Eric has now twice latched on to my sons hand and not let go with the usual 'ouch' He hasn't punctured the skin but it has left marks and shocked him (he's 18... not little) Both times only food has got him off Now i'm pleased that he hasn't bitten very hard but it's still not great. Any advice please
Eric is about 14 weeks old now? At that age latching on like that is a game from the pup's point of view (though definitely not fun from the human point of view!). He probably saw it as a tug game. So while it's not nice, it's not something to be worried by (in case you felt worried). What kinds of things have you been doing up to this pointy when Eric gets mouthy? You mentioned using food to get him to let go and also yelping. Other things that can help to prevent or reduce biting over time are: - noticing when he's getting a bit revved up and doing something calm instead - short training sessions prior to times when he gets revved up, to pre-emptively wear his brain out - giving him a brief (30 second) time out in a different (safe) room on his own as a consequence for getting too rough - getting up and walking away (once you extract yourself) If it takes food to make him let go then I would use food. If you use a marker word or clicker then mark or click (or even just praise) the instant he removes the pressure, so he knows that that's what he's getting the food reward for. Appreciate that you might not have a clicker handy right at that moment! At the moment he's at that really mouthy, bitey stage and it's kind of a matter of gritting your teeth and patiently and persistently getting through it. Just make sure biting and mouthing are never accidentally rewarded by continuing with games or play or things that are active and exciting. Just hang in there - the bitey monster won't stay round forever
Thank you. Yes 14 weeks I was a bit worried that he might see it as 'I bite, latch on, then get food' We do use a clicker and are getting better at carrying one around with us (have 2, going to get another so that they are always handy!) He has been tired both times. Unfortunately my son has some mobility issues too and is also not good at reading Eric. He doesn't react maybe as quickly as we do. he is a bitey monster, hates walking on lead and collar or harness BUT he is also doing so well in lots of lots of other things. Crate training, sit, down - all fab. Started on 'off' this week too as he is jumping up at kitchen worktops! Definitely keeps us on our toes
They definitely keep us busy!! The biting will definitely disappear over time....it's just really rough until then. It does sound like you're doing a great job. If you can use a clicker to mark that moment when he lets go that'd be great, but if not, don't worry. I think it's better to use food (or distraction with a toy) to get him to let to go rather than the alternatives like pulling or prising him off, which will probably just make him more excited. The yelping thing can work for some pups while for others it makes them more excited. They are all a bit different You'll get there!
Oh and as for jumping on kitchen bench tops etc.... We thought we had that sorted but then on Saturday we had guests over and Obi thought he'd impress them all by standing (with all four paws) on the coffee table.... Might have to re-visit that "off' cue ourselves
I'm really struggling with this too but with my clothes rather than a child's hand. Ziggy will bite into a sleeve and start tugging. He gets me into a position where there is little I can do but uselessly shout OFF! at him - I can't get a hand on a toy or a treat to distract him as my hand is stuck up an sleeve as the cuff and the puppy move further away - and the more I shout the harder he tugs. I now have 2 tops and a dressing gown with great holes in. He starts on this first thing so there's not much I can do pre-emptively. Will he just grow out of it soon enough?
He probably thinks your shouts show just how much you are enjoying the game. The best thing to do (if you can't distract him) is to do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Be as boring as you possibly can be and hopefully he'll try something else to get your attention. Yup. Although try not to reward him for doing it in anyway, that helps it to stop sooner.
salieri75 we ended up having a couple of sets of 'Ella clothes' that we wore at home for the first few weeks otherwise we'd have ended up with holes in everything! Oh, and the tighter the better (E.g. leggings) so there's less to grab on to. We also had to wear shoes because she'd bite our toes! Ella was the same as Ziggy with noise. The squeal or 'ouch' or 'no' wouldn't work as it made her more excited. We just stood up, folded our arms and ignored her as best as possible. If she was really hyper we'd pop her in time out to calm down. The best news, as ever one has said, it does pass! Ella is now 21 weeks and my OH and I were just saying this week that we don't remember the last time we had teeth marks on our hands, arms, legs, feet, stomachs etc. ☺ Hopefully me saying that isn't going to cause a relapse hehe. Good luck ☺
I have a 10 week lab and it makes me feel better that everyone says it will pass BUT I get nervous when I see posts about their 6, 7 month or older pups are STILL biting like crocodiles. He wears us down with the biting so much that sometimes I wonder if we made a mistake
Eric is 16 weeks on Monday and the biting is getting less, only slightly but less all the same! we also have sets of clothes that are only worn in the house... after t-shirts and dressing gowns have been torn and ripped. When he was about 11 weeks I also thought we'd made the wrong decision so can totally sympathise with you Newlabpup. It does get better though. Tonight we've spent an hour doing the belly rubs before he took himself to bed. Perfect pup tonight
While pretty much all of them are bitey monsters as puppies most just have that one puppy stage. It's true that some can have a slightly bonkers teenage stage (it's more a 'second stage' rather than the biting having gone on continuously for months and months) but it's not something you'll necessarily experience. What definitely will happen though is that your bitey puppy will eventually become a much more sensible older dog, who can settle down, be quiet, go places with you, make you proud and make you laugh. Having said that, I think that most people question their judgement and sanity in getting a puppy when the bitey stage is in full swing. It can just seem relentless, as well as painful. But there are good times ahead - promise!!!
Thank you Oberon and Jules for the reassurance. I'm really really trying. Luckily my husband has much more patience than I. Of course he was a crocodile lunatic all day (broke my skin three times) while I was with him and then a perfect peach when my husband got home! I'll be taking him to puppy classes asap, just waiting to enroll him this week so I'm hoping that will help? Any thoughts/comments about the benefits of puppy classes and/or professional training?
There's no harm in using food to get him off. Twiglet (16 weeks) does this too so I have treats in my pockets at all times and if she latches on I put a treat to her nose to distract her, she lets go and I ask for a 'sit' then 'down' so that she gets the treat for that, not the latching on! They soon grow out of this phase. The worst crocapups grow into the best adults by far - so take heart!!
I wear tight sleeves and skinny jeans. I walk into the kitchen with a toy in my hand, which goes straight in Twiglet's mouth while I give her a fuss and take her out for her morning wee/poo. I have a small toy in my back pocket at all times to put in her mouth when bitey bitey starts. It's a toy I save for pups as I have a pup once a year (!) It fits comfortably in my back pocket and I can whip it out when needed. I'm hoping to put it away 'till next year SOON!!
I'm glad to read this thread. Zola is eight weeks old and the first hour she's awake is awful, tugging at my dressing gown and nipping and biting. She's a different pup two hours later, but the nipping first thing is awful. I know she's just excited.
Dexter doesn't have a set time, he can do it first thing, in the evening and when I end training sessions and he still wants treats. I think he would do training all day. I did make the mistake of rewarding him when he let go straight away, thinking well, that was good. Now I've read the earlier posts, I realise that I should have got him to do a sit and down first. I have so much to learn! It's the same with the mat etc, when he leaves it straight away I started to treat him for doing as I asked. As I'm typing this he has gone for the mat, left it when told, did a sit and lay down, got a treat. Then went for the chair, left it, did a sit and lay down got a treat. Then he went for the mat, left it, this time I walked away and sat down. He came and sat, looking at me and then jumped a grabbed my sleeve. Should I be getting him to do something every time he does something he shouldn't or am I seeming to still invoke the bad behaviour. I'm confused and I'm sure I'm confusing Dexter.
