Just tell me this is normal

[merlot]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I have just got my first dog, a lovely 11 week old working cocker called Merlot. He has settled in well and sleeps through the night after a week. Only had a few accidents in the house. The one thing the is a problem is the biting and nipping. It seems every game ends up with my hands being bitten. Also I have a 4 year old son who loves dogs and was so excited to get Merlot however he is forevernipping his feet.

I know this is what puppies do and it will get better but I guess I just need reassurance.  when he does it I tell him no and I have tried Ah however both seem to egg him on. The only way to stop him is to put him in his crate and that is difficult as he nips yourhands when you put him in there.

Any advice would be great.
Thanks

[MIN]

hi and welcome
 afraid you have what is commonly know as a Cockerdile.  cocker puppys are very bitey. Merlot is normal so no worries there.  most of us have gone through the "wearing of wellies in the house" phase. 
 really need a photo, just to check out that he is really not a devil dog    

[Jan D]

Totally normal - it will get better honest. Just try "oww" and ignore him or turn away from him when he does it 

[Damommin]

I've just posted a very similar post about my 11week old puppy! We should talk!

[Abbie105]

Totally normal,
Believe me there are probably more threads on here about bitey puppies than anything else. I was convinced teddy was never going to grow out of it, but slowly but surely it does.
Welles, gardening gloves and the patience of a saint are required though 

[merlot]

Thanks all as long as I know there is light at the end of the tunnel I will glove up and carry on. I have added a piccie so you can see the butter wouldnt melt look 

Glad I have found this site its full of great tips.

[BobnDot]

As you'll have seen, cocker puppies bite and nip  . It's really their way of exploring the world about them. Human babies do exactly the same thing and put everything in their mouths, it's just that cocker babies come with a very effective set of needle like teeth 

They also bite and chew a lot when they're teething so help them out a bit and supply something for them to chew like a knotted kitchen cloth that's been soaked in water and frozen or some cold carrots straight from the fridge.

It does get better though, honest  , and in a year or so's time you'll be back on COL giving other puppy owners the benefit of your hard earned experience 

Bob.

[Sirius Mum]

Hi and welcome to you and Merlot,

You've come to the right place. There's loads of us on CoL who have been through the cockerdile phase and lived to tell the tale. I promise it will get better. Just when you think it can't go on it stops and a reasonable gentle natured pupster emerges.

They love to explore the world with their mouths and their sharp baby teeth hurt as they grow and almost straightaway their grown up teeth are working their way in as well. It's easy to see why they need to chew and bite. Things that really helped us was ensuring we always had a range of chews with varied textures such as ropes and raw carrots and icecubes to hand and wellies for those ankle hugging moments. Also lots of sleep time because a tired puppy finds it hard to restrain themselves. I learnt that puppies who bite and nip learn how to restrain themselves as they grow and are much less likely to bite as adults because they have learnt control. So hang on in there it will get better in a few weeks.

All the best for now

Glad you found CoL 

[GeoW]

Love the name, love the product, it may feel like forever but the stage will pass, William was a determined nipper, and we found a playpen so useful for time-outs when we all needed a break.

Also I have a 4 year old son who loves dogs and was so excited to get Merlot however he is forevernipping his feet.


I would try and dissuade your four year old from biting Merlot's feet, although come to think of it a bit of payback may work only kidding.

Even tho' puppies can make you want to scream, try not to get annoyed, ignoring them, and removing them from the situation really works best, but easier said than done at times.

I looked back at a post I made when William was five months of age, you may find it resonates

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=96349.0

I hasten to add that William has now matured into a fine companion, persistence and consistency in training pays dividends in the end.