Welcome to Oakwood Canine Services Forum

Well, our little bundle of cuteness is home with his new family. He seems to be settling down well and getting used to all of the two legged animals in the house (HRH Tilly the cat is keeping her distance for the time being).
He is now learning his name (selectively) and seems to have a never ending capacity for wanting to excercise his jaws on anything handy.........fingers, hands, arms, legs, clothes, bedding, slippers...........the toys he has don't seem to get the same jawing!
Although I am aware he is still, young and settling in, could anyone give me any pointers on how to try and teach him that biting and chewing is a no-no until he is old enough to come and see some friends at the puppy training classes?
Maybe I am a softie who doesn't want to seem to be scolding the poor little fella all of the time, but I don't quite know how to exert my authority over the cute big brown eyes! lol
Any help appreciated

when my maggie was little she use to chew on us like that i use to scream like a yelp an it would stop her ...mind u my partner tried it an she would still have a chew on him lol...but it worked 4 me

Thanks for that Lynn.........have been trying the yelp thing, much to the amusement of my boys..........sometimes it works, sometimes he gets more excitable, but perseverence pays I hope!

Hi Jacki,
When I get back to the training centre on Monday I will post some information on play biting. In my experience I have found that yelping only serves to excite the puppy even more and it is generally over excitement that causes puppies to bite in the first place so the best thing is to calm things down.
Gill

Thanks Gill, I will look forward to reading that. Milo enjoyed his look around the centre on Saturday, meeting some of the bigger members of the classes and having a look round. Both he and I are looking forward to the puppy socialisation classes when he is able to put all paws on foreign ground
Jacki and Milo

Hi Jacki,

My apologies for not replying sooner, the last few weeks have run away with me. Here is some information on biting below.


Play biting is just an attempt by your puppy to get you to play with him. Teach your puppy to play to play more appropriately instead by offering him games with toys throughout the day. Whenever you interact with your puppy, have a toy ready. If your puppy tries to bite you or your clothes, just walk away and stop the interaction with your puppy for a minute. Start again, if he bites repeat the process. Offer the toy so that it can be bitten instead and play a game. If the bites are too hard, get up and walk away so that your puppy learns that biting brings the game to an end.

Make sure young children are supervised when playing with the puppy, stop any games that involve the puppy biting on skin or clothes and teach both parties how to play with toys instead.

Also make sure your puppy is sufficiently stimulated, both physical and mental stimulation is needed, as is play with other dogs/puppies. I find that once pupies are allowed out the biting will lessen as they have so much more to think about.

Hope to see you at puppy class soon.

Gill

Thanks for that Gill, I appreciate the advice and he is getting a little better though still very excitable at times!
As you said though, once he gets out and about properly, I am sure the situation will ease off as other things take his interest.
He has one of his injections out of the way now, but he did have an adverse reaction to it causing me to have to take him to the emergency vet, but he is getting over it now and enjoyed much attention at East Park today at the veterans day (not on the ground I assure you!!!). I think had he not been in mine or my husbands arms, we would have had him dognapped!! lol
I am looking forward to our classes starting on the 26th and our vet also recommended your services, so we know that we are coming to someone who has a good reputation.
See you soon
Jacki and Milo

oh thats nice to know, which vets do you use? Are you enrolled for 26th? Nicky is taking over the enrolments so I'm not as up to date with our waiting list.
Gill

We use Haven on Holderness Road. We have enrolled for the 26th, Nicky did that for us when we called in last. I just hope we are both trainable