Help! At my wits end.

[Kristen]

we have a 6 month old bernedoodle. She's completely potty trained and doesn't chew (much). For the most part, she is a good dog. But the biting and jumping is making me insane. She will literally jump and bite at me (half the time I feel like I'm being attacked) for hours and hours on end. Nothing stops her. I give her toys, I play fetch, I ignore the behavior, I give her kongs filled wit peanut butter, ive acted like a "tree", I've researched about every possible thing and nothing is working. I've sat on the internet combing every website possible. She really hurts! I'm covered in bruises, scratches, etc. I have co workers commenting on it. My 2 year old daughter is too. It doesn't seem like aggressive behavior, but it does hurt. I'm becoming extremely resentful. It's causing problems with my husband, because she doesn't act this way with him and he thinks I'm being dramatic. Im home with her during the day more. We've only ever had one other dog, an English mastiff, and she was as calm as they come, so I'm not used to this type of behavior and I feel dumbfounded. As hard as it is to admit, at this point I regret getting her. My days off from work, I'm wishing I was there, because it's constant chaos and stress in my household. She's also ruined numerous clothing of mine. I have holes in everything. I've been around mouthy dogs before, that nibble at your hands, but this is 100 times worse than that. My sister took her for a weekend, while we were away, and she played great with her goldendoodle and was a complete angel. When we take her to the shore to stay with my in laws, she's also always so good. I feel like the problem is me, so what can I do to fix it?! I feel terrible. I want to be madly In love with my dog, I feel guilty for feeling this way. I'm obviously doing something wrong here. Sorry for the ramble.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

I'm so sorry you are going through this.... I am no expert,but my 2 year old bruin was a jumper when I came home from work.... I got tired of being jumped on and clawed as well. So I armed myself with some canned air from Petsmart called Quit It. I walked in the door as usual, when Bruin jumped on me I sprayed the canned air at him and yelled in my loudest most authoritative voice, NO. IT TOOK ONE TIME! He knew I meant business.... I tried all the other tricks, ignoring, redirecting, creating. ... You get the idea....

Your pup sees you as a play toy and does not see you as a leader... Give it a try when your husband is not home during the day.... Good luck and hang in there....

[Adina P]

My Rosco (now 10 y.o.) was VERY much like that.  His nipping wasn't constant and seemed totally  unpredictable, but when he did it it was AWFUL.  Plus he is a huge dog and it lasted till he was about 1 year old so definitely seemed like there was something seriously wrong with him at times.

He only did it to me (nobody else, not my boyfriend-then-husband or other visitors).  And he was fierce and scared me when he'd start.  I also tried "everything" but nothing with consistency.  So if I were to do it over again I would have gotten better at isolating him immediately (time-out) somehow each and every time.  The one time it was impossible was if we were out for a walk away from home--I honestly don't know anything that would have stopped him then.

I think what helped was 1) I got really serious about training close to his first birthday and 2) Maturity.  Because at a year, he pretty much quit.  And by 19 months he got registered as a therapy dog and is a sweetie pie. 

Good luck!

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Hi there! I have two bernedoodles and the younger of my two was insane like that, well he's still a little crazy, but getting better! I would invest in a trainer and see if they can't help you out. Like you said it seems to just be you so maybe a trainer can help you out in sending her a message that you are the pack leader not a play mate? I still crate Moose (now 13 months) the second he starts getting out of hand because he's just too big for that nonsense and he does instantly calm down. When he comes back out of his crate after he's calmed down he seems to be slightly more calm and well behaved. Personally I crate Moose the second he stops listening to me when I give a command like "down" or "leave it" or when he was really nippy he instantly went in his crate. For Moose, he learned a lot with what appropriate behavior is/was from training classes and doggie daycare. The daycare we go to is supervised very well and I see on the cameras the handlers waste no time in correcting bad behavior.. Maybe this is something that might help out?. Good luck! Your baby is a cutie!

[Lynda Kamrath]

Have you tried a squirt bottle?  You will have to carry it with you for a while and whenever she looks like she is going to jump up give her a squirt in the face and say a loud "No".  Since she does not do their behavior with anyone else, it may work for you.  Worth a try.  

[Joani, Skadi & Elli]

Puppies!  I thought they were supposed to be this big fluff ball of sweet cuddles! HA!  I also feel your pain.  Skadi was an attack alligator with the sharpest teeth on earth!  I swear to it!  I used to tie her to a weight in the middle of the living room so she couldn't jump on me when I would walk from room to room and have to pass by her.  Definitely a crazy time...when you are wanting to bond but the painful open wounds on your hands leave you wondering what in the world have I welcomed into my home, my life...

Then, ...then, ....after months of trying every technique and recommendation under the sun, it's like someone flips a switch and finally, there's this sweet puppy you have been pining for...and they grow into the sweetest dog in the whole wide world and you forgive yourself for almost giving up and you forgive your furbaby for well, for being a "puppy" and you live happily ever after!  Hang in there...they are so very very much worth the grief!

[Amy and Annabelle]

I also tied Annabelle to a weight. I didn't really have anything in the kitchen to tie her to, so I used a chair. When she was only 10lbs she could pull a 30lb weight with the chair across the kitchen. So unless I had an immovable object to tie her to, I figured I was only creating a stronger dog to attack me and stopped it. You are so right, it is like someone flips a switch and they are the lovable dog you dreamed about.

[Brandy]

I got my Goldendoodle at the Humane Society when he was 6 months old and he was a TERRIBLE mouther and jumper.  I remember being so frustrated because I was doing EVERYTHING suggested and most of it just amped him up further.  Then right around 10 months the mouthing reduced dramatically and by a year it was over.  It was a rough four months, but keep at it.  I probably could have used the kennel more effectively because he was extemely well kennel trained, so maybe that's the key to getting through it faster.