Crazy dog, about to give up hope. Depressed and at wits end.

My lab wasn't at all bitey, neither was my spaniel. I'm sure it's just the luck of the draw though.....

 

This may sound bad and like a long shot, but should I buy a muzzle maybe? So she could be out more and have my family not run away from her? Lol just a thought.

 

Nope, a muzzle is a bad idea - she needs to learn (through gentle methods, and through interacting with humans) that teeth don't touch skin. This is a lesson that you have to gently teach again and again. Then, later in life, when she has teeth that can do real damage she won't bite human skin even if she gets a bad shock and is scared. This is very important.

Look, it doesn't hurt all that much. Ok, it hurts quite a bit (I have a very, very bitey puppy right now, so I do know...) but it's not like they are taking your fingers off...well, not many anyway.

 

@Lj if you really want to train your dog and produce a fun loveable companion you can, but you need to make a plan and see it through, not look for short cuts like shock collars (well done for cancelling that by the way!) and muzzles.

Decide that every day you're going to get up an hour earlier and spend it with your dog. You will need food rewards - they take time to phase out- and patience. Wear long trousers and long sleeves to start with. You've already been given links for how to teach a retrieve so you could start with that.

Another game all my puppies enjoyed was this. I tied a soft toy to a length of thin rope and whirled it round on the ground allowing the puppy to chase. Within a few seconds I allowed the puppy to catch the toy and then swapped it for a treat ( you need really tasty food at first). Because the toy is on a line the pup can't run off with it. Then say something so the dog knows the game is going to start again (I say 'ready' ) and play again. Eventually your word becomes the signal to release the toy.

Take your dog out and about to see new things and again use food rewards and praise for focus on you.

Try to organise a dog walker or day care for when you're out. You come home tired and want your dog to cuddle but your dog is bursting with energy and needs activity.

 

This may sound bad and like a long shot, but should I buy a muzzle maybe? So she could be out more and have my family not run away from her? Lol just a thought

Seeing someone run away is an invitation to chase! It works well during recall training but nowhere else, especially if you're trying to stop her biting. My dog Ted is not four months old yet and he's a proper handful. What I'm learning is I that I have to be available to him, and if not me, someone else in the family, and that he has had to learn to have quiet times in the crate to calm down for a while. It is a huge commitment, but dogs, like kids, spell love T-I-M-E (oh, allright and F-O-O-D).

One quiet word of advice - don't refer to your perfect old dog in front of the new one.You'll only make her feel constantly compared and not good enough (a joke by the way)

 

WELL DONE! Great decision.

 

Hey LJ. How are things going there?

 

Rubble bit constantly at 8 weeks. He was only playing and didn't bite hard but had needle sharp puppy teeth. He has stopped almost entirely now at 11 weeks.However, he still bites my 3 year old grandson occasionally in play. They are rough and tumble like 2 puppies together. Ill be glad when he outgrows it all together. But, isn't it true that labs, being retrievers, are always mouthy to some degree?

 

Not really. Willow doesn't mouth anyone. Shadow sometimes nibbles with his front teeth, like he's grooming me, and still occasionally nips at my clothing when he's really excited, but he only does this to me, so I'm not bothered by it. If your dog is mouthy and you don't like it, you can train it out.