# Pant leg grabbing



## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Hi all,

Archer is continuing to do well. We are working on "drop it", still, to battle the outside compulsion to mouth/attempt to eat _everything_. I am having some success as long as I have a treat at hand. At other times, he basically goes nuts and I think that is sometimes during what you guys call the witching hour. Those times I have to pick him up and bring him in before he eats something dangerous (there are many such things freely available on the streets of my neighbourhood) and before I get too tired/frustrated to handle it well! 

But the other thing I haven't quite figured out a coping strategy for is the pant leg grabbing/nipping. He does this a lot when he does get overstimulated/excited, or after he has a successful potty visit. It's not exactly easy to handle a handful of waste on its way to disposal and a pant-tugging puppy at the same time! 

I have been telling him "off" (which we trained with food) and "drop it" which we also trained, but to get to the treat to get him to use drop it I have to drag him on my legs to the treat bowl so I am sure that is reinforcing him. So neither of those things seems to be working well. Sometimes he will let go in which case I praise him heavily and immediately get the proper toy he is to play with instead. I have at times been sterner, with a disapproving "no" and a light grab to the scruff of his neck. I then ask him to sit, and to lie down, and reward _those_ behaviours. And that also works about the same frequency as anything else I have tried (eg 30%-50% of the time). When the behaviour continues, I pick him up and place him in his ex pen for a time out and wait for him to calm down for a while.

Tips anyone??


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## Dr.Pupper (Apr 22, 2014)

My little one is also doing this. I would like some advice as well, since I too am not sure how to properly tell her to stop.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Pant leg pulling, nipping, sock attacks - all the same ouchie stage. You will have battle scars. They are over-stimulated and think it is GREAT fun! At least they can't drag you around like a Border Collie can.

This is where consistency is vital. You freeze (Be a Tree). Ignore the little viper. A little yelp of pain may be required with the tiny dagger puppy teeth scrape skin. If they continue, time out. Naughty puppies don't get played with.


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Thanks, the only problem with the Be a Tree is that he sometimes keeps pulling the pantleg because that in and of itself is rewarding to him. Also I don't love standing still with a handful of dog waste on the way to the toilet.  But I will try this technique more, too.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Eeeewww!!!! Let's hope that you aren't wearing loose sweatpants as well. That can add excitement to your day too.


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## SOPHIES-MOM (Oct 4, 2010)

Sophie does this, but only to visitors, especially men who come to work in the house. 
I was told it is a herding instinct.It is very non aggressive, but annoying.


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

nipping and grabbing pant legs, what worked for me is ignore it, or if you are a behaviorist, extinguish the behavior. do don't turn around or say anything. eventually the behavior will stop. beware though, for what is called the 'extinction burst' meaning the pup will try harder using that behavior to get your attention, but again if you do not react, and simply ignore it, it will stop.

The other option that always worked well for me when unwanted behavior occurred is a 2-3 minutes time out. so they are placed in a room with no human contact for 2-3 minutes. emotionally be neutral. you don't have to scold or even say no.

I was really amazed how well the time outs worked.


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## Busy Procrastinator (Mar 27, 2014)

I have sprayed the bottom of my yoga pants with bitter spray and that helps some. Suki doesn't go much for jeans, but the loose flowing stretchy material is attractive to her. We just try to maintain a zero tolerance for clothes pulling. 

She is a sole/soul stealer though - any unattended sock is fair game. She loves socks! Three guys in the house - you know I have socks laying around! 

Busy P


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Thanks all. I have been using the time out technique more, and he is beginning to respond to my "no" or "off" command better now. Especially because I am getting better at knowing when it is coming. Sometimes he is just too insane. Like this evening I moved him to his time out while hunched over and shuffling as he continued to grab my jean leg... but I swear there is some small modicum of progress.


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

The other thing (somewhat unrelated) is he is starting to jump at my budgie's cage. Previously he had just peacefully enjoyed the antics without responding much. Now he is trying to get to her or to startle her because it is interesting. I'm taking tips from a lot of different trainers and people, but for now, when he is out (and he is always totally supervised when out) and he goes to start doing that, I'm channeling Cesar Millan, and I walk over, tell him "off", walk between him and the cage, and mentally think (& say, more for my benefit), "this is my budgie, not your budgie", and walk him away from the area just using my presence and eye contact. Then I give him an alternative activity involving toys or something. I'm not trying to be negative necessarily, just communicating that that behaviour is not acceptable and won't win any favours.

Thoughts/comments from the Collective Giant Havanese Brain on this board?


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Naturelover said:


> Like this evening I moved him to his time out while hunched over and shuffling as he continued to grab my jean leg... but I swear there is some small modicum of progress.


 huh? You just pick the little bugger up and put him in his ex-pen. "hunched over and shuffling" while he is attached is a marvelous game. Just don't talk and cuddle him as you are taking him to time out.


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## sprorchid (Mar 30, 2010)

I wouldn't do a time out longer than 5 minutes.

My little guy had that behavior too, the time out worked really well. 

as for the jumping on the cage thing. sounds like the behavior is reinforcing b/c he gets a reaction from the budgie. I would give him a time out. immediately, and no talking or cuddling, just put in isolation for 3-5 minutes. it should only take 2-4 times for him to figure it out, which ever behavior is unwanted.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Can he knock the cage over? I am worried about your poor little birdie.  Can't birds be frightened too much? I am not a bird person. You probably are going to have to restrict his access to him. I agree with Sprorchid. Budgie's flitting about would REALLY appealing to a puppy. I am not sure how you train disinterest.

Are there any other experienced Hav & bird owners out there? For now, I would try time out or distraction. Maybe put an ex-pen around the Budgie cage so he can't get near it?


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Heh, as for the hunched over and shuffling bit, I added that more for comic effect- I am usually pretty good about just picking him up, no fuss, no talking, and putting him in the pen. I was about 4 feet away when it happened and he wouldn't let go, so I painted the mental image for y'all.  

As for the budgie... She is on the bottom of the bird cage rack because almost nothing startles her. I have basically kind of been waiting for her to give him a little nip on the nose, which would probably do more for his healthy respect for the birds than I could ever do. But now he is getting big enough to cause a little more startling of a reaction. I will do the timeout technique on that as well. But not to worry, I shan't allow my birdie to get too stressed. She really has a zero tolerance policy for most things, and is about the baddest ass budgie I have ever met. Really, no fear. Just 100% sass. The other two are way more sensitive and are high up and he can't get to them.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

phew... I was worried.  

The comic relief thing - I have been "pants" by Jack. ound: Luckily, no one was home. Make sure your sweatpant's waist string is tight!!


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