# Help!



## Cookie1 (Apr 13, 2017)

I have a beautiful 17 week old male who has turned into a terror. He growls and bites at everyone. what am I doing wrong? I am a new Cockapoo owner but I had a Cocker Spaniel for 13 years. I don't remember her ever acting like this. I try to walk him daily, we spend a lot of time outside. I have a huge fenced yard and he can roam. Any tips, I know some behaviors he will grow out of, but, what can I do in the meantime?


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

Hi can you give more details on the behavior? Like does he growl when you're playing or when he seems excited or is he growling when he is guarding something. Generally growling at a young age shouldn't be too much to worry about but it depends on the circumstances.


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## Cookie1 (Apr 13, 2017)

He growls when he is playing and excited. He just loves to tug anything.


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

I would ignore the growling. It may sound dangerous but it's just playing. As for the biting, trying initiating a play of tug o war and if he makes contact with your skin stop playing immediately and give him a break and then try again and repeat (if you're not already doing this). After a while he'll understand that touching skin will stop the fun. There are ton of videos on youtube (try zak george if you don't know him) and dealing with puppy biting. If you're already doing these things then he'll definitely grow out of it after a while. My puppy is 22 weeks and hardly ever play bites anymore.


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## pamet22 (Jun 6, 2017)

I have the same problem with my 16 week old male cockapoo! We can be just sat watching TV and he'll jump up on the couch next to me and bite my arm, I stand up and ignore him but as i'm standing he's biting my back!! He's broken the skin a few times. I've also tried offering toys as an alternative but he's not interested and just continues to bite me. It doesn't happen all the time though, it seems to be more on an evening. It's a nightmare, I really hope it's just a phase because he's perfect in every other way.


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

Hey I think I can offer some words of reassurance. Puppies often have their most active and hyper moments in the morning and in the evening so its completely normal for him to be especially nippy around those times. If standing up doesn't help you can give him a timeout until he calms down. No shouting and stuff because that doesn't help the situation but just calmly walking im to his timeout area and once you think he is calmer trying again. Hope this helps but again is a phase that every puppy owner goes through.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

The other thing you can do it take him out for a short walk just before the time he usually starts going nutty 10 minutes pottering out on his lead will give you time to do some basic training and help to tire him out. When you get back pop him out in the garden to check he doesn't need a wee and then put him in his crate for an hour to sleep. He will wake up much more relaxed and you should have nice snuggle times before bed time. If you are lucky


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