[LuvMyLaila]

Hi. I need some advice. I seemed to have tried everything I can think of, but Laila's biting doesn't seem to be improving. A little background is that she was one of nine in a litter where the mother stopped feeding at 2 weeks. At 4 weeks, the owners of the mother said enough! and wanted all the pups gone within the week. I took one, and so did my friend. So they have each other to socialize with (plus my neighbor's boxer) but Laila didn't/doesn't seem to catch on to the whole bite inhabition thing.

When she starts with the biting, I stand up and turn away, but the problem is she goes straight for my feet. Even while standing still and ingoring here, she wont let up. It's hard to ignore for too long since she actually bites down and its painful. So then, I pick her up and carry her to the room her crate is in and shut the door. I leave here there for a few minutes and then let her out. Usually I have to repeat 3-4 times as the minute she is out she growls and goes for my feet and ankles again. Finally she will come out and pass me up and I think "finally" but then its not too long before she is at it again.

I just don't know what I am doing wrong. I try redirecting her to a toy, rewarding her when she is playing nice, talking her for long walks, etc.

She's been with us now for 2 months and it just doesn't seem to be getting any better. Thanks.

 

[jesirose]

Wear shoes.

Tie her to something and step back so she can't get to your feet.

 

[LuvMyLaila]

I do wear shoes, have to! But she bites right through the pant legs and goes for the achiles heals. Thanks for the suggestion on tying her up, but unfortunately I have nothing to tie her too in my house... She near knocked over the end table when I tried using the leg to latch her leash too.

 

[Westhighlander]

She's 12 weeks old now, is that correct? If so she is still young. Just keep up what you are doing.

 

[LuvMyLaila]

She's 12 weeks old now, is that correct? If so she is still young. Just keep up what you are doing.

Yes, she is just 12 weeks old. So you think it's just age? I was worried she will always be a bitter if I can't nip it in the bud soon.

 

[FourIsCompany]

Yelp, leave the room and close the door. Wait for 2 minutes and then resume play. Next time it happens, leave the room and wait for 5 minutes. Don't use the crate for punishment.

Puppies who are properly socialized learn bite inhibition while nursing and playing. When pups bite while nursing, the mother dog will train them by standing up and walking away. When pups bite too hard during play with siblings, the bitten pup will yelp and stop playing with the rough pup. Or the bitten sibling might leap up and knock the rough-housing pup over with a loud bark or growl. This teaches a puppy that playtime ends if he bites too hard.

Bite Inhibition

 

[jesirose]

I do wear shoes, have to! But she bites right through the pant legs and goes for the achiles heals. Thanks for the suggestion on tying her up, but unfortunately I have nothing to tie her too in my house... She near knocked over the end table when I tried using the leg to latch her leash too.

Doorknob, sofa leg, fridge, doorhinge, a tree outside, a fence, etc.

Try denim jeans and boots.


She's teething and she's still a baby.

 

[LuvMyLaila]

Yelp, leave the room and close the door. Wait for 2 minutes and then resume play. Next time it happens, leave the room and wait for 5 minutes. Don't use the crate for punishment.



Bite Inhibition

Thanks. I don't use the crate for punishment, just the room.

Doorknob, sofa leg, fridge, doorhinge, a tree outside, a fence, etc.

Try denim jeans and boots.


She's teething and she's still a baby.

Thanks. I never thought to try the doorknob. That might work.

 

[Westhighlander]

Yes, she is just 12 weeks old. So you think it's just age? I was worried she will always be a bitter if I can't nip it in the bud soon.

It's good you are staying on top of it. She is still young so just keep up the good work.

 

[LuvMyLaila]

It's good you are staying on top of it. She is still young so just keep up the good work.

Thanks. It's certainly been a process! My last dog was 18 mos when we got him. New to the puppy thing!

 

[winniec777]

I was covered in bruises, scratches, and puppy teeth marks for what seemed like the first year of our dog's life. It was probably less time than that, but it did take a long time to get her to stop trying to shred our arms! It was the single most difficult behavior to extinguish. Jumping up - took a week or two. Counter surfing - maybe a month. But the play biting - Oy! But we just kept up with the training and it slowly stopped. We would stand and say "Ouch!". That seemed to excite her more. We stood, said "Ouch!" and turned our backs. That was more effective. The thing that really started working was leaving the room -- not putting her in a crate or shutting her in, but simply removing ourselves from the space she was in which brought all play to an immediate stop. For a dog more motivated by play than anything else - even food - we had found the golden ticket to get her to stop mouthing us. It'll happen for you. Time is the biggest factor, at least it was for us.

 

[LuvMyLaila]

Thanks. It really does seem to be the most successful method so far with her, too. Every thing I was reading was saying that the best thing was to turn my back and ignore, but like I mentioned, that just intices her to go for the ankles. I was just concerned that even the action of picking her up and putting her behind a closed door, in her playpen, or shutting myself in a room would be considered "attention" still, thus not really being affective.

It's funny because after writing this yesterday, and going home from work, she was such a perfect angel all night. She got time with her BFF and was so covered in filth after he romp session that she needed an immediate bath, and then all night she just played with her toys and even jumped up on me and fell asleep, something she never normally does. I felt so guilty "badmouthing" her here LOL.

She woke up this morning wanting to shred my pajama pants, so the guilt has since subsided