My 11 week old puppy is incredibly bitey at the moment. She particularly goes for feet but if you’re wearing shoes she likes to go for your ankles or even knees if she can reach them. I know biting is normal, but I’m really struggling to do anything to stop it. I’ve read multiple puppy books, I’ve googled ideas and various people have kindly tried to suggest tips like yelping or giving her a toy instead but that isn’t working. Yelping makes her very excited, I’ve tried a calmer ‘ouch’ but that has the same effect. Once she clamps on she’s completely oblivious to toys. It’s like she views my foot as a tug toy - but has no interest in any of her actual tug toys. I’ve tried giving her teething rings from the freezer which gets her attention for about 30 seconds. Sit training sessions help until the treats run out. It’s mainly directed at me. She does bite my boyfriend but she usually seeks me out. To be fair she spends most of her time with me. She was getting better and reducing her bite pressure, but suddenly this week it’s like she’s obsessed with biting. She shows barely any interest in toys, even new ones. It’s got to the point this week where I sometimes can’t accompany her into the garden - she either goes straight for my feet or she tries to chew/dig/eat weeds and stopping her makes her go for my feet. I can’t pick her up, I can’t make her let go and I can’t leave the room because she’s glued to me. We were able to start walks on Tuesday and I hoped that would help her calm down but it hasn’t. Sometimes I can get her to stop for a second if I call her name. I’ve tried to do that and throw a treat away from me but she runs straight back after for another chomp. I’m really struggling because I feel like I can’t be in the same room as her (other than the rare moments when she sleeps) which is devastating. When I’m at work she’s crated and she’s amazing in it, she’s quiet and she sleeps (which I guess is why she has so much energy in the evenings and mornings) but I don’t want to ruin the crate for her. I tried putting her in to calm her down a couple of times but she just howled and pulled up the bedding. Does anyone have any other suggestions that I can try please?
In my experience, the more you stay away from her, the more she will be excitable and want to bite you when you are around. You said that you spend the majority of the time with her, but then you said you are not in the same room with her, unless she is sleeping. My 17 year old daughter had to realized that she also had to spend more time with our puppy to get her to cycle through her hour. Playful, biting, playing and then snuggling. The more time my daughter spent with our puppy, the less she got bitten. Just a thought but if you are suddenly not spending the time with her, she might be having a bit of problem with settling with you. This will pass so hang in there
How long are you at work for, and how long is she being crated for? Of course, if she is cooped up in a crate all day by herself, she is going to have an unbelievable amount of energy when she is let out and she is going to ask for attention from you, in the way which puppies ask for attention and play with their own species - which is by wrestling using their mouths. You can't deal with this by re-crating her even when you are home, or avoiding her further - heck - how are her needs going to get met??
Sorry, maybe I wasn’t very clear. I’m not avoiding her at all, I spend about 10 hours with her. I only meant I feel like just my presence in the room overexcites her into a biting frenzy. I’ve tried suggested methods of calming her down (like crating for 5 mins - she loves her crate and often takes herself in for a nap when she’s tired). But even if I’m sat on the sofa with my feet on the floor - doing nothing - she’ll clamp on one and shake her head or tug. Or if I walk to the kitchen. Or if I’ve taken her into the garden and I’m just stood waiting for her to pee. I’ve had lots of suggestions, some have been the yelping or offering a toy (neither works) and some have been shouting (which I’m not comfortable doing). The only one which is working is getting her attention - but I don’t know what to do with it! Should I throw a treat so she has to leave my feet? Or try and lure her into a sit position? I’ve waited 10 years to be in the position to be able to get a dog and meet its needs so I’m happy with my current arrangements with work and not leaving her for too long. I know the biting phase will pass as she gets older but I feel like I should be doing something to discourage it. I’m just looking for any advice from anyone who has experienced something similar - where the ‘normal’ suggestions haven’t been appropriate and what I might be able to try.
Hi my girl was just like yours, it was disheartening and painful! We put baby gates on EVERY doorway and every time she bit we put her over the gate telling her "no bites". We left her there (she could see us) until she stopped crying. It took a while but eventually she realised it was not acceptable and that the fun stopped. Now it's a distant memory. Good luck
Ah brilliant thank you, I only have one doorway but will definitely try a baby gate. Thank you for the suggestion
I don't think we're really getting to the bottom of things here... You said: And: So it does sound like you have tried to remove yourself from her in various ways to avoid this. If you spend 10 hours a day with her, how many hours is she left for - what hours are you at work each day - you haven't answered that question?
Sounds like a really upsetting situation, but I think it might just be a communication error. She probably thinks it's a game, don't give up she will figure it out. I haven't had to deal with this personally but I would try to peak her interest in toys by wrestling with her using something tugable and then once she starts showing interest I would transform the game into fetch. Maybe kneel down so you can sit on your feet making them harder for her to get to and then boop her with something she can tug and don't let go. Every time her nose gets near your feet or ankles get the toy in between her and you and then tug with her for a bit. Make it exciting and energetic and once she is playing with the toy and not your feet. chuck it nearby and hopefully she will go for it and then repeat the process till she forgets all about stinky feet and gets on the fetch hype train.
