Dpup is a 9 week old ridgeback cross, I got her from a rescue yesterday.
She's a sweetheart and seems eager to please/learn when we have been doing 'sit' 'leave it' look at me' training.
When she wants to play we have a problem, she bites my clothes, my arms, my feet, everywhere and very hard. She is really tearing and tugging at me - my arms and feet are in shreds! She draws blood half the time.
I tried yelping at first as it's what we did with the puppy we had when I was a child. This does not work, it winds her up even more. Ignoring her is only working if she actually can't really be arsed to play and just wants your attention. This isn't invited play either, she is just launching herself at my feet/ hands/ jeans out of nowhere. Distraction isn't working too well either - the toy makes her more excited and she bites me more. She has been distracted with a rawhide bone successfully a couple of times yesterday, but not today.
I know she's only been here a day and I'm trying not to expect too much from her, but I'm feeling so worn out, the biting is so sore. I've just put her in the kitchen the last two times, but I want to use positive training, not punitive.
I need to nip this in the bud because she is going to be a big strong dog so she needs some bloody manners! And if she bites DS (5) he is going to be terrified of her, he is already wary as she's jumped on him.
btw, she was mouthy at the rescue during the meetings we had with her but nowhere near as bad.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
Play biting waaaay over the top, help me!
TheHoundsBitch · 19/09/2014 14:53
Hello hounds 
Have just replied to you on other thread.
Puppies use their mouths as they would use their fingers if they were a child. Everything is new and exciting and she is exploring her new world.
Have you had a chance to look at kikopup yet? She is great and the methods she uses are kind and make sense.
I used a frozen tee towel alot when my pup was small and a puppy kong for help with distraction. I am an amputee, there is nothing my pup enjoys more than grabbing the flapping trouser leg! Always have something within arms reach to distract, I know some days it works better than others but keep it up-throw a ball, give a chew or a kong, encourage calm behaviour (capturing calm on youtube kikopup).
By encourage i mean try not to react. Treat for the desired behaviour not the cute bowing and jumping stuff.
For a start you can use a clicker and treat whenever all 4 paws are on the ground, fir example when you or your ds enter a room. the pup will pick these things up fairly quickly, but dont expect too much too soon.
When we first had our pup i explained that if she were a person she would be a tiny little baby, and she is still learning about everything. At this stage its v full on in regards to very close supervision. Get your ds involved in training if you can. It will help them bond.
good luck :)
Hi frowny
I have watched a few of the kikopup vids you mentioned, I'm pretty much following her method, I've also been watching Zak George's videos and he seems quite good. I haven't quite got my head around how clicker training actually works yet.
DPup is really good with the positive reinforcement for sit etc. I love kikopups ethos but I haven't found any videos dealing with bad play biting, the biting video I saw had a sweet, biddable little thing mouthing her, unlike the crazed hellhound living in my house who seems to want to pull all my skin off!
I'll keep the rawhide bone with me at all times, that seems to be her favourite thing, and I'll try the frozen tea towel. I think she needs to learn a bit about toys too, she doesn't really seem very interested.
She is following me round and sitting on my feet when ever I stop moving so hopefully that means she building an attachment to me? She snuggled up on my lap and fell asleep in the middle of a short training session earlier too. Poor little lamb has lived in 4 different homes in 9 weeks.
I have to go and pick up DS in a minute and she is going to cry so much :(
I would second having a look (and a go) at Kikopup's stuff, but if your pup's not responding to ignoring or distraction I would try a short time-out. Nothing major, just move her to behind a non-visual barrier, such as a baby gate and stand close by on the other side, then reward her as soon as she shows calm behaviour.
I would also recommend starting to teach a really strong 'leave' (Kikopup can help here again). We taught my pup (now 15 months old) starting when he was 10 weeks old and he learned really quickly, then we could use it to interrupt what he was doing and redirect him onto a different activity. Now at 15 months I can stop him mid attack play-leap against my other dog using it (he's a bit of bully to my poor old lad) as well as finding it invaluable for calling him away from rubbish etc he finds on the floor in the park etc.
The other thing we used was Kikopup's Positive Interrupter. Basically you just pick a sound (Kikopup uses a kissy noise) use it, then reward repeatedly. After enough repetition and reinforcement, whenever your pup hears that noise they instantly stop what they're doing and look to you for a reward. We found it useful for both mouthing and stopping the little darling from picking up stones and running off with them. 
You are doing well hounds :)
They really are bloody hard work at this age and I remember being mauled regularly its horrible. It gets better I promise! I do say a short sharp 'no!' followed by a distraction, if she really isnt listening a quick time out (couple of mins tops otherwise she wont know why shes in there), and let out as soon as she sits or lays down.
It sounds like shes been pulled from pillar to post :( being consistant will help her to find her feet quickly.
Regarding clicker training, its all about timing. You need to capture a 'wanted' behaviour the second it happens by a click followed by a treat. It wont work if there is any lapse between the behaviour and the click-it does take some practice! I have a clicker on a bracelet thing on my wrist and find biscuits in every bag/pocket i own! Plus poo bags-welcome to dog ownership its not glamourous!
Re. Crying when u go out, leave a radio or the tv and dont make a fuss on entering or leaving the property. Keep everything as low key as poss, no goodbyes no fusses this also applies to when you return and the dogs all pleased to see you-a quick hello literally just hello and then wait for pup to settle before giving attention. Also, go to bed in an old tea shirt for a couple of nights and then you can leave something nice smelling to re assure her.
This is also prime kong time. Keep her mind busy and she will fret less.
phew got finger ache hope this helps!
Aww. She's so cute!
We've had a much better day today, been more vigilant with housetraing and had a few successes. She's not biting anywhere near as much either, lots of training is tiring her out I think!
Here's sleepy pup snoozing on my leg 
It will be worth it. I found that today when someone said on our dog walk (most dogs are at least two years older than my delinquent) that my dog was really good. Reader I bristled with pride
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