When does the biting STOP?

[Megan]

Okay, I am fedddd up with this biting crap. I feel like I've tried everything and Brooks will not stop biting when he is excited. It's still the same puppy bite from before, but he's 7 months old and I thought it would have ceased by now. I feel like I've tried everything from yelping, ignoring, spraying him with bitter apple in the mouth and closing his mouth and sternly yelling NO BITE. It is only when he's in that "mood" - but its annoying because when people come over, he gets excited and wants to just put his teeth on them. Will it stop as he gets older? I feel like it got better at 5 months and now its BACK! My arm is NOT a chew toy! Help!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Adina,

My Bexter is 9 months old & still nips.  So, is it safe to say, this is something that they DON'T JUST GROW OUT OF?  So... if he is still doing it, that means he'll be like that forever (without training to make him more obedient.)  If that is what you think (and I totally respect your opinion) then I am concerned.  I guess I always just thought he'd grow out of it and was trying to be patient & wait it out.  We provide him with TONS of chew toys and antlers, bully sticks, knucklebones....But often when we pet him, he turns his head & nips at my wrist/sleeve.  It is such a pain!  Sometimes I get disappointed because I want to pet on him more than I do because he does that &I say NO but he keeps doing it so I stop.  I found he is the worst when he is excited.  Maybe I should enter him into another obedience class...

[Denise & Sophie]

Traci, I see most of these posts are from 2009. Sophie is 7 months and I am having the same problem with her. I would love to hear if their doodles stopped mouthing and how long it lasts.

[Karen Mac]

I am in the same position. I want to pet her but she ALWAYS puts her mouth on my hand. Worse is my kids want to pet her and they can't, that breaks my heart :( Emily is 11 weeks old and I am already fed up with the mouthing and jumping. I hope I didn't make a wrong decision getting a doodle. I wanted a dog that would be great with kids which doodles are suppose to be. Not bite them all the time and jump on them with her mouth wide open... I PRAY to God training will help this.

[Joanne]

I'm in the same boat with Baylee! The worst is with my kids. She shredded my daughters pants the other day when they were playing outside. Baylee is 15 weeks and I'm getting really sick of it. We have tried everything. I want the kids to be able to play outside with her around, but that's just not possible right now. I know I also have to train the kids, but I don't want a dog that constantly bites at them.

I'm hoping this is something they grow out of and not a permanent personality trait!

[Eileen Ross and Cody]

These doodles - Baylee will outgrow the biting.  They are silly biting little pups.  Have patience.  Keep the training up.  Biting as pups seems to be a doodle trait.  But it will stop.

[Eileen Ross and Cody]

I Feel your pain (literally). Cody is 9 months and sometimes still does it to me. He pulls on my clothes (several ripped blouses ). I suppose it will be outgrown soon. It's a good thing Cody is so loveable most of the time

[Mommy2Max]

I'm right there with you! Max can drive me insane sometimes with his mouthiness. He just can't seem to calm down enough to focus his energy in a positive way....yet. He'll sit but he jumps right back up within 30 seconds. He does this mostly when he greets people or my husband coming home from work. Once he gets your attention - he'll calm down. I'll keep working it.

[Megan]

Yep - I work with Brooks a lot on obedience. The biting and overall "brat-attitude" comes and goes in waves and it seems to get better after he's around other dogs or when he's not been crated all day. I'm looking into enrolling the whole family in a second round of obedience training in a group setting. We did private lessons to begin with and he learned, but I think he needs the challenge of being around other dogs and distractions. I'm still working on it and really my husband and I are the ones who needs to stick with it and be consistent. It just gets frustrating because there are times where I just can't get him to focus on anything other than jumping, chasing and biting. UGH! Thanks for the tips and support.

[Debbie and Thomas]

Here is a picture of my son Tim and the dog, Thomas playing. They adore each other and yet at 28 weeks old, this dog will run at my son and attack his clothes, arm or whatever he can get hold of. My son is getting upset over this and I don't know what to do about it. He LOVES this dog. When Thomas gets excited, he will try to grab at me or my husband with his mouth but in a very gentle way. We say "no teeth" and he stops immediately. But with Tim, he gets out of control and won't stop, even though he says the same commands that we do. BTW-this kid of mine is 24 years old. He is doing his masters in architecture so is at home until he gets his final degree and hopefully a job. We are all aware that Thomas is just trying to play, but if Tim is in the room, the biting will start until he gets tired. Makes for a very stressful evening. Any advice?

[Adina P]

Do the rest of you play and wrestle on the floor with your dog this way?

[Debbie and Thomas]

This response is a little late-somehow I missed it-sorry. Come to think of it-now that he is larger, the only one who plays and wrestles on the floor with the doodle would be my son. We all play with him, but Tim is the one who gets right into it down on the floor. He loves to do this- but it could be 48 hours later and the dog will attack him and want to play by nipping at him and pulling at his clothes. I think I just answered my own question? Of course he wants to play with the fun guy?

[Adina P]

Yeah I think so...your son encouraged wrestling so I think puppy sometimes tries to start the wrestling when he feels like it. I'd encourage your son to stop wrestling or spend some time doing obedience practice with him.

Rosco was a biting monster until we trained hard. Now...if I try to wrestle with him (now and then I've tried to 'test' him and see what he does as I trust him now) and he starts to get wound up...he goes to find a bone to chew on.