The Puppy Chewing/ Nipping Stage

The developmental stage of chewing and nipping in puppies can be challenging to deal with. They may chew up items around the house, like your favorite pair of shoes. Their manner of play is with their mouth, so they are constantly going at you with an open mouth. Cairn Terriers have needle sharp teeth and it's painful to get nipped or scratched. Understanding how to respond will help you get through this stage.

First of all, use puppy gates and close doors, to give your puppy a safe play space. (also protect carpet areas from potty accidents) Ensure you have puppy proofed your home by removing dangerous items that a puppy could get into, just like you would for a child. Electrical cords should be put up, small items they could choke on, etc. By removing items they have access to, you can prevent inappropriate chewing. Offer lots of toys appropriate for their size to play with and chew, and keep them busy. Use the crate as a way to safely contain them when you can't actively watch them. But ensure that you're using it appropriately for crate training. (crating 24-7 is not appropriate crate use) The best times to crate are after a good hard play session when puppy needs to nap.

Having chew toys available is also the key to redirect mouthing and nipping. Never use your hands as toys, by allowing the puppy to chase and attack your hands or feet. When puppy mouths at you during petting, redirect them to an appropriate toy. Praise them for chewing on the toy. This article gives some good advice: http://ddfl.org/behavior/pup-nip.pdf

My only thought after reading about yelping and ignoring them to reduce nipping behavior, is that in essence the puppy is learning a way to dominate you by controling your behavior. Dominant dogs in a pack nip or growl to show their dominance, and submissive members retreat or roll to their backs to show submission. Although you aren't "rolling on your back" you are retreating. For Cairn Terrier puppies that have an alpha type disposition, I wonder if this could create problems over time? Chances are, the puppy is going to outgrow the nipping stage before problems could be created, but it's something to think about if you experience this behavior beyond the puppy stage. (if a Cairn growls or snaps when you're doing something they don't like, don't retreat! Take assertive control.) The dominant one in the pack would not retreat, but would respond with assertive control. Since dominance is more of an issue in the Cairn Terrier than shyness, I would just be aware of it. I personally have not been against flipping a puppy in the nose when they come at your hand, as an immediate response. I only use it when all other attempts have been exhausted and with the right timing, puppy thinks it "ran into your finger". The same strategy is used for horses. The quote of horse trainer Clinton Anderson is "Be as light as possible, but as firm as necessary" (in speaking about horses which I apply to all areas of life). If I were another puppy, I would bite back. Same for horses, if I were another horse I'd kick, and a kick hurts a heck of a lot worse than a whack with a handy stick (tool used in training horses). Some people are mortified that you would ever "hit" a horse. But you know..... horses who are owned by people like that are dangerous when they dominate their handler! I've seen a horse that flat ran over their owner and she couldn't control him at all. Then I heard her speaking in the restroom about how another trainer had "hit" her horse and how awful it was. I wanted to say "Maam, maybe if you'd 'hit' your horse once in a while, he wouldn't run over and try to kill you!" By the way, the hitting I'm referring to is with a handy stick, a light weight long stick that is used to control space around a horse. Horses that invade your space get a quick wack which couldn't hurt them if you tried. It's just a wake up call that they must obey your personal space. So with that, I guess you can understand my matter of fact view, that if a puppy repeatedly bloodies your hand and won't be redirected, it's time to take an appropriate firmer approach. Be as light as possible, but as firm as necessary. And by firm, it is never hitting for aggression or to hurt an animal, but is taking action to control behavior as strongly as necessary.