Puppy Nibbling/Mouthing Help

[Geoff0409]

Hello,

Posted here and under "the doghouse" as I am not sure where will get the most views.

I am hoping that someone might be able to help or advise. We have bought a female puppy jack russell on Friday just gone, 5th December. We have children aged 7 and 3, both 1 month from turning 8 and 4. We took them with us to see the puppy and she was fine.
Over the weekend the puppy has been a bit "mouthy", where she kind of nibbles at/on your hands etc if she is excited. She also jumps up a bit at the children if they are playing on the floor. She doesn't do this all the time, and we keep getting her down and persisting with telling her NO.

This morning she has become quite nibbly with your feet as your are either standing or walking around. It doesn't worry me as I persist with her (I start early at work so am up and our before my Wife and the children are), but my Wife in concerned about the children. Alot of this is first thing in the morning, when she is particularly excited, or when one of us has been out and the returns home. Our daughter is nearly 8, and reasonably understands to keep telling the puppy "no" and getting the puppy down off of her, but our son who is nearly 4 is quite apprehensive. Our son now won't play on the floor as much as he did before, and if the puppy jumps at him he just backs away and gets up onto the Settee. This is upsetting my Wife considerably as she, understandably, doesn't want the children's own normal actions, playing and general behaviour to change.

We took the puppy to the vet for a check up on Saturday and she is generally ok. I completely understand that puppy's have certain beaviourial traits and instincts that need to be reigned in, and to have training, but obviously do not want my family worrying or changing normal beaviour.

Don't really know where to turn at the moment as I am at work so can't really go anywhere, but any help or advice you can give, or if you could point me in the right direction, would be much appreciated.

Many thanks for reading.

[blanklook]

Please don't be upset, but two things leaped out of your post at me,

"We took them with us to see the puppy and she was fine."
and
" I completely understand that puppy's have certain beaviourial traits and instincts that need to be reigned in, and to have training, but obviously do not want my family worrying or changing normal beaviour."

From that I believe no-one in your household has a clue about puppies, a puppy needs kindness and consistency, yours isn't receiving that. You don't give any indication that you know why the pup is 'mouthing', is she teething? does she have toys? Is she playing? Is she hungry?

The best advice I can give you is to find a loving home for the puppy soon (NOT as a xmas present!) where she can grow and develop with people who understand her ways. Terriers can have very strong characters, they are often very determined and not the ideal breed for a novice owner.

After that, if you are all sure you really want a pet, and you all understand the pet's needs and can accommodate them, then go and learn how to be good responsible owners before you acquire the pet.

[NCIS]

When you get a puppy 'normal' changes. The mouthing stage doesn't last very long but AFAIK happens with every single puppy and has to be managed especially if you have young children.
When I had a puppy with small children they didn't play on the floor in the same room as the puppy unless I was there to very closely supervise. Puppies need space, toys of their own, training and some peace and a place to sleep undisturbed. They do not come fully trained, any more than children do.

What made you get a Jack Russell, it seems a rather odd choice for an obviously inexperienced owner with small children?

[NCIS]

Had another look and it appears you are the poster who 'dumped' your pup at the Dogs Trust citing allergies and then decided you wanted it back. I have nothing but sympathy for the puppy and hope,by now, he has found a loving home.

[PinkyPonyPie]

My god you would of hated my lab when she was a puppy. She used to jump up and hang off my jumpers from behind so I couldn't get get off!

She's now a perfect 3 year old who hasn't put a paw wrong.

We now have a 8 week old pug who is very mouthy, we yelp when her teeth touches us, and pull away quickly. She will start training at 10 weeks just like her sister x