Hi, i dont know but i feel all lost and exhausted with Charlie If i sit on floor and play with him he bites a lot i have tried everything from a big 'ouch' to loud noise and in extreme cases a slight hit on nose but nothing seems to work. He bites so hard that I immediately get blood out of my skin. Even im not well since last few days and im all alone since last 2 weeks so its all me and him and im all lost He's so full of energy that i dont see how can i help him remain calm. He keeps on biting on leash when i take him out bites his bedding my bed corners even my wall but this all is ok what makes me worried is how can i make him listen to me. He seems to forget everything from calling his name to NO to sit to stay etc. he always wants to play with me and if i dont starts barking loudly and when i play all he do is eating my hands and forgets how hard he's biting. I dont know how to keep him calm or to play with him nicely without being bitten and to make our bond stronger. Im so exhausted and irritated at the moment that im even thinking about getting a muzzle cap for him. Because of his serious biting i cant even cut his nails or clean ears properly in one go..it takes hours for me to do this in small steps. Please let me know what to do here how can i make things better i want to make his world as beautiful as i can but all i feel right now is that im failing in this
Its really awful to read what you are putting and so sad for you that youre having a tough time and not enjoying things. Can you access a dog trainer anywhere? From the sound of it, Charlie is a completely normal puppy, just testing the boundaries and learning about the world - please dont think about things like muzzles - that may physically stop the biting but it certainly wont stop the cause and will no doubt end in a bad situation. I would say read up on here on techniques, and def get someone to come and look at him and help you with the training before things get any worse for both of you. Good luck.
Firstly you are not alone in this. Anyone who`s had a lab puppy goes through these stages BUT it does get better Have you a crate for your dog? A crate gives him somewhere safe to go when you/he is tired. The biting will stop, I used to stand up, fold my arms and sometimes even turn my back, he will get the message but persistance is the key. Play games to occupy him and tire him out. Try not to hit him on the nose, it`s a very sensitive place and may encourage further biting! Look thru` the forum, there are some great hints and tips like this; http://thelabradorforum.com/forum/n.../1785-puppy-problems-will-things-ever-improve GOOD LUCK AND KEEP SMILING
Oh bless you, I felt so sad reading this, Murphthesmurf has offered you really good advice. Charlie does sound like an absolutely normal puppy to me. When Charlie starts biting, stop playing with him. Stand up and turn your back on him. It will take time he will some learn, he wants your attention. Has he got plenty of chew toys? I'm a big fan of Kongs but there are plenty of different brands on the market these days. My girl loved to chew on the skirting boards I bought lots of different chew toys. It definitely works, puppies need to chew. It's not something I've ever discouraged I just changed her focus. Every time he chews something you don't want him to offer a chew toy. That includes your skin as well as furniture . Do you have The Happy Puppy Handbook. If not I would get it straight away and start reading it. It really is a good book, easy to read and full of common sense. I actually read it twice. Once when I decided to get a puppy and a second time in the weeks before we collected her. I really think a dog trainer is a must. Find someone that you can relate to, you may have to try a few first. They will be able to help you. Good luck.
Ah Ana,take a deep breath,have a cry if you want ! wail to us here....we've all felt overwhelmed at times and there is a lot of experienced members to help out. Tell us a little bit about Charlie's day ....what is your routine with him ?,how do have you organized his space in your house?what does he get to chew on?what toys does he like? Everything you are experiencing is completely normal,.....as well as tiring ,frustrating and upsetting but a few adjustments can make things a lot better.Literally protecting yourself with clothing can get you through this too....I know people that have worn wellies/boots in the house through this intense biting stage. Please don't smack him on the nose,he might become fearful of your hands..This is a completely normal phase in your puppies life and not a time that a muzzle is appropriate. A puppy,young dog is a handful,it's must be very,very challenging to do it alone ...but this puppy that you sometimes wonder how you can possibly love will turn into the 4 legged love of your life. Hang in there,we can give you some suggestions to make this time easier x
Hi there! I did it on my own too and boy is it tiring!!! Your feelings are completely normal so don't beat yourself up. How did I cope with the early days? Well coming on here helped a lot. My first big tip is NOT to play too much with your puppy as he is just sooo enjoying it he doesn't know when to stop and you may be winding him up without realising it. I would take Chepi into the garden, give her cardboard boxes and empty coke bottles (plastic without lid and ring at top) and keep a close eye on her but let her shred away to her heart's content. Then I would leave her to have a snooze and never wake her up, when she woke up it would be toileting, perhaps food, a little walk and so on. You kind of get into a pattern. I am not saying that you shouldn't play with him but just be aware of what really winds him up and divert his attention to a toy or some shredding before it gets out of hand. It is as time consuming as having a little toddler but grit your teeth, don't hit him on the nose and get loads of toys. Is he old enough for walks? Try to think differently; watch how cute he is when he is sleeping and remember why you got him in the first place. And it's ok to go "whaaaa" on here!
Fear not, things WILL get better! Exhaustion colours how we feel - and exhaustion is normal when you have a young pup! Try not to be on the floor with him when he's in crocodile mode, wait 'till he's calm and tired for cuddles. Try to do more tuggy and fetch for play to tire him out - save your hands and arms!
