# spray bottles



## Mr & Mrs Kirkley (Mar 9, 2012)

Has anyone tried using spray bottles to stop a puppy from biting? I'm not talking about puppies chewing things they shouldn't. That's solved by redirecting and giving them something they can chew. I mean squirting only when the puppy bites the owner or bites and pulls on clothes the owner is wearing. Did it work? I tried that earlier today and it seemed to lessen the biting, but then my puppy started barking, growling at, and trying to bite the squirt bottle. Is it normal for puppies to react that way if they get squirted for biting?


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

That sounds like a fun game for a puppy--bite the water coming out of the squirt bottle! 

What works is to always carry a toy and give the pup the toy every time she bites. Then praise her for taking the toy and reward her by playing with her with the toy. Then teach her the command, "Get your toy." This has worked for all of the puppies I've raised as well as some adult dogs with poor manners!


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## Chance&Reno (Feb 21, 2012)

If you spray the dog in the face with a spray bottle, the dog will associate the displeasure with YOU, not the biting. 
The only way a spray bottle will work is if the dog doesn't know it's you squirting, you have to be a squirt bottle ninja!

Tell your dog to "Stop", if he doesn't immediately stop, walk away from him. It's THAT simple. He will understand that nipping you makes you leave. His intention is to get your attention so take the attention away. Telling him over and over and over again just raises your frustrations which will make him nip harder and more frequently. Good attention and bad attention are reinforcers.


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## Mr & Mrs Kirkley (Mar 9, 2012)

BowWowMeow said:


> That sounds like a fun game for a puppy--bite the water coming out of the squirt bottle!
> 
> What works is to always carry a toy and give the pup the toy every time she bites. Then praise her for taking the toy and reward her by playing with her with the toy. Then teach her the command, "Get your toy." This has worked for all of the puppies I've raised as well as some adult dogs with poor manners!


Actually, she didn't bite the water coming out. She directed her barking, growling, and biting at the bottle after I set it down beside me. She acts the same way toward hairdryers.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

My dog loves water - watch out or youll have a dog with a lot of water-hose drive! LOL.. spraying mine just makes her nuts.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

By spraying a dog with water, what are you teaching it? You are not instructing the puppy on anything.


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## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I am no expert, but I believe you have to just let the puppy get through this experience with as little drama/trauma as possible. It's a tough time but if you are patient your puppy will develop into a "normal" self confident dog. There are many reasons why puppies do this and a lot has to do with being removed from the litter too early (where normal bite inhibition is learned). You are now the litter and IMO you need to be patient and work through this with your dog.
You can try and redirect, which is good, there are lots of posts on this forum on how to do that, however I think a spray bottle will only lead to problems. This is a puppy who wants to play with you, it needs to be taught (slowly) what is acceptable play and what is not. If your puppy has a lot of energy try and tire it out, puppys tire easily (but recover quickly) so be ready to repeat. 
It's like having a child, it seems like a hassle while you are going through it but on hindsight it is one of the most interesting/rewarding (in terms of bonding & shaping) times you can have with your dog.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I tried the water bottle spray on Stella when she was younger. She thought it was great fun. lol. Redirection redirection redirection. This too shall pass. I can't tell you how many of my pants have holes in them...not to mention my arms and legs! I used to stick a toy in Stella's mouth and I just kept saying "no biting the mommy". She loves a belly rub so I would calmly start to rub her belly and she would relax. Most of her puppy biting was due to excitement so my goal was to try to relax her. It took zillions of times of doing this. She still will try to mouth my arms once in a blue moon at 9 months but I just say "no biting the mommy" and she stops. Or I suppose one could always wear armor!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i never used the squirt bottle method because i
didn't want my pup to become bottle shy. i was thinking
what happens if i pull out a squirt bottle to spray on
the funiture before dusting, spray the plants, spray
the kitchen counter, etc. they're smart so they may know
the bottle that's used for them and ignore other bottles
(just guessing)? when my pup chewed on us i use to hold
him by some neck fur and say "no biting". then i would rub
his head or place my hand on his mouth. if he nipped again
i repeated holding by some neck fur and saying "no biting"
again. now did this method work maybe not because 98%
of the time he nipped my hand immediately after touching
his head or mouth. . i did praise him and pet him when he didn't
nip. keep redirecting and trying different things to make him
stop nipping. by the time a certain method works he will
have out grown the nipping stage.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Mr & Mrs Kirkley said:


> Has anyone tried using spray bottles to stop a puppy from biting? I'm not talking about puppies chewing things they shouldn't. That's solved by redirecting and giving them something they can chew. I mean squirting only when the puppy bites the owner or bites and pulls on clothes the owner is wearing. Did it work? I tried that earlier today and it seemed to lessen the biting, but then my puppy started barking, growling at, and trying to bite the squirt bottle. Is it normal for puppies to react that way if they get squirted for biting?


I have never used it for biting, but I have used a spray bottle for barking MANY times and it did work. It did not turn into a game, the dog grew up normal and didn't go after bottles, it did not traumatize the dog, the dogs still loved me etc. It is a very safe method and if it works use it I wouldn't just spray the dog..you still have to tell the dog NO to whatever its doing(barking or biting)


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

I too tried a squirt bottle...once, maybe twice. Jemma simply thought it was a fun game...bite at the water coming out, do a zoomie...come back, bark at the bottle....even now she loves water....bites the hose water coming out full blast....

The only thing that worked for me is waiting for the phase to pass and a lot of redirection. I ended up using clicker training with her and taught her the command "go get your bear". Her bear was a large, sturdy stuffed bear animal donated by my kids. So, when she'd grab our pant legs, hand, arm, foot, etc....I'd say "go get your bear" and eventually she'd do it on command...then came the time where you'd see her get that look on her face "I wanna play bite some people!"...but you could see her wheels turning knowing she wasn't allowed to so she'd go get her bear without the command and play with that. I still find pairs of pants with tiny little milk teeth sized holes in them and giggle...not that it was funny at all when it was happening.....but now at 7 months old, she doesn't do it anymore.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Redirect, Redirect, Redirect
It works. It has already been said.
Simple fix.


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