puppy biting feet,legs and clothes

[villa]

Hi, we are new owners of a small black cocker (nearly 11 weeks old) and don't know what to do about him biting our feet, shoes, legs and clothes.  Having tried to ignore till he stops then praise, as in books, is not working because it is very painful and can't take getting our feet chewed to bits or have clothes ruined.  Also tried saying no very firmly and this sometimes works, sometimes not. Starting puppy class on saturday so they may be able to help but if anyone has any info that worked for them I would love to hear from you.  Thanks.

[Sarah.H]

When Charlie went through this stage we would shut him in the kitchen for a minute or leave the room and close the door behind us if the ignoring didn't work. We also put citronella spray on our feet as the little bugg#r really hurt    . Make sure you have lots of toys/treats that he can chew and a kong stuffed with goodies keeps them occupied for a while  . It is important that they learn bite inhibition at this age so you don't want to stop it all together, there is some links to bite inhibition articles on COL but I wouldn't know how to put a link in! I think its by Ian Dunbar though.

[Sarah.H]

Just looked and its a locked thread at the top of the puppy board - 'How do I stop my puppy play biting'

[lopey99]

the firm 'no' or shouting 'ouch' for us did nothing but spur cassie on, it seemed to excite her more, so we did the putting her out of the room for 30 seconds, but i know it can be a pain in the back side as its not always possible e.g. when you have your hands full with something.

Another good thing we did was swap our legs for toys or throw a ball for her, at 6 months now this stage has more or less passed apart from the odd time she wants played with or some attention but i couldnt count the many items of clothing i've thrown out because of tiny paranna puppy teeth, it got to the stage where i stayed in my p.j's or old clothes until i was about to go out the door to work 

hang in there it will get better

[Cob-Web]

Hi, we are new owners of a small black cocker (nearly 11 weeks old) and don't know what to do about him biting our feet, shoes, legs and clothes.  Having tried to ignore till he stops then praise, as in books, is not working because it is very painful and can't take getting our feet chewed to bits or have clothes ruined.  Also tried saying no very firmly and this sometimes works, sometimes not. Starting puppy class on saturday so they may be able to help but if anyone has any info that worked for them I would love to hear from you.  Thanks.

There is no quick solution to this normal stage in puppy development, unfortunately - wearing old clothes and steelcapped boots is definitely recommended for the first weeks of puppyhood 

There are lots of different solutions you can try - the most important thing is consistency - stick with one method and use it over and over again; it may not work every time, but slowly, your pup will begin to understand what you expect of him 

[marbledmolly]

We going through exactly the same thing with Jade. Puppy teeth are so sharp  she got my ear the other day. We've got plenty of toys/chews all over the floor, so hopefully we have something close to hand to distract her. But if she gets too rough she gets a time out.

[Angels of Fur]

I remember these few weeks wel!! The pain, there pinchers are really that!!

After attempts of no and ignoring them, then gentle priase for being good, and taking them out the room etc, ill admit it worked!!

However, its started to come back with honey as she is teething, luckily not sharp anymre, just a little gnawing on the wrists!! But be warned, when it leaves you it may come back!!! we given pups so many different textured toys and chews and they certainly seem to work, really varying the types of texture!

[LindyLou]

I remember Baxter doing this to me, but never ever to my OH 

As I am around all day, I would correct this behaviour regularly but then sometimes (like a mother with a naughty child giving in with sweets) I would continue walking to the garden with the washing with the little monster hanging off my trouser leg and me pretending it wasn't happening 

My OH would arrive home and if Baxter attempted it with him, he would gently tell him to sit and stay (thus calming him down for a mo) then fuss him telling him he was a good boy! He stopped mouthing my OH almost immediately and now (at 7 months) when excited still thinks he can swing on my dressing gown when I get up each morning! 

Back to training I think - me not him!

[MegandMolly]

My spaniels weren't too bad to be honest, but we dog sat a JRT for a week she was another story!
I gave my girls a kong if they stsarted on my trousers, by the time they had finished that they were too tired to bother!

[twolittleboys]

We are still having some of this, especially Elgar hanging on to my dressing gown belt in the morning.  I just stand still and speak queitly to them and they sit and wait for me to open the door.  Since last week, we have kept our voices down and make a real conscious effort not to shout (unless we need to draw their attention quickly for safety reasons!).  I have to say it is working well and they soon stop unwanted behaviour.  If they are doing something they shouldn't and we need to move them away, we just remove them from whatever and don't say a word.  They soon get fed up and do something else, like trying to eat each other 

[*AmandaB*]

Yelp!!! when they bite anything! this is what their litter mates would do, its painless for them and doesn't half surprise them. then you can praise gently and calmly when they let go of legs/ dressing gowns /shoes / hands / fingers.

Or high pitched ow! can work too.

[anthony mazzeri]

The William E Campbell book I just read says to suspend the pup off the ground a few inches until they calm down and stop. Don't say anything, just lift. One hand under the chest and one under the tummy, so hands and arms clear of their mouths. When they calm down, just gently let them down again. Just keep doing it until they learn that biting gets them a 'suspension'.

I haven't tried this myself, but because not a single one of the usually advised techniques worked for me (comes down to whether the puppy sees you as leader or plaything), I'll be trying it on my next pup.

[Cob-Web]

The William E Campbell book I just read says to suspend the pup off the ground a few inches until they calm down and stop. Don't say anything, just lift. One hand under the chest and one under the tummy, so hands and arms clear of their mouths. When they calm down, just gently let them down again. Just keep doing it until they learn that biting gets them a 'suspension'.

I'd be concerned that this could lead to a hand-shy pup that begins to avoid being handled - like all aversives, perhaps a technique best left to the professionals 

[anthony mazzeri]

I'd be concerned that this could lead to a hand-shy pup that begins to avoid being handled - like all aversives, perhaps a technique best left to the professionals 

How so is it an aversive when it is gentle and no verbal negativity involved at all? It would be less aversive than the loud 'NO!'s and solitary confinement time-outs often recommended for nipping pups. And from my own experience I was told to continually pick my puppy up and put him on a bench to get him used to grooming... which I didn't... so he is now 'hand-shy' to being picked up and put on a bench. I should have handled him in such a way much more often to actually be the opposite of hand-shy about being picked up and handled.

I should also add he recommends doing it anyway even when the puppy isn't nipping or causing trouble.

[Cob-Web]

And from my own experience I was told to continually pick my puppy up and put him on a bench to get him used to grooming... which I didn't... so he is now 'hand-shy' to being picked up and put on a bench. I should have handled him in such a way much more often to actually be the opposite of hand-shy about being picked up and handled.

I should also add he recommends doing it anyway even when the puppy isn't nipping or causing trouble.

IMO, it should be a positive experience for a dog to be picked up and handled, and of course it is something that they need to get used to 

However, used in the way you describe - to interrupt a playbiting puppy - it becomes a physical restraint, which is something that I don't think should be used at any time in dog training