# 9 week old puppy biting....help!



## Cockapoo Puppy (Sep 16, 2015)

My 9 week old cockapoo puppy is gorgeous however he is really bad for biting. I realise he is only a baby and this is a puppy trait but just wondered if anyone could give some tips/advice on how to curb this. I have two girls, one is 9 and the other 6. They adore him and get to play with him sometimes without him trying to bite but they even struggle walking down the hall without him biting at their legs/skirts/hands/toes. He also does this to my husband and I, however I don't want the girls becoming scared of him. My oldest daughter was sitting on the floor yesterday and the dog just launched himself onto her arm. Is that normal?!??? When he does this we tell him very sternly "NO" or "NO BITING" but he just keeps coming back for more and more then adds in a playful (hopefully) growl. Even trying to give him a clap sometimes turns into a bite fest. We've only had him just over one week so I know it's very early days however, I want to bring up a friendly dog so any advice appreciated!!


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## Amelia66 (Feb 15, 2011)

yes it is and the more flapping hands, fuss made the more excited he may get and the more he may nip. Get both your girls to make sure if he nips they stand up arms in the air [hands on small children that flail about are a target for a puppy thinking its a game] you can also get them to make sure when the pup gets nippy they grab a toy and put it in the dogs mouth to show the dog we bite toys not hands. If he gets too much and giving him a toy to redirect him or standing and ignoring him doesn't work you may want to pop him in the crate for a time out. I find pups are most bitey when over tired and sometimes a nap will make them a bit better.

The nipping stage does last quite a while tho so you need to be consistent and patient and make sure the dog is always supervised with your children to make sure they are both safe [dog and kids]


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## Mrsred (Oct 23, 2013)

Oh dear, I'm afraid you're just going to have to ride this period out I'm afraid.

My lab girl was a thoroughly rotten pup for biting and mouthing. I've written elsewhere on this forum that my daughter and I both secretly believed we had brought home the worlds first evil lab but do you know what? She has grown into the most wonderful dog in the world and you will think your dog is the most wonderful too, once this cruddy bit is all over.

My son was 7 at the time and wisely hid up on the settee with his feet under him so little miss snappy couldn't get at him, my poor daughter was the main target, her fleecy jammies were swung upon, fingers gnawed and it was always worse in the evenings.

We always kept a toy/stagbar to hand and once we redirected Shadow onto it, we praised to the high heavens. Obviously this didn't work all the time and when it got really, really bad, we gave a 'ah ah' and sometimes we put her outside the living room door and closed it for 10 seconds and repeated as necessary until the message got through.

Get the kids to hop up on the settee when it's really bad, it can be frightening for children when a little hairy, mouth monster goes nuts on them and explain why your pups doing it and that it will end soon.

We reached the peak of it with shadow when she was about 12 weeks and then it stopped altogether. We taught an 'off' command as well, where a treat was only given when a set of dentures weren't attached to hands etc.

Good luck, you will get there!


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## Cockapoo Puppy (Sep 16, 2015)

Amelia66 said:


> yes it is and the more flapping hands, fuss made the more excited he may get and the more he may nip. Get both your girls to make sure if he nips they stand up arms in the air [hands on small children that flail about are a target for a puppy thinking its a game] you can also get them to make sure when the pup gets nippy they grab a toy and put it in the dogs mouth to show the dog we bite toys not hands. If he gets too much and giving him a toy to redirect him or standing and ignoring him doesn't work you may want to pop him in the crate for a time out. I find pups are most bitey when over tired and sometimes a nap will make them a bit better.
> 
> The nipping stage does last quite a while tho so you need to be consistent and patient and make sure the dog is always supervised with your children to make sure they are both safe [dog and kids]


Th


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## Cockapoo Puppy (Sep 16, 2015)

Thanks so much for your reply. I'll keep persevering with what I'm doing and with your advice. I look forward to seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel!!


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## Cockapoo Puppy (Sep 16, 2015)

Mrsred said:


> Oh dear, I'm afraid you're just going to have to ride this period out I'm afraid.
> 
> My lab girl was a thoroughly rotten pup for biting and mouthing. I've written elsewhere on this forum that my daughter and I both secretly believed we had brought home the worlds first evil lab but do you know what? She has grown into the most wonderful dog in the world and you will think your dog is the most wonderful too, once this cruddy bit is all over.
> 
> ...


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## Cockapoo Puppy (Sep 16, 2015)

Thanks so much for your reply. Yes, our dressing gowns, skirts, trousers, tights etc etc etc have all taken a good battering! I'll try stay positive and listen to all the advice I've been given. Looking forward to clapping him without my hand getting knawed!! Thanks again


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## [email protected] (Sep 6, 2015)

I just did an article on this last month. Take a look. I hope it helps.
http://puppyhowto.com/how-to-stop-a-puppy-from-biting/

Still kind of new here. I hope this is ok.


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