I can’t take the biting

[CleverQuacks]

Some of you may have seen my other thread about my puppy nipping. She bites so hard and it’s always when I am sat on the sofa. She just jumps up and bites my arms and hands. I know it’s pathetic but it hurts so much.

I am trying really hard to get up and walk away so she gets no attention but I feel like a fucking jack in the box! The minute I sit down she starts nipping and biting again so I get up again.

I give her chews to bite and they will keep her occupied for 15 minutes and then it all starts again.

Right now it feels relentless. I can’t sit on the sofa without being attacked. I keep telling myself it’s just puppyness but it’s only going to get worse as she gets older and stronger.

Are you sure she isn't biting more because she's tired and needs a rest but doesn't know how to settle?

I 'know' the advice is to remove yourself but when mine was a puppy removing him to his crate worked in that he was bloody tired and would snooze and come out a 'nicer' puppy. When he got bigger he got timeouts again by removing him from us for a few minutes and by that time he would stop or more often than not when allowed back in the room curl up to settle down to sleep himself.

Firstly, it does get better. Honestly it really does.
Next, do you play with pup? As in tug games, fetch games and training? It is worth 15 minutes investment in your time to mentally wear her out so you can have a rest. Chews are a great distraction but she is craving your attention as much as something to cut her teeth on.
We spent two months in wellies when mine was a small pup so I do know what you are going through!
It may be that she needs a time out in the crate or another room just to save your sanity.

She may be tired. She doesn’t seem to settle herself to sleep unless I put her in her crate and close the door. She never just takes herself to sleep.

Having a puppy feels very hard today

I try and play with her. We can’t play tug because she just ignores the rope and bites my hands instead. She will fetch a ball for ten minutes but then the biting starts again.

When she starts biting say after ball play put the ball away and if she continues seperate her from you until it stops. It does feel very repetitive at first so timeout for a few mins then keep repeating the timeout if she comes straight back out and starts again.

They do have very bitey periods. My MN name is in honour of BiteyDog as a puppy. It's very common to think it will never end and you will be left with this aggressive dog but it will pass but you do need to make sure she isn't rewarded so as soon as she starts the fun stops (even if that means no more fun because you are in a different room).

If nothing else, I hope you're reassured that it's normal, ok, and will pass. It's demoralizing at times when your sweet baby puppy (who you hope will grow up to be your lovely companion) only seems to want to come at you with it's needle teeth, open mouthed and repeatedly! Think you've had lots of nice advice, so I'm just trying to sympathise and reassure. Mine got much better when the adult teeth came in at about 5 months. Play biting only comes back now if she's too hyped up. I think you'll get to know, as others suggested, when she wants to play or when she's over tired or too hyped up, and handle accordingly. Good luck!!

Thank you for all your replies. I know it won’t be forever, it just feels like it at the moment. She has just fallen asleep on the sofa so I am sitting very still so as not to wake her lol

My dog just can’t settle in the living room it was especially bad when he was about your pups age he can now maybe do 20 mins with a chew. If he bites and jumps he goes in the kitchen he doesn’t cry or get distressed and we visit him to make sure he is ok after a while but generally he will just sleep. We have ended up with a puppy we put to bed at 9.15 pm and he is now a much more pleasant pup.

Put her on a house lead when you sit on the sofa so she cannot jumpat you. Have a mat on the floor and drop treats on the mat. No eye contact no words just treats on the mat.

I'm afraid that's just what puppies do. They bite and mouth and yes, it hurts!

The only thing that works is consistency. Whichever method you choose, be it getting up and removing yourself, folding your arms and turning away or replacing with a toy, you just need to be consistent and do the same thing every time. And make sure everyone in your household uses the same consequence for biting.

It will last several months and in some cases (breed dependent) it can carry on up to a year old or more. Part of it will be play and part of it will be teething - have you tried freezing her toys? We use frozen carrots for ours and our trainer recommends doggy ice lollies as well - beef broth (very weak) with chopped up vegetables in and then frozen. Or even just plain ice cubes to keep them amused and away from your hands!

If mine won't stop biting he gets put in the kitchen with the door closed for 5 minutes. That normally works to calm him down but when he was little it might take 1 or 2 repeats for him to get the message.

Dont panic. You'll get there. I was in tears for weeks with my boy. The other day someone said wow he has such a soft mouth (i.e. he was playing tug and accidentally mouthed my friend but was very soft).

What saved me was antlers. Deer antlers - you can get them from amazon pet stores etc. (They don't cut them off the deers! They pick them up).

Whenever the landshark came near me I would grab an antler - tell him no (firm but not angry) when he tried to sink the fangs into me and redirected him onto an antler. I can't recommend antler enough!

My dog used to do this as a puppy. Sometimes I’d sit and cry out of pain/frustration

You’ll be surprised how much tiredness will be playing a part. If my pup was tired I would have to pop her in the kitchen and close the baby gate otherwise she just wouldn’t settle and became so much more bitey.

They do grow out of it just stick to your guns.

Put chew toys in their mouth whenever they bite. If they carry on, place them in time out. Even if it’s just for 1 minute. They’ll soon learn

I agree totally with tired remarks. When our 16 week old bites it's either an accident in play or she's knackered.