Advice Please! - Our Pup

[snickers]

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We recently got our lovely 8 week old Whippet Dog, having not had a pup in our family before we didnt really know what to expect.

On the whole he is pretty well behaved (goes out to do his business, eating up, doest cry to much etc.) but there are 2 problems and we dont want him to get into bad habits with them.

1) Obviously as a pup he wants to play (has his mad 1/2 hours) we give him the attention and throw his toy (rope toy), but he persists in nipping clothes and trouser legs as well as face and hand if you get to close (wont stop when given a firm NO!!!). We dont mind but dont want him to get into a bad habit. Any suggestions ?????

2) Whenever he goes outside he just wants to chew everything and has eaten plenty of GRASS and the odd TWIG / SMALL STONE, obviously he is that boistrous he his hard to stop. We are worried about health issues with him.

We would appreciate any advice on the above 2 points

Thanks

 

[affieluver]

hi and welcome at 8 weeks your pup is still very young so please be patient as he is going to test the boundries as regards to the nipping as soon as he trys stand up and turn your back on him and ignore him as soon as he is calm reward him they soon learn whats acceptable and what is not i found this worked better than shouting ouch but others may give you other advice that worked for them and give him something hard to chew on as he will soon start teething

welcome to the world of whippets unfortunately they are little hoovers and want to be into everything its just one of those things you will have to put up with im afraid im forever taking things out of islas mouth and she is nearly 5 months old they do get out of it eventually

above all just be patient these things will sort themselves out in time providing you are firm and fair with your puppy so he knows where he is in the pack good luck with him he sounds like a typical little whippet to me :thumbsup:

 

[FifeJillandIan]

Hi and welcome to K9. A good way to deal with the nipping is to let out a loud, high pitched yelp when he does it - it's the way he will have learned how far he could take it with his litter mates. On the plus side, it is a positive thing for a puppy to bite like this as it gives them the chance to learn bite inhibition which will last a lifetime. At first just yelp for the sore bites, then as time goes on you can yelp for softer bites and clothes and the puppy will think - what delicate things these people are, I really need to be gentle with them :lol:

If yelping doesn't stop him then I agree that just turning away and stopping the play will also get the message across.

Good luck with your pup and it would be great to see some photos

 

[Whippets Rule]

whenever he is picking up stuff in the garden, just go over to him and offer him a nice alternative safe toy to play with and take away the stick etc or offer a tiny food treat in exchange for the contraband.

this is also effective with nipping, just offer him something else to chomp on.

 

[snickers]

Thanks for the quick replys

What about eating grass/weeds can they harm him ??? Got conifers round the garden ?

Will try and upload some pics later but says file is larger than space available, will definately try the yelping when he nips

 

[Esty]

There are a few plants that are toxic to dogs but to reassure you, I reckon mine have chewed every single plant in my garden at one point or another and they are alright! Don't let them near yew, rhododendrons, foxgloves, daffodil/ hyacinth bulbs, lily of the valley, larkspur. There are others but not common (put 'plants poisonous dogs' in google for a good list.)

Mine have also eaten chewing gum, birdseed, catfood, yoghurt pots, shoes, cushions, walls (down to the plaster!), crisp packets and the worst one that they seem to find every day from somewhere, plastic plant pots. I have eyes in the back of my head (from having kids but the whippets still manage to get something every day that they shouldn't have. Especially if it's fluffy and not theirs.

Mine are 8 months now and have stopped nipping - they 'mouth' when they get excited when we come in but that's about it. Nipping stops (if you are consistent about telling them it's not on) when they have their adult teeth.

Good luck and put some piccies on

 

[snickers]

Heres a few pics of him, all innocent when hes asleep...............

 

[Julie D]

OMG he's sooo cute ! is he chocolate or is that a mobile pic ?

 

[jayp]

Aww he is seriously scrummy :wub: :wub:

 

[bertha]

He's a blue boy!!!!!!!!!!! You have to take it one day at a time, firm but kind. Don't let him get so excited he can't stop! This is when pups get carried away and don't know when to stop, you have to control his play. As long as ALL your family use the same commands, ie, NO, STOP, COME HERE, etc., you can't go wrong.

Ask your vet about puppy classes, get him trained properly and you will have a well behaved little whippet.

Good luck.

:cheers:

 

[snickers]

At the vets on thursday, hes been out in the car several times already with no problems, the vets my be another matter )

He is BLACK, with two small socks of white on his back paws, a white chin and small white 'V' on his chest, and we have named him McCOY....................

Hes just bounded around the garden chewed some conifers and grass and is tucked up in his basket for NOW !!!!!

 

[pat cope]

He is lovely. Make the most of him, they grow up so fast.

 

[kirsty]

Awww he is a little sweetie :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

[teachtrinity]

He is well cute, enjoy puppyhood, they do grow up too quickly

 

[FifeJillandIan]

McCoy is gorgeous :wub: