I need advice please! Puppy biting me nonstop.

Discussion in 'Labrador Puppies' started by Debbie, Jul 16, 2018.

  1. Debbie

    Debbie Registered Users

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    We have a male yellow lab who will be 13 weeks tomorrow. We’ve had him since 81/2 weeks of age. The first 2 days were good then the biting started. I know that puppies bite. We’ve raised them before, this is our 4th. With this pup, my husband is gone 4 days a week working. When I am home alone with him I can’t sit in a chair. He jumps up and bites my legs whenever I sit down, when I tell him no and push him down he bites my arm as hard as he can. Whenever I walk he bites the back of my legs constantly. I cry daily and am an emotional wreck now. I’m covered with bruises and bite marks. His sharp teeth have caused some serious bites. I put him in the crate after for a few minutes, as soon as I let him out, the same thing happens over and over. I’ve tried distracting with toys, he’d rather bite me. I can’t pet him, tries to bite. I play with him and walk him. The only time my life is normal is when he’s sleeping. He’s very smart and will do anything for treats, fully potty trained and is good in kennel. Why is he doing this to me? I feel like I have failed and he hates me. He starts obedience puppy classes tonight. He isn’t as bad with my husband, but still difficult. How do I sit down again and stop this? He seems very head strong and doesn’t like being told he can’t do something. Everyone keeps telling me I need to get a handle on him. What is the right thing to do?
     
  2. Mango

    Mango Registered Users

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    Mango was the same at that age. I didn't take any pictures of my hands then too show you, but it looked terrible. He is now 19 weeks, and scars are still visible. He stopped at about 15 weeks. You just have to hang in there and keep doing what you are doing to stop him. Just be persistant and constant.
     
  3. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    Puppy biting is completely normal, though as you've discovered some are worse than others. My current dog was an awful biter - much worse than previous puppies - but she is a wonderfully gentle adult.
    I think you sound very stressed and I'd suggest you work out a daily routine that is fair to both you and your puppy. So that when he has had attention you plan for some rest time for you and put him in his crate / pen. To keep him occupied you could feed all or part of his daily food allowance stuffed into kongs so that it takes him time to get it out. This will also tire him so with luck he may drop off for a nap!
    When Molly was small I found large cardboard boxes were a godsend. She used to climb in and out, and I'd also push out the bottom so they made a kind of tube for crawling through - plus of course chewing them up (I didn't mind the mess if it gave my hands a break from those teeth.)
    I think long evenings in front of the TV may be a while off yet but you should certainly be able to have some time to relax.

    It will pass!!
     
  4. selina27

    selina27 Registered Users

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    You haven't and he doesn't:)

    Puppies are work in progress and hard work at that. I'd never had such a biting puppy as Cassie and I too struggled to deal with it, your puppy is still only a baby. I received good advice from this forum, such as given by @Joy above.

    And she is right, it will pass ! Maybe not just yet, but it will!
     
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  5. base28

    base28 Registered Users

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    Welcome, our Luna is now 10 months old and we had exactly the same thing as you! Her biting was horrendous, I had to cover my arms and wore trousers all the time! Even now I always wear long trousers and old tops as she still has had moments! The advice i was given was that she was overturned as puppies need lots good sleep, also after her meals she was crazy croc so always went for siesta, also i kept a pocket of treats so I could scatter so she would snap out of biting and look for those! I don't no when it got a bit better but I no it's becoming less often.
     
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  6. base28

    base28 Registered Users

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    I meant overtired!!!haha
     
  7. Rosehelen

    Rosehelen Registered Users

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    Just to say Koda, now 14 weeks can be really awful at biting. I offer tug toys and asked at pet shop and brought some whimzee chews which helped plus a chicken filled bone I brought at puppy training. Tug toys aren't good. I had some old material belts I plaited so they are long tuggies. I also take her on short walks to calm her down sometime mand am getting into more of a routine and understanding her more. It is best not to say No too often and good to get them out of the way when biting is too much but not too many times in crate as crate is a nice place to them but I have done it before once as the biting was bad first thing in the morning. Every day is different and things do get better. Give lots of rewards when he portrays good behaviour. I am sure you do all this and all labs have different personalities. I don't remember our other 2 labs biting as much as Koda does. He may sense you aren't happy with him. They are very clever. I lost it with Koda one day as she was so annoying but she is sat next to me nicely at the moment. We have just been to puppy socialisation classes. Hope all goes well at yours. I am lucky to have a garden she can roam round in and play with squeaky balls, throwing etc. Don't know whether you have.
     
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  8. Rosehelen

    Rosehelen Registered Users

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    Sorry, meant tug toys are good!
     
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  9. mom2labs

    mom2labs Registered Users

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    I know exactly how you feel. Our black lab Oakley is now 17 weeks and I felt like I didn't even like him, it was constant stress because I could never relax for that exact same reason. His maniac modes are so scary. However, we have noticed over the last week that he seems to be a little better, he still has moments but doesn't seem like there are as many. He will now finally sit with one of us and cuddle WITHOUT biting talk about nice, I can actually say over the past week I feel like I can kind of love him now. I have always loved him but I just didn't really like him for awhile.
     
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  10. Scout

    Scout Registered Users

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    Puppies are chewers! It does pass, but can take a while. When mine were pups and went to bite I would immediately replace my hands and feet (my girls like ankles) with a toy and just lavish praise on them for chewing on that instead of me. They are two and a half now, but they haven't been bitty like that for about a year, and even before that it go progressively less and less.
     
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  11. Debbie

    Debbie Registered Users

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    Thanks for your kind words and encouragement. I definitely am stressed and have no patience anymore. His class went good last night with trainer. She said he is very strong willed but will do great in obedience. She handled him well, I can’t get the same response. I will keep trying. I’m off to buy a doggie gate as I need space from him but don’t want to crate him a lot. Thanks mom2labs for letting me know I’m not the only one who sometimes doesn’t like my pup.
     
  12. iconic1

    iconic1 Registered Users

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    I haven’t read the other responses so yada yada yada...

    When our boy was young he was (and sometimes still is when he gets wired up) very mouthy. When it was too hard we would YELP! loudly and turn away, ignoring him for a bit. Our breeder told us that’s what a pack mate would do and it really did work. Give it a try.
     
  13. Paul Duthoit

    Paul Duthoit Registered Users

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    Our Daisy is 15 weeks old and displays exactly the same manic, almost aggressive, personality at times. It seems she gets over excited and jumps up, scratches, bites and mouths. It can be so frustrating to a point I feel anger towards her. But I know we must be calm, assertive and consistent. Easier said than done though. Yelping loudly has no effect and pushing her off just seems to encourage her - part of the game I guess. When it gets out of control the only option is time out in the kitchen where her crate is. Any other ideas?
     
  14. pippa@labforumHQ

    pippa@labforumHQ Administrator

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    Hi Paul, and welcome to the forum - yelping works with some pups, but with some it just serves to wind them up even further :). There is quite a bit of information on biting on the main site that you might find helpful
     
  15. KirbyHawk75

    KirbyHawk75 Registered Users

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    I was in the same boat as you. Rory was such a monster. Our feet, ankles, and hands had many cuts and bruises. Rory is now 24 weeks. She has been better the past few weeks. She no longer attacks us. She still bites though when we try to put her leash on or off, but it is so much better than it was. It was so different than my 13 and a half year old Shaye. She really never bit when she was a puppy.
     
  16. Plum's mum

    Plum's mum Registered Users

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    This stage can be very stressful for sure. I found it so with my pup and I definitely found it hard to like her.
    But pups aren't biting/nipping/chewing because they're strong-willed or because they don't like you, it's what pups do when they're learning about the world.

    You really just have to weather the storm. Replacing your arms/hands with a chew toy, cardboard boxes to play with, plastic bottles filled with some stones or dried pasta (something which makes it rattle when played with) can provide distraction. And time out from the pup, and for the pup, for a few mins (in its crate or behind a baby gate) can give a bit of respite.

    Pushing your pup away/down is a normal reaction but, as @Paul Duthoit says, is like a game to the pup and will likely encourage it. Same with yelping, with many pups this can seem like part of the game.
    It's better to turn your back on your pup when it jumps and bites, with your arms folded and don't wear clothes it's easy for the pup to grab.

    If you can adopt the mindset that it's a phase which, as others have said, passes, and that relaxing evenings in front of the TV won't be possible for a short while, it might make it a bit more bearable.

    Be wary of advice that you need to 'get a handle' on your pup if what this means is to manhandle it because this will only frighten your pup and possibly make it worse.

    It's very normal to dislike a pup at this stage, don't feel guilty or that you're a failure.

    My pup's biting started to improve from 16 weeks and now she never nips or bites, unless we're playing tug and I get my fingers in the way!
     
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  17. Phyllis

    Phyllis Registered Users

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    My puppy is 15 weeks and recently started jumping on me and biting during a walk, I have tried bringing a toy with me,if I ignore he continues. The problem is inside the house I can go on the other side of the gate, on a walk I cannot get away from him.Stressed and do not know what to do
     
  18. pippa@labforumHQ

    pippa@labforumHQ Administrator

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    Hi Phyllis, welcome to the forum - as you can see this is a very common problem. :) I have replied to you on the other thread you started: https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/biting-wile-on-leash.24606/.
     
  19. Debbie

    Debbie Registered Users

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    My pup also bit whenever the leash was put on, trainer said to give a treat every time after it’s put on. Worked pretty quickly. Now a positive experience, I guess.
     
  20. Debbie

    Debbie Registered Users

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    Update: Buddy will be 16 weeks tomorrow. 8 weeks of biting and nipping is awful! I honestly don’t know how people get thru this phase. Doing really well at obedience classes as he’s super food motivated. Biting is slightly better, likes to be petted a little more. I was so hoping he’d be better now, but sounds like could be another 4-8 weeks yet. Looks like all baby teeth yet, I know they sure feel like it. I have tried all kinds of things to curb the nipping and biting. Nothing works. The yelping thing has never had an effect, made him worse. Kennel timeouts, settles him down but still will bite a minute after coming out. I’ve tried ignoring him and turning my back to him, these actions cause more biting and barking to get my attention. I’m exhausted trying to distract and entertain my pup. Am I supposed to be at his beck and call all the time? Do other people do this with their pups? I have him alone 9 hours a day and feel like a hermit with no life except to go to puppy class 1x a week. I feel guilty putting him in kennel to go do something. I work mornings 5 days a week. It’s the only time I focus on something else. Thanks to all for support and suggestions.
     

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