When will it stop?!

Discussion in 'Labrador Puppies' started by Kelsey Danielle, Nov 4, 2016.

  1. Kelsey Danielle

    Kelsey Danielle Registered Users

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    Hello again!

    About what age does the biting slow down!? My little guy is constantly biting while we're trying to play with him. And now chasing us as we walk and biting our feet :( Everytime he bites, we stop playing and let him calm down a bit before resuming our game. Am I doing it right? We have a 4 year old and she wants to play with him so bad, but at this point I can't leave them together at all for fear that he'll nibble her toes. He is only 10 weeks old, so I know he's only a baby, just looking for a light at the end of the tunnel!
     
  2. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    Some puppies are definitely more bitey than others. Molly was a shocker - I had bleeding hands on many days during those first few weeks, but I think she was largely over it by about 4 months of age (though possibly not reliable enough for a child for a bit longer.)

    However long it takes, this stage will pass - hang in there!
     
  3. Kelsey Danielle

    Kelsey Danielle Registered Users

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    Yes, my hands look like I've been in a fight or something! I'm sure my patients at work wonder what I do in my spare time :p Here's to hoping it at least starts to slow down soonish!
     
  4. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Really, I think big teeth coming through is the turning point.

    I do wonder if the puppies that bite the worst are the puppies that are teething early. Betsy was much worse than Charlie, and she had all her adult teeth much, much earlier than he did.

    Might be nonsense, but it's a cheery thought, anyway. The worst the biting, the sooner it might stop! :)
     
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  5. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    It does seem to vary so much from pup to pup. Willow was done by 14 weeks, and Shadow, who we got at 14 weeks, never bit us. But some seem to go on for months.
    It sounds like you're doing everything right, so just keep on doing that. Lots of interaction while he's being gentle and then stop the game when he bites too hard.
     
  6. JenBainbridge

    JenBainbridge Registered Users

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    Stanley's still a bit bitey at 7 months :(

    Definitely much improved though. And if he knows if it's skin now to be gentle, it's more if he gets your clothes when he's over excited or something.
     
  7. jessieboo

    jessieboo Registered Users

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    I had a bitey girl with 2 kids! My youngest was 4 when we got her. She is nearly a year old now and the biting stopped such a long time ago, that I can't remember exactly when, despite being awful at the time! It will be a distant memory soon, promise! I found that sitting holding a rawhide chew for her to munch on allowed the kids some petting time when she was at this stage!

    Good luck!
     
  8. Xena Dog Princess

    Xena Dog Princess Registered Users

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    It started to slow down here at 4.5 months, gone almost completely by 5 months. It's so, so hard with kids, Xena had my then-8 year old in tears almost every day. You just have to balance keeping the dog a part of the family, and the family safe. The day you're able to sit down on the sofa and have the dog NOT bite you is a beautiful moment. So sorry, you potentially have a long way to go yet, but it will stop...eventually.
     
  9. jeanine

    jeanine Registered Users

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    My pup is almost 15 weeks now and has slowed down dramatically from 10 weeks old! At 10 weeks, she was bringing my 17 year old daughter to tears, for some reason, she got it the worst. This is our 3rd lab and we had never seen anything like it. We couldn't even have company over. Now though, she only gets bitey if she's too excited or too overtired and a simple "no bite" usually snaps her out of it. We had a card party last Saturday evening, and she only nipped my friends foot once! Lol
     
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  10. babs75

    babs75 Registered Users

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    Libby is 4 months today and she is a total landshark! People look at my hands and ankles and they can't believe it. I get most of the abuse. She doesn't do this to my husband. I really hope this slows down soon. Putting her in 'time out' seems to work for a bit as does getting her interested in her clicker/treat training to get her refocused.
     
  11. Boogie

    Boogie Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Yes, you are doing it right.

    Another tip is to pick him up and put a chew in his mouth - rice bones are good for this.

    Keep doing it all. Stopping play, putting a chew or toy in his mouth, wearing wellies in the house (!) Using baby gates, giving him time in his pen/crate when he's over tired or over exited.

    It WILL stop before you know it.

    My new crocodile arrives on the 15th - remind me of these comments a week or so after that lol!


    ...
     
