# 16 weeks old, more aggressive - normal?



## rellek (Jun 12, 2013)

My puppy Ludo is a few days shy of being 16 weeks old now. He is calming down some, though we noticed he wants to chew more which is just his teething stage (can't wait for those suckers to fall out!)

The past few days though he has become seemingly aggressive, and I am not sure whether it is normal behavior for his age or not.

I will be playing with him in the backyard, throwing a ball for him to fetch to get his energy out, and when he brings it back to me he starts making his playful growling noises and then starts biting my leg, hard, over and over. After a little while trying to play fetch and being bit instead, I will try to bring him back inside, but he runs away from me or will charge me, growling and trying to bite my legs.

Yesterday my mom was playing with him and was trying to hold a chew toy for him, but he would not stop biting her hands, arms, legs, etc. and making his growling noises. This morning I tried to play with him in the backyard again, and he started biting my leg and growling - it hurts now that he is teething! Yesterday he ran up to me and bit me in the back of the leg for no reason!

I put him in his crate after my mom played with him, and he's in his crate now, and he fell asleep right away both times so I am hoping he was just overtired. But I feel like I am putting him in his crate more often because of this behavior, and I do not know if it's okay to have him in there so often for naps.

I try turning my back, telling him no, offering him other treats, tap his muzzle, hold his mouth shut for a couple seconds, etc. etc. but nothing helps (except perhaps the naps)

I really hope this is a stage he will grow out of soon  The puppy blues are back in full force right now


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

Molly was like this too. Nothing would work except crating her and letting her nap. Puppies need lots of sleep and if they don't get it they have puppy tantrums Molly wouldn't sleep unless in her crate in the living room she was always awake for some reason guess she didn't want to miss out on anything.

They eventually grow out of it so just be patient. Try freezing an old sock it may soothe his gums if they are sore. I would buy Molly these toys that you wet and freeze and she would love that.


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## rellek (Jun 12, 2013)

Thank you, it always makes me feel so much better when I hear other people's Cockapoos were/are the same way.

We give him lots of exercise and mental stimulation, but he is just _so_ smart that I think every moment with him needs to be some sort of training exercise, otherwise he starts to act really crazy.

Yes, lots of naps! Best advice I ever got when I first got him.


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## Sue T (Aug 1, 2012)

Lucy was just the same at this age. Rest assured it is normal puppy behaviour, but it is also a time for being firm and setting boundaries of what is acceptable or otherwise. Time out for Lucy worked well. Saying "no" and exchanging the area being nipped for another item to channel their energy. It realy does get so much better when they lose their puppy teeth which was about 5 months for our dog. Hope this helps.


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## SamRinde (Jun 10, 2013)

Yup, same here. I wrote a few posts on it when Frankie was in his "El Diablo" phase, as we call it. He would bite everything, for seemingly no reason. He has grown out of a lot, but is teething right now (2 bottom canines fell out this past week!) so it hasn't been eliminated 100%. It does only happen now when he gets in crazy moods which is FAR less often than it did before. I'm talking like MAYBE once a day.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Teething and growing pains, my two got worse too right about then. I was lucky as they mostly took it out on each other. I was also worried that this was signs of an aggressive personality. Then I saw them with other dogs. They were fine. Mostly played with them in ways that kept me out of reach (chasing balls, lots of balls and bouncy squeaky toys) and only pet them when they were tired and just wanted to snuggle. 


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Just a phase, it will pass. Just reinforce your training, keep strong with your obedience training, lots of stimulation and exercise, provide plenty of good chews and toys. It will get better.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

I would say cut back on the stimulation. Some quiet times are vitally important. Seems to me he may be just a bit over stimulated and it makes him over excited and this causes the biting because he doesnt know how to handle all the excitement. So as soon as he looks edgy. Just stop and be quiet with him.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I also agree with Cat if it is over stimulation and not boredom.


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