5 month akita-biting/nibbling-is it cos he is teething?

Comments

• BradA1878

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Akita are VERY mouthy, all [4] of our Akita nibble and mouth us [now or in the past]. You have to be consistent with your "no mouth/bite" training and know that they do grow out of it.
  
  There are lots of suggested methods to reduce your dog's tendency to mouth you - one of the main ones is to yelp like a puppy every time they touch you with their mouth. I think that is a mildly successful way to train them not to mouth you. For our Akita a simple "no" works, tho they are still rather mouthy... but Lani was too and has grown out of it, she is over a year now.
  
  Yes, also, 4 - 6 months is teething time so that will add to their mouthiness.
  
  It concerns me that you feel his teeth have gotten sharper, do you think his adult teeth are sharper than his baby teeth?
  
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• antheab

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Thanks for your advice brad and we will give the puppy yelp a go. Perhaps its not that his teeth are sharper but more a case of his bite getting stronger (as in more pressure applied). The vet says he only has one baby tooth left (which may need removing). To be honest we could live with the biting its just that he loves people (and gets sooooooo much attention when we take him out), we are more concerned about other people misinterpreting what he is doing. The funny thing is when he is with children (who adore him!) he doesnt seem to nibble/bite!
• sujewel

  January 2009 edited November -1

  When Mika was teething, she didn't want anything in her mouth but ice. Mika was very mouthy in her youth. But she outgrew it completely by the age of 2. She'll occasionally get obsessive about licking, but not very often.
  
  Keigo is fairly mouthy, but he never bites down. He's definitely gotten better over the years.
  
  In any case, I agree with Brad, the puppy yelp is a good way to go. Like Brad, a simple 'no' does the trick now that the dogs are older. As pups, I did notice a difference in response to my husbands yelp vs. my own yelp with my boy, Keigo. Keigo will just kind of look at Kurt after he yelped while continuing to mouth Kurt. Kurt's yelp was really soft and sweet. I startled Keigo more with a sharper/louder yelp which was very effective.
  
  With Mika, she would release after either of our yelps.
• antheab

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Thanks sujewel. Sounds like the "yelp" is the way to go. Its reassuring to know it is normal. As this is the first dog we have ever had from a pup we were worried that it was some sort of bad habit that we were not discouraging/or encouraging, if you know what I mean. Simba also seems to have a bit of a thing for jewelry- rings/watches/bracelets/necklaces. No one is safe with a scarf or gloves either!
• Zinja

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Take a look at my thread on my Shiba Inu. He is going through the same problem, and the community already gave me excellent suggestions. Let me know if you figure out any tricks, and I'll let you know the same!
  
  Link
• sujewel

  January 2009 edited November -1

  It is a good idea to puppy proof your home. Keep anything small, breakable or dangerous out of reach or locked away in a closet. Some dogs are able to open kitchen cabinet doors, so consider child safety locks. Also clean up your electrical cords. Mika was very happy to chew our very expensive speaker wires.
• antheab

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Thanks for the really good advice. Been offline for a while due to a virus which killed the computer!The yelp does work. He is a lot more gentle or resorts to a lick. Hopefully we will get to where he stops doing it all the time. Its more when he gets excited and he does tug on clothes and we have even had a few buttock nips!
  
  We have definitely learn't about puppy proofing the home now sujewel. He has a thing about mobiles, all wires, books, my contact lens case and its a struggle to now find 2 matching shoes. He has his "den" under the stairs and its hilarious what we find there, perhaps he is part squirrel !
• StaticNfuzz

  January 2009 edited November -1

  I would keep toys near by and when he mouths your wrist or wherever stuff a "ropy" or other items in his mouth as replacement. Puppy proofing is essential by chance he should he decide to swallow some unusual item. The surgery can be really expensive. I know a friends wolf hound who swallowed a watch and an entire shoe. It cost $1500 in surgery that was two years ago so I am sure the costs are much more now.
  
  My shibas know how to open all cabinet doors, crates, twist the lever on some types of door handles so there are clips and locks on everything. My one shiba knows how to pop open the kibble bin too. So better safe than sorry and never underestimate a dog when they are determined. My dogs watch what we do. I was at the vet and one dog was getting her blood work done the other happened to get in their office drawer to steal granola bars so
  what can I say.....watch them like a hawk!
  
  Snf