# 8mth Cockapoo biting



## TheLeonards (Sep 3, 2014)

We have a female 8mth cockapoo. She is generally ok, however, she does tend to nip/bite and i feel she has now got beyond the puppy nipping stage and it has become behavioural.

She is particularly bad at night.

If she bites, we do the 'ouch' noise/ remove from room techniques etc.

When playing she has toys to 'bite', we don't encourage tug-of-war.

She gets walked everyday.

We also have an issue with her trying to jump on the sofa - we firmly say off, but she does not respond. When we try to get her off she will try to nip. 

Thoughts !


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## Mutt (May 19, 2014)

If you feel that the nipping has gone beyond puppy stage, I would enlist the help of a trained behaviourist who can assess your dog & help you overcome these issues. 

For the getting off the sofa, does she have a favourite toy she likes to fetch/play with? I would maybe throw/play with the toy with her & when she gets off the sofa, give her the 'off' command, so when she gets off, she gets a good thing but your fingers stay well away from her teeth. Kind of swapping the sofa for a toy!


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Teddy our cockapoo is now 1 year old. He was terrible for nipping and biting as a puppy, but by 8 months he had stopped doing it as much and now only does it in excitement just initially greeting etc, but it isn't serious.
We distracted with toys and I actually encouraged tug of war as it encouraged him to hold onto the thing we wanted him to play with i.e. a toy. 
Walking out the room is a good idea if she gets too much - just go out for two mins, then go back in calmly and sit down. Reward calm behaviour and ignore bad behaviour or go out the room again.
We allow ours on the sofa with the proviso they get off if asked to. I use a specific command 'off' and Amber (Retriever) understands this without being rewarded, but in the beginning, I'd use a treat to reward her for coming off and she'll associate being on the floor is a good place to be.
How long is she walked? Teddy gets an hour's walk once a day and a round the block in the evening. If she appears bored in the house, I would introduce some fun mental games like hiding treats in the room and let her come in and find the treats. This will engage her brain in doing something and will stop the nipping. Play games like which cup has the treat under it etc.


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## Hopeattheendofthetunnel (Jun 26, 2013)

TheLeonards said:


> We have a female 8mth cockapoo. She is generally ok, however, she does tend to nip/bite and i feel she has now got beyond the puppy nipping stage and it has become behavioural.
> 
> She is particularly bad at night.
> 
> ...


I don't know your pup, but even so I am highly dubious that her mouthing is a "behavioural" issue.

To me it sounds like a communication failure issue btw. 2 species. Whereby she has failed to understand what you aimed to convey. Which is not to bite. Or not to bite so hard that it hurts the party without protective fur.

The same goes with the furniture jumping. Nothing wrong with the word "off" but evidently she is left clueless what this word actually means. To YOU. To her it is just a random noise. Try saying "Paris" or "Rome" instead....her reaction will be the same.

Your post doesn't say whether there are consequences for a particular behaviour. Do you reward her with instant praise and/or hard rewards if she gets it right on occasion? MAJORLY important feedback! Can be a big smile, a quick belly rub and a "good girl"...or doling out the REALLY good stuff (e.g. cheese, piece of roast chicken, a shortbread biscuit, something she is truly wild about).

Similarly, do you give her any feedback on what isn't ok or hurts? Not much point in continuing to simply say "ouch" if the dog ignores it due to lack of comprehension. Just as you combine the desired action with feedback that she got it spot-on, combine the unwanted action with a consequence which makes her understand she missed the mark and got it wrong. Say "ouch" and if she doesn't reduce the pressure of her sparkly teeth instantly, turn on your heel and leave. Shutting the door behind you. Time out for her ( but keep it BRIEF. Leaving her for 1 minute is enough, an hour isn't better nor necessary).

The sofa jumping I'd approach differently. Via clicker and an alternative behaviour at the end. Are you familiar with clickers?


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## Hopeattheendofthetunnel (Jun 26, 2013)

TheLeonards said:


> We have a female 8mth cockapoo. She is generally ok, however, she does tend to nip/bite and i feel she has now got beyond the puppy nipping stage and it has become behavioural.
> 
> She is particularly bad at night.
> 
> ...


I don't know your pup, but even so I am highly dubious that her mouthing is a "behavioural" issue.

To me it sounds like a communication failure issue btw. 2 species. Whereby she has failed to understand what you aimed to convey. Which is not to bite. Or not to bite so hard that it hurts the party without protective fur.

The same goes with the furniture jumping. Nothing wrong with the word "off" but evidently she is left clueless what this word actually means. To YOU. To her it is just a random noise. Try saying "Paris" or "Rome" instead....her reaction will be the same.

Your post doesn't say whether there are consequences for a particular behaviour. Do you reward her with instant praise and/or hard rewards if she gets it right on occasion? MAJORLY important feedback! Can be a big smile, a quick belly rub and a "good girl"...or doling out the REALLY good stuff (e.g. cheese, piece of roast chicken, a shortbread biscuit, something she is truly wild about).

Similarly, do you give her any feedback on what isn't ok or hurts? Not much point in continuing to simply say "ouch" if the dog ignores it due to lack of comprehension. Just as you combine the desired action with feedback that she got it spot-on, combine the unwanted action with a consequence which makes her understand she missed the mark and got it wrong. Say "ouch" and if she doesn't reduce the pressure of her sparkly teeth instantly, turn on your heel and leave. Shutting the door behind you. Time out for her ( but keep it BRIEF. Leaving her for 1 minute is enough, an hour isn't better nor necessary).

The sofa jumping I'd approach differently. Via clicker and an alternative behaviour at the end. Are you familiar with clickers?


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## Hopeattheendofthetunnel (Jun 26, 2013)

TheLeonards said:


> We have a female 8mth cockapoo. She is generally ok, however, she does tend to nip/bite and i feel she has now got beyond the puppy nipping stage and it has become behavioural.
> 
> She is particularly bad at night.
> 
> ...


I don't know your pup, but even so I am highly dubious that her mouthing is a "behavioural" issue.

To me it sounds like a communication failure issue btw. 2 species. Whereby she has failed to understand what you aimed to convey. Which is not to bite. Or not to bite so hard that it hurts the party without protective fur.

The same goes with the furniture jumping. Nothing wrong with the word "off" but evidently she is left clueless what this word actually means. To YOU. To her it is just a random noise. Try saying "Paris" or "Rome" instead....her reaction will be the same.

Your post doesn't say whether there are consequences for a particular behaviour. Do you reward her with instant praise and/or hard rewards if she gets it right on occasion? MAJORLY important feedback! Can be a big smile, a quick belly rub and a "good girl"...or doling out the REALLY good stuff (e.g. cheese, piece of roast chicken, a shortbread biscuit, something she is truly wild about).

Similarly, do you give her any feedback on what isn't ok or hurts? Not much point in continuing to simply say "ouch" if the dog ignores it due to lack of comprehension. Just as you combine the desired action with feedback that she got it spot-on, combine the unwanted action with a consequence which makes her understand she missed the mark and got it wrong. Say "ouch" and if she doesn't reduce the pressure of her sparkly teeth instantly, turn on your heel and leave. Shutting the door behind you. Time out for her ( but keep it BRIEF. Leaving her for 1 minute is enough, an hour isn't better nor necessary).

The sofa jumping I'd approach differently. Via clicker and an alternative behaviour at the end. Are you familiar with clickers?


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