5 month old puppy biting/mouthing DH

[WelshMammy123]

Hi all. We have a 5 month old cocker spaniel. He was extremely nippy in the beginning but over time has calmed down and now rarely bites/nips/mouths at me or our DC. If he does nip then he responds to a firm 'no'. However he's a terror with DH. He races up to him, jumps up and bites/mouths him. As he gets bigger it's hurting DH a bit more than it did. We're really not sure what to do or how to stop it.

Full disclosure, he's my dog. DH didn't want a dog just yet and as a result I typically do the feeding, walking, puppy classes etc. DH does do a bit of this but in the main it's me. I don't know if this is relevant but mentioning it in case it is.

Anyone got any suggestions on what may be going on and how we can help to stop it? Thanks all.

It’s normal for puppies. He’s trying to play, he isn’t being aggressive. You need to distract him with a toy - does he like to chase balls, play tug with a rope like toy or chew things? If he starts getting nippy get his favourite toy out an direct his biting energy to that instead. Puppies do nip, that’s just the nature of them, but you need to teach him where it’s okay to direct his energy and where it isn’t. Dogs don’t understand the meaning of ‘no’, it’s just a noise to them and you need to be showing him what it is you want him to be doing instead and reward that.

Agree with above. Also does DH play with him and does he tend to play rough? Our pup was always more gentle with me than DP and I think men sometimes can encourage a bit of rough and tumble with the puppies and then the pups don't know when to stop.

@ashmts Urgh, my brother was the worst for this! He'd let/encourage my puppy to mouth on his fist, some primitive 'Look What A Big Strong Man I Am' type attitude, which was really aggravating as I was trying so hard to train her out of it! In the end that whole first year was nightmare!

OP, you will crack it, it's a perfectly normal behaviour, you just have to be consistent. Have him quickly distract with a chewey type dog dog. Ours always loves those plastic keys, if you can still get them.

It really wouldn't be a bad idea if he did some training too. Just a couple minutes a day would help. Maybe he could teach her something new?

One thing I have remembered after having a puppy for the first time for a long time. When people say "distract him with a toy" it's not enough to offer him a toy and leave him to play with it. When my pup started chewing on our hands we would offer him a toy instead but hold it and move it/play with it with him. Not just put it in front of him and expect him to play with it.

Does DH play rough with him?

Our beagle was a nightmare for biting/mouthing DH - because DH encouraged it! He'd roll around on the floor and rough-house with him, wind the puppy up and then complain when it all went wrong

I also suspect that if your DH never walks, feeds or plays with him, then your puppy is just doing what he can to get his attention, and if biting/mouthing is what works, then that's what he'll continue to do.

DH needs to be firm and stop the behaviour. If he keeps encouraging it (which I suspect he's doing, even if it's not intentional) then the puppy won't have reason to stop.