Cocker spaniel puppy snapping

[chimichangaz]

We've had a cocker spaniel puppy for 4 weeks now (he's 12 weeks) and I'm getting worried about his biting - specifically jumping up and snapping at us.

I've read a lot about the biting phase with this breed and he certainly does that. We've had lots of nips and actual bites when he's got too carried away. We've had a dog trainer come to the house (for general training) and she told us to say 'bah' in a deep voice and then ignore him as she said that's what his mum would do. That doesn't work. Then a pet shop assistant told me to 'scream' and move away and that's had a bit more success.

However he seems to get these really crazy moments during the day when he seems out of control - and will jump up snapping and biting. He's ripped holes in all of our trousers doing this and also caused some nasty bites. The only thing that seems to calm him down is putting him in his crate to calm down for 10-15 minutes. He doesn't cry or make a fuss when he's in there but I don't want him to start associating the crate with punishment as he's so good at night and when he has naps in there. Plus, when he did this just now it was difficult to get hold of him without getting bitten.

Is this normal behaviour and what can we do about it?

First of all stop taking advice from unqualified people eg pet shop assistants!
They aren't called landsharks for nothing so it is all normal. The best thing to do is to re-direct with a toy etc BUT also look as is puppy getting enough sleep? They need approx 16 hours sleep per day so enforce naps if needed.
Screaming at a puppy is only going to heighten their arousal. Best thing is to turn your back + ignore/walk away. Give lots of attention when puppy is quiet and take attention away when too bitey.
Highly recommend the book Easy, Peasy, Puppy Sqeezy for these first few months. You also have a working breed so need to get their brain working. Read The Pet Gundog Puppy book by Lez Graham. Structure in some gundog style training into your day to help settle pup and stimulate their brain.

We called our WCS "psycho pup" for the first 6 months. I am experienced with spaniels but she was something else entirely!
The other thing that really helped calm her was taking her gundog puppy training classes every week. They tired her out for a good few days as she was getting breed appropriate training. I train all mine as working dogs but I started the process with her earlier than I normally would. I was expecting it though as she has an all red pedigree so all FTCH going back 6 generations.

You need to teach him what to bite. So shove a toy in. Every time. Have them everywhere. He’ll get it. My pup stopped around 5 months…then restarted at 8 months at adolescence albeit with much better bite inhibition. Very normal. At 12 months she will mostly get a toy and present to you instead of launching with teeth but she forgets herself sometimes so needs reminding.

It’s all normal. They need to bite but they need to learn what to bite.

Oh I’ve got a working terrier. Try screaming at them 😂

They need approx 16 hours sleep per day so enforce naps if needed.

At 12 weeks I would say they need much more than that - about 18-20 hours of sleep a day is ideal.

@andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow hence "approx"

Thanks all and I think the advice is excellent- he's probably not getting enough sleep in the day so we will definitely increase that. Training is also a great idea - and I'll have a look at those books that were recommended.

He's so good at night, goes in his crate no bother and doesn't need to get up to wee. Even when we put him in his crate to calm down he doesn't make any fuss. Just need to deal with this biting phase and get the toilet training sorted

Puppies are like babies, they need putting down for regular naps or they get overtired which results in the more uncontrollable bitey episodes. Try and work on a loose routine of no more than a couple of hours awake and a nap after exercise especially while pup is so little.

Please do not give him things to bite. He won't understand that he can bite this but not that. Biting is off the cards. Chewing however is potentially an activity he may enjoy but not all dogs do.

Distraction and stopping any interaction with him whenever he starts the behaviour and turn your head away. However, I think he likely bites because he is over stimulated and also tired. Keep play short, less than 5 minutes. Attend puppy classes if not already. Lots of rest and sleep.

I used to work professionally with dogs and am qualified but I still took my two young dogs to puppy classes as dog knowledge has moved on a lot.

Puppies learn about their environment through their mouth, same way as toddlers do so actually mouthing is very important in their development, you just need to direct it in a positive way.

Funny you say it’s moved on but you’ve advised something very outdated.

Dogs NEED to bite. All dogs. They need to learn what is acceptable and what is not. Hence the toys. When my last dog used to get a bit overexcited or frustrated she’d run and grab a toy to take her frustration out on. Great stuff. I don’t want her bottling that up.

I personally didn’t find sleep made much of a difference but pre post poo was a really bitey period.

He's teething? I would definitely agree with posters that have said give him toys he can put in his mouth.

Definitely sleep! I have a 12 week old labrador puppy. At 9/10 weeks we had exactly this and it was frightening and he went through a number of pairs of denim jeans and shorts (I have had labradors and other puppies before but not furry sharks). At the same time he NEVER slept during the day even in his crate, he would be awake and on high alert, despite sleeping and settling well in his crate overnight. So I started a regime of 1.30/ 2 hours awake and then the same again in his crate (having had a wee etc). Initially, I would be out of the room, radio on and washing machine/ dishwasher for white noise. Now I can be in the room doing quiet stuff (like now - reading Mumsnet and having a coffee - he is asleep in crate). Transformed. Find a routine that works for you and you tell him when he has down time. It needs to be regular through waking hours. Evenings can still be a bit wild with us, but so much better and if he’s too much he goes in his crate to settle down and sleep. You will start to notice when he needs to go to bed - eg being too bitey, jumping up a lot, acting wired (and in the case of our pup, quiet humping!). And if he bites which he still will sometimes, make an outraged noise (your choice), stop playing and turn your back, so he learns that he has hurt you and to adjust his tooth work accordingly.

