puppy bites my children

[lyndseylee]

hello ive have had a puppy for 2 wks and he is only 9 wks old and generally he is a lovely little dog and i feel he really enjoys living with me my partner and our 2 children
we have already taught him his name and a few tricks ,walking around the garden on a lead and he has settled down at night time nicely
the only problem we have is that he loves to play bite with our sons,we ve tried yelping and ignoring but he carries on biting HARD and dosnt let go even when i really tell him off! any suggestions?would love any ideas

[brunie's mom]

This is very common for all puppies. I suggest you keep puppy on leash while your children are around. If puppy cannot be watched he should be crated.
When he starts biting you need to redirect. You do this by always keeping a stuffed toy or chew rope handy or nearby. Tell puppy "no bites" push the toy into his mouth and then praise..."good dog" "good bites"
You may have to do this 50 times per day for a couple of months or more...but it will eventually work. Soon puppy will be looking for a toy instead of someones hand to bite.

It does get better.

Gina

[Barrie]

Gina is right, I went through the same thing with mine around that age.

I used to wear shirts with large pockets and always have a nylabone, or small stuffed ring or kong in the pockets for easy fast access. Being quick is the key to making this work, so if you're lose time looking for a toy to redirect him with, the opportunity to show no bite will get lost.

Good luck!

And oh yeah, try to wear long sleeves and pants for now to avoid further injuries with those sharp puppy teeth.