# puppy "attacks" my 3 year old? Normal puppy behavior?



## mydogfred (Nov 10, 2011)

Our puppy is 9 weeks old. He will crouch down low and "stalk" my 3 year old son then pounce up on him and try and bite on him. Sometimes while he is tying to bite him he is growling but I think its all play? I cannot let my son play on the floor without the dog tying to bite him (and he bites HARD) This is our first puppy, I did expect some biting and chewing and what not but is this normal? We tell him no and remove the puppy (Fred is his name ) but he will not stop. Any idea when this will calm down? Thanks!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Yes, it's normal. He's playing with your son as if he were a puppy. Young children and infant puppies need constant supervision. There are people on the forum more experienced with children and puppies than I am. I'm sure they will join in with helpful suggestions. I just wanted to let you know it isn't aggression.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

It's probably play growling and it does sound like he's trying to play with your son but you really do need to be watching all the time. Even though they're both babies they could hurt each other.... 

The puppy's pretty young to expect to completely stop the biting--they just do that for a while. But you could start teaching him bite inhibition and he might understand. Basically he needs to learn that his teeth are not to touch human clothing or skin unless invited. You might want to pick up a book at the library--there are some really good ones. There are also lots of videos on YouTube that will show you different techniques--but be careful because some of the "experts" aren't really! 

Good luck--you have some busy weeks ahead of you with a little human and canine too!


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

Another suggestion. 

It is really hard to watch a 3 year old and a 9 week old puppy. But you have to have eyes on both at all times that they are together. This can be very stressful and you can't seem to get anything else done. Get an x-pen put the pup in the x-pen when you can't have eyes on the pup 24/7. Put the x-pen in the room you guys are in with some toys. The pup and child can do some interaction with the fence in between when you need a few minutes of rest. If the puppy cannot actively chew on your child you are preventing the habit from continuing. It isn't actively training but it can help relieve some of the stress. 
We as owners really have to think that even when we are not actively engaged in training our pups they are still learning and a lot of that time they are learning things that just make our training harder to accomplish. So management and prevention should also be involved in our plan on training.

A good book that discusses bite inhibition is "Before and After You Get Your Puppy" by Dr. Ian Dunbar. I believe the chapter on bite inhibition is on page 135.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Have you ever watched a litter of puppies @ play. They will chew on each other, drag each other, jump on top of each other, bark & growl - that's all normal puppy behaviour. My 1 year old boy still "talks" by growling and it can be misinterpreted as negative but when you see the wiggly body with the tail wagging wildly you know that he's just "golden talking"

Your puppy is playing with your son as he knows how. You'll just have to "teach" your puppy proper manners & proper introduction to your child and that could take some time. 

You might want to consider separating your child & puppy when the puppy is in full energy and having your child play with the puppy as that energy is draining (but for very short periods of time).

I have three golden boys with the youngest just turning (1) year old and I have (6) young grandchildren - 7, 4, 2 1/2, 2 1/2 & 1. All of the children play with all of the golden boys but are all closely supervised. Our 2 1/2 year old grandson has just spent the past week @ our home (along with his 6 year old golden girl) & he knows that when "wrestlemania" starts, he gets up on the couch.... wrestlemania is when the goldens start playing a bit rough or a game of tug of war starts. 

As part of the puppy training process, children also need to be "trained" with a new puppy and what is acceptable behaviour. 

You've got your hands full but be patient and you'll have a golden who is totally loyal to your whole family. Good luck!


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## wmag (Mar 17, 2011)

My Kasey is almost 7 months old and I have a 3 year old daughter. I had to keep them seperated for a long time. I think around 4 months is when it got better. Every time she started biting we would put a stuffed animal in her mouth tell her no and walk away. I picked my daughter up and had her go in another room for a minute. We had to do this a couple times but Kasey started to get if she bites we leave. Now Kasey and my daugher play all the time. My daugher has learned Kasey has to have a toy in her mouth or they have to stop playing. Sometimes she still gets crazy and I have to seperate them. Kasey hates when I take my daughter away so she calms down quick! It was very frustrating but it does get better!


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## akgolden (Jun 18, 2011)

Gwen said:


> Have you ever watched a litter of puppies @ play. They will chew on each other, drag each other, jump on top of each other, bark & growl - that's all normal puppy behaviour. My 1 year old boy still "talks" by growling and it can be misinterpreted as negative but when you see the wiggly body with the tail wagging wildly you know that he's just "golden talking"
> 
> Your puppy is playing with your son as he knows how. You'll just have to "teach" your puppy proper manners & proper introduction to your child and that could take some time.
> 
> ...


