Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Doberman Maya is 5 months old and generally a good girl. She has lately started trying to gnaw on my hands when she sits by me on the couch. This has progressed to her trying very hard to get to my hands. I've tried time outs, ignoring her, yipping when her teeth make contact, giving her a toy, and my husband started spraying her side with a water bottle to make her stop, none of which have worked well. We have even tried teaching her the command close your mouth, which she will do when calm, but not when she is excited. She doesn't bite hard unless she is really excited, but I don't want to encourage this behavior. Those teeth are still sharp even when she is just gnawing. My husband and I are the only ones she does this to. If I stand up when she does it, she immediately goes into a submissive pose and I tell her no biting, but as soon as I sit back down, she tries to go right back to biting me. Any suggestions?

This is one of those problems that many encounter and each dog is different on the best effective methods for correction.

I think a "time out" is in order for a dog that isn't getting the idea clearly that you are not a chew toy. It doesn't have to be long, just a few minutes, but if you do thie EVERY time at the first moment she makes contact with your hands, then she'll get the idea fairly quick.

Quite honestly- I hope not to come off too blunt here, but I may- don't give her access to your hands to chew. Tuck your hands under your arm pits if you have to. They are not appropriate chew toys. If she's digging at you to get at your hands then she's done this behavior far too long and it's become a habit. Put out a bin of various types of chew items: bully sticks, pressed rawhide, Nylah bones, Boodah Velvets, Greenies, all are good for chewing with supervision. When she can no longer get to your hands, she'll be forced to find something new. Bring her to her bin and treat her for getting an appropriate item out. It's so much easier to show our dogs what we want them to do instead of what we don't want them to do. Reward lavishly when she is chewing her own toys. It will save your hands and set those pesky molars.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles