My puppy's aggressive biting breaks skin. How do I get help?

This can be a very frustrating stage with some puppies! Biting and mouthing is a very normal behavior for pups this age - but if you think that what Dexter is doing is excessive, an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist would be the best option. He/she can evaluate him in person to help determine if what you're seeing is normal or not, and can show you some strategies to help with this behavior. A puppy class can be good for socialization and teaching basic obedience skills, but will likely not help at all with an issue like this. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

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/

This is completely normal for puppies - they all want to bite and grab, and their tiny puppy teeth are very sharp! You need to have a variety of different toys, and you need to play with him in a way that encourages him to want to grab and bite the toys instead of you :) If you're having trouble with this, I would strongly recommend enrolling him in a good puppy class, or making an appointment with a good reward-based trainer who can help show you how to do this in person. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

Unfortunately it's impossible for me to tell without observing the behavior. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Unless you are very familiar with reading canine body language and training, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and I recommend to do some research. Here are a few articles on puppy teething: https://www.petcoach.co/article/tooth-eruptions-when-puppies-get-their-teeth/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-great-toys-for-teething-puppies/ It is also possible that your puppy is simply an over excited and rough player. Reading the body language will help significantly. Best of luck.

Yes it can be normal at this age, but you have to stop the behavior now or it will get worse as Capi gets older. Unfortunately, this is a serious problem - aggressive behavior like this (assuming it's true aggression and not rough play) is very abnormal in such a young puppy. To have the best chance of growing up to be relatively normal, puppies like this need early behavioral intervention from a professional. I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist as soon as possible for a in-person evaluation of your puppy. He/she can give you a much better idea of whether this issue is "fixable", in the sense of having a relatively normal dog when he grows up. They will also help you put together a step-by-step training plan to work on the problem, and give you very specific management instructions to make sure everyone stays safe. You can search for a behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

It is possible your puppy is still play biting, but getting a little too excited. I would continue with training to not bite by redirecting the behavior to appropriate toys, yelping when things get too rough, and getting up/stopping play when Luna is too excited. If Luna is acting aggressive (IE, low growls, baring teeth before biting, stiff body, trying to get away from you,) then I highly recommend seeking out a trainer in person immediately as this is a serious concern at such a young age. I'm attaching some articles on general puppy biting and play that may help: 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/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/

I hate to hear this is happening. If you do not want to rehome her, I recommend to work with a professional trainer because this will give you the best results the fastest. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. A professional trainer is fully capable of reading the body language and then teaching you how to modify this behavior. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.