# barking and biting at me?



## gizzysmommy (Mar 12, 2005)

i know everyone, one more! is it ok that he is barking at me and trying to bite me? not hard but like he would bite a nylabone? I'm wondering if it's because he's so young? i'm not quite sure what to make of this. if i call him he'll come running all that way to me and then stop. then i try to pet him and he either tries to play bite with me or barks only, then runs off. is this normal for this age?


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## Sunshine (Aug 20, 2004)

aaaaaaaaw he's just a baby... Abby did the same thing.... I got her at about 7 weeks.

There are a couple of ways you can approach it... but being so young I would either make a yelping noise when he does it and not play for a minute or so (don't even look at him), or just try to "replace" your finger with a toy.... 

One he's a little bit older you'll be able to use other approaches, but right now he's still at that stage where he would be mouthing and play biting with his litter mates... just let him know in a nice way that it's not ok - you aren't his litter mate, you are his "alpha"....


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

I meant to say something in my other post about this.... do not fret about the biting.... especially since he is so young... this is normal. This is how dogs communicate and play....with their mouths.... When K & C play they are very mouthy with each other. 

People say to try saying "Ouch" and acting like it hurts or to stop playing and turn away or give him something else to chew when he starts to chew on you....And if he is not "noise shy" then a soda can filled with coins might work. You shake the can when he does something you don't want. Also, some on here are starting with clicker training but your baby may be too young for that; I'm not sure. Anyway... there are all sorts of things... What I found is that at 8 weeks they just don't "get it" and nothing works at that age. At least that was my experience with Rosebud and Kallie.

Catcher was older when I got him at almost 11 weeks and he did respond to correction better. The remedies I mentioned above are ones you should try but they just may not work well until a little later on. Most trainers say that you should not allow a dog's mouth on you for any reason at all.... Easier said than done and I don't believe in any popping or hitting or anything hurtful to the dog. 

Now, at 11 months, Catcher will get all excited and start biting if we sit down to play. I just turn away from him and man... he stops on a dime... I can tell he knows he wasn't supposed to do that... it is amazing how that works!

I remember with my first Maltese, Rosebud, back in 1990 I was overwhelmed with the biting. I was so frustrated with her leaping at me and biting. I wish I would have known then that she was just being a puppy. I was almost to the point of giving her away.... Obviously things got better and she became the love of my life.....

Here are a couple relevant SM threads that might help:

Nipping and Biting SM Thread

Puppy Problem Thread on SM


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Because he was taken away from his litter so early, it is now your job to teach him bite inhibition. Yelping or saying ouch are good ways to show him that biting hurts. If he gets too out of control, take a time out for him to calm down. Don't punish him, just happily put him in his crate so he can chill for 20 minutes. 

Biting and mouthing is very normal puppy behavior. For most pups yelping is a good way to communicate that it is inappropriate. 

I would not reinforce the barking at you. I would ignore him when he barks and the second he is quiet pay attention to him.


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