# New 9 week old puppy



## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

Hi everyone. This is my first time typing in the forum. I think you all have great advise. I just purchased a 9 week old havanese. The problem I am having is the nipping. I know she is play bitting and all excited, but "OUCH!". She also has no interest in treats. Any advise about how to stop this.
Also at night or when i leave for abit, I put up a crate in the bathroom, leave the door to the crate open with the wee wee pad on the bathroom floor. I have a gate up in the doorway...how am i doing?


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## psvzum (Jun 11, 2009)

Congratulations on your new puppy! Please post pictures so we can "oooooh and ahhhhhh" : )

When Loki was little and nippy, we would divert his attention with a toy. This worked very well and still does when he gets mouthy.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

As Pam said, try diverting your puppy with a toy as much as possible when she gets mouthy... the rule in our house when Kodi was little was to ALWAYS have a toy within reach when playing with him.

But from time to time, every puppy will try their teeth on people, just as they would on puppy playmates. When they do, say "OUCH!!!" in a loud, high-pitched voice, and stop playing with the puppy for a few minutes. This is what puppy playmates would do, and how puppies learn to inhibit their bite. Puppies usually learn very quickly that they need to play gently with their humans!


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## Maxmom (Jul 22, 2008)

Congratulations on your new baby! I'm anxious to see pictures and find out her name. We love details! I think you're doing a fantastic job. Getting on this forum is the smartest thing you've done. You will learn a lot here.

Enjoy this fun, although exhausting, time!

:welcome:


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

Pictures pleeeeeeeeZ! We need our puppy fix! :baby:
What did you name her?


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Congrats on your new baby! Please post some pics for us and we'll look forward to hearing puppy stories!


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## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

Thank you everyone! I will post puppy pics tonight. Her name is Ginger. I feel so bad, she is so small and gets under my feet, i feel like i am kicking her around. If only I can get her to poop on the wee wee pad not on the floor where ever she is and of course not eat it.... EWWWWW.


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## DorothyS (Aug 11, 2009)

Sounds like all the usual puppy issues - if you are consistent in her training, it will eventually get better! In the meantime, practice the "puppy shuffle." When our guys were teeny-tiny, we warned anyone who came to the house that they should not walk normally, but shuffle so as not to accidentally step on a little guy - they do get underfoot!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Welcome to you and Ginger! Congratulations on getting your first Havanese puppy.  You are doing well with your bathroom/crate arrangement. It takes time and consistency to get a puppy to feel o.k. about being alone, about peeing/pooping where we want them to, and about not nipping us humans. Great advice given so far. Courage!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

That's good he's biting. Puppies that don't bite ,don't learn bite inhibition. Take it as a teaching opportunity. Here is a great article http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/puppy-biting


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## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

Thank you everyone. This bitting thing is a pain though. Hurts my feet and toes. We are actually having a trainer come in and start us out on Sunday. I tried the water bottle when she nips and bites...only thing is... she enjoys it! Last night i sprayed the bitter apple spray on my daughters feet so she wouldnt bite. I will download pictures tonight and post.


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## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

ok trying to attach 1 pic that i have here at work. not sure how to attach a file. hope this works


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## Jammies (Apr 4, 2009)

*Ahhhhhh two cuties!!!!*


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## susieg (Aug 28, 2009)

Aww, both your girls are so cute! The nipping eventually stops. I think its a combo of them learning its not acceptable and growing out of it. I thought Lola was going to bite my feet and pant legs forever. After months of saying NO and/or OUCH and giving her a toy to chew on, she finally stopped. Enjoy your new baby!


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

Welcome to the forum! your puppy and your daughter are darling!

The nipping is painful and not a very fun part of having a puppy. We thought Murphy was going to be vicious he bit so much but by the time he was 3 or 4 months old he had outgrown that stage. Be patient and it will all work out!


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## MarkF (Nov 9, 2009)

Welcome - Where on LI are you located? I'm in West Hempstead.


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## morridon (Oct 2, 2009)

My Hav is now 17 months and was awful when it came to biting as a puppy. As everyone said you need to just stick a toy in their mouth every time they bite. When I screamed OW she thought I was playing and bit me more. The funny thing is that now when I mention it to the family they don't even remember her biting!


