[GloverCharlie]

Ok Glover is cute and yes just a 3 month old puppy and I love him to bits but his biting is getting worse by the day. Im not calling it nipping because the only one he nipps is my boyfriend (although its getting harder now too) but he really goes after me and bites.

Now I am the one who takes care of him, I feed him (do hand feed him sometimes), I brush him, I basicly do everything.

What I have tried is stricktly saying NO bite (I always say that) Ive tried holding his mouth while saying no bite, Ive tried turning him around on his back, putting my hand on his chest and look him in the eye (vet told me to do this..) he doesn't stay still for much and if I hold longer he goes crazy and I cant keep him still.

Ive tried the yelping with a high pitch and then leaving too.

If he EVER licks me or actually comes up to me without biting I praise him either with treats or just saying good boy in a exciting voice. (doesn't happen very often.)

All these things just seem to make him go even harder.

All this is getting me stressed out and I know the dog knows that now too...

I read all these posts about people having trouble with toilet training, and other things, but he is toilet trained and loves his play and food, but it doesn't matter what he is doing, he has to sink his teeth into me.
He has also started barking at us now when we tell him off..

I just dont know what to do..

 

[BeagleBabe]

Is he chewing on other things as well? Sounds like "normal" puppy biting. If so, just make sure he has lots of puppy OK bones, chew sticks, toys, etc.

Have you tried growling at him as soon as he bites you? That is one of the way the Mama dog corrects behaviour in her pups.

 

[vonny]

Rupert Basset was like that when we got him at 6 months old and we really struggled to teach him.
What worked best was to say a strict NO,then if he did not stop remove him from the room for a minute,let him back in and repeat the procedure every time he bit.
It did take time but eventually he realised that if he played too rough the game stopped.

 

[GloverCharlie]

He has 3 chew toys, two old soccer socks rolled up (loves them) and we sometimes let him play with empty pepsi max bottles.

I could get more pigs ears and chewy sticks. He doesn't really chew on anything else than food, his toys and... me lol

do you think he is trying to be dominant?

Ill try the growling and I suppose just be consistant.... lol

 

[vonny]

I am not a great believer in 'dominence theories'
and feel that this type of behaviour is more attention seeking and not knowing good bite inhibition.
If he bites,you react and he gets attention.
Try removing him and he will learn that if he bites he gets removed and no attention.
If he plays nicely reward him with lots of fuss and praise.

 

[GloverCharlie]

thank you, Ill try that /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[Jennifer]

How old was Glover when you got him? If you got him too young it will take longer for you to teach him “bite inhibition” as this is something that his mother will have started.

His mother would have growled at him first if he bit too hard and if he persisted she would have bitten him back. She wouldn’t have hurt him but just given him a nip to keep him in-line.

You need to mimic this now. A method that someone taught me many years ago has always worked well for me.

When puppy bits your hand, with your finger and thumb of the hand he is biting gently pinch the pups lips. Don’t do it too hard just apply gentle pressure until pup lets go of you then release your grip. Increase the pressure if it doesn’t seem effective but I think you will find that a quick pinch on the lips will make him release his bite almost immediately. This mimics the nip that his canine mother or his littermates would have done.

Don’t use your other hand to do it, you must use the hand he is biting. This is very important as you don’t want him to associate it coming directly from you. If you do it with the hand he is biting he won’t see you doing it, just feel it. Please don't dig in with fingernails or anything like that, it's a quick pressure he needs to feel, not pain.

Do this every time he bits you, be consistent. Remember to praise him when he lets go. By teaching bite inhibition you aren’t teaching him not to bite you are teaching him not to bite TOO HARD. Dogs use their mouths as hands and if not taught bite inhibition they will carry on using your hands to bite onto until their adulthood. Re-direct his biting onto toys so he learns what is and isn’t acceptable to bite.

I’ve never found the “alpha roll” to be effective in teaching my dogs anything, although I know a lot of vets and trainers say to do it. The yelping “ouch” when your dog bites you can be effective for about 90% of pups 90% of the time but sometimes a pup that is over stimulated will bite more when you squeal at them because they haven’t understood the sound.

