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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Rehoming puppy

219 replies

Hellin301 · 13/12/2020 17:45

Please help me.

My puppy is 8 weeks (golden retriever) and I’ve came home today after family were minding him. He was calm enough with them but perhaps overly tired. I was just sitting on the floor beside him - not playing. He came running over and bit the side of my chest; hard. I was in a lot of pain and shouted at him to leave. I wouldn’t have shouted at him if it wasn’t really bloody painful. He wouldn’t listen, I then went to stand up and he grabbed my arm. Again, biting very hard. Harder than he has done before.

I’m covered in bites, which are actually bleeding. I have been working on telling him to leave which he can do, with shoes and clothes but for some reason if he gets a hold of an arm, foot, hand or another body part he will bite very hard and refuses to listen when I tell him to leave.

Someone please help me as that biting is beyond what should be tolerated. I can’t have a puppy that is actively and in my opinion aggressively chewing me to bits. I wouldn’t be so worried if I thought it was play but I actually thought it was aggression as he was growling so loudly.

If this is going to continue to happen I think I need to hold my hands up and say I’m not the right owner for him Sad which will break my heart

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 13/12/2020 18:26

Have you had a lab before? I hadn’t before I got mine. Teeth like razor blades, completely unprepared for the level and intensity of the biting and the blood and pain! We had a vet and behaviourist look him over and they both said the same thing, you did not do enough research into the breed. Devil puppies- one of the worst or can be, but angel dogs.
We stuck with it and eventually he stopped biting and chewing us.
He’s the best dog we have ever had.
Do you have a kong? Chew toys? As other posters said, praise the good behaviour, punish the bad by saying a loud and firm NO and cease contact, do not play with the puppy, ignore him for 5/10 mins every time he bites you- which will be many, many times!
A proper breeder should take the puppy back? Mine offered this option, but I loved him too much even though he scared us a little bit! It was as much work as a newborn for the first few months!

Lougle · 13/12/2020 18:28

@Hellin301

I haven’t shouted at him before - this is a first. I just wanted him to stop biting. People are acting like I’ve hit him or done some act of cruelty.

There’s nothing I can do about the age of him. He’ll be 9 weeks tomorrow

I think people are concerned that you've been given the puppy too young, without good advice.

You need to treat him like a baby - it's too late to try and manage the bitey behaviour once it's happening, you need to try and get in there first and promote a nap. Just like it's useless trying to make an overtired baby sleep, you need to get them to sleep before they're tired.

vanillandhoney · 13/12/2020 18:29

The thing is, shouting is likely to make him worse. He'll either see it as a game and bite you even more, or it could frighten him and cause different problems.

People are just trying to help you. Puppies bite and they will keep biting and mouthing until they've finished teething at about 6-8 months of age. Longer for giant breeds, slightly less for toy ones. Retrievers are mouthy breeds anyway - they were bred to carry things in their mouths, but they need to be taught how to be gentle and how to use their mouths in a positive way.

For us, biting always stopped play. Any contact with human skin and playtime was over. We also found time out quite effective. But ultimately these methods are generally "ways of managing the situation" rather than foolproof solutions. Puppies are in pain when they teeth and so they will bite on and off until their teeth come through.

Dogs also explore with their mouths, so in the same way little children smack, hit, slap and pinch, puppies will mouth and bite to see what things feel like, what they taste like and what reaction they might get.

Lougle · 13/12/2020 18:29

Try to wear layers, so that your arms and legs are well covered.

Wolfiefan · 13/12/2020 18:29

You shouting at a puppy won’t stop the biting. Puppies use their mouths to explore the world. AKA biting. It’s what they do. It’s like yelling at a child for breathing! And the poor thing has no bloody idea what your shouting actually means.

PearlclutchersInc · 13/12/2020 18:30

I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to bring him into my life

Taking a pup away from his mother at 8 weeks .... sounds like the pup is the one with the issues frankly.

Cecillie · 13/12/2020 18:30

Cut the op some slack guys
Yes puppies bite , it’s what they do, but sometimes gr pups take this to the next level. My good friend , seasoned goldie owner and biggest dog lover ever was brought to tears and point of giving up with similar puppy.if you haven’t experienced it you really don’t know how hard it can be, it’s not normal puppy nipping.
Op find a good behaviour specialist, don’t just choose randomly , call your vets tomorrow, explain and get them to recommend someone who can help you .
It is fixable but get help sooner rather than later.

Suzi888 · 13/12/2020 18:32

Ps shouting, screaming, waving arms will make him think it’s game and that you enjoy it.

