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Child Item

Puppy Problem - Help!

Graceland

I have a black labrador pup. He is 9 weeks old. Everytime I play with him, he always wants to bite me, not so much in a very wicked way, more a snappy way. I try to put manners on him, but he won't do anything he is told. Someone told me to hit him gently on the nose when he does this, but it is nearly impossible to get at him when he is this way. Then sometimes if I do manage to get him on the nose, this makes him worse and he wants to bite more. It's like he wants to play but this is the only way he seems to know how, by biting all the time. I don't mind telling you but it can be quite sore as his teeth are pretty sharp.
Is this a phase he is going through. I don't mind if it is and he will grow out of it. I'd put up with it. I'm just more worried that if I can't control him now at this age, will he end up like this when he is fully grown.
Any advice would help.

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00112984

When he nips you, make a high-pitched yelp like one of his littermates would have done, withdraw your hand from him and walk/move away. After a moment, return attention and give the dog a chewtoy- praise him for chewing the toy.

If you're standing and he's jumping to nip your hand, move your elbow into your side and wrist upwards so your hand is away from the dog, this will usually make the dog move into the sit position. Again, yelp and turn away. Do it all in one motion. Dog nips: you yelp while moving your hand and turning.

In a litter, puppies will playfully chew on eachother but, if they nip too hard, their brothers or sisters will yelp to show that they've done it too hard. IT does take a lot of patience but remember that puppies have it in their very nature to chew and, at that age, they're most likely teething a little too. You need to show them what they're allowed chew (toys etc.) and aren't (hands, chins, shoes etc.)

No point hitting him. You want him trained, not frightened.

mrs moneypenny

Bear with him Graceland, he'll probably be having little pains with his teeth, just like us humans do. Don't be to hard on him:)

Toulouse

This is perfectly normal and very common puppy behaviour. Follow 00112984's advice, please do not hit your dog.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/puppy-biting

And a little more reading for you http://www.dogstardaily.com/training

TFP

My black lab is now nearly 16months old and for the first while it did get quite annoying with the nearly constant biting ... but the only approach is to make sure the dog understands when they bite too hard they hurt you, and the only way to do this is the 'Ouch and recoil' method.

Eventually they will learn and when the baby teeth go away they will understand the pressure they can apply safely.

you have just reminded me of how sharp them teeth can be!!!

sorella

I have a large black bruise under my thumb nail from when I held on to a bit of raw meat an instant too long for the collie... She is 6 years old.... Interesting watching it move up the nail. Now i let go faster...

TFP wrote: »

My black lab is now nearly 16months old and for the first while it did get quite annoying with the nearly constant biting ... but the only approach is to make sure the dog understands when they bite too hard they hurt you, and the only way to do this is the 'Ouch and recoil' method.

Eventually they will learn and when the baby teeth go away they will understand the pressure they can apply safely.

you have just reminded me of how sharp them teeth can be!!!

Graceland

00112984 wrote: »

When he nips you, make a high-pitched yelp like one of his littermates would have done, withdraw your hand from him and walk/move away. After a moment, return attention and give the dog a chewtoy- praise him for chewing the toy.

If you're standing and he's jumping to nip your hand, move your elbow into your side and wrist upwards so your hand is away from the dog, this will usually make the dog move into the sit position. Again, yelp and turn away. Do it all in one motion. Dog nips: you yelp while moving your hand and turning.

In a litter, puppies will playfully chew on eachother but, if they nip too hard, their brothers or sisters will yelp to show that they've done it too hard. IT does take a lot of patience but remember that puppies have it in their very nature to chew and, at that age, they're most likely teething a little too. You need to show them what they're allowed chew (toys etc.) and aren't (hands, chins, shoes etc.)

No point hitting him. You want him trained, not frightened.

Thank you for all your advice. I've started to do exactly what you said, so hopefully he will understand soon. I appreciate all you said.

Graceland

mrs moneypenny wrote: »

Bear with him Graceland, he'll probably be having little pains with his teeth, just like us humans do. Don't be to hard on him:)

I do have patience with him and I understand that he is still a puppy, so hopefully it won't take him that long to get over this stage.

Graceland

Toulouse wrote: »

This is perfectly normal and very common puppy behaviour. Follow 00112984's advice, please do not hit your dog.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/puppy-biting

And a little more reading for you http://www.dogstardaily.com/training

I know it is puppy behaviour and I only gave him a tip on the nose anyway - he thought I was playing with him, lol

Graceland

TFP wrote: »

you have just reminded me of how sharp them teeth can be!!!

They are much sharper than I thought they would be, lol. I have lots of cuts over my two hands, lol.