Help! My Dog Nips!

Yesterday I received a frantic email from a student:

"Help! My dog nipped at my son! I have to get rid of the dog now and I am so distraught!"

Naturally, your children are always going to come before the family pet. If this is not the case, a family counselor is needed, not a dog trainer. However there is an unspoken and (unfortunately) unwritten agreement that comes into play when you adopt a dog. Part of this agreement says that you are accepting this dog into your home permanently and understand that, like people, dogs are not perfect. There will be issues, and no matter how small or large the issue, you are accepting responsibility for them. They are officially part of your family.

In this way, kids are like dogs. Just because they stay out until 3am worrying you sick doesn't mean you get to drop them off somewhere the next day. If that were the case, I might consider having some of my own. The point is, nowhere in this agreement is there an Offload Clause wherein it states that you can dump the dog in someone else's backyard the moment they start acting like a dog. Dogs, like children, are not disposable. The right thing to do here is try to work through the issue, not give up entirely on the dog. If you feel differently, you may want to consider adopting a surer thing, like a fish. I hear that Goldfish never bite.

The truth is, no matter how sweet, cuddly, docile, or smart your domesticated pooch is, dogs are animals; and this kind of animal is born with sharp teeth that are perfectly tailored for ripping flesh from bones. Yes, even precious Foofookins, the cottony white malti-poo would be tearing bloody flesh from a dead zebra if she were left to her own devices. Thankfully you bought her that cute little pink dish from which she can delicately nibble her kibbles... and you live nowhere near zebras.

When bringing one of these carnivores into your home, you should prepare yourself for the possibility that your dog may try to use those teeth for intimidation or defense. Educate yourself on how to react in such a case to address the issue before a nip turns into a bite. A nip is a warning. Trust that if your dog actually wanted to bite you, he wouldn't miss. If nipping is not addressed, the dog recognizes the power of his teeth and will use it whenever it is convenient.

The first step in addressing any kind of unwanted behavior is figuring out why it has taken place.

If Timmy is pulling his tail and hurting the dog, I would say a nip was a smart reaction for the dog to take before he was forced to fully defend himself. I would also say that Timmy is the one in need of training, otherwise he may someday lose an eye. However if Timmy is casually walking by the dog and the dog lashes out, there is definitely something a muck. Before you act, take a deep breath, look around, and find the cause. Without knowing the reason, you cannot not address the problem and you could make it worse. Here are a few questions you can ask to help identify possible causes:

• Does the dog have his favorite toy?
  
• Does he have food of any kind?
  
• Is he protecting something like his bed?
  
• Is he wounded or sick?
  
• Is he scared of something like a rain storm or a stranger?
  
• Is he on or near his favorite person?
  
• Does he bark or nip in response to verbal reprimand or correction?
• Did the nip occur during play?
  

The exercises involved in getting your dog over food aggression are far different from the techniques you might use to address nipping in response to a correction. Sometimes dogs react irrationally when they do not feel well, but you would not want to punish your dog because he is sick and moody. Obviously, a trip to the vet would be a better option. So take care in noticing what your dog's motives are so you can fix the problem instead of make it worse.

If you can't figure out the cause on your own, contact a qualified dog trainer or behaviorist to help (there's no universal certification, so check references!). For anywhere from $50 to $100 a trainer can help you assess the situation and give specific guidance on how to react. Experience goes a long way, and a trainer can often identify the more subtle reasons for a dog's actions such as breed specific behaviors. For instance, Border Collies often nip out of innate response because they are herding dogs.

If it sounds like a lot of effort or money to spend, consider the time, money and emotion that you have already invested in your pet. Comparatively, if $100 still sounds like too much, you should definitely reconsider adopting that fish.