And to avoid getting bitten putting him in his crate, try popping a chew or a small sprinkle of kibble from his food ration. This is just to get you over the initial difficulties. And it’s no more punishment than putting a baby down for a nap. He just has to learn how to settle himself. Being wired must be much less pleasant than being put in his safe space for some peace and quiet (I rather fancy it myself!). Good luck. You’ve got this.

our cocker was like this. They are called cockerdiles for a reason! First of all, don’t panic, we now have a lovely adult dog who doesn’t try to bite us every time we move! This is just a phase so try to enjoy it (as crazy as that sounds! But one day you 99% WILL have a relaxed older doggo and you might look back on the crazy puppy days with fondness!).

The best thing we found for the puppy biting stage was contact with other puppies. They learn really fast what is appropriate behaviour around other dogs who can correct them. So if you have a local park try to meet and greet with some other puppies and set up some puppy play sessions. I remember once we travelled all the way to Greenwich to hang out with another puppy in their owners garden, (they were a total stranger so that seems absurd now 😂).

The next thing we would do is just leave the room when the biting got too much. Just remove the fun play mate every time they bite. So they get instant feedback that biting means the fun is over.

The third thing that helps is time - they do grow out of it!

Other advice we got at the time was to wear wellingtons indoors 🤣🤣🤣

And lots of safe things to bite like yak milk bars or those olive wood branches as well.

I agree with above that he is probably overstimulated and/or overtired and hasn't the self-control he will have later. Puppies are taking in a lot all the time they are awake... and they don't put themselves to bed enough (any more than toddlers do).

Putting him somewhere quiet (like the crate) when he gets bitey is a good idea.

It isn't a punishment - just a calming down space. The over-excitement isn't all fun for him - it can look a bit hysterical.

Your squeaking/yelping and turning away is a good idea - as it is immediate feedback on you not liking the nipping. This is useful for him (even if he is too wound-up to act on the information at the time and still needs to be put in a quiet space).

Just to add: he isn't attacking any of you or showing bad character by biting- it is just that his mouth has been the most important source of pleasure/comfort/learning from birth and using other parts of his body isn't what comes first to him when under pressure.

Lovely calm gentle dogs can grow from furry-shark beginnings.

Our cocker (6.5 months old) also does this. Particularly in the mornings/when kids come home from school as he's just so crazy excited to see everyone. He is definitely worse when teething (which he seems to be doing again - I guess back teeth?). Good advice to give him something else to bite that isn't us!

Ours also sometimes has crazy moments where he just races round the house or garden. At puppy training, I was told to ignore him and walk away when he gets like this. I usually do that when he's in the garden. But if he gets really mental indoors, I sometimes pick him up and hold him to calm him down... (much like I used to with crazy DS2!).

Ours is by far the liveliest puppy in puppy class, but it's mostly because he just wants to be friends with all dogs and owners! He's a wonderful dog otherwise.

@Sconehenge Have you managed to get your cocker to behave off the lead? We're nowhere near yet, so any helpful tips very much appreciated!

Cocker spaniels are nicknamed Crocker spaniels- they’re the bitiest dogs out there!!! (Legends but bitey!) Have a ton of soft toys around the place to hand over to him as he jumps. Tell him down as he jumps, say teddy and had over. ALWAYS have a teddy with you (even when I put clothes on the line I’d have one hurting out of my pocket), and a few about the place. After a while when he feels like gnawing he’ll pick it up himself. Also useful is toy bones that are age appropriate. Our dog stopped about age one and a half but he still opens his mouth when over excited but he runs and grabs a toy. I stay nearby when he’s out with the kids just in case! They are legends and so lovely but they are just mouthy. Easy peasy puppy squeezy is the best book you will ever read on puppies! Best of luck op!!

Ps cocker spaniels are also extremely clingy so make sure you leave him to get sleep, he’d stick with you and never sleep otherwise, which doesn’t help hyperness!!!

@amyboo read Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson + Mission Control by Jane Arden.
Highly recommend gundog training classes as the foundations are all about obedience: recall, lead walking + distractions

Ps op just to reiterate cocker spaniels are great dogs just early months are difficult. They love to learn and obey and are the most suceptible to if eg you point to bed and lead with your finger saying bed it takes them less times to learn than other dogs. And it’s all about the love- they’re full of it!

There's a post by me somewhere here bemoaning how my Curly Coated Retriever pup was a terrifying piranha when over aroused. She's now 5 1/2 months old and so much better. The cuts on my arms have finally healed up.
We used a combination of interesting things for her to chew, carrying a toy with us at all times to stuff into her mouth when she attacked and a pocketful of puppy kibble to throw as a distraction when nothing else worked.

We used uh uh as a marker when she was trying to bite us and yes! when she grabbed the toy instead and pretty soon she was generally grabbing for the toy rather than us.
Squealing, turning your back etc. had no effect at all. She would double down and attack with extra frenzy if you did that.
She still really, really wants to bite when she's even slightly excited but now mostly directs it at toys and the other dogs. Losing the needle sharp puppy canines has helped too.

Lots of good advice here, but I should mention that there is no point in screaming etc at a 12 week old puppy when they play bite. This only works with some younger puppies. Most just enjoy having a human squeaky toy.