I do not have any advice ( since I am waitjng for my puppy to come home) but I think you have found all good points from others . I just wanted to say , it sounds exactly like how i felt with my new born baby I thought it would never change , BUT it did. So , I am sure it will get better with Charlie too , just hang in there
So true, definitely very similar to having a new baby. I couldn't believe the similarities. ana_charlie have you any photos of your gorgeous boy.
Just wanted to say I'm right there with you! I have my husband to help too, but it's very very overwhelming and I do wonder when the biting will ever end, when she will be more calm and all the other things you have mentioned. Such brilliant advice from everyone. I think it's just a case of trying to be consistent with it all (I agree about the not hitting his nose because it's so sensitive and the fear of our hands after doing that) and one day things will get easier.... there is a light at the end of the tunnel... I just can't imagine it yet. So I just wanted to let you know I'm in the boat with you, and I'm sure we'll look back on this time and not believe we managed to get through it.
All I can say is that it WILL get better , sounds like a typical Lab puppy, full of beans and a rascal to boot . Read through some of the posts on our informative forum , you will very soon see that you are not alone , honestly . I think that all of us have had those " what have I done " moments, or hours, or even weeks , tears and frustrations abound , but like children , they do improve with age , hang on in there, have a good read around here and rant when you need to .
Hi there, hang in there I guarantee things will get better. It's very hard for the first few weeks, but in a couple of months you will look back at your posts from now and not recognize your puppy, or yourself... We are here to listen to you, give support and advice. Really, it's a short time and then suddenly things will start to get better. I promise.
Thank you everyone for your advices im really better feeling now i cant even imagine what my life would have been without me being here on this forum !! Yes you all are right i shouldnt hit him on nose or anything like that at all. And the idea of not playing too much with him and giving him toys is quite apt here though hez having his chew toys which he loves to chew on plus chew stix for him too but even then he comes and want to eat me He tore apart one of my fav skirt today which was gifted to me by my brother and i kinda lost my cool at that moment but yelled at him "what have you done??????" And then saw his cute "i didnt do anything" face and couldn't say anything more Well as for my day routine is simple -- His day starts early like 5-6am and he keeps on playing/napping on his own (he sleeps in my room only) Then i give him food at 7-7:30 then his usual poos wees and then he gets super active and want me to play with him and if i dont starts his sharp bark Then after a while sleeps and then eats food again at 1-1:30 and same routine follows and same in the evening. Mostly he plays on his own biting chewing his toys but i cant help myself from getting close to him and play with him and thats when i get all those marks etc. i also take him for walks twice daily on his leash or harness which he keeps on eat or chew too and im still trying to teach him not to with a loud NO So thats a basic idea of our day And ya he stays in my room whole day only as hez not room proof yet and i have read that we should put them to a small area of te house first and when they are 100% house trained there then we should start giving them more space. He has learnt to wee on command and knocks the door when he needs to go to potty area but still he does mistakes in the room and if i let him lose in the whole house then too. And yaa i tried that get up and show back method and it seems good so will try this daily and hoping it works! For his Picture i tried adding a pic but this gave an error that i cant add or create an attachment
I'm glad you are feeling better. It would be good to incorporate more things for your puppy to do throughout his day. Structured training sessions - maybe you could look into clicker training, which is excellent for a young puppy. You could also consider more, and more varied, outings for him - things that will expose him to new sights, and sounds, and give him mental stimulation. You should also think about trying to get him some off lead time, in a safe environment. Are there any opportunities for you at all to attend puppy classes? That would be excellent for him if so.
happy that you are feeling better I know how you feel. I have had lots of tears this week and have wondered what I have done. I cried this morning and then gave myself a shake and had a lovely afternoon with him. we've done some clicker training, some practice lead walking in the garden (ready for the big world next week) and lots of tummy rubs He's now snoozing at hubbie feet looking utterly gorgeous!
Hi Ana, have you a crate for your dog? This would gave you both time out which you both need, It will get better, there will be good days and bad days, but Charles is worth it. Have you read The happy puppy book by Pippa?
Raising a pup is incredibly hard work. We pour our love and affection into them and all we get in return is bitten and our house peed in. Why should we like that? And the lack of sleep doesn't help one little bit. Just hang in there. Labradors do toilet train very quickly and once you have that under your belt you will feel much more confident. They are biting machines for the first few months, but once their adult teeth come in it stops.
Hi Ana, Good to read you sounding a bit more cheerful. I agree with Julie about you trying to incorporate some training excercises into his day.He sounds a clever little one if he's learnt to knock at the door.Teaching him some simple obedience tasks will work his brain,you only need to do a couple of short sessions and you will see a big difference I'm sure.If you try Sit,Down,Shake and even start teaching him to sit on a mat ,you can have a bit of fun with him and you've also got something you can ask him to do when he's being a bit pesky to you....and then you can reward him for doing something well and you'll both feel good rather than telling him off for doing something he shouldn't! Have a look over on The Happy Puppy Site.....it's not just about Labradors,there's lots of info about all kinds of puppies and the things they get up to! This article might help you get started ... http://thehappypuppysite.com/3-ways-to-train-your-puppy-to-sit/ Sorry about your skirt...there's a few casualties along the way as they grow up x
