy when it happens and saying no... It's not improving, but it's only been a few weeks and this sounds like a long problem. I just have a couple of other questions.

He goes for my trouser legs at some point, daily. Sometimes when I'm standing still and sometimes when I'm walking along. All my books and on here say that it's normal, and to say "NO!" or squeal like a puppy and turn away and stand still, no eye contact. Just want to check that it's ok to leave him growling and attached to my trousers whilst I do this!! A couple of times, I tried to get him off them and he managed to draw blood by getting me mixed up with my trousers, but if I stand still he still carries on fighting my trouser legs! Is this just normal play biting still? Is this the right thing to do?

Should I try and distract him with a toy and praise him when he lets go of the trousers? He doesn't go for my boyfriends trousers as much...but I think mine are baggier at the bottom...or maybe I look like an easy target!!

Help!!
Naomi xx

PS: I know I could just wear skirts ... :lol:g.


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## kaisa624 (Mar 5, 2010)

Holly never attacked trousers, however would be very mouthy with hands etc. We used to say "uhuh!" or "oi!" to interrupt her, if that didn't work, we would poke her just behind her front legs and it would startle her and she would pause, when she paused we would praise her


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## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep going, it's just hard to ignore when he's attached to your legs and I can't get him off without making him excited so he gets my hands/arms etc. I am working on the "off" command, but we're not there yet. We think he's 12ish weeks old. He has managed to bite through my jeans too, and it's hard because I have never had a puppy before and it's worrying me as I don't know what would be normal puppy behaviour and would would be genuinely aggressive behaviours!!

It's funny, I've read every book I can find about dogs and puppies, watched every tv programme, could tell you in detail about every breed etc...and am basically dog-obsessed. I have been researching, planning and preparing for a dog since I was about 8 (I'm now nearly 27) but once Ringo arrived I realised just exactly how little I know, if that makes sense, think there are just some things that have to be done before you can know about them.

Can't wait until the second vaccination is done so I can take him out without carrying him and we can go to puppy class.

Naomi


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## ploddingon (Jun 15, 2010)

My pup (16 weeks) still attacks trousers, skirts, dressing gowns and anything else I happen to be wearing, although it is getting less now than it used to be.

He also used to have a fetish for shoes and slippers and would attack them to - even if my feet were in them!, but thats settling slowly too.

I just stand still now and shout 'NO' and he stops, although sometimes starts again as soon as I move again!

Aah, the joys of owning a puppy


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Probably the best way is to keep a lot of puppy toys handy, and every time he does something like this, distract him and put a toy in his mouth instead, and have a little game. That way he learns what is OK to chew/bite/mouth and what is not. You could keep a small tuggy in your pocket simply for that purpose.


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## LisaLQ (Dec 19, 2009)

Yep - you need to teach him the alternative, eg say "No" and when he stops, give him a chew toy. He'll soon learn to go straight to the toy.

Best to get started with that, as he'll be teething soon. :thumbup:


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## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

Thanks everyone, that's sort of what I've been doing...I just wanted a bit of reassurance that I was doing the right thing. Doesn't feel like it sometimes when I've got a dog attached to my trousers and I know it seems like every single puppy owner asks if this is normal...and the answer is always yes, but I appreciate the replies - I was starting to wonder if it was. If an adult dog behaved this way, it would be wholly unacceptable - and I was having a panic that I was accepting behaviour which wasn't ok, the books don't mention the bruises and the dogs swinging from your clothing!
Thanks again...(and I love Ringo to bits and so badly want to do this right).
Naomi x


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

Several different approaches:

-first management: prevent him from doing it so identify specific triggers if possible and confine him with something yummy to chew if its likely to get him going e.g. kids running around

-redirect: have little bowls of puppy treats all over the house and if you plan to move toss a few in the opposite direction. This I find is better than a toy as puppy soon learns that when you are about to move its best to be prepare (away from you) to catch yummies. This will keep arousal lower than high energy game. But a tug toy is a great redirector in emergencies and just so you can free your leg/s!