Agree 100% 

Puppy's are puppy's, they run, jump, bite and are just a little fur ball of energy. I have a 1 1/2 year old lab and an 9 month old Golden so you can imagine the energy that both of those exhibit. I am also still training them and my niece and nephew how to play well together. Neither one of my dogs would ever intentionally hurt anyone but they still don't understand they need to be gentler with kids and not barrel into them at full speed. 

Just takes time and training (for the dogs, owners and kids). Getting a pen or somewhere that you can barricade the dog off like mentioned above is a great way to let everyone in the same room but to have a little breathing room.

Also as mentioned above introduce the dog and kids when the puppy is on the down hill slope of his energy bursts. A tired puppy will be a little more calm and willing to be gentler with kiddos.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I also want to mention to be very careful about your son's clothing and especially socks. For some reason, puppies love to swallow the little socks. It is a serious problem, can be very expensive and life threatening for the pup.

You'll also have to be vigilant about your son's toys. Dogs can chew on them, swallow pieces of plastic, rip up teddy bears and in general wreck mayhem on human belongings. Kids don't get the idea that they can't leave their stuff laying around.

You'll have your hands full for a while but when you come out the other side, you'll have a great Golden and a great kid...and a bunch of gray hair.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

akgolden said:


> Agree 100%
> 
> Just takes time and training (for the dogs, owners and kids). Getting a pen or somewhere that you can barricade the dog off like mentioned above is a great way to let everyone in the same room but to have a little breathing room.
> 
> ...


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## akgolden (Jun 18, 2011)

Penny's Mom said:


> I also want to mention to be very careful about your son's clothing and especially socks. For some reason, puppies love to swallow the little socks. It is a serious problem, can be very expensive and life threatening for the pup.
> 
> You'll also have to be vigilant about your son's toys. Dogs can chew on them, swallow pieces of plastic, rip up teddy bears and in general wreck mayhem on human belongings. Kids don't get the idea that they can't leave their stuff laying around.
> 
> You'll have your hands full for a while but when you come out the other side, you'll have a great Golden and a great kid...and a bunch of gray hair.


OMG socks. I don't get it but my Golden loves my wife's socks. She won't touch mine buy my wife's little socks she thinks are little treats from the gods. I don't know how she does it but she will swallow them whole. We have had two now that she has gotten and luckily passed with no problems. We keep the bedroom door closed and I keep on the wife to make sure they are picked up and out of the sight of her but she still knows to look in the laundry if we are not paying attention. 


Gwen said:


> akgolden said:
> 
> 
> > Agree 100%
> ...


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Yes, very normal behavior. My granddaughter was 4 y.o. (she lives here) when we brought Hank home. We implemented a no-floor rule in the areas where Hank was.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Quote from AKgolden:

OMG socks. I don't get it but my Golden loves my wife's socks. She won't touch mine buy my wife's little socks she thinks are little treats from the gods. I don't know how she does it but she will swallow them whole. We have had two now that she has gotten and luckily passed with no problems. We keep the bedroom door closed and I keep on the wife to make sure they are picked up and out of the sight of her but she still knows to look in the laundry if we are not paying attention. "

I have tall laundry baskets that Pennys has been known to get into. So I put them in the bathtub because she's afraid of the tub. I found her one day with her paws up on the tub and she was nosing around in the basket, looking for socks. She doesn't swallow them, tho. She shows us she has them so we will chase her.

The first time she did this as a pup, I didn't chase her. I was tired and thought "Oh just chew it up". Nope that ISN'T the game mom. She came up behind me and shoved her little nose against my butt , with sock in mouth! MOM!! PLAY!! NOW!!! 

So of course I did.  What's a puppy mom to do???:smooch:


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## akgolden (Jun 18, 2011)

Penny's Mom said:


> Quote from AKgolden:
> 
> OMG socks. I don't get it but my Golden loves my wife's socks. She won't touch mine buy my wife's little socks she thinks are little treats from the gods. I don't know how she does it but she will swallow them whole. We have had two now that she has gotten and luckily passed with no problems. We keep the bedroom door closed and I keep on the wife to make sure they are picked up and out of the sight of her but she still knows to look in the laundry if we are not paying attention. "
> 
> ...


HA. I wish my golden only chewed on them. My parents Golden does the same thing you described. If she isn't getting enough attention she goes and grabs something she isn't suppose to have and comes and carry's it in front of you till you notice and take it from her. Then she goes trotting back to her toys. 

I don't know how my golden does it... she is like a bird. By the time I notice she has grabbed my wife's sock it is half way down her throat.


Oh and the bathtub idea... yea that wont work


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## mydogfred (Nov 10, 2011)

Thank you! Yes, I definately have my hands full,lol, but Im glad to know its all to be expected! Thanks to everyone for your opinions and suggestions!


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## doggiedad (Aug 27, 2011)

your pup is normal. with supervision, training, socializing
and time everything will work out.


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