New puppy - won't stop nipping!

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We picked up our lovely little 8 week cockapoo pup on Saturday. I'm a first time puppy owner so it's all completely new to me! I've been watching so many videos on training to help out.

I'm trying to start the basics with her such as learning her name, sit and paw. Problem is she's just so hyper and will not stop trying to nip my hand! I just tried teaching her her name and as soon as she realised treats were involved all she could focus on was nipping at my hand expecting there to be a treat.

She has loads of chew toys and I take her out into the garden for about 15 minutes every hour so she's getting plenty of exercise but it's like she's on the espresso shots ! She has her puppy classes starting in 4 weeks and I'm nervous she'll be trying to nip the other pups. Any advice would be so appreciated

Make sure you aren't over stimulating her. Mine was bitey when over tired, a bit like a toddler, and needed a timeout to sleep.

You could also offer a toy rather than your hand or simply ignore (so fun stops) when she starts nipping.

I should also say you have a mix of two high energy breeds so you might want to google training tips for getting your puppy to learn to settle.

8 weeks is still very tiny... Start with toilet training and maybe sit when putting her food down. Paw is a nice cute trick but not necessary.
Sit training should be 5 mins max bursts. I wore gloves as my puppy tried to bite my hand I was holding treat in.
You have to do little and often
And second that she sounds a little over stimulated

My poo pup is 14 weeks old now. She is starting to calm down with the mouthing. It's taken a lot of patience and tactics to get there.... as well as chewed fingers, toes and clothing!

Puppies mouth because that's the only way they know to interact with You. They need to chew - allow her to nibble your fingers as long as it's gentle. Once she bites and you feel pain yelp loudly and put her down and ignore for a few seconds. Then give her a chew or a tug toy. As this builds swop your fingers for a tug toy so she gets the idea of what she us permitted to chew. It's hard work but as long as you are consistent your pup will get there.

Her puppy teeth will start to fall out around 18 weeks. Once they have adult teeth they won't have the need to constantly chew.

I've had a dogs growing up and when they would nip we would stand up and turn our back to disengage with them. It's like positive reinforcement training I think. You engage once they have calmed down.

Also your puppy is so cute.

I used to say Ow when they nipped- a tap on the bum helped to.

It soon stopped. Keep up with the training, nothing wrong with spending time training -I did when mine was tiny, learnt loads in no time and they do like to please.

I also taught mine to take treat carefully, by holding it and saying no when it nipped and then be careful- soon she would take treats carefully.

Thanks everyone. I have tried the yelping thing which worked the first few times but not anymore. She'll still try and grab my feet and hands whenever she can !! I'll obviously be persistent. Maybe give her some more exercise to tire her out. All a bit overwhelming but I really want to do my best by her and make sure she's ready to be with the other pups once classes begin!

Yelping didn't work for me either and actually made him worse. For some puppies it does work but not all so you just need to tailor your response to her. Ignoring had the right effect for my puppy.

Oh and don't panic, bringing them up is a marathon rather than a sprint as their behaviour will change a lot in the early months.

Puppies Learn the strength of their bite in a puppy pack, they learn this by playing, when the bite is too hard the other dog will yelp, and that is what you should do as well to help her learn, let her nip but once it’s painful yelp and stop playtime, she will then learn the strength of her bite.

Ps your puppy is adorable!

I should also say you have a mix of two high energy breeds so you might want to google training tips for getting your puppy to learn to settle

This. Cocker/poodle mix is going to be high intelligence and high energy. She is going to need a lot of training and also mental games. Get a good puppy trainer and look into activities such as agility, flyball or obedience that she will probably need long term.

Be careful with more exercise- you may end up with a physically fit pup who gets bored and has more energy to get into trouble.

Good luck! I’ve had numerous dogs and a cocker/poodle would be way too much trouble for me..

With the biting and scratching at hands - you need to do short training sessions where you aren't actually teaching a command but patience. So do some sit training, then when puppy starts trying to bite and scratch your hand you keep hand closed firmly around treat and totally ignore them. As soon as they pause use your marker word and let them have treat. Gradually you increase the time the have to wait to get the treat. Then you can start teaching them a wait command where you gradually progress to saying wait and being able to open hand with treat and dog wont take it until you say ok. It's really good impulse control and helps with lots of things. I think Kiko pup has some good YouTube videos on this.

You also need to teach puppy to settle. There are good videos on Kiko pup on YouTube for this too.

I highly doubt a puppy this age needs more exercise, it's most likely puppy needs to learn to settle more and you need to do things to get pups brain working.

This is worth a read and a watch :)
www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/training/i-want-to-train-my-dog/preventing-puppy-mouthing/

Cockapoo pups are extremely persistent! I agree with the above posts. They are a mix of two intelligent working dogs. They need to be active and they need brain stimulation. I have had dogs of a few breeds, including border Collies. Even the Collies weren't as persistent with the mouthing as this fluffy piranha I have now.

Absolutely keep on with the training - recall and sit are the most important things your dog will learn. Once they have the concept of these two (your pup is too young to have full concept yet but give her another couple of weeks and she'll get it). Brain training and games tire them out. Stuffed kongs are brilliant when you need 10 minutes peace 😉

I very much doubt the yelp method works at the moment but if you are persistent it will click into place. When your pup was with her mum and she nipped her mum would yelp and ignore her. If you notice your pup playing with other pups their play will focus on nipping each other. You shouldn't try to stop a puppy from mouthing but it needs to learn bite inhibition - mouthing is fine unless it's painful.

Another thing I did when my pup wasn't getting the yelp method is smear some cream cheese over my fingers. Pup will lick the cheese. Lots if praise and a cue word for licking (I used gentle). My pup is 14 weeks old today and now when her mouthing gets a bit much I tell her gentle and she licks instead.

Don't underestimate your pups intelligence. She's still very young. With stimulation, Excercise and lots of patience- together with you working out strategies that's best for you both- she will pick it up in no time.

Like most things treat the behaviour you want and ignore the behaviour you don't want. I know, i know its virtually impossible to ignore needle sharp teeth persistently sinking into your flesh. You have to divert that energy into something more positive. Sit is a great diversion which will give your pup chance to calm down and you a chance to divert her attention to a tuggy toy for some structured play. As she grows your pup will go all out to please you ( and for the treat of course).

Puppies are exhausting! Keep on with the training and your pup will grow into a dog you can be proud of. Good Luck 🍀

Oh and please don't put your hands on her in an aggressive way e.g. smack her. Your puppy needs to see your hands as a positive thing.

Apoplogies if your pup is a boy btw. I use she as mine is a girl.

Thank you so much everyone !! Some really great advice :) I'll probably be back as a novice pup owner I have lots of newbie questions lol

Please ask away. I'd much prefer people ask if they are stuck than battle on getting nowhere. If I can figure out how to pm you from my phone I'll send you a short vid of my pup doing "tricks". It's all about luring them at this young age.

Just a thought are you clicker training?