Good luck

 

[K & G]

I went through this with Gage, and really thought something was wrong with him at one point. What worked for us was removal from the room. Biting meant a trip to the bathroom. He was safe there, but separated from the family. When he was let back out, he was welcomed back as if nothing happened. When he started getting too excited, but before the bite, we'd redirect him with a toy.

If you do crate training, and decide to do this, don't use the crate as a place to put him after a bite. The crate should stay positive.

 

[Guest]

Aww honey you're not alone. Honestly... it's normal puppy behavior every pup that i've had all went through this phaze. I either remove them from the room (puppy timeout to the kennel) or get down eye level and put him on his back showing him who's boss. He doesn't bite me but he does bark at me A LOT. Which is something I don't like. So when he barks I ignore him I show him no attention until he gets quiet and come to me.

His main target is my son he love bitting his pants leg or trying to catch his little ankles. When this happens I make my son do the same thing. As this shows Chase he is not in charge!

Good luck honey it'll get better!

 

[Murphys Dad]

We all went through this stage... don't forget that he may start to show early signs of teething too!!! Combined with his puppy behavior, thats why it's a little harder to correct him.
I used the spray bottle, and plenty of chewable toys (Chloe has one bone like toy that she can chew on for hours).

Good-Luck!

 

[russjor]

Quote: He doesn't bite me but he does bark at me A LOT

Shiloh will do the barking sometime too. I just always thought it was just a beagle thing . Like getting "in the last word" and I usually just ignore him and he stops. Kind of like telling a teen "he can't do somethinng" and you usually get the "but,mom" response. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[Zookeeper]

Duke was a horrible biter as a young pup. Luckily, he has grown out of it for the most part (he still bites my son, but that's because they play rough together and Brad deserves what he gets from Duke.LOL).

One thing the trainer told us to do, and it seemed to work, was to yell "ouch" really loud anytime he bit us. This taught him that it hurt us and he let off. Now I'm not saying he didn't come back to bite us a minute later, but it did stop the behavior for the moment.

 

[GloverCharlie]

Thanks everybody

I do think that more I stress the more 'playfull' Glover gets ( I got him at 8 weeks).


He does seem to get more excited when I yelp ouch or when I say no and walk away, so maybe the mouth pressure Jen was talking about will work.

I suppose I just need to try one thing at a time lol

anyway, thank you so much!!


xx

K

 

[Murphys Dad]

Jersey did the same thing when she was a puppy. We tried everything...holding her mouth closed, telling her NO, ignoring her...nothing worked. What worked best for us was this. Mike taught her to fetch her toys. Whenever she got too excited and started to bite at us, we'd tell her to go fetch her toy. Eventually, Jersey began to associate the two and before long she was fetching her toy whenever she got to that point. She stopped biting within a week or two of us starting that. She still goes and gets a toy whenever she gets excited now.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Quote:Originally posted by jen-n-jersey:
Mike taught her to fetch her toys. Whenever she got too excited and started to bite at us, we'd tell her to go fetch her toy. Eventually, Jersey began to associate the two and before long she was fetching her toy whenever she got to that point. She stopped biting within a week or two of us starting that. She still goes and gets a toy whenever she gets excited now.

Now why didn't I think of that when Chloe was younger?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Eleanor, all the credit on that one goes to Mike. Our trainer told us to come up with something to distract her when she got that excited. It was great!

 

[Marley's Mommy]

I agree with what everyone has posted and am so happy to see I am not alone.

We struggled with Marley on this from day one and still do just a little here and there. It gets better! I was not used to this with my Charlie who was so very sweet and never did any of that. He was a cocker.

When I joined here, I felt like I was the only one who had a puppy with issues like that.

Try everything you can but diversion works best for us. He needs to get his energy out and if not, we found he'd seek attention and nip/bite. Then when we tried to contain him while biting, he'd go crazy like you said and I had to fight to hold onto him and eventually would give up. He has gotten so much better with age, although still only 7 mths old. Training will help and focused play will help to divert his attention and use his energy.