  12. Maddison

    Maddison Registered Users

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    At 14-15 week Larks slowed down on biting drastically. She will still mouthy when she is tired but she is very gentle and doesn't go crazy trying to but my pant legs, sleeves or shoes. Hang in there! It gets better!
     
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  13. Diane0712

    Diane0712 Registered Users

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    Cooper is 3 1/2 months and I am asking myself the same thing...when will it stop?when can the kids go around him? I have read all the comments but I'm just starting to think I'll have the only adult lab who still bites.
     
  14. babs75

    babs75 Registered Users

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    No, I believe my lab will be the only adult that bites. 4 months old. All her other training is going so well. She is so smart and picks up on everything super quick but this biting thing absolutely can't be stopped no matter what I do. Tonight after the 3rd time out (20 seconds behind the baby gate per the obedience trainer), I finally had to leave her there just to have a few minutes of peace and quiet. I think she fell asleep..... might need to buy more bandaids this weekend.
     
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  15. IreneM

    IreneM Registered Users

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    We adopted Bella @ 4 month she never bites, which is very nice. Jesse we picked up at 6 weeks and I was upset that I didn't check his papers before. I thought he was 8 weeks old. He was our little croco pup, he is 6month now and his biting stopped about a month ago. :rolleyes: it got so bad I used Bitter Apple on my feet, hands and arms apparently he didn't like and after a few times. He stopped trying to bite him. It only works if he doesn't like the taste of it.
     
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  16. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    They do stop biting. Honestly! Betsy was really so bad that even though I'd been through it with Charlie (although not so bad) and have told puppy owners for years on the forum that it would stop - it was sometimes hard to believe! She was a total horror for it. Dreadful.

    It did stop. She is 6 months now, and although still a bit mouthy time to time, she really has stopped biting. I like her much more now, I really didn't like the biting. She was just awful!
     
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  17. Deb - Archie's Human

    Deb - Archie's Human Registered Users

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    I totally feel your pain! My daughters love to play down on the floor with Archie. The fun doesn't last long, though, until he's bitten one of them. He's 14 weeks today and is a total "crocopup." I have had to start wearing only leggings in the house for fear of him attacking any pant legs that might "swish." I like the idea of Wellies that I read in another response here!

    It sounds like you are going exactly what you need to do. We are doing the same and removing ourselves from him when he gets snappy. We have started giving him time outs in his crate with a chew and constantly have a toy within reach to stick in his mouth when he starts.

    I hope that things settle down for you soon. It must be so tough with little ones around a biting puppy. Those little teeth are so sharp :(
    Deb
     
  18. Marissa

    Marissa Registered Users

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    I feel everyone's pain. Literally :(. Marty is 13 weeks old and my arms and legs are covered with bite makes, deep scratches and punctures. He doesn't seems to want to interact with us unless there is biting involved. Time out doesn't worry him at all as he's happy to be on his own. Not interested in a chew toy if there is human flesh available. I've bought elbow length leather gardening gloves but even they are no match for those teeth. He bit my 10 year old son quite badly on his ear so he is not so enthusiastic about a puppy right now. I keep telling myself, it's just a stage, it will pass........otherwise, he's a gorgeous boy.

    Sorry for the whine but it does feel better getting it out and knowing we're not alone.
     
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  19. edzbird

    edzbird Registered Users

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    Sorry to hear Marty is getting you down with his biting. There's loads of advice on here re puppy biting, I hope you come through the other side soon.
     
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  20. Trufflepup

    Trufflepup Registered Users

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    We're very nearly at 16weeks and Truffle is still a major crocopup. Like @babs75 her training is going really well otherwise, I'm so proud of her and constantly impressed by how quick she is to learn, but OMG the biting! This morning she opened up a half-healed bite mark in my finger and there was blood dripping... this was just an over enthusiastic treat grab during training, not even the silly levels she can reach whilst playing with the OH. My daughters can hardly play with her at all, I'm constantly in the background reminding them to grab a chew toy before she sees them, and the smallest child stupidly rolls on the floor encouraging her to grab her hair whilst I'm not looking :mad: Quelle surprise, she then gets an ear bitten and is in floods of tears about "that mean puppy".
    Of course she is the most gorgeous pup in the world, but I can't wait for this stage to pass... So glad to have found this forum, otherwise we'd be thinking she was a monster!
     
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