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## michi715 (Apr 8, 2008)

She's adorable!


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Awwww Congrats! What a cute puppy 

Definitely divert the attention when nipping. I swear by the Cesar Milan method - make a loud SSSSSSSSSSTTTT! noise, say NO, BAD PUPPY, then divert her attention to a toy she is allowed to chew on. Once she chews on the toy, give her lots of praise and GOOD GIRL in a deep, calm, soothing voice. When she goes too crazy, put her back in her enclosure.

As for the bathroom thing, it works for some but I highly recommend using an exercise pen with the crate attached. Put the ex pen in a room like the family room where there is lots of people traffic, that way, when puppy is having "alone time" (because she needs to learn how to play by herself), she is still close to the family. Practice leaving her for short periods of time (first go with a minute, then extend to 5, then 10, gradually increasing). This will help her to learn that it is just part of your daily life that you must leave the room, but that she has her own space to enjoy while you are away. We keep Rosoce in his enclosure with his toys, water, food, crate, etc. anytime we are not actively playing with him, unless of course he's napping on the couch with us. This makes it easier for him to find his potty, have his own space, and it prevents him from getting into anything if we look away for a second (because they are FAST little sneaks!)

In terms of wee pads, I would also recommend putting the wee pad into a litter box. Just buy the kind specifically made for dogs, in the small size, fold the wee pad in half, and stick it in there. That way, she knows to hop right in to go potty rather than just squatting on the floor. This has worked really well for me - my 2nd Hav is almost 14 weeks old and has been 100% potty trained since about 10 days after he came home. I LOVE the litter box! This is what they look like: http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com/Product/9731/2063604

Good luck


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## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

morridon said:


> My Hav is now 17 months and was awful when it came to biting as a puppy. As everyone said you need to just stick a toy in their mouth every time they bite. When I screamed OW she thought I was playing and bit me more. The funny thing is that now when I mention it to the family they don't even remember her biting!


That is what happends to me. I say OW... and she just jumps and does it more, like its still play time. I turn my back on her when i do it that doesnt work.Then while she isnipping and hanging on my pants she growls (which i know is because she is playing but still)


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## newhavaneselover (Nov 25, 2009)

galaxie said:


> Awwww Congrats! What a cute puppy
> 
> Definitely divert the attention when nipping. I swear by the Cesar Milan method - make a loud SSSSSSSSSSTTTT! noise, say NO, BAD PUPPY, then divert her attention to a toy she is allowed to chew on. Once she chews on the toy, give her lots of praise and GOOD GIRL in a deep, calm, soothing voice. When she goes too crazy, put her back in her enclosure.
> 
> ...


After her 12 week shot, Jan 18th, i will be attempting to bring her outside. Notice i said attempt (kinda cold). Maybe I am confusing her a bit. I have a pad in the bathroom with her create, and also have one in the kitchen.When I am home i open it up so she can go into the kitchen as well as the bathroom. She is good though with playing by herself, even though my daughter doesnt understand to leave her alone and stop picking her up every 30 seconds.I will though try the chew toy. Thank you everyone!!!


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## Mom2Izzo (Jul 1, 2009)

Just wanted to say hi, welcome and congrats on Ginger!!!


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## Beanie (Aug 30, 2009)

With Beanie, we left her in the crate with the door closed at night, and then, (she was 12 wks at the time), we took turns getting up and taking her outside to potty or poop (because their systems are so small) about twice a night. I didn't want her learning to pee/poop at all inside, not even on a pad; because I think the whole house eventually will become her den and off limits to elimination...but if you live in an apt.; I can see how this routine would be difficult...but the puppy does absolultely not want to soil his/her crate, so crating is a good way to potty train...it just takes a LOT of patience!! Be consistent and try to catch her just before she goes in the house, then take her to the spot where she's supposed to go. It takes them awhile to figure it out, especially how to communicate to you that they have to go; Beanie finally did at 5 and a half months - now instead of peeing/pooping in the house she will do a double circle and then she will actually head to the door and wait to be let out. The nipping: just say no! (in a loud voice) and stop playing and wait. This system works to stop the nipping, and at about 6 months, your pup should finally get out of this habit! Good luck with your new puppy; they are the best - so much fun and they only get better with age!


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