He started barking at us too, if we said no, off, etc. Anything he didn't like. We ignored him or corrected him with a shhhh! if it got too much. He was very very vocal, even when I was on the phone he'd protest. Much better now although he still will do it time to time

One last thing. I find with Marley that he is extra nippy when he is sleepy. I have to give him a time out in the kitchen and he goes right to his bed and to sleep. If not, he will be restless, cranky and nippy. You will learn the signs of why he is doing what he is doing.

It's so frustrating and concerning but should get better. I was almost to the brink of giving up and finding him a new home!

 

[Smeagle]

Ok glover... take a deep breath in!!!

I went through EXACTLY the same thing with Daisy a year ago when I got her.

I NEVER recommend the 'alpha roll' as the only thing it will ensure is that you will likely get bitten.

When Glover nips or bites you, do not growl at him or punish him. Completely ignore him. Get up and leave the room, do not pay him any attention at all. Any attention you give him is rewarding his behaviour, and the more you challenge him the more reactive he will be. By growling back and him you are challenging him not affirming your place as the leader.

You need to set a a strict training routine. Do two 5-10 minute sessions of training a day. What routine do you have for feeding? Try making him sit and stay, and only allow him to eat once he has made eye contact with you... he must look to your for permission.

Have a read over the Nothing in life is free links I gave you. Whenever glover wants attention, make him sit before you pat him. When he wants you to throw a toy, make him sit first. You must teach him that nothing in life is free and that he must work to get rewards.

I have worked with a wonderful behaviourist with my dogs, she is absolutely amazing please let me know if you would like her contact details as she will be able to set you on the right track.

Don't forget that Glover will be picking up on how stressed out you are feeling and he will be trying to take advantage over that. You need to stick to your guns!!

I know you are in Brissy so let me know if you would like to meet up for a little puppy play date and I can show you the things I do with Daisy, I know EXACTLY what you are going through /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[GloverCharlie]

Quote:Originally posted by jen-n-jersey:
Jersey did the same thing when she was a puppy. We tried everything...holding her mouth closed, telling her NO, ignoring her...nothing worked. What worked best for us was this. Mike taught her to fetch her toys. Whenever she got too excited and started to bite at us, we'd tell her to go fetch her toy. Eventually, Jersey began to associate the two and before long she was fetching her toy whenever she got to that point. She stopped biting within a week or two of us starting that. She still goes and gets a toy whenever she gets excited now.

hmm interesting... The Glove does like to fetch... thanks!
x
K :thumbup:

 

[GloverCharlie]

Quote:Originally posted by Marley's Mommy:
I agree with what everyone has posted and am so happy to see I am not alone.

We struggled with Marley on this from day one and still do just a little here and there. It gets better! I was not used to this with my Charlie who was so very sweet and never did any of that. He was a cocker.

When I joined here, I felt like I was the only one who had a puppy with issues like that.

Try everything you can but diversion works best for us. He needs to get his energy out and if not, we found he'd seek attention and nip/bite. Then when we tried to contain him while biting, he'd go crazy like you said and I had to fight to hold onto him and eventually would give up. He has gotten so much better with age, although still only 7 mths old. Training will help and focused play will help to divert his attention and use his energy.

He started barking at us too, if we said no, off, etc. Anything he didn't like. We ignored him or corrected him with a shhhh! if it got too much. He was very very vocal, even when I was on the phone he'd protest. Much better now although he still will do it time to time

One last thing. I find with Marley that he is extra nippy when he is sleepy. I have to give him a time out in the kitchen and he goes right to his bed and to sleep. If not, he will be restless, cranky and nippy. You will learn the signs of why he is doing what he is doing.

It's so frustrating and concerning but should get better. I was almost to the brink of giving up and finding him a new home!

This is Glover all over lol!
and yes I think Im learning his signs.
thanks! :thumbup: