# Urgent advice



## xxxxxxxxhantsmummy (Mar 12, 2012)

My 20 week old cockapoo gets excited when my children run around outside she jumps up and tries to but clothing or them, today however she but my 9 year olds arm very hard she left a tooth in her arm and two big bite marks, what do I do? I'm so upset x


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Oh dear, I'm not sure what to advise really but I'm sure someone with more dog training experience will help. I don't think can you help Puppy behaviour at 20 weeks but there will be things you can do to try to prevent it from happening again. It sounds like the play got carried away or your pup thinks it's more dominant the your child?? How did the bite occur? Hope your 9yr old is ok, perhaps get the bite checked and a jab if required?


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Oh my gosh I hope your daughter is ok!! What a naughty puppy 
First thing I will say though is don't panic that you have an aggressive dog, I don't think you have. It just sounds like your pup gets way over excited and hasn't really learnt what is and what isn't acceptable behaviour around children. I would however recommend finding a qualified trainer to help you and give you methods to teach your puppy the rules, as although I am sure the bite was never intended and aggressive it is still very unacceptable to do what she has done. Big hugs to you and your poor girl.


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## xxxxxxxxhantsmummy (Mar 12, 2012)

They were running around and she was jumping up, she always tries to bit them or their clothes today she got her arm, we were at my brothers house and he went mad at me, saying she needs more training and they would have her put down, I'm so upset just don't know what to do. Should I keep her on lead from now on when they play???


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Yes keep her on a lead. Until she knows how to behave then it isn't worth the risk of someone getting hurt again.


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## Fiver (Nov 26, 2011)

Sounds very much like my Milo,he's the same age. I think it's all down to getting over excited.Milo jumps up at my grandchildren when they visit,he hasn't caught them with his teeth yet but it's totally unacceptable.I have been taking him to puppy obedience class for 7 weeks now and I feel we are getting nowhere.He is just too over excited to concentrate and listen and he's the same with my grandchildren.I put him in his crate until he calms down and then he plays nicely with them for a while.But enough is enough and I am looking to get a trainer for one to one training with him.He is a fabulous gentle loving dog normally ...but then has mad excitable moments when he's a pain.It feels like he's going backwards maybe it's an age thing,perhaps someone can advice us.Just wanted to let you know you're not suffering alone


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## xxxxxxxxhantsmummy (Mar 12, 2012)

Thanks, I just feel awful about it and worry it may happen again to another child. I think I will get a stake in garden to attach a long lead if the children play then if she gets over excited I can discipline her without her running away. I feel guilty like its my fault and I haven't been a good owner :-(


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok, first thing to add is that this is typical over excited puppy behaviour. You do not have an over aggressive dog so please don't panic! You just need more discipline and training. My two kids were 6 and 3 when we got Obi. I spent half my time putting Obi in time out and half my time telling the kids to calm down and leave him alone! I can highly recommend time out for the dog when things get over excited. I also didn't allow the kids to play tug with him when he was that little, only me. I got the kids to 'play' with him by using treats and teaching tricks. That way the 'play' was supervised and the kids were giving the treats which put them in a position of power over him. I also supervise the kids giving him his food and they always ask for a sit and wait before he is allowed to eat it. It is just a phase and it will get better. Everything you do now will hold good for the future.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Oh dear poor you! Your brother doesn't sound like he is being very helpful either! Dexter went through a very rough stage at that age too. He used to bite my clothing all the time. It sounds like your pup got over excited and rather carried away. Dexter used to run after children in the park and jump up at them especially if they screamed. I had to call him to me whenever I saw a child and reward him with special treat to keep him away. 
It's not like your puppy did it in anger or aggression. I agree with the others a firm no and time out. I am sure your puppy will grow out of it and get the message as it matures.


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

Your puppy is teething and the biting won't stop until he has finished. I had the worst time with Izzy biting me as a puppy, my arms were just covered and she bit my adult son's lip - it was his fault! We did time out and that was the most effective at calming her down. I tried the loud 'ouch' and turning my back, but she would just run round to the front of me. When she gets too excited put her in another room for a couple of minutes. As Clare says the kids need to learn how to play safely and not get puppy excited. It will stop but it does seem endless at the time - I remember sobbing on the sofa thinking I had made a mistake in buying her. I asked my vet about all the biting and she just said 'puppies do that!'. Good luck.


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## EvaClareEva (Oct 11, 2011)

My children were 3 and 2 when i got Lotie she did this too what i done was bought a long line from pah and then all go out to the garden, let the line drag when you see her go to chase your child run and place your foot on the long line she will get a tug and say no firmly might have to do this a few times but it def worked for us! x


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## oldmanmille (Jun 3, 2011)

Our two did same thing and they are far from aggressive so dont worry overly. I agree with the 'time out' it did work and still does if they get way too loony 

They do calm down with time and discipline...


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## janee (Mar 25, 2012)

Sometimes its not always the dogs fault, kids do tease dogs I have teenages and they are even worse. Your pup is still very young and will learn what is acceptable and what not, if you are worried that it may happen to another child and I would be too, keep them apart till he's learnt the rules or get a soft muzzle and use it if little friends come to play. You could try spraying water in his face if he bites your clothes but get the timing right, as he jumps up spray.

Does he mouth your hands at other times? put tea tree oil on them they don't like the smell.
Good luck, they do grow out of it.


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## joanner (Apr 19, 2012)

I totally feel for you . Stanlee is 19 weeks old and does the same. As I write i have put him in the downstairs toilet (puppy trainer told me to do this) for a bit of time out after biting my son . I have family coming round today and my neice is 5 so really worried he will jump up and bite her. We are planning on taking him for a very long walk to try to wear him out. Been trying all the suggestions but i suppose we will just have to keep an eye on them and keep them calm until this phase passes. Other than that he is totally adorable and very clever. Good luck xx will be thinking of you.


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## mum2bobs (Jun 23, 2010)

Purplemummy said:


> My 20 week old cockapoo gets excited when my children run around outside she jumps up and tries to but clothing or them, today however she but my 9 year olds arm very hard she left a tooth in her arm and two big bite marks, what do I do? I'm so upset x


I havent read all of the replies, so apologies if this has already been covered. I am no doggy expert but am just going from my experience with Bobby - who, like your pup, used to get hyper excited when playing with kids.

There were times when my nice was scared to move after they had been having a mad half hour in the garden because he was trying to 'attack' and bite her.

We got round the problem by firstly paying attention to the warning signs that he was getting over excited and stopping play when that happened, and also directing play away from my niece towards a toy, making a toy the centre of fun and not a person.

I also had to explain to my niece what was happening and why, and how to avoid it. She has been really good and now does not play mad games with him for too long because she knows it winds him up.

It has worked really well, although now he is 2 and a bit more mature he still has times when he gets hyper, but they are few and far between.


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

Really sounds like you have your hands full. I would try popping pup in a crate in the family room when you have visitors so he learns to accept a lot going on without getting over excited. When he is with the children this should always be supervised as I am sure you do unfortunatly children scream, wave their hands about and run away all very exciting for a puppy. Don't expect too much from your pup at this stage by all means instill some boundaries but it is not the dogs fault he is only reacting to the stimuli he is getting. Keep play sessions with the children short do not let the child be the 'toy'. As someone else said involve the children in training and taking responsibility for small tasks such as putting down water bows and maybe feed if pup will sit quietly. Do you go to puppy training or socialisation classes? Children are often welcome at these classes and encouraged to learn how to interact with the dog. You do not have an aggressive dog you have a young teething puppy who is trying to work out how to fit into family life sometimes he gets it wrong but for him it is also a challenging time.

In these more enlightened times we should look at ourselves first and that includes all members of the family when trying to understand why dogs behave the way they do.


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## xxxxxxxxhantsmummy (Mar 12, 2012)

Thanks all xxx I'm still a bit shaken up but more so for what my brother was saying and that this isn't normal behaviour and his brother in laws puppy doesn't behave this way, feel better to know its normal x


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## EvaClareEva (Oct 11, 2011)

Well its totally normal puppy behaviour they are chasing your kids like they would do there litter mates your soon get it nipped in the bud get a long lead and try what ive said xx


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## mandym (Jun 5, 2011)

It can be scary when a puppy behaves like this but believe me it isnt aggression its simply an over excited puppy that needs to learn the boundries.I have 9 dogs and a few of mine did this as puppies.hen they did behave this way the game and any fun simply stopped and sometimes id put the pup in time out to calm down.It doesnt help with comments like your brothers because all puppies are different,some calmer than others and your pup cannot be compared to another.keep pup on a long lead so she can still have fun but can be stopped immediately if the naughty behaviour begins.Also if you panic she will pick up on this too so as difficult as this may be try to stay calm.I think it helps to know that there are others in the same boat and we are here to help if needed xxx


