Is this something to worry about?

[Joolly2]

I’m back again for more advice, sorry. I am beginning to get a little bit worried about my puppy biting. He is 4 and a half months old now, I love him to bits but at times he is a bit scary. He hates me putting his lead on and really tries to bite my hand. He also has the habit of running and jumping on the sofa where my husband is sitting, we don’t allow him on the sofa so when my husband tries to get him off ( we use the word ‘off’ and motion with finger from sofa to floor), he refuses and tries to bite my husband when he is physically removed. If I come into the room and say ‘off’ he pauses for a second or two and then complies (unwillingly). Is he just testing the boundaries as toddlers do or is it something we should be concerned about?

Nope not testing the boundaries - just confused and unsure of what you are asking him to do and so is getting stressy and frightened.

When you go to put his lead on hold some food in your hand and call him to you. Feed him continuously as you are clipping his lead onto his collar - speak in a happy upbeat voice and do not tell him off if he wriggles or goes to bite you. Just stand up and walk away - no more treats.

Re asking him to get off the sofa - at 4 months he will not really understand off - he will just hear you speaking to him in a gruff or cross voice. When he is on the sofa offer him a treat and move you hand to the floor so he has to jump off the sofa to get the food as you do this say off in a happy voice. Do not physically remove him. Make it a game to jump off the sofa and always reward with food for a while.

Most of dog training is prevention - so if you do not want him on the sofa I would be working on preventing this from happening. Get him a comfy bed in the sitting room. Drop treats into the bed so when he goes to it he will find great things! - when he is in his bed again at intervals treat him and reward him. He will prefer to be in his bed than on the sofa.

Muttynutty - Thank you for your advice. I will try the treating/lead on thing that should be easy enough to try.
We are on our second day bed. It is only 2 days old and already has a hole in it. He attacks it mercilessly and does not rest/sleep in it at all. I had positioned it next to the sofa so that he could be close to us but all he wants to do is shred it. We have put the bed out of sight for a while hoping that he will forget about attacking it. Are we a bit deluded about this?

Our pup got through about 4 beds in his first 6 months - I got a ruff and tuff bed from pets at home for his crate and a really cheap mat type bed for the kitchen, thinking there was no point in getting a nice one as he'd just chew it....

At pretty much bang on 6 months (when he'd stopped teething) he stopped chewing stuff like his beds and I now think it's safe to get rid of the manky cheap mat and get him something nice!

Oh that gives me hope. Thank you Basildonbond.