# She bites



## looloobell4 (Nov 10, 2006)

She bites all the time. I am not sure what to do. i know all puppies bite but my poor 15 mo old her feet and legs have marks all over them. I need help. This is my first puppy and no one around us has a havanese either. So this is all new to us. We have 5 children 15, 12 ,9 ,4 ,15 mo. any advice is welcome. thank you Laura


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

How old is your puppy?

Puppies learn by putting things in your mouth. They play with their littermates by biting and the playmate will yelp when bitten too hard. Mothers teach puppies not to bite by disciplining. Was your puppy removed from her mother too young?

Here are some earlier topics on the same subject: 
Biting when playing
Advice for teething puppy
Nipping
Biting family members


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## looloobell4 (Nov 10, 2006)

I do not thnk so i got her at 9 weeks.


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## monkeytam (May 7, 2007)

I am wondering about this too. I have 3 kids 5, almost 4 and 3 1/3 months. I think you just have to work with the dog and teach it not to bite. All puppies do nip and chew though.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

When Brady would get too rough with us, I would just tell him no and then I would get up and walk out of the room and ignore him for a few minutes (almost like a timeout). He got the point that if he wanted to play, he had to play nice or I wouldn't play with him.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Nipping seems very normal in puppies. Yelping when they nip seemed to really help with us. When they feel that they have gone too far,they do seem to back of. Is your child old enough to know to just say loudly )Owww and walk away?? The pup will eventually get it,although it is hard when the child is so young. They do outgrow that nipping as somepoint but they do need to made aware that it is not acceptable.
Laurie


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## Kathy (Nov 9, 2006)

I would suggest you not let the puppy and the baby enter act a lot as they are both about the same age in a lot of ways. The baby doesn't know how to "play" with a puppy and the puppy doesn't understand the difference between the babies feet and it's toys. The puppy is doing what comes naturally. They learn by using their mouth. Plus, I would bet it is teething. Have you tried to give the puppy lot's of good chew treats, like flossies (which is beef tendon)? 

I assume whenever the puppy is out with the children, you are there constantly watching.


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## looloobell4 (Nov 10, 2006)

yes I am with them all the time. never alone. I know that she is doing what she would with her puppy friends. I just feel bad for her (Baby) she tells Lila No puppy, No bite.
I have not tried flossies yet. they kinda smell but maybe i will try one anyway. I try to get Lila around my brothers dogs (boxers) that is funny. She tries so hard to get them but they just knock her around with the boxing they do. thank you for all the help


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## CapotesMom (Apr 3, 2007)

2 things I learned for training from my best friend who's a trainer at petsmart. whenever he starts nipping at me in play I tighten my hands into a fist so he can't bite them and say 'no bite!' ..it seems to work and he promptly goes to licking instead..lol. 

Also she taught me the 'leave it' command..so if puppy is chewing on the baby that seems like a good time to say that command. You just start with 2 treats..put one in front of her and distract her with the other. Tell her to 'leave it' ..for the one on the floor, and when she does, click your clicker and give her the second treat or praise. Capote cottoned on fairly quick..he's getting pretty good at leaving the cat alone..though he still likes to ambush him at any given opportunity. It's when Sinatra looks irritated that I tell him to 'leave it'


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Smarty at 14 weeks has really picked up some bad habits from us. We do not allow her on the furniture, so she barks and we get in the floor to play. She has what we call "mean dog game". She runs very fast in circles around whatever, jumps and tries or BITES my husband. At first it was very cute, bite him and them jump in my lap and be sweet. He also can not walk around the house without her pulling on his pants leg. As fast as she is it is very hard to punish her in the act. She is so good most of the time. OH, she got her giggles yesterday and the carrot has already lost one of its green leaves from shaking. 

Do your puppies chase their tail and roll around the floor? Smarty spins like a top. We have never had a dog with a tail before. My husband thinks we have given her brain damage from trying to stop the "mean dog game".


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## Doggie Nut (Oct 20, 2006)

Valentino LOVED to chase his tail when he was younger and he still will do it some when he catches a glimpse of it! Too cute!


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## Cosmosmom (Jan 12, 2007)

Lots of good advice here . The one thing you have to remember here is that this is a puppy and he is teething just like your baby teeths and also they are very oral just like a baby . 
My first dog bit a lot - just little nibbles and I thought it was ok -no aggresion involved he just wanted to sooth his sore mouth while getting new teeth . I gave him chewies ice cubes and a cool teething ring ..He grew out of it eventually .
Cosmo is more dominant and no way could I let him bite .I did the fist thing as well - it worked for us , also a lot distraction toys playtime versus chew time , I told him no bite , I left the room also . I also gave him chews just as I did with Asta .. Some people say use a kong stuffed with peanut butter , put peanut butter on our hand or chicken fat and the dog learns to lick it off and not bite . This might work for the baby so he licks instead of bites him or her .. 
Every puppy is different and what works for one does not work for another . So you have to try and use what works well amd maybe eliminate the rest .. 
Chews are important - I gave Cosmo - the pigs ears as he could tolerate them he could not tolerate other chews when he was small . . His tummy was very sensitive .
Also remember to praise him when he is good and he does not bite .. tell him good boy . A lot of time we focus too much on the correction and we forget to praise them when they do the right thing and please us .. tell them - they are like children they need positives as well as correction ..
Everyone in the family needs to do the same thing - consistency is key as is patience . You were patient with your children I am sure so be the same with your puppy ..


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

One of the things my husband did because I didnt want him to wrestle and cause the maltese to bite was get those big children's hand puppets. To this day when Belle wants to wrestle, she grabs one of her puppets (moose and dragon are her favorite) and drags it out. She just wont wrestle with someone's hand. You might want to think alternative forms of interaction for the children like this.

Amanda


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

With Logan, each time he started to touch with his teeth, I stuck a toy in his mouth. Now, whenever he is excited & in that nippy mood, he grabs a toy on his own & comes to me while I pet & say hello, the toy never leaves his mouth! It works well for him!


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## Kathy (Nov 9, 2006)

ama0722 said:


> One of the things my husband did because I didnt want him to wrestle and cause the maltese to bite was get those big children's hand puppets. To this day when Belle wants to wrestle, she grabs one of her puppets (moose and dragon are her favorite) and drags it out. She just wont wrestle with someone's hand. You might want to think alternative forms of interaction for the children like this.
> 
> Amanda


What a great idea Amanda, never thought of doing that. Thanks for the tip.


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