Aggressive puppy biting hard.

[MummyIsMagic79]

Please can anyone advise me. My 12 week old puppy is biting and aggressively LOUDLY growling at us all.
We don't know what to. It really hurts. I am at the stage where I am going to re home her if this doesn't stop. Flame away, but we have tried everything. Ear piercing noise, turning our backs, putting her out of the room for one minute. She is just so aggressive.

We want to take her to puppy training classes and have secured a place for when she's had her vaccinations.

She's been ill so hasn't had her jabs yet.

Will this improve when we can walk her/tire her out?

I have read everything g and spoke to the vet. Everything seems to point to the fact that it's 'play'. But it's hackles up, teeth bared, ferocious growling and hard biting. Are some dogs just aggressive?

I don't know what to do. I feel like we are putting in the time and effort, just to be bitten and bruised. Again, say what you like about me, but I defy anyone to be frightened in their own home and have their children bitten and scared, not to feel the same way.

[Booboostwo]

If you can get the trainer to come to you for a couple of one to one sessions. Puppies are almost never aggressive, but if you can get the training to you to observe her behaviour she can reassure you it is all normal and teach you some basic techniques for training. Training is an excellent way of distracting a dog and refocusing its energy.

A puppy should not be walked for long periods or have contact with unvaccinated dogs BUT the socialisation window closes at around 14 weeks. You need to get her out and about now. I pop mine in a rucksack, carry them around and pop them down in safe areas.

[nellieellie]

No long walks. Crazy. Until vaccines won’t be walking anyway and as previously pointed out, labs are notoriously prone to hip Dysplasia which over exercise can cause. He needs being engaged with, needs socialisation. Get visitors round to meet dog, take him in car to supermarket car park and open back of car and let him meet people. I carried my large breed pup around in a sling before he could go for walks. Lots of training. These early weeks are crucial. He shouldn’t be left to his own devices when awake. Get a good book - eg Pippa Mattinson, and train him to give attention, come to you, sit, stay etc.

Keep him on a house lead in house, and redirect onto toys when he tries to bite- ensure you have toys to hand whenever pup is about. If he gets over excited and bitey, take house lead and place him away from family - have an area cordoned off with eg a stairgate.

[Doggydoggydoggy]

Who said it needs hour long walks?!?!
That is quite possibly the most reckless piece of advice I have ever heard!

Labradors (all medium to large breeds really) are extremely prone to hip dysplasia which is incredibly painful, utterly debilitating and costs thousands to try and fix - full hip replacement, heavy duty painkillers, anti inflammatories etc.

It’s genetic but brought on by environment, basically by too much exercise and/or letting pup get too fat..

It is strictly 5 minutes per month of age leash walking for puppies and for medium to large breeds like labradors that is non negotiable.
They shouldn’t even be allowed to race up and down stairs or on and off sofas!

[fivedogstofeed]

Gosh a 12 week old puppy does not need to be taken out in hour long walks....

Pippa Mattinson breeds, trains and writes about labradors and her article on biting makes absolute sense and essential reading IMO.

[werideatdawn]

A 12 week old labrador absolutely does not need hour long walks and rough and tumble in the park. Awful advice.
It sounds like she spends a lot of time pottering about entertaining herself? She's probably quite frustrated. Do you spend time playing tug, teaching basic commands etc? You can get puppy Kongs to give her something to do with her mouth.
I would seriously encourage you to get out with the pup. Early experiences are so important to ensuring you get a well rounded dog. We carried our puppy around town and she met so many people who wanted to pet her. She met policemen, bin men, the town crier! All before she could even go on the floor.

Your puppy isn't aggressive. They are literally like land sharks when they're tiny; it's how they learn. Our lab was very bitey but she has such a soft mouth now, she'll carry an egg around without breaking it!

[Lucisky]

I would second training sessions too as a good way of making them tired. Our, when a pup, was a total shark, but she was much worse when she was tired - a bit like a stroppy toddler. If she started getting silly all play would stop and she would be ignored. 9 times out of ten, without the continual stimulation of play, she would settle down for a sleep. She stopped biting after teething, but I still have many clothes with holes in caused by her. Bear with it op, it is just play, and they do grow out of it.
But I know it hurts!

