Rehoming puppy

[Hellin301]

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 which will break my heart

Seriously why did you get a puppy???? Poor thing is 8 weeks old and learning. It's not difficult, just youtube/read books on puppy rearing or ask family etc or even a vet!! Did you think a new puppy would sleep all day ?

Puppy’s are very hard work. I remember singing baby shark a lot when my now 2 year old was a pup! It’s really really hard work.

Ive decided to close my account on Mumsnet and don’t believe it’s right for me to return for any future advice on this forum.

I’ve been really worn down by the lack of sleep this week.

I wouldn’t hurt my puppy for the world, I care for him so much. I only entitled the thread because I feel like such a failure with him at the minute. I just feel like someone else could do a better job than what I’m doing and it’s really upsetting me.

I didn’t realise getting him at 8 weeks was that much of an issue. I had read other articles about puppies being removed at that age and have multiple friends who got their puppy at the 8 week mark & their dogs all appear normal.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to offer some constructive advice, there’s been a lot of really great advice given and it means a lot

@nicky7654

Seriously why did you get a puppy???? Poor thing is 8 weeks old and learning. It's not difficult, just youtube/read books on puppy rearing or ask family etc or even a vet!! Did you think a new puppy would sleep all day ?

Actually bringing up a puppy is difficult. Most people say it’s harder than bringing up children. And puppies need to sleep for about 20 hours a day.

@changedmynameforChristmas

OP did your 8 week old puppy come with papers ? I can't think of any breeder worth mentioning that would let a puppy go before 10 weeks.

It's a baby. I feel so sorry for the little thing. 8 weeks and still taking milk and sold on. What a shower of shit

Most puppies wean from 3weeks. They would be fully weaned and taking on solids by 8 weeks.

If you’re going to be scathing at least make sure you are correct...

Our puppy came home at 8 weeks. And my god puppies are hard work.

I don't care what anyone else says. I would not take a puppy at 8 weeks. I bred Cocker spaniels and they went at ten to twelve weeks. They were like my babies. They went with full papers and food and advice. 8 weeks is too young.

I know our vet thought 8 weeks was fine.

OP I know you've said you won't be back, but I hope you can work something out.

DH had a customer ask if he'd put his arm through glass. He explained no, it was our new Labrador puppy!

It has got better. I couldn't quite manage to arrange everything as per the FB group, but there are some good tips about having toys attached on dressing gown cords etc and to keep trailed on the floor. We've failed miserably with crate training so I would spend time trying to achieve that.

I would also return to breeder. Sorry but you just don’t sound cut out for owning a dog like this. Return now before you mess the dog up for life

8 weeks is normal though - I wouldn’t personally fret about that

I've had 3 puppies and that doesn't sound like normal puppy nipping. That sounds like aggressive biting, especially if he's shaking his head. Mine would nip but clearly wanted to play, buying feet and trouser legs when walking, plus the occasional finger.

Could you look at investing in a local trainer to come and advise you?

I used to click my fingers near their ears and say 'no' sternly. When they stopped I'd praise them. You could try a clicker and a stern 'no'

They have razor sharp teeth at that age. Sounds painful and a bit scary too.

@Hellin301 Don't go! I and many new pup parents have gone through the same roller coaster of emotions you are right now! We brought ours home at 8 wks - it is normal. She is fine & settled in well and thriving.

Try to get through and get a trainer in for a 1:1 - they will be helpful and should be able to see if you seem to have a particular issue - at the very least, perhaps give you some very useful training/coping tips. Good luck x

We got our puppy at 8 weeks and he's KC registered and the temp insurance. I know that doesn't necessarily mean a huge amount but I assume that's what's meant by having papers.

How long have you had him?

He shouldn’t have been rehomed until at least 8 weeks. Ideally 9/10.

Puppies bite. Non stop. You surely should’ve researched this if you have “sacrificed a lot”. If you’ve excitedly gone into puppy owning and realised it isn’t all puppy cuddles then I can understand your shock.

You’ve also chosen a large breed which are intelligent and require lots of boundaries, stimulation and exercise.

He would’ve been over stimulated if left with strangers (to the pup). Don’t scream shout and get cross. A firm no. Or not even that but swapping your body with a toy he can bite.

Are you crate training him? He is also- I assume- unable to be walked yet!
Crate training so you can pop him in for the odd hour nap (but NEVER as punishment).

Puppies aren’t easy. But neither are adult dogs. My friend hasn’t taught her puppy not to bite. It’s now 14 months and still bites. I am a dog lover but it angers me

It's a very young dog. You're inexperienced, you need to give him more time, introduce routines (sleep, eat, play, exercise) and in time he'll learn. He'll learn to recognise the strengh of his bite and to channel his excitement correctly. Puppies and older dogs do growl when they play, what makes you say he's aggressive? It worries me you have thoughts of rehoming him after less than a week, it seems way too rushed and perhaps do reconsider if you are actually prepared and committed enough to be a dog owner long term. If not, contact the breeder now, for the sake of your pup and your own.

My helpful advice is- buy as many chew toys as possible. A yak is by far the best- they’re on amazon. They’re solid yak milk sticks and occupy a teething puppy! Split antlers too (I don’t think the fake chew toys are any good).

