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!

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Lucca is doing the same thing at 6 months. He does stop when I say No Bite but it is annoying and have black and blue marks on my arm from the teeth.. Hopefully their "soft" mouth will start to come through sooner than later. I agree, it is only when they are in that "mood". Otherwise he is good about it. Even his resource guarding is getting better which we have been working on every day.

[years-of-tears]

Hee-hee!!!! Sorry hun.....I just had to laugh! We have had the same issues! Here's what has worked so far for our Shadow!

I bought a snuggle blankie from Walmart (from the baby section) it's small the kind babies like to carry around, sprayed a lil anti-stress calming spray on it. This spray is made by DR. Werber, D.V.M

I also gave him a big pair of old tennis shoes that no loger fit my son (Shadow love's em!) to chew on.

I was buying small puppy bones...and decided to buy him a lil bigger bone....he now rolls it all around and chews on the ends of it!

When we hold Shadow and he starts biting/ nipping us , we look into his eyes and say "Shadow, NO BITING" Firmly......he stops for awhile...we just keep reinforcing it with treats when he does stop!

LOT'S OF CHEW TOYS!!!! My house looks like a "puppy daycare" lol.......

I also noticed that Shadow likes to chew on boxes! It does not matter how big or small! I have several boxes with sensory toys for my son ( who's autistic) so....we gave Shadow his own box to chew!!!!!! He never really chew's it to the point that it's torn apart...and usually moves on too other chew options!

Hope this helps hun!!!!! We are still learning and trying new things daily!!!!!!

[Mommy2Max]

You took the words out of my mouth.

Max LOVES paper towel rolls!

[Terri]

My Cooper is also driving us nuts with the MOUTHING....when he wants us to play he just cannot stop short of grabbing on and pulling at us. He does it mostly to my sons, and sometimes he is soooo excited that it hurts. The other time he does it is when I am on the phone. He comes out of nowhere and kamikaze bites at me....last time he got me on that really sensitive part of your arm by your tricep. I coulda killed him. I look down and he's waggin' his tail with his little puppy bow (butt up in the air), like "gotcha--let's play". We try everything. He always ends up in a time out in the end. Today he was groomed so I hope he's tired. He's soooo froofy with his new hair cut. I asked for short and that's what I got! (Pics are after and before)

[Terri]

I just brought in a picture of a shortish doodle that I liked...and this is what I got.... I googled doodle style and found it on a groomers' website. I'm starting to like the look now that I'm getting used to it.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Samantha does not have a coat as gorgeous as that! She looks like a long haired Choco Lab so I cannot give this info first hand but I met a DM in Florida who said she told her groomer she wanted her Doodle to be groomed liked a Wheaton Terrier. Her doodle looked fantastic!!!! EllenakaBeauBeau's Mom also went to the same groomer and she is thrilled. Check out the Wheaton look and if you like it, take a picture to your groomer.
I think Cooper looks great!!!!!!!

[Krista, Angel, and Toby]

Can't say from experience, but It's Me or the Dog person (I forgot her name) recommends walking away and ignoring the behavior, as the dog wants and gets attention from the behavior.

[Megan]

Thanks everyone!! I just don't want to enable the behavior in any way! He just wants our attention all the time and is relentless with playing, pawing and play biting. I get really short with him because he just WONT STOP...its like non-stop play mode from about 7-10 p.m.! I love him SOOO much, but it just gets to be too much and I need to figure this out or hopefully he'll just start to grow up a little this summer, especially since we can walk and play outside more (we live in IL). Anyway...I love hearing that I'm not alone in this - keeps me a more sane! Happy Easter!

[Cindy and Mandy]

Mandy this too!!! She is 10 weeks old and my hands look like I was in a cat fight and I lost!! When she gets going the only way I stop it is to move out of the way. I also put her chew toys in her mouth so she will chew them instead. Walking away would be great except she latches on to my jeans and hangs on with her teeth. Today was much better, but the weather here was rainy and coldish out so we stayed in except potty breaks and she seemed very mellow. I try and wear her out because then she seems to be calmer in her mouthing. We start puppy class in a few weeks so hopefully that will help as well.

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

We are also having trouble with biting. Last night Remington nipped Dan in the neck and got in big trouble! Just remember puppies explore things with their mouths just as babies do... so be patient. We have found that when he bites we say NO BITE and redirect him to a toy that he can chew on. This seems to help some. However, our Remington is a pretty mellow guy so I don't know how this works with more excited pups. Good luck!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Me too! big time biter here....I call her wolfadoodle. SHe isnt being agressive - her mouth is like ... a hand. She is always grabbing us (to her it is grabbing = to us biting) Cant wait for this part to be over!

[Adina P]

I agree that mouthiness is definitely a retriever trait.
BUT in my opinion what will get you farthest is training. Have you completed some obedience classes yet?

My Rosco was Jaws incarnate with me only. He left some awful bruises and only stopped at about 1 year old. However, that took daily rigorous training. I'm not talking about "no bite" training, but obedience training. Obedience training created a mutual respect and trust between us and it made him obey commands so I could stop him by redirecting him to sit, or down or something else. He's a GEM of a dog now.

So if by 7 months your dog is still nippy (usually typical nippiness goes away around 4 months or so) I would take this to mean you need to work hard in obedience training. Forget yelling and physically battling him...train him well and the rest will fall by the wayside.