My Golden Retriever puppy bites. How do I calm her excited behavior?

Mattie sounds like a cute pup! It's very common for puppies this age to get excited and want to use their mouths when they play. You're doing exactly the right thing by getting her a toy and encouraging her to bite on it instead - this gives her an appropriate outlet for this behavior, and helps her develop good habits about what to bite on as she gets older. The good news is, this behavior normally resolves on its own as the puppy grows - so hang in there, and be patient! :) She may respond better to your dad because he has spent more time working with her, or she may find his voice more intimidating since it's probably deeper and louder than yours. As long as you are consistent about redirecting her to a toy when she gets too wound up, she will eventually get better at this with you also. You can also practice some reward-based obedience training with her, to help both of you learn to communicate better as she gets older.

Hi, sorry to hear about this problem with Rosey. Young puppies can be difficult to train at first. It is important she gets enough exercise. At least 30 minutes of exercise twice a day is good. Whenever she gets mouthy, you need to put a toy in her mouth and praise her. Ignore her when she is not behaving properly. Puppies usually grow out of this with proper training. You can find a local trainer who may be able to help. Another thing is to keep her occupied at all times. Make sure she has enough toys and interaction with people during the day so she sleeps well at night. You can try a Kony toy filled with peanut butter to keep her busy when you are not around. It is important the whole family works with her and enforces good behavior and ignores bad behavior or she will get confused. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Biting and mouthing during play and at other times including when you pet her, when you are walking, etc. is completely normal behavior for a puppy this age - this is how puppies explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. I do not recommend scolding her for this or telling her "no!", as this often makes dogs more frustrated and worked up, and tends to make the problem worse. Instead, redirect her to one of her toys and encourage her to bite the toy instead. Make sure that she has a variety of different toys available to provide an appropriate outlet for this behavior - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. She also needs lots of different things to chew on - bully sticks, rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter are all good options you can try. This behavior normally resolves on its own as puppies get older, so there is no need to attempt to punish her for it - just redirect her to something more appropriate, and be patient while she learns :)

I think you need to get Pablo into some training. Call your veterinarian and ask for a recommendation for good training in your area. In the mean time make sure he is not allowed on the bed, or tha furniture where he would be elevated to “equal”’status. Make him obey a command before you feed him, pet him, etc. good luck. He is young enough you should be able to get a handle on his behavior if you jump on it.

It sounds like Rosey needs some guidance on what is and is not considered appropriate behaviour for a puppy. Puppies use their mouths to play and to explore the world around them, but need to learn that it is not ok to bite humans. It is important to help her develop bite inhibition and redirect her to an appropriate activity, as well as to teach her that biting humans means they won’t play with her until he calms down. Visit the following link for more information on how to work on these goals at home https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/mouthing-nipping-and-biting-puppies. I also strongly recommend working one on one with a reputable trainer to help set boundaries for Rosey, as basic puppy classes at a pet shop are good for socialization, but may not be enough to address Rosey’s biting problem. Visit https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/behavioral-help-your-pet for information on how to find behaviour help near you. You can also work directly with a board certified veterinary behaviourist, as they are the experts in the field, and have resources and training available that make them the most likely to be able to help Rosey. See the following link for more information http://www.dacvb.org/resources/for-the-public/Regular exercise and enrolling Rosey in a puppy class to help her burn off some excess energy and learn how to play appropriately are also important steps you can take to help her succeed. It is also essential to make sure she is up to date on her vaccinations, particularly her rabies vaccine, as a dog who bites (even in play) can be a potential health risk for animals and people around them.

That is a lot going on and it sounds like Oggy would benefit from a visit with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in your area, especially if she is being aggressive to the point of bruising or drawing blood. Aggression usually looks very different from play/exploration biting and can include low growling, stiff bodies, showing the whites of the eyes, hair raising on the back, baring teeth, and then nipping or biting. This is unusual in a puppy of this age, so if it is happening, it is best to seek professional help in person ASAP since it is a complex issue that needs to be worked with. If the nipping is just puppy nipping, and she is also chewing on lots of things, it could just be normal puppy behavior and a puppy kindergarten/training classes is a great way to establish some ground rules and get used to interacting with each other in a positive manner. I'm also including some articles on general puppy nipping/chewing that may help as well. https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-nipping-of-hands/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-when-does-it-stop/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/chewing-in-puppies-how-to-control-it/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-tips-to-help-prevent-destructive-chewing/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/

Mouthing behavior is very normal in 8 week old puppies - just like babies they learn and explore with their mouths. Mouthing is different from biting in intent. If she's generally chewing on your hands and happy, that's mouthing. If she's frightened, lunges and bites, and then retreats and hides or bites and leaves punctures, that is very abnormal for such a young puppy and Angel would need to see a veterinarian behaviorist (not a trainer) right away to work on strategies to keep her mentally healthy. I'm going to assume that she's mouthing. The best thing you can do is not reward her mouthing. Any time she puts her mouth on you, disengage from play, petting, or talking to her. Think of it like a light switch - if she mouths, you just turn off and become super boring. Don't punish or try to scare her, she's being a normal puppy and needs to learn how to interact socially. Also, look for a puppy class to enroll her in. Having other puppies to learn and play with is helpful because they learn that biting can hurt. Finally, check out this free ebook from Dr. Ian Dunbar about early puppy training. It's a gem. https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf Good luck to you and Angel! Let me know if this information was helpful and post another question or set up a consult if you'd like more advice.