# 10-week-old won't stop biting



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Goldens do kind of communicate with the mouth, and ten weeks is right in the middle of the worst of it. Some people say "ow" loudly when they're bitten and then give the pup an appropriate toy. I'm a fan of redirecting like that, but I usually give a quiet, stern "no" before I redirect.

It takes a certain level of maturity for the dog to realize the behavior is inappropriate and painful to you, so it doesn't disappear right away. That's why a strong punishment would only be confusing and counterproductive (as strong punishments generally are for Goldens). It is, though, important for the dog to get no positive feedback for biting and a redirect to something appropriate to grab when the mouthy instinct comes on.


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## dogluver04 (Jul 5, 2008)

My cedar was a bad biter.. Everytime she would bite us we would remove her mouth from our arm/foot/leg etc and give her a stern "NO bite". She is now 5 1/2 months and will still bite sometimes.. normal the hand if you get playing rough with her. Or if you are within reach when her and Chloe are rough housing she will sometimes bite whatever is there, couch,chair,legs,arms etc.. lol she just gets over excited and bites whatever. Now that most of her razor sharp puppy teeth have fallen out it doesnt hurt as much! But dont worry, your only at 10weeks. You have a ways to go, it is normally just a puppy thing, especially when they are teething!


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## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

I've found that if you keep trying to move your hand away they think it's a game. I have taught my dogs to lick rather than nip...I put a little Peanut Butter on my Palm and let them lick it and say LICK LICK! Becareful not to over feed the PB...Also as soon as I am nipped I will make a cry/ow noise and walk away. Give no attention. Just my .02


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

FishinBuddy said:


> I've found that if you keep trying to move your hand away they think it's a game. I have taught my dogs to lick rather than nip...I put a little Peanut Butter on my Palm and let them lick it and say LICK LICK! Becareful not to over feed the PB...Also as soon as I am nipped I will make a cry/ow noise and walk away. Give no attention. Just my .02


I second that ignoring part. If they learn that biting ends the game, it helps teach them not to bite in the first place. Redirecting is important too, though, since it helps particularly mouthy dogs learn to pick up a toy _before_ they want to play.


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## lunas_dad (Dec 5, 2008)

So a few more months, more of less, of this peak in biting behavior before it starts to subside? She's already learned to Sit on command, which has blown us away. Also responds to "go outside" and usually goes to the patio to do her business, though at times she forgets and does it inside. I guess her ability to learn these at such a young age made us think she could be trained to understand biting is not acceptable, but I guess instinct is harder to get rid of than learning new things.

Thanks for the replies. It's comforting to know others have experienced the same.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

lunas_dad said:


> So a few more months, more of less, of this peak in biting behavior before it starts to subside? She's already learned to Sit on command, which has blown us away. Also responds to "go outside" and usually goes to the patio to do her business, though at times she forgets and does it inside. I guess her ability to learn these at such a young age made us think she could be trained to understand biting is not acceptable, but I guess instinct is harder to get rid of than learning new things.
> 
> Thanks for the replies. It's comforting to know others have experienced the same.


I can't remember exactly when it drops off—probably depends on the dog, but if you're very consistent and never positively reinforce it, it should fade with time.


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## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

lunas_dad said:


> So a few more months, more of less, of this peak in biting behavior before it starts to subside? She's already learned to Sit on command, which has blown us away. Also responds to "go outside" and usually goes to the patio to do her business, though at times she forgets and does it inside. I guess her ability to learn these at such a young age made us think she could be trained to understand biting is not acceptable, but I guess instinct is harder to get rid of than learning new things.
> 
> Thanks for the replies. It's comforting to know others have experienced the same.


I'd have to say as a retreiver it MAY never go totally away. My wife's last golden used to GENTLY grab your hand and lead to outside if he needed to go. He wasn't a nipper. They Just use their mouths. It amazes me how gentle they can be with their mouth while at the same time have the ability to tear you up (which makes them excel as a gun/hunting dog). One thing I read which is sort of on the same topic is to ALWAYS praise the retreive, ALWAYS. Even if the dog brings you a dead rat, your chewed up shoes, ALWAYS praise the retreive.


