I have a 7 month old lab puppy that is very persistant about biting and we cannot get him to stop! We can be sitting still watching TV, etc. and he will come up and start biting our hands. Sometimes biting arms and nipping at our face. We were told by a trainer to put his leash on and tie it to a door and leave the room, giving him no attention for about 5 minutes. I’ve tried even longer than 5 minutes. It has never worked. The breeder insist that i need to get rough with him by grabbing his cheeks and using a very stern voice to correct him and let him know who is the boss. Anytime we have tried this, or just tell him “NO BITE”, it does not work and she thinks it’s because I am not tough enough with him! He just comes right back at us everytime biting again and again. I am at the end of my rope! I need to get this behavior stopped, because he is out of control! Has anybody had this bad of a biting issue with your lab and knows how to stop it? PLEASE HELP!!!
Redirect redirect redirect! I have pizzle sticks, Himalayan chews, and stuffed toys everywhere in my house. I just keep offering it until attention has been diverted. She doesn’t do it anymore and I’m certain this helped immensely. Good luck! So frustrating!
Here is an excellent article - https://www.thelabradorsite.com/excited-puppy/ My Mollie was very, very bitey at 7 months old. Be very calm yourself and redirect, it isn’t an instant cure but works over time. Be more determined than he is. Withdrawing attention works, also over time, but only if you do it for a short time. Longer than a few minutes adds to their frustration. There is hope! Mollie is now 20 months old and in Advanced Training to become a Guide Dog - and she’s the best in class.
Try not to treat your puppy roughly - it won’t help, and after all he’s only being a puppy. I would see if 5 - 10 minutes play with you would help, especially if this tends to happen at a certain time, such as when you’re settling down to watch TV in the evenings. So pre-empt the biting by getting a tug toy and instigating playtime. Even as an adult Molly likes a short play / training time in the evenings (though these days she asks with a nose touch rather than a bite) - I don’t mind, I have a dog because I want to do things with them. The other thing to try is chews. I know you said you’ve tried, but I found that what Molly wanted was interaction with me, so I held one end of the chew for her to gnaw (I had her on the sofa half on my lap, but you could sit on the floor if you’d rather.) Good luck!
Thanks for the advice! Not only does he have a problem biting, which I do think it’s partly an attention thing, but he loves to play with his big stuffed animals. This is embarrassing to say, but everytime he brings them to me, he wants to hump them while I’m holding them trying to play, or he will push them up against my body and hump them. I immediately drop the stuffed animal to make him stop, or if he’s holding it up against me, I will take it away and throw it. However he just brings it back trying again. He is persistent and will work at this for 20 to 30 minutes until he finally gives up.I’m the only female in the house and have a husband and 2 sons, 21 and 18. He does not do this at all with them, just me! He actually plays with these same stuffed animals with them and does not even attempt to hump them. I’m with him all day everyday and he follows me with every step I take. Is this humping thing a hormonal issue and does he only do it with me, because I’m a female? Again... he is a 7 month old lab.
