Expert: Delores Beck - 4/28/2009

Question
hi how can i stop my cocker bitch lady 6 months old from biting its not hard biting and she seems to do it all the time when groomed or even stroked i try to ignore her when she does it or pick up 1 of her toys to get her to play instead nothing just more of the same any tips

Answer
She's probably teething.  But don't ignore it.  This is the time she learns never to put her teeth on a person.

At six months she should know what the word NO means and if she's not obeying/stopping then a "bit" of unpleasantness has to follow.  By ignoring it, you're telling her it's okay.

Get a few plastic spray bottles filled with water..on "spray/mist" not a stream of water.  Say NO and if she doesn't stop, spritz her in the face.

Dogs just hate this.  And obviously you have to have a bottle within reach - it won't help if you're in the living room and the bottle is in the kitchen.

Try that and if she's still at it - let me know because I have other tricks for rowdy puppies :)
Delores