Aggressive Puppy Biting

[Erin & Maizey]

Hi Everyone,

I know this topic has been covered ad nauseum here and I have read as many posts as I could find on it, but I was writing to see if there were any other suggestions.  After a little bit of puppy bliss, Maizey is now 11.5 weeks and will not stop attacking me as if I was a giant chew toy.  I have tried:

• yelping
• growling (this worked for a little while, now nada)
• clamping mouth shut
• saying no bite
• i tried that stick fist in her mouth thing but she bit me hard
• replacing with other toy (she gets distracted for about a minute)
• trying to do a training session working on sit/down/etc. (she willl start biting when we stop)
• time outs (worked for a little while, now she's started chewing the molding in bathroom where I put her)
• doing that thing where you kind of pop them over and hold the scruff of their neck
• letting her mouth my arm until it hurts then saying no but then she starts to clamp even harder
• turning my back (this is the worst bc then she attacks my backside)
• leaving the room (I can't leave her unsupervised for too long and when I come back she resumes biting me)

She has ripped holes in several of my clothes and I'm covered in scrapes and cuts.  I'm at my wit's end and it really hurts.  She has a gazillion chew toys, both soft and hard and bully sticks and all sorts of other dog appropriate things.  Why does she insist on attacking me?  What am I doing wrong?  We go to puppy manners class once a week and she's a superstar there and behaves properly and follows commands really well and everything.  We practice what we learned at puppy class and she does great at home with it but as soon as we stop, she morphs into satan's spawn.  I'm just really frustrated and she's making me not to be around her!  I try to bend over to pick up a toy to toss it for her to chase and she tries to bite my head, hand, arm, shoulder, etc.  She's totally out of control at times and its hard to even grab her collar to take her to a time out because she starts writhing and snapping and biting and barking.  Why won't she listen to me?  I feel like I'm clearly doing something wrong.

Are there any other ideas out there?  Is there a way to fast forward to the part where she's a normal sweet fun playful dog?  Any ideas on how long this phase lasts?  It is a phase, right?!?! Is this normal puppy behavior?  Everything I've read suggests that one of these methods eventually works... All the methods work for a little while but then she just ignores it.  There's an end in sight right?  Please?  I'm so scraped up.  :(   

Any advice would be much appreciated.  I'm just trying to teach her the right stuff and help her become a happy dog but this biting thing has got to stop (plus she's already 17.5 lbs so I'm worried that when she gets bigger it will just be a disaster). 

Thank you in advance!!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

1st thing I would do is get a crate to use for her space vs the laundry room.  Then you don't need to worry about her chewing up the molding.  You can keep a leash on her so she is easier to get a hold of to go to the time out spot for the rest (and a break for you).  Basically you are doing all the right things.  Make sure she is getting lots of outdoor play time to get rid of that puppy energy.  This phase will pass when those puppy teeth go away (or at least it won't hurt so much).  That should happen between 4 and 6 months.  You could try giving her a frozen wash cloth (just do this supervised so she doesn't eat it, just chews it).  As she is probably teething this will feel really good.  You could get an ex pen to give her a little more room in a supervised environment with her toys and things to chew on without free range to chew on you.  Basically, just hang in there, this will pass.

[Erin & Maizey]

Thanks so much!  Oh she has a crate.  I've been trying not to associate that with time - outs though because the initial crate training process was also really hard so I want her to like that space. She's been doing great at night though (baby steps!) 

4-6 months... I can do that.  :)  I will look in to creating an ex pen area.  I think that's a great idea.  I've tried the leash in the house - she just chews on the leash.  Better than me but still not an appropriate outlet. 

Thanks again!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I would definitely use the crate several times throughout the day, and especially when she's overly excited and nipping.  Dogs don't know that it's "time out".  They just know that their leader is telling them that play time is over and it's time to calm down.  A puppy isn't going to feel like she's being "punished". 

I wouldn't give up on keeping her tethered to you when she's not crated.  If she starts to bite on the leash, firmly tell her "no" and remove it from her mouth.  You will probably have to do this over and over again.  When she does let go....lots of praise and occasional treats.

[K and Racey]

I would absolutely NOT use the crate for time out. Every day when you leave for work she is giong to associate the crate with negativity.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't agree. My doodles are crated when I leave home and they get a treat when they go in their crates then. They are never confused about the fact that if they come in muddy from digging and have to go in their crate to dry off or are crated, very rare nowadays for some other bad behavior, that this means the crate is a bad place. In fact Calla goes in her crate when she just feels like it.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think that's only true if you're upset or angry when you put her in the crate...the negativity comes from the human not the dog.  It's not about "punishment"...it's about giving the puppy a quiet place to calm down.

[Adina P]

My dog goes in her crate if I can't watch her, when we leave the house, when she is muddy, and if she's done something she knows is unacceptable.  It hasn't soured her to her crate one bit.  Luckily she's been an EASY dog when it comes to crating and although doesn't leap in there, she's fine in there and only starts whining if she thinks we are having fun without her.  It really does NOT hurt to crate a dog for time out any more than it makes a kid hate chairs if they get a time out in a chair. 

[cocoincanada]

We had similar problems with our doodle when he was a pup (now 4.5 yrs old). The only thing that worked was a spray bottle with a tiny bit of vinegar in it. When nothing else worked and he kept biting, we'd spray directly in his mouth. The taste of the vinegar would send him away sneezing. It only took a few times for him to get the message...

Good luck. Mainly one part of the problem is the lack of consistency. In order for the pup to understand, you may have to stick to one method....and keep at it for better or for worse.

It's hard, but it pays off in the end :) all the best!

[cocoincanada]

Sorry, I should have added that it's a spray bottle full of water, with a bit of vinegar added in. Not straight vinegar...

[Erin & Maizey]

I am going to try the vinegar water.  Thanks again - really appreciate the idea.  I tried regular water (works great on the cat) but Maizey just loves water. :) 

Thanks, everyone for letting me vent - I have been worried that this wasn't normal behavior and that she hates me for some reason.  Knowing that it isn't, I feel a little better since eventually it will pass.  Everybody keeps saying isn't the puppy phase great - you're going to miss it when she's bigger.  yeah, right.... 

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

My vet just suggested this to me to try and stop her jumping and bitting on my daughter.... I think I might give it a try.

She loves water so I hope the added touch of vinager will help.   She seems very sensitive to small so that alone might work.

Wonder if I should start bathing my child in vinager?   LOL just kidding.

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

When I first got Cocoa about day 3 she started doing this. I have some holes in my jeans and my daughter has a ton of ruined clothing because it was worse with her and still a problem with her.

She is now almost 18 weeks and we got her at 8 weeks. It took a lot of NO BITE and grabbing her mouth. I tried everything that you did but it almost seemed to egg her on and she would bite harder. 11 weeks is still so young so I do think its a phase... but it hurts.

We still have this problem from time to time but its so much better than it was, and my arms and hands are not all scratched up like they were.  This weekend my husband tapped his lap to let her know it was ok to jump up and she went right at his face and drew blood from his ear.  When ever I go to pet her she puts her teeth right on my hands. Sometimes when playing she will bring a toy to play fetch then drop it as you are reaching and tag your hand. But the attacking our feet and clothing 24/7 has stopped.

She was not very cuddly before and is starting to ask for her belly rubbed and will lay next to me and lay her head on me. I think it just took time for her to adjust and realize this is her new home and we do love her.