Will it ever end?!
 

Boyfriend and I are both going crazy. I need any and all advice that I can get on this issue as we are about to go insane. I really think Lilly being taken from her mom too early has some to do with it but I can't go back and change that. She's gotten to where she bites/chews way too much and way too hard. When she first started doing it we just thought it was where she was teething but now it's just really gotten out of hand. I'm really tired of not being able to hold or play with my baby without being bitten or being scared I'm going to be bit. She goes for your fingers and your face or just really anything that's in her little mouth's reach. I'm currently sitting here typing this with a semi swollen top lip and a band-aid on my pinky finger because of her. So, as you can see, it isn't just small harmless bites. Yesterday I was taking something from her when she bit my pinky and she bit it extremely deep and her teeth kind of slid across it so it looks like I cut it with a knife. Then, a few minutes ago I picked her up and she snapped and bit me on my top lip which reminded me to post this. Last night Rickey (my boyfriend) was playing with her and she bit him on his hand and made him bleed as well. What can we do? I feel as if we've tried everything :(

Taking her from her mommy too soon probably does have a lot to do with it. I would definately yell indignantly when she bites and put her in a crate and ignore her for a while. Don't roughhouse with her when she is in a biting mood or play tugging games, etc.

Here is a good article on puppy biting. She is probably also teething. How old is she?
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bite2.html

When she bites flip her over onto her back and hold her there untilll she submits and tell her no bite. If that doesnt work I would hire a behavoralist. I think her biting is more agressive biting rather than puppy biting

Sounds aggressive to me. I think I'd try a trainer too. Just to get her through this one behaviour. They can be very good and very good if you listen and practice what they teach you.

I think you have the right assumption on getting her too early. She didn't have the crucial developmental time with her liter mates and figuring out what is good play biting and what is bad play biting. Try the ignore, submissive, and toy replacement methods, as those don't cost you any $ then if they don't work hire a behaviorist.

I agree with this! Also make sure you let out a BIG yelp...thats what the littermates would have done if play got too rough...if she persists after the yelp..roll her onto her back until she is calm and then her up the second she is calm..it really has to do with timing...she has to know when she does something right the SECOND she does it right and she has to know she did something wrong the SECOND she does something wrong...how old is she now??

Dawn

I agree, this sounds like more than puppy play. She has to be shown that biting is never accepted. If she plays too hard, you just stop playing after you tell her NO. But it sounds like she is being aggressive other times also. Even a small dog can give a bad bite; you must train her not to do this. Putting her on her back and forcing her to submit is one good way to help her. If you can't train her yourself, you will have to get professional help. Sometimes dogs bite out of fear instead of aggression. Watch the times she shows aggression and see if maybe it is fear, that is still not acceptible, but you may have to handle it less firmly ,but by helping her feel secure. Good luck, I hope this all works out fine.:)

Well, I wouldn't have taken her from her mom too soon but I didn't know any better because I hadn't really researched on them a lot. Plus, the "breeder" I bought her from didn't really act like she cared about taking her at such a young age since she sold all her puppies like that which is a whole other story that I'm trying to get up enough nerve to ask you all about. ANYWAYS.

We don't play tugging games with her... because I read somewhere that it makes them more aggressive and that was the last thing I needed. We haven't been putting her in her crate when she does something bad because I didn't want to associate it as a bad thing since that's where she sleeps and everything since she's still so young... although last night after she bit Rickey he told her "NO" and put her right in it. Thanks for the link and the advice though!

She'll be 4 months old Thursday. She was born 7/8 and we got her 8/24...:( I wish we would've known that was way too early but I'm new to all of this and the breeder didn't say anything about her being too young... which I think the breeder is just in it all for money anyway. We've tried the yelping whenever she bites us and she just looks up at us cocks her head and looks at us like we're idiots. It's gotten to where like for example if I'm walking into the kitchen or something and she'll started trying to bite my feet/toes and if she does I'll tell her NO then proceed to walk again and she'll keep on biting or she'll start barking.

I really don't think we can afford a behaviorist either. :/

We've also even tried like if we pick her up to hold her or if we're simply just playing with her and she starts to bite we put the toy down and start watching tv or talking to one another acting as if she isn't even there.

I got this one I have now at 11 weeks, she also chews and bites hard, so don't know if it's got anything to do with being taken away too soon..the first one I got at 6 weeks, and she never did do the biting thing..when she bites your hand, close your hand, this makes it much harder to bite, then give her a toy to distract her..how old is she?

4 months

You need to show her who's boss. Put on some gloves and let her bite the gloves and when she does grab her from behind the neck like their mothers would and give her a stern NO! This is how I got my little guy to stop playing with the pee pads. He sure didn't like it, whimpered right away and went to hide in his kennel. The amazing part is it doesn't hurt them they just are out of control. Of course you will have to wear some good gloves until she stops biting or you will have a hard time getting her neck without getting bit. The other thing that I learned from a trainer is to grab them by their little cheeks and push their lip in and let them have a little bite. It will hurt but then they will get the picture. Good luck!!! Let us know how it goes.

This is a fantastic article written by a wonderful trainer which I think will be alot of help to you, http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bitestop.htm

THIS PERIOD WILL END! I was in your situation just a few short months ago, and I was convinced that Tobi would use me as a chew toy forever..but rest assured that it ends.

One great way to show your fur kid that you will NOT tolerate this whole biting thing is by leaving them EVERY time they bite you. And when you leave them, leave them ALONE for a few minutes to show them that if they're going to play rough, that they will lose their play mate. It may not work right away at first, but as time goes on (and as long as you stay consistent and persistent), they'll catch on to the idea.

Also, for the time being, I recommend using the Bitter Apple spray. Although some people may think it's not good to way to deter bad behaviour/the nibbling, I found it helped me. Try spraying the Bitter Apple on your fingers/hands and when they try to nibble they'll taste the yucky spray.

Best of luck to you! :)

i actually watched a training show where it said that if a pup is taken to early it doesnt learn what too hard is when it comes to biting. They learn this from their litter mates because when they bite their litter mates too hard they yelp and they learn thats too hard. so i seen that if you help a loud but sqeaky yelp everytime she does it and then turn around and keep your back turned towards her an walk away and then try again a few mins later she will eventually under stand that she is hurting you or upsetting you. try it!

I promise, this WILL end! We went through this with Jake, and it ended almost as fast as it started. We tried a few different things that worked. Everytime he would bite, I would yelp just like puppies do when they are hurt. That would get his attention and he would stop and stare at me. I would tell him "no bite". I wouldn't yell or even raise my voice, but I would say it sternly. I would also give him something he was allowed to chew on, like a toy or chewie. If this doesn't stop him, put him down and ignore him for a few minutes. They don't like being ignored.

He would try to bite our feet and toes while we were walking, so I sprayed some "Bitter Apple" on my socks. That stopped him dead in his tracks, and he stopped trying to bite our feet. If he even saw the spray bottle, he would stop what he was doing.

Now I have Jackson and he's at the biting stage. So far, the yelping is working. He will stop, I'll give him a chewie, and he will happily sit on my lap and chew on it.

The most important thing is to be consistent and don't give in. They learn by repetition, so you have to keep telling them "no" until they understand what no means. Jackson knows what no means, but of course, he's a puppy so he forgets. Once he is reminded, he listens really well.:)

There are times when Jackson and Jake are playing, and Jackson will bite too hard. Jake will let him know, and he backs off.

Good luck, I know it can be frustrating!