Please share your tips for surviving the chewing and nipping puppy phase

[MrsMcGregor]

Our lovely lab pup arrived a few days back. She's absolutely gorgeous but the more familiar she becomes, the more outgoing she becomes. Nothing is safe - feet, legs, curtains, couch, rugs. Obviously everything that can be moved has been moved but she is really going for the childrens' feet, legs, shorts hems etc. At the moment we're using a firm 'ah-ah' or 'no' and an adult is lifting her off the kids and it's early days, I know. She's just turned 9 weeks so I see a long haul ahead!

Any tips please?

Yelp. Seriously yelp like you were a puppy. That's what we did when our lab was a pup. It's apparently how they learn in a litter. It did work. I'm investing in chews and a bit of antler for the chewing.

What colour did you get? Is she a show strain?

Don't let her get into the swing of it. A bit like never letting them learn to pull on the lead. Both behaviours are infinitely rewarding once they start, and therefore become difficult habits to break.

I give mine a clear and stern telling off so they are in no doubt I mean it. I give them alternative things to chew and praise like mad when they do. They also get massive praise the instant they stop nipping. I don't reward with treats at this point because it encourages mouthiness, IMO.

Yelping is not fool proof and can for many puppies wind them up even more. Unsurprisingly, they can tell the difference between a puppy yelping and a human trying to mimic.

Nipping is often a result of being over stimulated/over tired too.

It is also helpful to read up on bite inhibition - there is a googleable article by Ian Dunbar about it.

Use the unwanted behaviour to train a wanted one - I train the leave it command at that age because it is quite useful!

When you interrupt the nipping and/or jumping up - offer her an alternative more appropriate behaviour and quickly tell her she's a good girl.

So, when she's nipping, interrupt or distract and shove something she is allowed to chew and bit in her mouth, then tell her what a good girl she is.

For jumping up, stick a treat (or favoured toy if you prefer) under her nose and lure her until all four paws are on the ground, then give her the treat/toy and a verbal reward.

She needs to be shown what she can do, as well as told what she can't, iyswim. If doing the appropriate behaviour is consistently rewarded she will quickly learn that it's far more fun and rewarding to chew a toy and not keep all four paws on the floor, than it is to nip and jump up.

With my dcs I get them to turn away and fold their arms while I distract and reward, as this instantly makes what I'm doing 100% more interesting than them.

Thanks both for your advice.

Sally - yes, she's a show strain. She looks like she's going to grow up to be a lovely looking, big strong girl.

Daisy - really interesting, thank you. I'm going to ask you some more questions now!! Really basic, but what chews would you recommend as being good at this young age? She has a kong, nylabone and rope chew - none of which are really grabbing her attention.

We've started sit training - rewarding with a treat when she does it. Just short bursts of a few minutes to stimulate her. How do you recommend introducing the leave command? There is a short piece about off/leave towards the end of the Dunbar article. Is this how you do it or do you have separate commands for Wait and Leave (wait was a standalone command with our old lab mainly used with food).

Sally - does your pup like the antler? I saw it recommended on here ages ago.

Thanks again

Yelping is not always recommended as it can excite a puppy further.

'You need to understand that puppies use their mouths because they have no hands and they have teeth in those mouths. They play by biting. In order to not get bitten you have to teach your dog how to play with you by using articles and suitable toys that he is allowed to bite.

Forget the leave it and the NO. Play is the biggest motivator for dogs and THE best way to develop and long and trusting relationship with your pup.

Pick up all his toys and leave him with toys that are suitable for chewing.. nylabone, kong etc. Toys that you can play with with him keep for just that. Tie string to hisr favourite soft toy, make soft tuggies out of old towels, dressing gown cords etc. Make sure that they are long enough to touch the ground when you are stood up holding them.

At every opportunity invite him to play by animating the toy on the floor. Make it like a snake in the grass so that he will be attracted to it. Keep it low to prevent jumping up, move it away from him, not towards himr, to encourage a little chase and grab. Everytime he grabs the toy say "getit". Every time he lets go say "thankyou" Just hold the toy and let him pull and shake it. If he gets OTT with it just let go.

As you move on with his training you will be able to get a sit or similar before giving him the "getit" and before you know it you will have a puppy that sits in front of you to ask for a game instead of what he is currently doing.'

We have each DC have a chew toy, preferably soft squeaky with a long dangly tail, in their pocket then when they nip at them they can distract with a toy.

Yelping worked for us, but then my old girl was a gentle soul, so maybe that's why it was successful - who knows what the new puppy will be like when we get it next month?! I may well be back on this thread re-reading all of the great tips.

The antler is something that my friend's cockapoo puppy loves. So I thought I'd get one for our future puppy.

Oops, two cross posts. Thanks moose and Lil for even more advice. Loads or me to think about and you all agree that distraction is key. Getting the kids to turn around and fold their arms is a much better idea than the "Mummy, she's biting again" dance that they do now!

Am going to go and re-read these replies now!

I do think that leave it is an invaluable command for a lab pup - especially one who lives in a house with DC.

I teach it by holding a treat in my closed fist and letting the dog know it's there - it'll sniff like mad and try really hard to get at it, but the very second they move away or look somewhere else I say 'leave it', and reward with the treat in my hand.

It takes very little time for them to pick up that 'leave it' equals not fussing at my hand and a treat for them.

For toys, mine love empty milk cartons, cardboard boxes, empty bottles with something rattly in, half a raw carrot, and a squishy cuddly toy. At only 9 weeks, traditional chew toys are a bit tough - they have v sharp teeth, but not strong jaws, so I've found that a carrot, a soft toy or a cardboard box are popular.

Cardboard boxes, or a few inside each other with a bit of kibble inside are awesome for occupying nippy puppies. Chewing and destroying actually releases endorphins which is great for a pups mental well being.

Ooo I'm loving the rattly boxes and kibble inside boxes ideas.

Brilliant! The garage is stuffed full of flattened boxes! And I'd never have thought of carrots and the like. Thanks!

Daisy - thanks! I'll start trying that later on.