Puppy attacking

con1888

Logan goes through a phase almost every night where all he wants to do is bite us, he gets sprayed with the water which he knows means he isn't allowed to do something (works 9/10) but just keeps at it.

He isn't bored when doing it as his 'phase' came about minutes ago when we were doing some fun training games.

Any advice on how to stop it ? We put him in the kitchen and ignored him and then let him back in and he has calmed down but obviously don't want this being a daily occurence.

He is only 10weeks old so still learning but want this weeded out as soon as we can.

Raksha

If it happened while you were training, he may have been confused about what you wanted. Try encouraging him to play raggy games with a large knotted rope toy - the second his teeth touch your hand, the game stops!

Make sure he's getting plenty of chances to play with you - large soft toys are good to. He's probably missing his litter mates and is trying to get you to play with him in the same way he would them.

con1888

He has lots of toys and after he has been told off and calmed down he does go to play with them. He done the same thing last night, will keep an eye on it.

Person_one

He's not attacking you!

As he's only a pup, this is what he'd be doing with his littermates to learn bite inhibition, playing and mouthing. My adult dogs still mouth at each other when they playfight.

Its been a while since I trained a puppy, but we just pulled our hands away quickly and made a little squeak noise like we'd been hurt, then stop the game and don't interact for a few minutes so he associates mouthing at you with the fun stopping.

Wellyboots6

Tyson still goes through mouthing phases and he is a fully grown old man (supposedly!). I don't think his previous owner trained him at all.

I jump up and stand with my back to him for a minute or two, and then go back to what we were doing. A couple of times doing this and he remembers he shouldn't do it.

He will then be fine for a week or two and then forget himself again!

con1888

The only way to get him to stop is to put him in another room, otherwise he keeps running up and biting, he knows he isn't supposed to do it and he doesn't like the water spay but he keeps at it. If we are playing at the time I stop playing, have turned back, sat in chair etc but he just runs and bites

Hopefully he will realise it's wrong soon.

Person_one

con1888 wrote: »

The only way to get him to stop is to put him in another room, otherwise he keeps running up and biting, he knows he isn't supposed to do it and he doesn't like the water spay but he keeps at it. If we are playing at the time I stop playing, have turned back, sat in chair etc but he just runs and bites

Hopefully he will realise it's wrong soon.

Have you tried the yelp and the quick withdrawal of the hand trick? Is he biting your hands? If he is then stand up, then he can't reach. If the water spray doesn't stop him, don't do it!

Mouthing in play is a completely natural part of a puppy's development, so it isn't 'wrong', he just needs to learn that you don't like it.

faerie~spangles

Yelp very loudly when he mouths. That is what his siblings would do.

In my experience most youngsters (humans included) have a mad half our at night.

candjsmum

Mine done this last year when she was a pup. Picked on our 12 year old son all the time as he was the youngest. Nipped his toes and wouldn't leave him alone. Went on for a couple of months and then stopped all of a sudden. It is a learning curve for pups albeit painful for us adults but he will soon grow out of it.

Fire_Fox

There is nothing wrong with timeout it's a valid training method. Could it be at all food related?

Caroline_a

This is a GSD trait - I don't know of another one that didn't go through this, I had it with Oakley, and I know, it HURTS! I think it's down to the Shepherd side of the breedI agree with the yelping at him, time out - I tried both of these, and they worked for a little while. The thing that really worked best I have to say was one of those Pet Corrector that sends out a jet of air. It didn't frighten him, just stopped him in his tracks because he didnt know what it was.

Then lots of praise as he's stopped the biting... if he bites again another zap, etc. Just don't spray it at him, behind your back is best.

Good luck!