Bitey Puppy...

[Sares]

I have a 7 month old female Frenchie, who is most of the time a perfect angel.

Except when she gets in a naughty mood and decides that she wants to play is constantly tries to bite our hands. It’s not hard but still hurts a little bit. She doesn’t chew on anything around her house while she has been teething (she has been perfect in that respect!).

Some of the methods we have used to try to stop her from mouthing our hands during play are:

-Stopping play by standing up and ignoring her until she calms down. But this usually results in the moment she calms down, you sit down again and she starts biting again.

-We bought that sour spray to stop dogs from chewing on stuff. We used that on our hands, I am 99% sure she actually likes the taste of it as it just encourages her.

-Redirection with toys. But when she is in this mood, toys are not as fun as hands.

-Redirection with food. This works as long as we have treats handy.

-Put her in her crate until she calms down. But I really try my very hardest not to use her crate as a punishment. I want her to love her crate.

Being a Frenchie, can be quite stubborn and persistent, but in saying that, she picked up all her training very well, she sits, lays down, shakes, rolls over, stays and walks fantastically on her lead.. she is very clever.. its just the biting we cant stop!!

Its been a long time since I have had a puppy (my last dog was a Rotti who lived to 12 years old!) so I cant remember if this is a phase or something that is more serious and needs to be addressed?

Anyone have other tips on stopping the mouthing during play?

[W Sibs]

Hi

With redirecting, you have to give the food/toy BEFORE she does it.. once she is doing it already, you got to make her stop by either telling her a Firm NO and gently push her away and walk off as though saying 'Game Over'... and the game is over. I wouldn't play with the pup again for a long while. You have to show that you mean is, you say she is stubborn, so you have to be more.

What I do is... I put my thumb in the pup's mouth and under it's tongue and hold it for a few seconds. Most puppies hate it. Then I will hold my hand hand out, and when pup licks my hand and has no interest in biting, I reward the puppy with a lot of praise, treats and play. Do it each time teeth touch skin. They catch on fast that biting is not so much fun.

ETA: If you search for puppy mouthing on DOL, there are a lot of thread about it and there are some other great advice on how to stop puppy mouthing :D

Edited July 3, 2012 by W Sibs

[Sares]

Thanks W Sibs! I will give the thumb thing a go. :)

[Nekhbet]

W sibs is right there is no recourse for your dogs actions. SHe's too old to be going through a 'phase', you either teach her biting is wrong or end up putting up with it long term. Thumb under the tongue or if she starts being out of control just scruff her. At her age she'll scream, fuss and carry on like a banshee but its something she should have been taught about 5 months ago. The tantrums are just like toddler tantrums ... loud but no long term harm for the dog at all.

[mumof4girls]

The thumb trick worked for uswhen rogue was little.. Now at almost 9mths if he test me I grab the scruff of his neck and say no bite in my scary rough voice lol he stops then also..

Take it from me you have to be tough, nipping hurts !! :-)