Mouthing/Biting/Playing?

Question

My dog keeps biting my knees, toes or pants. I've tried bitter apply spray on my skin but it just seems to dissolve. She is just over 8 weeks. I understaind it's because she's teething but how do you teach her bite inhibition. I try to give her a chew toy each time she comes after my finger or what not and she ignores it and continues to go after my finger or toe. My boyfriend doesn't seem to have this problem as much. He just ignores her for a few makes his hands in fists or makes them stiff and then she stops. But he also doesn't play as much with her as I do.
What is playing with your puppy? I take a stuffed puppy and let her chew at it and play like the stuffed puppy is another puppy playing with her. Is that wrong?
Does she me more as her play buddy and that's why she like to nip more at me? It hurts and I don't get mad or yell at her but evey time I do walk away she follows, bites or if I put her in her excersie pen she screams/barks and continues to find ways out.

To Nirvana - SMACK HER MOUTH????????!!!!!!!!????????? That is so wrong and will only make her afraid of hands approaching her face.

Thank you all for your advise. I'm very inexperienced at this and trying to do my best so that my dog doesn't have control over me and yet still provide the love and attention she deserves. It's hard to be tough with puppies.

Also, some of you have been giving advice about meeting other puppies but she's only had her first set of shots.

Answer 1

It sounds like this is a very mouthy puppy. At 8 weeks she's too young to be teething yet, so that's not it. She probably won't listen to you because she doesn't see you as her leader. How do you give her commands? Do you use a firm voice or do you "ask" her to do what you want? Do you let her out of the ex pen when she barks? I think this puppy has you wrapped around her little paw and you need to turn this around right now.

She's not too young for a few very simple obedience commands. You can slowly teach her sit, down and definitely teach her what no means. You need to get her to respect and listen to you. It sounds like you're doing the right thing by giving her a toy when she tries to bite you, but you might need to be more authoritative. Ignoring her when she bites is good - she should learn that you won't talk to her, play with her or pet her if she bites. Keep in mind that at 8 weeks she's a baby, but do your best, be consistent, and you'll win in the end.

Answer 2

Puppies respond to positive behavior. Mouthing is negative. I would pull your hand, knee, toe or pant away from her and walk away with a NO. (just once loud then walk away) If you take your attention away from her when she does a negative behavior and give lots of prais and pets when she is good eventually she will stop the behavior that make you leave and do more of the positive. Remember though at 8 weeks she doesn't have the attention span and retention the an older pup does so you will have to do things over and over for a month or two.

Keep your hand away from her mouth. Only allow apporpriate things to be chewed on, like a toy, bone (puppy one) things like that. THey also have a porduct called a chilly bone, it's canvas and you can soak it and freeze it. Feels great on teething gums just like a baby.

Stay consistant and ask your boyfriend to do the sam or the pup won't understand the difference between him allowing it and you not.

Good luck! and great job on the No hitting!!! :-)

Answer 3

when u walk away make sure you close the door or something like that so she wont go after you, show her that you are upset turn your back on her and when she tries to play just walk away, my dog had the same problem, maybe she should associate with other dogs so she can learn the no nipping process that if she bites too hard they will stop playing with her, you need to work on it because as she gets older her nipping or biting will get worst you can also put your hand around her mouth and tell her no nipping and hold it for 5 seconds she will whine but she will learn, and no it wont hurt her, she will just feel uncomfortable

Good luck, you should try pet training it might help

Answer 4

You need to take control of the situation now or as your puppy gets older this will be a bigger problem.
When she starts to nip at you raise your voice and tell her NO BITE. a light swat could be used depending on the size of the dog.
Let her know that in no way is this behavior going to be tolerated by you for any reason. She will learn. You need to teach her now as when they get older if they have done it for a long time it can be a hard thing to break.

Answer 5

Tapping a puppy on the mouth or nose for biting, when done lightly, WILL NOT CAUSE HER TO FEAR YOUR HAND!!!!! If you hit her full-force all the time like Nirvana's ridiculous advice, then yeah. But I have trained many dogs, and each one I have eliminated biting and mouthing when they were puppies by tapping them on the nose and saying No! If you don't feel comfortable doing it, then don't, but don't assume it will automatically cause her to cower in fear. Consider it the equivalent of tapping a baby on the hand for touching light sockets or something.

Answer 6

try a firm no and then a chew toy. praise when she bites the toy and not you. try to make biting your hands a negative thing, and a toy a good thing. it helps to get your puppy really tired before trying to train with the toy. i think that she sees you as more of a play buddy. watch the show "dog whisperer" on national geographic to learn how to become your dog's pack leader.

Answer 7

Puppies are going to do that,,,when they do just thump thier nose....not hard, just enough to get their attention. It worked for every dog that I have had and none are afraid of hands. Also, take her to play with other puppies. I doesn't matter if only one set of shots are done. Its a start and you shouldn't have a problem. My dogs get all their shots but I don't baby them until they do. Playtime is good, especially with other dogs.

Answer 8

Try this trick. When she starts biting, don't yell at her, just take your hand as if cupping the bottom part of her jaw, then take your thumb and put it in her month and press firmly down on her tongue, then tell her "No", but don't yell it and this should let her know that it is wrong to bite. Learned this from a trainer.

Answer 9

Never hit a dog! But it seems you know that part. It is very easy to train a pup not to bite. when playing with the pup and she bites, do what the pups do.........YELP! Loud. Yep, yelp. That is the way pups tell each other,"hey you're getting to rough." When you yelp also immediately stop the play for a few minutes. It won't take her long to learn if you (and others) are consistent.

Answer 10

Your puppy is used to playing with it's littermates this way. When the play gets to rough, the puppy cries out. When you are playing with her and it gets too rough or she jurts you say "Ow" or cry out quite loudly and sharply, then turn away from her or walk away and refuse to play. This is letting her know that rough play isn't tolerated. After a while come back and play with her again, repeat if necessary. If she follows when you walk away always keep your back to her, continue to walk away. When she grabs at your pants keep your back turned and continue to ignore her until she stops. Once she stops THEN you can play with her again. This helps her learn that YOU are the one who decides when to play and when not to.