# Jumping and Nipping Before Potty



## AnnieGirl (Jun 13, 2011)

My husband and I just adopted a mini poodle mix this past December. We believe he's currently around 9 months old. We are having issues with him jumping up and nipping at our clothes when we take him out of his pen to go potty. This is when we first arrive home from work or just being out for around three hours. I can't ignore him when he's doing it because I know I need to get him outside as quickly as possible to go to the bathroom. He's already put holes into two of my favorite shirts. How would you go about getting him to stop this behavior? Thank you for the help.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

He is excited and overwhelmed with happinness to see you, and many poodles get mouthy when they are excited. I've found letting Poppy get close to my face helps - that is what she really wants, so if I get down far enough for her to snuffle my ear that often satisfies her. With such a young pup, I think I'd try a tug toy - one of those floppy fabric ones. If you make a game of tug with it a happy game you play at other times, it should not take long to build it into your greeting ritual, and it would enable him to let off steam without you needing to replace your wardrobe!

Meanwhile I'd also teach Gently! or some other cue to discourage nipping altogether - is he gentle when taking treats and playing? If he gets a bit careless when playing, pausing the game briefly until he remembers his manners is a good way of teaching impulse control - similarly, treats get withdrawn from dogs that grab with their teeth!


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

This could be excitement peeing. He is too excited to see you and peed unconciously. Charlie does this excitement peeing all the time until he is around 11 months. But his excitement continues and getting more and more excited when he sees me or DH comes home from work sans the pee part. As soon as I got home, I will have to lower my head low enough for him to lick my face all over, he enjoys my nose for some reason. This usually enough to get him to calm down. Once he calm down, he'll grab a toy and want to play the tug. This is our routine. Lol.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*AnnieGirl*: I just want you to know I well remember those days with Chagall as a young pup. He was so excited to see me and be released from his crate, and SO mouthy! Not one who enjoys mending her clothes to begin with, I pretty much did as* fjm *suggested with regard to offering him a small toy to occupy his mouth. I also dropped a few pieces of treats on the floor so he'd look down to gobble them up and I could at least get the leash and collar on him without him putting his little shark teeth on me and holes in my clothes. Though at times he was simply too excited to even eat them.

I could see he was just so over-threshold with excitement it was as though his own mouth was not under his control. (Been that way myself at times!) I had to work at staying very calm and not showing my annoyance and frustration (a work in progress, always!) so as not to amp him up further. 

It is so hard to be a young pup, living among another species that has the authority and all these "crazy" (to the pup at least) rules. But he wants so badly to interact with you and that will be the basis of your training success with him as he grows. One suggestion; literally roll up your sleeves or toss an old long-sleeve sweatshirt over your clothes before liberating him from his crate. That's what I wound up doing, to save some wear and tear on us both. I looked like street person, but he did not much care. He was over-the-moon happy to see me and be released from his crate all the same.

It gets better, and easier, I promise. But heads up, doggy adolescence follows!


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## AnnieGirl (Jun 13, 2011)

Thank you for the tips. Rasko is a cutie and so full of energy. Joelly, he's not peeing when he sees me. He just jumps and nips when I let him out of his crate to go outside to potty. fjm, that is a good idea with a toy. He has a squeaky toy snake that he loves to tug on. The problem is that I'm trying to focus on getting him outside. I will start teaching him gently. I think that may help. Chagall's Mom, that is exactly what is going on with Rasko. He's so excited. Dropping a few treats is a great idea too. He loves treats!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

He sounds lovely - a bouncy, loving, fun-filled pup! Perhaps you could use the snake to steer him towards the door, and clip the lead on as you get there.


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## MaryLynn (Sep 8, 2012)

At 9 months old, he can most likely hold it for 15 minutes longer.

You want the level of excitement to go down, as well as the behaviors (which you have been given great advice above).

When you come in, do 15 minutes of no-look, no-touch, no-speak. It might take a little less time than this, since poodles are pretty smart. Then quietly try to get him leashed up to go outside. Practice some "crate games" style activities to teach him that when you approach the pen/crate that he is to sit, or lay at the back and not attempt to bolt when he gets out. You want him to know that you give attention on your terms, and then leaving/entering the home is not a gong show.

Once a puppy turns into wiggly crazy puppy, it can be really, really difficult to get their attention back, especially because talking to them, eye contact, and all of these attentions that they've been missing can just urge them on and reinforce the behavior. This is why it will be really important to establish some pen exit/entry manners.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*AnnieGirl*: Helping Rasko learn impulse control should prove helpful too. I had great success using the method shown in this video. I found it fun to do, too!


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## AnnieGirl (Jun 13, 2011)

Thank you for the wonderful tips. They will really help. I love the people on this forum. They are always ready to help.


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## WillyBilly (Jan 8, 2013)

Great film clip. I will be doing this beginning today. 


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