We rescued a dog at 6 weeks. She wasn’t a biter etc etc and doesn’t have any behavioural issues so I don’t think it’s an age issue.

also those saying “return to breeder it’s too young - well a good breeder wouldn’t home a puppy too young”!

Puppies aren’t easy. Good luck. It will also get easier once you can stimulate him and walk him!

I got my lab at 8 weeks and her breeder is fantastic, I searched for months until I found her, went on waiting list and got lots of info off her before her girl was even mated.

Have all papers, insured, microchipped, wormed, first vaccination (obviously not all breeders do first vaccination for valid reasons too)

She's settled in brilliantly as have her sisters - her breeder has a private Facebook group for owners of her litters and it's brilliant. She adores her bitches and pups.

[quote Hellin301]@Loveyourideas - thank you.

As long as I’m not doing anything out of the ordinary. That half an hour of madness is just that. And it’s that half an hour that I really struggle with. He’s manic, and yes I think it’s probably over tiredness or over excitement. I’ll work harder on withdrawing attention for a few minutes and see how that goes over the next number of weeks/ months.[/quote]
I found with mine that that half hour of madness meant she was over-tired. Like an overtired toddler she was impossible to reason with, and just wound herself up more and more and got more hyper and bitey.

I used to pop her in her crate and sing lullabies* to her. She would proper tantrum - howl, thrash, bite the bars - for about two minutes. Then she would glare at me with increasingly sleepy eyes because I had been so horrible as to make her nap. Then she would fall asleep. And wake up much calmer and nicer.

It's not dominance. It's a toddler playing bratishly because he's overwhelmed and tired.

It's normal. They do grow out of it.

(*sometimes lullabies. Sometimes folk songs with very rude words. Because tantruming puppy.)

Hmmm, do you perchance have teenagers looking after the pup when you are at at work? I suspect a human family member maybe be playing tug-o-war games with your pup.
I've had goldies most my life and although they are 'mouthy' dogs (I swear if they had fingers they would suck them) the behaviour you describe is very often caused by human interplay. Your pup is not old enough to know the difference between tugging on a toy and tugging on your skin (massive ouch).
Train your family in gentle play and never tug any toy from the pup.
My experience of goldies are very gentle well mannered dogs, but delinquents as puppies! And as such need a huge time investment in training.

Reading this thread has reminded me why my mum never had a puppy. We had beautiful dogs my whole life but never a puppy. She had had one before I was born and said never again!

I got my puppy at 8 weeks. She is now 8 1/2 years old. She was such a biter as a pup. She would literally pull peoples socks off their feet. It's took a lot, I mean a LOT of training and she grew out of it. It's is just a phase l just be consistent with your training. I hope you get to read this and not leave mn. We're not all terrible, honest

I know OP said she isn’t coming back, but I had to post and say I get why people are a bit up in arms. This read as one of those threads where someone comes on and says something outrageous ‘my 8wo pup was AGGRESSIVELY biting/I'm going to have to rehome’ etc etc etc. Then when people say ‘hang on, that’s normal behaviour’, rather than holding up their hands and saying ‘ok, I was probably underprepared, can you guys help me learn so I can do better?’, they start getting defensive, shout loudly about all the research they’ve done (whilst spouting nonsense about dominance). And when that doesn’t work, swiftly drip feeding information to change the narrative.

OP, if you’re still here, most of us know how difficult puppies are, no one thinks you should be perfect with your first pup and no one would criticise you for feeling exasperated, exhausted and at the end of your rope. Most, if not all of us have been there. The problem was the way you worded your post. It’d be a shame to leave, maybe calm down and read through the advice given here. Puppies really are hard work, and based on my decades of experience of dog owning - this is the easy part. It almost always gets harder before it gets easier. Stay. Ask for advice. Be honest if you’re ill prepared for a problem you encounter - we’ve all done it at some point, with some problem.

Good luck with your pup. If you put in the work (and it is work), and get your family singing from the same hymn sheet, you’ll both be just fine.

I'm always astounded on this board that people who are 100% pro positive training for dogs can be so brutal to humans. OP was clearly at the end of her tether and emotionally exhausted, and she got some horrible responses. If people feel attacked they will get defensive, especially if they are tired and worn down: they haven't the energy to take a step back and be objective.

'Please help me,' says the OP. And some posters do, but others rush in to tell her how she makes them sick and shouldn't have a dog and doesn't know anything and on and on. And OP leaves what could have been a great source of advice for her. Well done, people.

Yes, perhaps she could have phrased her post a little better (I have learned to be bloody careful how I phrase things) but she was clearly exhausted, and the people who went for her could have thought a bit harder too.

And on another topic, it is entirely usual for well-bred puppies of most breeds (not all, there are some exceptions) to go to their new homes at 8 weeks. It used to be six weeks when I was young... I have a very well-adjusted PAT dog who came to us at 8 weeks to the bloody day.

I'd you're on Facebook please please please join the page golden retrievers GB
Lots and lots of good advice, they really are land sharks at this age. Whatever you do DO NOT sell on pets for homes or any other site. Golden retrievers are the best dogs to everr walk the face of wthe earth, if you really can't keep him one of us will