Puppy behaviour due to absence of Mom

So I was reading some posts in another thread where someone was getting a 6 week old puppy from a breeder - she was actually wanting info on Puppy Socialization classes but got more than that!

People were saying that puppies removed from their mother prior to 8 weeks of age have all sorts of behavioural issues such as biting, lunging, barking, etc.

I have a 6 week old puppy that I got when she was 4 weeks old. Her mother died due to a calcium deficiency one week after having her litter of 5.

The alternative for these pups was take them at 4 weeks or they were going to the OSPCA (not going to go there - another topic for another time).

I have a sweet wee girl who is now 6 weeks old - so ... without the benefit of her mother, who apparently teaches her her behaviour - what can I do as her new "mommy" to stop her from doing these bad things?

She chews alot (mostly on the clothes that I'm wearing), and likes to bite my fingers - which I immediately replace with a chew toy. She bits at my chin - ditto for the chew toy. And she nips.

Any suggestions how to have a polite wee Chi since she's not had the benefit of her mom to teach her right from wrong? I'm the "stand in" now.

Tks,

Sorry to hear about the mom.:(
Well it's not an easy answer to this but I can give you alittle insight.
The best teacher to teach animal behaviour...is another animal of the same species that is tolerant, firm and fair. We as humans cannot mimic exactly the 'unheard' messages that animals pass onto one another of the same species. That being said, we can as humans try to mirror an animal on how they interact with one another. Unfortunately, we misinterpret many of the literature out there on how to do this (such as the alpha roll etc), so you must read up on this subject and perhaps consult with a behaviouralist to learn what the animal is 'saying', if it's appropriate, and if not, how to correct it properly.

Try to reach LuckyPenny. She is a puppy expert and may have some literature and behaviouralists that can assist.

Best of luck to you and your pup. With patience and guidance you can accomplish this and you will be in a perfect position to help others on this forum facing the same scenario.:thumbs up

Thanks BenMax!
It's a task that I am certainly up too for this sweet wee girl.
She's starting to nip which I do not like, but I have started to grab her firmly on her scruff and say a stern "no" - so far, so good.

If only I could get her to stop peeing everywhere (even after she uses the puppy pad) - a dribble here, a dribble there ... She'll get it - she's young. I hope.