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Hi - You are not alone ,it is always so comforting to hear other dogs have been like this and have grown out of it - my Dudley is just the same, he has drawn blood from me twice this week - I know not all puppies are quite this bad, my sister has had a few and the only one that was as bad as Dudley (she says) was the one I remember as a fantastic adult dog that was really obedient and trustworthy. I am a childminder and I'm afraid I rarely have Dudley off the lead when they are here, I attach the lead to me so I can get on with things - usually pottering about in the kitchen - and the children can play without him attacking them (or eating all of the toys and books!), when I do things with the children I have to crate him. Outside it is fun to have a toy on a long piece of string, if the children run and pull the toy along Dudley chases that and not them. Dudley just seems unable to have human contact without mouthing - most of the time if I sternly say leave he will but it is during those mad times puppies seem to have when he is at his worst, we have learned to calm play down and quite often he is happy for time in his crate then. I am thinking of having a house visit by a trainer though just to check we are doing all we can - I think it'll be worth the investment.


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

As humans we always assume we are right. We need to accept other species respond to the stimuli we present to them, they do not have the ability to think why is this happening and how should I respond, they respond instinctively which is not always to our likeing! Remember the pup has not read the training manual he is trying to fit into a world that is allien to him and he responds in the only way he knows. He needs leadership, consistancy and confidence in his trainer. Do not blame the dog look at yourself and your surroundings then see them from the dogs point of view.It is easy to blame the dog for not knowing how to respond but how can they? Consistancy leadership and confidence are the way forward good luck!


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## daffodil (Jan 24, 2012)

My Flo is 15 weeks and is the same at times. She is getting better but my problem is trying to teach my 20 year son not to hype her up, when the two of them get together it's a nightmare!


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## janee (Mar 25, 2012)

My 2 dogs are 4 and 3 years old, we found with Teddy that screaming didn't work but he did play alot with other pups and although he mouthed lots even more when excited he never broke the skin, he's always been soft mouthed and I think playing with other dogs helps this.
Now they are both older they do not take kindly to pups in their face who are bad mannered and jumping all over them, they soon shout loudly in their faces and knock the pup to the ground, dogs have there own set of rules and pups have to learn this, don't know whether this sort of repremand would work for humans towards the pups.


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

daffodil said:


> My Flo is 15 weeks and is the same at times. She is getting better but my problem is trying to teach my 20 year son not to hype her up, when the two of them get together it's a nightmare!


In my 30 years of dog ownership I have found many men love to wind a dog up then they get fed up and go and watch tv leaving a hyper dog for someone else to sort out. With apology to all the sensible male contributors I think it is known as commitment! I have known some great dog handlers who completely understand dogs but also some pretty dopey men who think it is great to wind a dog up then decide to watch the footy and ignore the chaos they have created!


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## Orchid (May 24, 2012)

Hi, I just thought I'd share with you some advice that I found really worked with our puppy Oscar. He constantly nipped, nibbled and bit me, my husband and teenage daughter. It was never in an aggressive way but despite all the usual methods of squeaking 'ouch!' etc he didn't seem to get the message. I read on a website that puppies who do not play with other puppies will often bite like this as they are treating you like littermates. Since we have enrolled Oscar in puppy school (3 weeks ago)he hasn't bitten us so perhaps it does work! Try it, obedience training is fun for the family and the puppy, you will all benefit!
I hope your son is ok, dont worry their is light at the end if the tunnel. Goodluck, you have done the best thing by asking for help from people who care. X


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## Emily+Harry (Mar 31, 2012)

Oh i really hope your daughter is ok... It is very scary being bitten by a dog (i was bitten by our family dog as a child) I had pushed him off our dinner plates on the kitchen side and he bit my arm and my parents sold him as they were scared of what could happen - they were heart broken but trust me your daughter will be ok from it. And I was more upset that they got rid of him than i was that i was bitten (even after the stitches  ) Maybe see a dog behavourist and see what they say to resolve the biting. my rudi now plays with her mouth and it is difficult as she mouths my son - but i have taught him to tell her no and he is allowed to put her in another room as a time out - i would have preferred this as an option with my old dog but guess as parents when you see your daughter bleeding from a dog bite you react suddenly  
xxxx


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## emmelg (Mar 4, 2012)

Like others have said I think there are probably a few reasons as to why your puppy is biting

Teething/ over excited children and the fact that they are still puppies and are only learning themselves

Bailey did grow out of this stage quite quickly,my children were all taught to tell him off for bad behaviour,i found that lots of touching from an early age really helped with his training and holding his mouth shut and telling him no when he was mouthing us

Do not give him any attention when he jumps up at you( tell him to get down ) walk the opposite way and ignore him

It may be best to start with his basic training again 

Leave/ stay/ sit etc

They really do help in these situations 

Good luck


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