New doodle puppy - mouthing

[Kristen]

We just brought home a sweet new goldendoodle puppy. I know mouthing is perfectly normal and we are training him using a positive approach, but he doesn't seem to respond to "yelps" when he mouths too hard and he is constantly mouthing...so much so it's hard to play with him because he just "bites" the entire time. Any suggestions? Also, I'm trying to feed him out of the King, but he can't figure it out?

[Marley & Me]

I have had many puppies not just doodles. With my first few puppies I had I was so over welmed at times. The key is finding what works of course. The last two puppies I've had have been so much easier as I did lots of research etc. my puppies chewed like crazy. I found having some sort of chew toy around at all times is so helpful. The second they try to put their mouth on you or some item immediately put the toy in their mouth. Always side tracki them to an actual chew toy. They eventually quit. It feels like forever with those razor sharp teeth but it will pass. It will also help them from ever choosing your furniture, shoes or other items in the future. Yelling or other discipline doesn't seem to work only confuses at this age. Changing the situation into a positive one is always better. If they are not playing friendly you should get up and walk away too. Then try coming back. Thry pick up on that quick. One thing my dogs have loved to chew on is antlers. If your a hunter or have a hunter friend in the family see if they have some shed antlers. For what ever reason dogs love the real antlers. We have had the same set through our last two puppies. Good luck:)

[Wendy and Myla]

I still shudder remembering that time with Myla!  It was awful and I shed many tears!  I thought I was doing everything wrong, even after taking all of the advice on this site!  All I can say is that "it will pass" but it seems like forever.  Be consistent with your commands - we used "No bite" in a very firm voice and always walked away after giving her the Nylabone..  I don't remember exactly when Myla stopped but it was around the time she turned 5 or 6 months old and it seemed like it was overnight!  Myla is not just about five years old and we still use the term "No bite" when she mouths us, which only seems to be when we are wearing gloves or mitts.  Just hang in there!

[Dr Karen Hoving]

I didn't start this question but I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your comment Wendy. Bella is shy of 6 months- and stopped using us as human nylabones about 3 weeks ago. My 21 year old daughter was so mad at me bc I was upset and (humiliation)angry and cried a lot. I've had lots of dogs in my 58 years, never as bad as Bella in the biting. My arms were so bad when I went in for chemo (not cancer, I have Lupus and RA) and when they looked for a vein they thought I was shooting up(HONEST) and as I think I wrote above, I'm on Warfarin (stroke, dvts) and I kept bleeding (my INR was a bit hight then) .She yanked my sweater sleeves, if I wore a coat or a bathrobe she'd attack the end and rip the bottom. 

My daughter kept saying "she's just a puppy". But my daughter wasn't feeding, picking up poop or dealing with a lot of the attack mode. She'd put her on a leash and take her out to play. I was left at home thinking I had made a huge mistake. HOW could I have forgotten that this was so bad! Well I hadn't forgotten- all my other dogs (standard poodles) never bit me, never ate clothes, anything. My German Shepherd -same thing. So, we have gotten through it but at one point we had a very very bad week and I remember being so sick physcially, and having her come after me constantly and I  turned on my IPhone and stared at the breeders phone number considering sending her back (I'm sure everyone will hate me-but I didn't call...but I was so over the edge). 

So I read your post about Myla and my daughter said "OMG MOM THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU!" So hearing it from you she then said, "yeah,she was really bad for a while!" 

But we are super happy now (except that she has a nasty case of giardia! )and I am glad to have her in my family...but puppy hood is hard! Like baby hood!

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

Wow, that is really foreign to me, Karen.....Teddy would nip my knuckles and hand when I tried to put his harness on in the morning or when I would try and pick him up at times.  But I can't recall him going after any other part of me, except my jeans around my ankles, usually when I would run away from him and he would do it to say he didn't like it.

If Teddy's daily nipping amounted to 1-2 minutes a day, that would be a generous estimate.  Even when I had my hand near his head/mouth, he would normally just lick me.

Speaking of which.....when he DID nip me  - or (still) does -- I would wet my hand/palm/fingers and once he detected the moisture, he began licking.  Good for when I hold him and he wants down but we are posing for a picture !  :- )