[adaline]

A labrador needs a lot of exercise. I would say at least a 30 mins walk in the morning and one hour in afternoon.

Not when they're twelve weeks old they don't! Although I'm not as evangelical about the five minute rule as others, there is no way a tiny three month old puppy needs that much walking everyday. Fifteen minutes is plenty that age, twice a day if you want but there's absolutely no need to drag a small puppy out for walks for hours on end to tire it out!

Your best bet for tiring out a puppy is training! What have you done in the way of commands OP? Can she do the basics like sit, lie down, give paw? Or practise loose lead walking so when she does go outside properly she doesn't pull on the lead as much.

I would focus on lots of small training sessions - we did 10 minutes every couple of hours and it exhausted him when he was younger - even now teaching him new commands or tricks tires him out!

[StarlightIntheNight]

No wonder your dog is biting, it needs to be taken out and exercised. Why has your dog gotten so ill if you have been keeping her in clean areas??

A puppy will not be happy never going on walks. They need to go on walks, get socialised. When our puppy could not go out for the first month we had her, we carried her on all the school runs so she could at least look around and get used to others petting her.

A labrador needs a lot of exercise. I would say at least a 30 mins walk in the morning and one hour in afternoon. If you don't walk, then go to the park and throw the ball or let them have rough and tumble with other dogs.

[fivedogstofeed]

Daisydot speaks sense op, this sounds like a really overtired puppy. She should be sleeping loads at this age.
She came to you very sick, so presumably not from s 'breeder' who cared much. Any chance she was separated from her mum or siblings too young? This also has an impact on their biting.

[DonegalGhirl]

Donegal pup had his 1st vaccination at 10 weeks, vet said his immune system will be developed enough at 12 weeks to go outside, meet other dogs, sniff their poo etc, but we have to keep out of puddles / water till he has his 2nd vaccination in a weeks time.

Happy to report DonegalPup still alive and thriving .

[Mandiepie]

Hey,
We have the same problem. I have always had dogs but never one like this. She bites and demand barks especially when tired and toys, ignoring, firm verbal correction, time out no if worked!
She is lab cross.
I hope this is not too late as I have found something that really helped -
Learning about blocking is no miracle and it is loads of work but it is definitely having a positive effect and I have not been bitten for two days in a row! I just block and wait, she grumbles, barks more and then eventually sits - which I reward straight away.
We have also reduced spontaneous affection. It sounds harsh but she really did not understand what we were doing and so went into puppy play mode which is very painful! Signs of affection are now short and only offered in a reward situation.
I hope this works for you!

[lighteningirl]

Def needs to go out and about just no mixing with other dogs unless you know for sure they have had all jabs, no sniffing/licking at doggie wee stops but otherwise you can take them everywhere with you. My vet said ideally not to take them out but as we had foxes in the garden who would definitely not have had any jabs it was a bit pointless keeping our pup in.

[LilCamper]

Not a great idea PP, pups do need to play but they need to learn the rules of appropriate play with humans.

[SignoraStronza]

I remember this stage well. DH and his family have always had gsd from puppies and one thing he has always done during the teething/mouthing stage is regular sessions of 'biting and fighting' play in the garden. Get a pair of tough leather gardening gloves/gauntlets and get down to some seriously rough play. It might seem counter intuitive and you have to make it clear when the pup goes too far (really hurts), just like the pup's mother would have done.
The dogs have all been well mannered and gentle in adulthood and have 'soft mouths', which any member of the family or vet is able to prise open to get something out of/check/administer meds, which we think is probably down to this early play.
I'm happy for anyone to come along and contradict this though - am not sure whether this is the official advice or if it is just something old fashioned that they've always done.

[LilCamper]

Labs are mouthy when they are pups. They are bred to use their mouths. I spent a few weeks wearing my lab pup hanging off my trouser leg.

Have a look in the files on the facebook group 'Dog Training Advice and Support' for a article called 'Puppy Biting'. it gives detailed information on how to deal with it.

[daisydotandgertie]

I use, and always have used common sense.

I breed lab puppies, so have had many of them, and not once have I had a hint of illness from letting them trot about before their vaccinations are complete.

