Puppy biting

[EyeBetOnSky]

I have a ten week old puppy. The biting is getting me down so much. I know puppies bite. I know (so people say) that it passes but it feels absolutely relentless. I seem to be her primary target-and I’m glad it’s not anyone else in the family, so that’s a blessing I suppose.
It’s what to do about it that I’m struggling with. There’s so much online information.
If I turn my back she jumps and snaps at my legs.
If I stand still she jumps and snaps at my legs
When she grabs clothing I keep still but she continues to pull and sees it as a game (I don’t pull back)
I don’t want to put her in her crate because all the advice says it shouldn’t be used as a time out/punishment.
I have a pen that I was using but this week she’s started to jump out
Advice about shouting/loud noises is conflicting
Tonight I’m feeling tearful and defeated (and really fucking sore).
Please tell me it passes.

@SquashPenguin I did get some bitter apple spray that seems to have worked really well as a deterrent for chewing table legs etc., so maybe I could try that! Thanks for the tip :)

Totally agree here that time outs and the like don't work (well they didn't here) as dogs need to have things to bite and chew one. Releases all the happy hormones. They just need directing to what is okay to bite and what isn't.

😂😂😂

My pug looked very put out when suddenly my toes weren’t quite so tasty! I think he accidentally had a good taste of antibacterial hand gel at one point as well and that was interesting for him 😆 Either way, he enjoys a salt and vinegar Pringle now and again so it hasn’t done any lasting trauma 🤣

With my puppy, now over 20 years ago (RIP Hazzer), I read The Dummies Guide to Dogs and they recommended squealing as if the bite hurt you (even if it didn't). Apparently this is how puppies learn how hard they can bite in play without hurting.

Worked a treat on him, he was a Staffie.

Oh OP it is hard.

I would not put horrid smelling stuff on your. Loads of reasons but you need to be the best thing for your dog and if they dont want to come near you because you smell or taste horrid - you will have mega issues in general training.

Why do dogs toys have squeaky noises in them? dogs get excited and love the noise - squealing yelling when they bite you will just add fuel to the already over aroused puppy.

You are right to try and prevent the biting. However puppies explore using their mouth and also they will be in mega pain due to teething.

So giving them things to chew on will help.

Dont swop onto a toy in an excited way if they are biting just calmly show them the toy and get them onto it. If you are high energy and making noises this will excite the puppy more and make things worse.

If you want to move across the room drop a few treats behind you - so the puppy goes to the treats as you begin to move. rather than your feet. I add a go sniff command (this is useful later on as well).

You may find things are worse in the evenings along with mad zoomies so be prepared with a good natural chew - this stage will not last forever.

If you are handling the puppy I would again have food on the floor on in another hand as I stroke the puppy. Some dogs have to get used to being touched and the biting can be a displacement activity as you touch them.

If you have just had enough it is fine (if they are in safe place) to give yourself a breather and just walk away. Treats on the floor walk away and have some wine .

Encourage loads and loads of sleep - so good quality sleep about 16 hours a day at this age.

This will pass I promise you.

People worry they have an aggressive dog and that their biting is worse than everyone elses but the good news is that you have a very normal puppy. If at the moment a very bitey bugger

We have a 13 week old puppy. Generally he gets bitey when he is tired, or needs the toilet. We have a crate, and if he gets too bitey he goes in the crate, 9 times out of 10 he is tired and is completely sparko within 5 minutes. We have lots of chew toys for him because obviously teething. Bare in mind puppies should be sleeping 18-20 hours a day. Ours tends to be up for about an hour and then needs a nap.

My pup is 5 months now but I could have written this a few months ago. I was also always the target, to the point I think DH didn't believe me when I told him how he had behaved while he was at work, he was shocked when he witnessed it!
As others have said I continued to redirect to a toy, or if he was really bad, I'd go and stand behind our glass door watching him until he calmed. As soon as he had calmed I'd either do some training, play with a toy or if it was obvious he was tired, i'd put him in his crate and he would generally go straight to sleep!
I also taught him to sit before giving him attention, and I think he's learned that biting doesn't get him anything, now he comes and sits and does a little whine when he wants a cuddle or to play (he is very vocal!).
Hang in there, I was in tears more than once but it does get easier. He still bites at times but it's more mouthing when playing and he generally stops immediately when told. Good luck, it really is worth it :)

As this was obviously aimed at my comment I’d just like to add that it has had zero effect on my dog wanting to come near me or training in general. My dog is velcroed to me, he has great recall and is well behaved. Oh and he doesn’t bite.

