Love Nips?

[Princess*Smudge]

So in the last week here Smudge has nipped me three times. She comes over to me of her own accord, climbs into my lap as always and i give her head strokes and attention and then she nips me. It’s never my hands usually whatever part of me – stomach, shoulder whatever is just under her mouth. She’s not latching on, or breaking the skin or grunting or showing any other type of agressive behaviour. She has done this before when I first got her at 6 months she nipped me a couple times and my boyfriend. I stopped this behavior by pushing her head gently down and making either a high “eek” noise or a sharp NO! I have been doing this again, but she doesn’t seem to be reacting like she did when she was little. Now it seems she either doesn’t care or becomes upset/scared and wont come near me for 30 mins after. Is there something I’m missing or is this just some new bun-attitude that needs adjusting. Oh and she is already spayed and has been for a year. I checked her teeth and they are fine, she has no injuries or anything else wrong. Eating, pooping, drinking is all normal. I know some buns are just nippers but since she wasn’t (after that few times when she was young) I was just wondering if anyone can think of anything that would cause her to start again.

Is she just letting me know she wants attention? Is she trying to tell me she is dominant over me?

The only think I can think of is we brought a dog into the family back in September, they get along fine, but I was wondering if I smell like him (she just nipped me on the stomach about 5 mins ago and I had petted the dog and he had rubbed on my shirt when i came home about 30 mins ago) and she is not happy that I smell like him so therefore I get nipped? Or is my little baby just being a diva? haha ah well if anyone has any ideas let me know. I might try the spray bottle technique to tell her that nipping is not allowed.

[bunnytowne]

well… sound like luv nips. returning the affection in a bunny way.  my buns that groom do that. they lick nibble a little and then ouch. they don’t realize how delicate our skin is. I say ouch and jump and cotton stops and looks  so sad he hurt me. poor guy. I have to console him. and Puff she likes to groom me and I notice little nibbles and then ouch. she doesn’t mean to hurt me either. they do that to each other when they groom and guess it doens’t hurt them any or they wouldn’t do it. I remember when cotton was little he would nip me a lot when I was holding him he would lick my neck then ouch. and I guess I jumped so much he stopped grooming me totally now he grooms and nibbles my shirts without putting holes in it. so I see it is part of the grooming behavior. in your case I don’t think I would hold her down for that. if she nips and continues to enjoy your petting her  I would classify it as a luv nip.  when cotton is tired of me petting him he takes my finger in his mouth and moves it. ahaha doesn’t hurt is funny tho.  well enjoy your little bun. she luvs you

[bunnytowne]

oh the new dog. well..if it is cuz of the dog she will smell you lift her head grunt and bite as cotton smells other male buns on me he smells me looks at me and grunts lunges and bites real hard. leaves a mark and breaks the skin so I dont’ think is cuz the dog. you can test it out tho and wash your hands after handling the dog and pet her however since she is just nipping and not grunting etc it sounds like a luv nip

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