My new 7 week puppy is craaaazy biting!!

[Blue Tango]

My new 7 week old puppy is biting and nipping and is actually getting quite aggressive with it and it is hurting. I know that he has not developed bit inhibition yet so we have been trying to teach him. We have tried the yelping and ignoring, we have tried the gentle no. We have tried coddling and hugging him with pressure. He does not chew anything else but us and of course his toys that I quickly substitute when he has these attacks which can last 1-2 hours or all day. It is exhausting! I have also tried the looking away part and he does fall asleep easily when I do this and rub his belly but honestly, we have tried telling him no. Nothing seems to be working. I even have bought the pheromone lavender spray. It is getting frustrating. I have just joined this forum and I will try the yelping and ignoring again but he has been with us 1 week. The first few days of nipping, didn't hurt and we understood he was teething and the owner told me to hole his upper jaw back slightly. But now there is actual biting with his little sharp teeth and I and my husband have scrapes all over. It is no longer enjoyable. We can't even sit on the sofa without him trying to nip..and bite. Overall with other things he is wonderful but I don't get it. I am trying not to be afraid of it and maybe it is my fault for putting my fingers in his mouth as I was told to let him bite a little to teach him to understand bite inhibition but now I fear it has backfired. It is causing great stress for us. I am reading Pippa Mattinson's The Happy Puppy Handbook and really I am out of ideas.

[Blue Tango]

Also, I should mention that we are trying to potty train however it has been freezing rain and ice outside and he hates going out there so he has been pretty good with newspapers. HE is also waiting for his other 2 vaccinations so we cannot take him for walks. I let him out in our garden sometimes if the weather permits and he runs around but most of the time he runs back shivering and he hates his jacket. He is quite a ham but other than playing indoors with him with a ball, we really are kind of trapped as he cannot play with any other dogs until all of his vaccinations are done which will be in February. So how does one attempt to socialize a puppy that can't go out in public??? Teach them bite inhibition and potty training in subzero temperatures? Without him getting colds and pneumonia? I feel so bad for this little guy. He is doing well and we surround him with love but again, the biting thing....is out of control.

[Longblades]

How long have you had this puppy? It sounds like he was taken from his mother and siblings too early and did not learn some bite inhibitions from them. That can mean it will be harder for you to teach him. 8 weeks old is generally accepted as being the age to home these days, it used to be 7 weeks.

Puppies don't learn not to bite you overnight. It's not a one time lesson. It can take months. I swear I did not let my Lab pup near my hands or face till he was 6 months old and finished with his teething. Unless he was sleeping on my lap like a little angel. Keep at it with the tips you are trying but realize you have to do them over and over and over.

Give your pup adequate training and exercise to take his mind off biting. Using his kibble to ask for a SIT before placing a meal down will train the sit and start to work on bite control. Google up NILIF, it really helps. Enrolling in a puppy class will help too, your Vet will probably ok that even if shots are not complete.

You might also consider visits with a dog you know who is vaccinated. Not completely safe as to shots but it is reasonable to visit family dogs, we visited my sister and her dog.

There are also many, many places you can safely take a young puppy. Some you will have to keep him off the floor. We did my Aunt's nursing home, he was on the floor there. The local ski resort lobby had lots of new sounds, smells and funny hats and people happy to pet a puppy. We are in a rural area and went for walks in the bush where few other dogs went.

And there is absolutely no excuse for not potty training in winter. If anything the cold helped our winter puppy, out, get the business done, back in. If it's slippery, as I expect it is this morning, it sure is at my house, make sure he doesn't slip and hurt his little self.

Good luck, persevere. It sounds to me your only real problem is your expectation is simply that this will all happen faster than you thought. Sounds like a normal puppy to me. What breed is he? Did you get him from a reputable breeder who is available to help you with your questions? what's his name? Can you post some photos?

Oh, consider posting your own thread next time. Tagged on to someone else's quite old thread as this is means some people probably won't see it. Maybe a mod can move it for you?

[hazelrunpack]

Good suggestion, Longblades! I moved the posts into their own thread for you, Blue Tango

Beyond what Longblades suggests, I'd add a recommendation for bicycle gloves--you know the ones that cover the palm and back of the hand but leave the fingers free? Find a pair of cheap leather ones and wear them when you're playing with the puppy. They really don't do much for training--you'll still have to distract the pup, redirect his activities, etc--but at least your hands won't be hamburger by the time pup is done teething. My patience was always so much better when I had the gloves handy when we had a puppy in the house!

And, if you can get him to sit still long enough to get some pictures, we sure would love to see some!

[Barkingdog]

What breed is your dog, is he a herding dog? I have heard of herding dogs nipping at people feet to try and round them up .