Have a read of this www.wylanbriar.com/buying-a-pup/keeping-a-puppy-home-during-innoculations/, it's written by a well known and highly respected breeder I know and she's already written out pretty much exactly what I would have done.

[MummyIsMagic79]

Daisy - we have been told by the vet and everyone else not to even put her down on the ground, outside of our house and garden, because she hasn't had her jabs. Is that not right?

[nooka]

Our dog went through a terribly bitey stage. Whizzing around at full speed like a pirana. We also did the standard arms crossed high pitched yip thing but he got more and more ferocious/excited and the biting was painful! He was also much worse when we were all around, and our children found it pretty hard. dh wanted to take him back to the rescue too.

We found the best solution was to always have lots of chew toys to hand, and when he got too close and was in fully biting mode shove the chew in his mouth so he couldn't bite us.

After a while he grew up and stopped with the biting. Sometimes when he is very excited he does mouth us still, and then apologises with excessive licking instead! His adult teeth are much less painful too - obviously he could do a lot of damage now if he wanted to as dogs jaws are very powerful but the biting 'game' was never about real aggression, it is just how puppies play until they are taught otherwise.

[daisydotandgertie]

OK - so loopy coincides with the children coming downstairs?

I would change things round a bit.

Breakfast and then take her outside for 15 or so minutes and play hard - make her run about. Spend 5 or so minutes training her - sit, wait and heel. Get her playing with a broom which you drag round the garden. Anything to stimulate her mentally and make her physically tired. The training is important - it will make her brain work and that wears them out faster than anything.

Then crate her for breakfast time. She might wail, but ignore and it will pass. With children about, it is a good discipline for her to learn to go to bed while they're eating. She will eventually sleep after the play.

It won't take very long at all for that to become second nature for her.

She also NEEDS to go out and about. Can you not take her on the school run? This is the window you have for socialisation. She needs to see cars, children, lorries etc - to hear traffic, lawnmowers, etc. She needs to be out and about as much as she possibly can be for the next 4 weeks.

I know she hasn't had her jabs yet, but she MUST go outside the house. Carry her where there is dog mess, or if you meet another dog but other than that, let her trot about a bit herself. It is absolutely vital for creating a balanced happy pet.

Like children - letting a lab pup free range and make up their own play leads to disaster. They need consistent, firm boundaries, mental stimulation and social interaction. She needs more interaction and structure from you - and a lot more out and about. The socialisation window will close by 14/16 weeks - please, please, please don't miss it. It is crucial.

[lighteningirl]

Does he want to be up that much? My six month old puppy gets up for a quick garden and then goes back to bed til 9.30/10 he will go for a walk whenever offered but he sleeps loads and he wasn't awake that much at 12 weeks. He also has lots of chew toys (pizzles yogurt pots and plastic lids being his favourite) as soon as he puts his teeth on us we give him a toy/pizzle. He sound like he's teething quite badly frozen lumps of carrots are great too.

[Thattimeofyearagain]

Please don't rehome her for this! Puppies are bloody hard work but it passes ( looks at 10 month old ddog still snoozing while everyone gets ready around him)

[MummyIsMagic79]

Her routine is

Wakes up at 6.30 ish.
Downstairs for breakfast.
Out in the garden for toilet and a bit of a run about.
Then indoors, potters about, plays with chews etc
Kids come downstairs and she's loopy for an hour while we all eat and get ready
She's by herself for an hour while I am on school run.
When I get home she can have the run of the house and garden.
Lunch feed 11-12 ish
On her own from 3-4 (school run)
Home for rest of evening.

[daisydotandgertie]

It is play. There is no doubt about it at all. Just not play that we identify with.

What do you do with her during the day?

[MummyIsMagic79]

I have never had a dog before.

My husband has and he says it's play too. Problem is, he's out all day and doesn't see her at her worst. He sees a bit when he comes home at night, but by then she's retiring a bit and so isn't as bad. Early in the morning is just dreadful.

We have booked puppy classes but then found out she was ill. So he's not had her jabs yet. The trainer has said its fine for us to re enroll her as soon as she's vaccinated.

[Thattimeofyearagain]

And he is a lab cross, hang in there and it does get better !