| The difference is between passive with the idea that the action will extinguish itself, and more active discouragement. With some behaviors and some dogs, the biting/nipping is self rewarding and they might need more active discouragement. With others, the shunning can be quite effective and just as quick to take effect. You don't know until you work with and understand the individual pup. With young children in the home it is sometimes helpful to get on with the more active discouragement as young children don't always have the skills or patience to handle the shunning and the biting can be detrimental to the bonding. Always it is preferred to go "with" the dog rather than against but individual circumstances and character might call for somewhat different measures.
Make sure you spend much more energy and time teaching the dog things that give it pride in learning and bonding than concentrating on stuff that needs "fixing". A pup that is happily sitting and coming when called for praise and/or a cookie, being taken for adventuresome walks, learning to find the hidden treasure, etc. is less likely to be chasing and nipping out of boredom.  |