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## LucyD (Nov 20, 2008)

I have the same thing going on with my lil Lucy, when we start playing she gets too excited and starts to bite my hair, ears, hands etc... something I have been doing like was said before, when she bites me I say "ow" very loud and she realizes she has done something wrong and I give her her toy, but in 5 seconds she's at it again. Something I have noticed is that you have to, just have to be very consistent, like everyone else has mentioned. I truly believe, I have lots of faith that she will eventually understand that it hurts.


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

My thread would have to be 6 months and still biting. LOL


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

This is to be expected with a puppy. As everyone else has already said, retrievers are very mouthy dogs and just need a lot of redirection. My pup is 21 weeks and still occasionally bites when he gets excited and wants to play, but he will stop as soon as we redirect him with a toy and give him a firm NO when he starts to bite or gnaw on us. It will get better with time!


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## GoldenShrink (Dec 15, 2008)

My sister has a Bernese Mtn Dog that's about 13 weeks or so, and it bites like CRAZY all the time! Her trainer told her to wear very thick gloves, let the puppy bite her, but just ignore it. Most of what the dog wanted was attention, so by not giving it to him, he learned to do something else for her attention that was more appropriate.


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## Tanyac (Jun 18, 2008)

I always maintain that if they bite or make contact with your skin in any way, end of play! Pups learn quickly that the object of their desire (you) will ignore them and stop interaction if they so much as put a tooth on you, trust me if you are consistent it will stop.

We always used to use a high sounding yip followed by turning away/ getting up, and ignoring the pup. This replicates the reaction from a littermate if they are being too rough, and also adult dogs if you watch them playing. 

Its using a language they understand. That said, pups are very excitable and can't help themselves sometimes, but unless this is nipped in the bud, its not much fun with a 6 month old large puppy jumping all over you and nipping. Its best to teach them as young as possible to inhibit this urge.

If that bite inhibition isn't achieved, trust me other dogs won't stand for it, and they'll tell the pup in no uncertain terms!

I must say, I love puppies, they are so much fun and waste all our time...


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## sophie21 (Dec 16, 2008)

My golden sophie was a TERRIBLE bitter when she was a puppy. She thought my hands were chew toys all the time. When I consulted the dog trainer she told me a few differant things to try. 1. The loud screech, once the puppy stops turn you back and fold your arms. This says that you no longer want to play. 2. When the puppy has you hand in their mouth insted of pulling away push toward their mouth. This makes is uncomfortable for them and does less damage to you. 3. Roll the puppy over on their back, place you hand on the side of their neck and say no in a low voice. Let them up once they are laying their calmly. This is supposed to represent what a mother dog would do to them when they are getting out of line. The point of this exercise is to show dominance. Hopefully this helps. I used all of the above on sophie and i am proud to say that she never bites now!


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## Bryana (Nov 19, 2008)

This is where a dog's gag reflex comes in handy...


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## I<3myGoldenRetriever (Nov 21, 2008)

whenever she bites, turn and ignore her. once she associates whenever she bites, means no attention. she should get the picture.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

It is my personal opinion that squeaky toys for puppies stimulate the excitement level and the biting. Squeaking is the sound that prey makes when it's been caught. I think making that sound stimulates their instinct to bite and chew. JMHO

I recommend giving her lots of chew toys but not squeakers.

You can try a wet wash cloth, frozen to help with teething.

They do out grow it, it just takes a few more months for it to begin to subside.


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## mygarnetboy (Nov 3, 2008)

Sherman will be 8 mths on the 26th and has outgrown the whole biting/mouthy thing. It improved dramatically after he got his adult teeth.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Firm gentle consistant correction......it won't click for a few weeks. Then one day...a light bulb will spring and your pup will grab a toy instead of grabbing you.

Lucky was a bout 14 weeks when the "lightbulb" went on and then I saw real progress after that.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

Chloe is 10 weeks old and she like to bite everything in sight, we got her to the point where she starts biting us we tell her NO Bite and she actually stops for a few minutes. They will get it in time just work on the no command, I also use it on her when she gets to rough with the bigger ones sometimes.


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