Nipping whilst on walks

[Ozzy Boy]

Hello, I'm a new user and I wondered if anyone could help. we have just got a 4 yr old collie from the rescue centre, he is generally really well behaved apart from his tendancy to nip. he is quite agressive with it and whilst it is usually confined to other dogs whilst we are walking he does try to get at people on bikes. He has even nipped me trying to get him out of the car!

Any ideas, i love my boy and would hate for him to get himself into trouble!

 

Thanks guys

[Julia Isabella]

Well, if he did that to me, I'd giv him a big fright give him a smack or put him in time out where he knows he's being bad, he'll either never do it again and learn you are the boss, or he'll eventually begin to realise that-since he's 4 his ways are pretty set. Dogs are just like kids-if you don't dicipline, your kids will turn into little horrors then they get older and bigger and become big horrors that become uncontrollable....see what I'm getting at?

[laurie etc]

Ozzy boy- if you can give us a little more history on you dog, it would make it easier to answer this. Is he making contact (bruising or scratching the skin) when nipping, breaking the skin, or just "air snapping" without contact? How long have you had him? What have you tried so far to stop the problem? Does he only nip at things moving past, or does he nip at stationary dogs or people? Does he seem hostile or fearful, or is he "play nipping"? Anything else you can describe would also be helpful.

[Ozzy Boy]

Hi guys, thanks for responding

 

When he nips he does make contact but just tends toleave a deep indent in the skin which bruises but doesn't actually break the skin. He does only nip when he means it and is thus quite agressive with it.

we have had him since christmas and he does know whos boss in all instances but this. As far as i know he was sent to the rescue centre because there was a dog at his previous home which was intimidating him.

Movement and baing too crowded or in an enclosed space seems to be the biggest problems although he occasionally does just turn on a dog that he was sniffing nicely in open space.

 

Again any help would be great, thanks

[chad]

Sounds like he's loose when he does this? Try taking him for walks on a leash which will do 2 things: 1) de-sensitize him to situations where there's lots of movement and crowding; 2) you can give him a bit of a yank on the leash to correct if he makes a lunge at someone/something.

 

Turning on a dog that is "just sniffing" may be dominance competition. Who knows what communication passes between dogs? Just separate 'em and move on.

[laurie etc]

Ozzy - I would have him checked by a vet to make sure there isn't anything physically wrong cuasing the reaction (eyesight, pain, thyroid come to mind), but he sounds like a good candiate for a behaviorist to evaluate. Maybe the "story" about why he was given up isn't totally accurate. However, a dog who is over reacting in tight spaces, and also randomly, should be evaluated in person, not just over the internet. If he is biting aggressively, enough to deeply bruise, he could progress to breaking the skin (especially if the person/dog being bitten pulls back, reacts back, or has fragile skin). I'm not sure what you mean by "he knows who the boss is", or he would not be biting you for a simple request, he would comply. I would be spending alot of time hand feeding this dog, and using the "Nothing in Life is Free" system, until I was sure he really knows "who's boss" all the time. ALso, I would not being taking him out in public where he has the oportunity to cause a problem until it's under control at home.