My puppy bites playfully. Why won't he lick or enjoy cuddles?

Congratulations on adding Teddy to your family! Puppies can be frustrating at times. The behavior described is consistent with a frustrated puppy. It is not unusual for a puppy that is frustrated to bark, growl or completely ignore things that you say. He is not trying to exert dominance he just may not really understand what you are asking. Your best bet for getting Teddy to follow your directions is to have a consistent training plan and use high-value rewards. When you tell him no, he doesn't really understand what you want him to do. You will likely have better luck telling him what you would like him to do. For example, if you want him to walk nicely on a leash it's better to teach him a look command rather than just yank on the leash to get him to go where you want. Using a look command will tell him what you want him to do which is keep his eyes on you rather than what's going on in the neighborhood. This is a great resource for starting a training program with your puppy: http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/store/The-Puppy-Primer.html

I would continue to be patient! Teddy uses his mouth to explore his environment, so it's entirely normal for him to want to bite and luck everything, and it's your job to make sure he's safe. I would gently discourage him from biting you by making yelping noises loud enough to distract him, or by diverting his attention onto something better. I would also pursue puppy classes as that will help you establish a better relationship and communication techniques.

Congratulations on your new puppy! It takes some time for puppies to learn to mind their manners. I recommend making sure that Percy has plenty of toys to chew on as his adult teeth are coming in. As you are playing with Percy and he starts biting, you should stop playing and tell Percy "no" and only begin paying attention to him again once he is calm. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have about Percy!

Biting is normal puppy behavior but it is something you want to try to get under control quickly. There are a few methods to deal with biting and my favorite is to imitate another puppy. As soon as Apollo puts his mouth on you, 'yelp' and then walk away from him. Completely ignore him until he calms down. As soon as he does so, give him calm attention and encourage him to chew on something like a toy. If everyone is consistent with this behavior, most puppies learn quickly because they want their human's attention. That being said, not all puppies are cuddly. They are individuals just like people. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there! Don't fret- I think your puppy adores you! Dogs learn to navigate their environments with their mouths as well as playing with other puppies through light biting and wrestling. When your pup bites you, say "Ow!" and then stop giving him attention for a couple of minutes until he is being gentle again. This is the same way another dog would tell him that he is being too rough and positively reinforces the good behavior. I hope this helps!

I see that Bailey is still very young, about three months old :) This is very normal behavior for a puppy this age - they want to put their mouth on everything and would rather bite than be held or petted. This is how they explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. Humping is also a common attention-seeking behavior in young puppies, or can be a sign of over-excitement or frustration. The good news is, these issues will improve on their own as he gets older; it's a normal developmental stage for puppies, just like toddlers who grab everything with their hands and may not always want to be hugged or held. At this age, you may only be able to pet him or cuddle with him when he's sleepy - this is okay. If he bites your hands, just stop petting and ignore him until he calms down, or grab one of his toys and use that to engage him in play. Most dogs are no longer mouthing nearly as much by the time they are 8-12 months old, so hang in there - just be patient and consistent, and he will get calmer and easier to pet as he gets older.

It's good that Teddy loves attention and wants to be with you. With more training he can be taught not to jump up and lick. If you ignore him and don't talk to him at first when you get home and let him into the yard first thing or take him for a short walk to redirect his energy this behavior will improve. Dogs are often encouraged to act up by the owners when they come home by them making a big deal of their arrival and the dog then responds. After he is calm then I would pet him, praise him and give a treat for calm behavior. This will take time to improve so be patient. Often as he gets older he will have more self control and with additional training this will be better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Teddy