-teach alternative, incompatible behaviour: targeting a mat and lying down is useful in countless situations but he can't be pulling trousers if he is lying on his mat! First teach him to lie on his mat without the distraction of your trousers so start off simply. Here is more on that: Calming Exercises for Cerrrraaaazzzzzy Canines: settle & mat work « pawsitive dogs
Then start by standing up beside his mat and ask him to target it. Then one step away and so on. If you can get him onto the mat from the other side of the room then you can start asking him while on the move (verrry tempting for the trouser chaser). 
Here is a clip of teaching an ankle chasing kitten to target a mat: Canis Film Festival

Use the squealing etc. for mouth to human skin stuff to teach bite inhibition.

If he is persistant and not heeding requests a brief time-out may be needed (to be used sparingly!) to help him calm down. If he does it, you ask for alternative behaviour (at a level you know he can achieve) and he doesn't comply say 'uh-oh' calmly and then remove him from the room for no more than 20 seconds.

Best of luck


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## Mama Sass (Sep 8, 2009)

Basil constantly went for the trousers early on, it was a nightmare! And he really only went for mine, which made it more frustrating!

We taught the 'off' command quite early on but he did not always respond it has to be said!! What worked for us in the end was just stopping dead, saying 'off!' and only moving again when he had let go...the fun is in the chase and the movement and as soon as it became boring he would let go. 

Sometimes it would take me 10 minutes just get across the living room as every step I took he would go for them again! :lol: But doing it consistently worked really well and he soon realised that doing it got him no attention at all. He had grown out of it by the time he was about three months old but it was a nightmare whilst it was going on so I do sympathise!


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## RAINYBOW (Aug 27, 2009)

Oscar was aterrible trouser terrorist.

In the end i found time out was the best way of dealing with it. I found the squealing heightened Oscars excitement.

It is an age and stage thing though so just keep on reinforcing that its not ok.


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## joanna1984 (Jun 14, 2010)

Hello, I might be a bit new to give advice but my pup used to hang off trousers, slippers, towels, anything hanging really. The best way i found was to use a short sharp noise like er, but short and to the point (as if to say 'what the hell are you doing') when i got his attention i would tell him firmly NO'. Either me telling him worked, or he found something better to do! 
I know I've not really helped but i think just knowing other people have the same problems helps in itself.
Good luck, Jo x


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

They are all different and what works for one isnt always successful with another. For me distraction was always the key. "No" or squealing didnt do a thing so I would grab a favourite toy and instigate a fun game. Eventually she clicked that doing the undesired didnt achieve anything. As she has got older I have had a lot more success with "no" and sometimes teaching "sit" and "stay" can stop something you dont want them doing.

Hope you managed to find something amongst all the suggestions that will work for you. Just a case of getting to know what works for you both :thumbup:


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## Matrix/Logan (May 7, 2009)

missnaomi said:


> My puppy, Ringo, goes for my trousers, and I've read in a million books that this, and all the nipping and mouthing etc is normal, and I've been squealing like a puppy when it happens and saying no... It's not improving, but it's only been a few weeks and this sounds like a long problem. I just have a couple of other questions.
> 
> He goes for my trouser legs at some point, daily. Sometimes when I'm standing still and sometimes when I'm walking along. All my books and on here say that it's normal, and to say "NO!" or squeal like a puppy and turn away and stand still, no eye contact. Just want to check that it's ok to leave him growling and attached to my trousers whilst I do this!! A couple of times, I tried to get him off them and he managed to draw blood by getting me mixed up with my trousers, but if I stand still he still carries on fighting my trouser legs! Is this just normal play biting still? Is this the right thing to do?
> 
> ...


Blade was a trouser grabber! LOL ..... we just always had a toy in out pocket and a few treats, if you sqeak the toy to distract the behaviour when he is doing it then give a treat for him letting go they soon learn not to bother but to sit nicely and look at your pockets in the hope of getting a treat for being good and looking angelic!! :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

I'm trying the standing still and distraction techniques...standing still isn't that good as Ringo appears to really enjoy playing with stationary trousers...but distraction seems to work a bit better. I'll keep persevering!

Mama Sass - what sort of dog is Basil? He's really similar in appearance to Ringo!! 

Naomi x


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