Tulipshoots · 13/12/2020 18:32

You have done no research if you are quoting the dominance theory. Please take him back to the breeder- actually don’t because the puppy should not have been sold at 7 weeks. Take the puppy to the breed specific rescue.

autumndream · 13/12/2020 18:32

You need to return to him to the breeder so he can have a nice home with someone that knows what they're doing! You say you've done loads of research so why don't you know that puppies are little crocodiles? He's not aggressive!
People like you literally make me sick

smellllycat · 13/12/2020 18:34

This dog is way too young to be away from his mother. I hope this means he was a rescue. Animals aren't commodities and a puppy is always going to be a handful.

hiredandsqueak · 13/12/2020 18:35

You will have weeks if not months of the nipping, it's what puppies do. It sounds like you aren't really cut out for being a puppy owner tbh if you are really wound up by a couple of nips today. FWIW for us the nipping got a lot worse up until about four months until it started to get better.

smellllycat · 13/12/2020 18:36

Autumn dream of this poor animal did come from a breeder then they need reporting not having the dog given back to them! All breeders are bad but any that would sell a puppy this young is seriously messed up.

HmmSureJan · 13/12/2020 18:37

I usually think MN is too hard on people seeking advice about getting a dog or their puppies but I am reading this post and the updates with increasing horror. Return this poor animal immediately I beg you. You haven't got the faintest idea what you're doing and you'll ruin his chances by creating behavioural issues, which will make it harder for him to be re-homed the bigger he gets.

Steamfan · 13/12/2020 18:37

This puppy should never have been taken from his mother - poor little chap. Was it a reputable breeder you got it from? This has made me so sad and cross

TheoriginalLEM · 13/12/2020 18:38

Puppies bite, it fucking hurts

Why is this a surprise?

The surprise is how much it hits though

You say he has been left with various family members over the week youve had him. No wonder the poor little buggar is stressed.

You need to concentrate on making him feel secure, its the cliche of rewarding good behaviour and ignoring unwanted behaviour. What will change the behaviour us time

Persevere - he needs a smaller circle of people around him

And no, it is not dominance, he is 8 weeks old

vanillandhoney · 13/12/2020 18:38

OP has clarified that the puppy is nine weeks old tomorrow which means she got him at eight weeks, which is the standard age to re-home a puppy.

Personally I think it's too young but I don't think fixating on that one piece of information is helpful to anyone. OP didn't do anything wrong by getting a puppy at eight weeks of age.

AuntyPasta · 13/12/2020 18:38

I wasn’t trying to criticise you. It’s horrible having stinging cuts every time you wash your hands. Some puppies are much worse than others when it comes to biting.

autumndream · 13/12/2020 18:39

@smellllycat puppies can leave at 8 weeks and she said it's 9 weeks tomorrow so in theory she's only had the dog a week. If she's had it more than a week then yes it's illegal

AlwaysHangry · 13/12/2020 18:39

Look up Southend dog training they are amazing he is only 8 weeks old he needs time and patience lots of it. Crate train him and stick to a routine. If he starts mouthing he is overtired and over stimulated he needs to be put down for a nap.

myneighboursarerude · 13/12/2020 18:40

If you don’t cower in a corner wondering wtf have I done, I can’t do this in the first week when you get a puppy have you even got a puppy?

Aside from kids getting a dog is the biggest commitment you can make to another person. You don’t get to pack the towel in on this, he’s yours. this is hard, it may seem impossible at times, but he’s yours and you can do this.

He’s mouthing. Get a spray bottle, fill it with water and every time he mouths, yelp and spray. He’ll stop within days. He doesn’t understand, it’s your job to make him understand.

Madvixen · 13/12/2020 18:41

I'm asking this gently OP but did you see pup with his Mum? It sounds like he's maybe not been taught his bite inhibition which is something Mum teaches them in the first few weeks. If that's the case, you're going to have to be Mum for a bit and teach him it.

Dogs will bite for play but it's really, really important that he knows where the boundaries are. When he bite you, you need to squeal (like a dog in pain) rather than shout at him. It needs to be short and high pitched (and you sound like an idiot when you do it Smile) but it will teach him what isn't tolerated.

I sympathise as puppy teeth are razor sharp and it can bloody hurt when they bite but, with the right training, it does stop. It's just going to take patience and perseverance on your part

bloodywhitecat · 13/12/2020 18:41

Give him back to the breeder, it is the kindest thing all round. Things are only going to get harder before they get better and it doesn't sound like you are cut out for dog ownership.

Newfluff · 13/12/2020 18:41

The growling and shaking head is normal, my 10 year old still does it when playing tug. It sounds growly but it's actually the dog having lots of fun. You need to learn how to teach the dog that he can bite and shake but not you. Puppy classes now will be a great investment.

1forAll74 · 13/12/2020 18:42

I think you should take him back to the breeder. Puppies need a lot of love and attention and it's to be expected even as young as this, he will try and bite and play a bit rough, It sound a bit over the top, that he is ripping you to shreds at this age though. It's will be a work in progress to spend time and energy with a young puppy, and this should make him a lovely dog in time. You have a breed, that is usually friendly and good natured if trained properly.

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