Did Halas Try to Kill Me?

[Leslie and Halas]

Every now and then, Halas gets a little too rough when he plays with me.  He doesn't want to stop, and he'll start nipping at me.  And it won't be on the sections of my arms or legs that can handle some abuse.  He'll bite my elbows and knees in order to elicit the most pain for his efforts.  He doesn't bite hard, but teeth on boney areas isn't fair. I make him stop playing when he gets this way.

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time packing some things up.  I have to move things out of the way for some new flooring I'm having installed later this month.  This takes attention away from Halas, which he clearly doesn't like.  He was laying on my bed watching me move stuff around the other night, and when I was done, I jumped on the bed and started playing with him.  He decided to start an assault on my elbows and knees, so I told him I wouldn't play with him any more, and I hid under the covers of the bed.  I've tried this before with him, and he doesn't always try to get me out from under the covers.  Sometimes, he'll just stop what he's doing and lay down next to me.  But this time, he wasn't ready to stop playing, so he started pawing at the covers.  He pawed for about 3 seconds, and then gave up.  Or so I thought.

I heard some rustling around on the bed, and then, suddenly, there was a pillow over my head!  He gave up on getting me out, and decided to smother me!  I think my cute, sweet, friendly, loving Halas tried to kill me!  Because I wouldn't let him bite my elbows.  

I'm thinking of pressing charges, but I know he'll just get JD, Esquire to represent him, and he'll get off on some technicality.

In the process of packing things up, I'm going to go through his toys and throw away the ones that aren't recognizable any more.  But now I'm a little afraid to do that in front of him.  I guess I'll have to be sneaky  about it, for my own safety. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh your are a sceptic : )

[Pat and Traveler]

Oh, Halas--you've gotta stop that nipping and smothering!  When Trav went through his teenage nipping stage, I'd turn my back on him and close him into the yard or a different room.  Fortunately, this was a short-lived stage, and I don't really know if my reactions helped, but I think they did!

[Leslie and Halas]

When he was a puppy, he would bite my butt if I turned my back.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Halas looks way too sweet for such shenanagins! Maybe he wanted to lick the lotion on your elbows! Jack is a notorious lotion licker. I bet he was trying to lick and give you kisses! But.. perhaps you should check in with us daily here on DK just so we know...

[Leslie and Halas]

He is quite the kisser.  He may go with the Cuteness defense if it goes to trial.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Holy Doodles....this is how it starts and then it ends up like the Menendez brothers.  I don't know, if he pleads insanity and gets F to corroborate this, JD could very likely get him off.  Have you tried knee and elbow pads...that's one solution.  Maybe you should check in here on DK each morning so we know haven't met with any "Halas foul play". 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I always thought that was a lousy defense. The question is guilty or not. Then if you're a truly crazy doodle you should go to a doodle refuge for the criminally insane : ) Besides this is the first we've heard of this sort of behavior. Usually we hear of Halas doing well at flyball. Maybe he's trying to rig a defense.

[Leslie and Halas]

He is very good most of the time, so he's probably going for temporary insanity.  

[Leslie and Halas]

He is a little crazy.  And luckily he doesn't have thumbs, so I don't think he can get his paws on any weapons besides linens.

[Lauren, Scooby and Bella]

Halas just wants your attention any way he can get it.  The next time he starts getting rough just walk away and ignore him.  He will learn that bad behavior means no attention at all.  Good behavior will bring good attention, treats, hugs, whatever.  He wants to be in control, but you need to be the one in control.  He's a smart dog... he'll get the idea quickly.  If you let him get away with the bad behavior, it could get worse and worse and go from nipping to actual biting.  Don't let your good dog turn into an agressive dog.  Dogs are like kids, they need rules and parameters!  You will both be happier once the ground rules are established.  Good luck!!

[Leslie and Halas]

For the record, Halas is way past the nipping stage.  He'll be 5 in a few months.  I shouldn't have referred to it as nipping, because that's what he did when he was a puppy with his razor-sharp puppy teeth. It's just that now, once in a great while, he starts playing a little too rough. It's really just mouthing, but a tooth on an elbow bone hurts! On these rare occasions, I just stop playing and walk away.  But this time, I decided to hide instead.  

BUT, when he was a little nipper, back in his puppy days, none of the usual tricks worked with him, and it took us a long time to work through that stage.  Yelling ouch just wound him up.  Turning my back or walking away got me a nip in the butt.  He was relentless. He would end up with a time out, but I don't think he really cared.  He finally figured it out and outgrew that stage, but it took him quite a long time.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Maybe that subtle deadpan humor only works if the audience knows you, Les. Or in this case, Halas. I guess from the title and the first few sentences, this does look like one of those "My puppy won't stop nipping me, help!" discussions, lol.