@ShouldIknowthisalready Thank you so much for your kind reply. Evenings are definitely a flash point, when everyone is tired and I'm definitely not feeling my most resilient (and knowing I have a really interrupted nights sleep ahead). I'm going to order some natural treats - the only ones I could see in our pet shop weren't suitable for puppies.
I just need to power through and look at the good things my puppy is doing (she takes herself off into her crate for a big sleep, and is doing well with toilet training) - it isn't all bad.
Thanks for the reassurance that I have a normal puppy. And for the wine advice.
For anyone else who is at this hideous stage, I'm sending you all positive vibes x

Sorry the biting is getting you down. As everyone else says, it will pass. Your puppy should be sleeping for at least 18 hours a day. I found that the more my lab pup slept, the less biting happened. It was always when they were overtired when it was at its worst.

We do an hour up then 1-2 hours nap throughout the day. Then bed at 7pm ish. When ours gets too bitey it’s nap time!

It's not going to help but we also own our pup's mum, aunt, grandma and great grandma. She's constantly playing with her mum and being corrected by them all. Keeps her busy and tired. The challenge will be the one on one training but will have to take her out on walks on her own.

Hi @EyeBetOnSky I know this is a few months old but just wondered if things calmed down for you and when? We have a 9.5week old puppy and I could’ve written this post! We are having a very similar hard time with biting.I know everyone says it’s calms down but hard to imagine when you’re in the middle of it. Did anything work for you or did your puppy just calm down naturally with time? Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Hi@baileyjo, I can indeed confirm that things did calm down quite a lot, quite quickly. It's hard to remember exactly when, but I'd say around 13 or 14 weeks I realised that the savaging had really reduced! We're now at 6.5 months and teething is mostly over so that's made a big difference too.
It's unbelievably hard in those early days - I was completely strung out and thought I'd made a huge mistake (in spite of being the one who had been so desperate for a dog for years and having tried to be realistic about how much work puppies are).
There wasn't really one particular strategy that worked for us. I think having chews on hand worked a bit. I also just wore the same knackered old clothes rather than get upset if anything half decent got ripped. On evenings (and it was mostly evenings) when it was really bad, I'd attach the lead so that I could hold my pup away from me and keep her in one place. I think when we started being able to get out for walks things felt easier too, purely because I wasn't stuck in the house all of the time. It feels like forever while you're waiting for the second jabs. There's a great puppy thread on Reddit which really helped me to feel I wasn't alone. I still dip into it sometimes are there are no end of 'puppy blues' posts.
You'll get through the other side I promise - right now it's just survival. I can honestly say now that I really do love hanging out with my dog and that she's totally worth the absolute nightmare first month or so. where before I questioned whether I even liked her at all. I was convinced our puppy was a wrong 'un! These days she'll still try to mouth a bit when we're playing, but a sharp 'ah ah' is all that's needed and she knows she's on thin ice.

Good luck lovely - all will be fine 🙂x

Thanks so much @EyeBetOnSky for replying. Great to hear that it calms down, ours is evening too when he goes a bit mental 😫 I had prepped myself for all this but it’s definitely harder when you’re living it! I think once we can get him out the house for walks etc that’ll make a huge difference. Appreciate the response xx

@baileyjo you're very welcome! Give it a few more weeks and things will feel really different. Good luck :)

@baileyjo I'm right there with you!! Our pup is just over 9 weeks and the biting and crazed zoomies are getting tiresome! Combined with lack of sleep for the wee breaks in the night it's breaking me just a little bit. But, I know it will be worth it when we come out the other side...... 🤞🤞🐾