Is My Puppy Aggressive / Vicious??? Help Needed

Hi

I have a 9 week old puppy (male) ive had him 2 weeks, hes gorgeous and I love him to bits but he seems to be VERY aggressive, I understand all puppys bite & chew as its normal play behaviour but my puppy seems to be to the extreme, you cant hold, stroke or play with him without him biting you VERY HARD, he starts of softly then decides to get harder and harder, until he draws blood. ive tried the yelping & turning away but he gets very aggressive when I do this and lunges for me, when he lunges ive tried telling him no, changing the tone of my voice, even tried barking loudly (as somebody advised should help) but with no luck he goes loopy and trys to bite lumps from me, ive tried crating him until he calms down or placing him in another room until he calms down but this doesnt work either and while picking him up to place him in hes crate he trys to bite when he seems to be calm I let him out and he just lunges at me again, ive tried correction spray but hes take no notice, ive tried spraying water at him he just sticks he tongue out as if he enjoys it then attacks again. Ive tried taking my hand or arm out of hes mouth and replacing it with a toy of his but he drops the toys to get my hand again. So many people have said puppies CAN NOT BE AGGRESSIVE OR SPITFUL but im starting to think otherwise. Im more than willing to put in as much time and effort needed to get him out of this biting habit. I spend lots of time with him, and he seems to be a quick learner with other things ive been practicing simple commands with him he sits when told everytime, gives Hes paw when told but when he loses hes temper he goes mad, Remind me of Tasmanian Devil. He is enrolled in puppy training which starts in 2 weeks which will hopefully help but any ideas and guidance would be great.

i'm sure he will grow out of it he only 9 weeks leave it a few weeks and if he still doing it.

If he does it say no very shaply, if he continues place him in his bed and tell him NO NAUGHTY, if he moves put him back on his bed bed say stay, when u think he has been there long anuff let him off it.

i'm sure few other people on here have other ways to sort this problem, but whatever you decide to handle it, you should stick with it dont keep changing it it will confuse the dog and make thing moreworse.

im sorry Dan1elle and welcome by the way, my puppy is the same and he's 18 weeks on friday. I've even tried puppy classes too, but to no avail. Done exactly what you've done. The only thing that gets better is when he bites you know theyre like razor blades, when he gets to Kano's age he just clamps you're fingers.

Have you tried crating him ?

Thats all that people tell me is ' he'll grow out of it '.

molly was exactly the same as a pup and i was told to give her a little tap on her shoulder as this is how her mother would have corrected her and if she continues to do it pin her to the ground for a second or 2 by her shoulder ( does NOT need great force ) it may sound cruel but staffies are a strong minded breed and you have to make sure they know their place, this method is simply showing your dog that you are the boss just as his mother would have done!!

hope this helps

Thanks for all your replies im running out of ideas FAST !!

Ive tried crating him which doesnt work, he just jumps about in hes crate like a nutter then when hes calm and I let him out hes ok for 10minutes then starts all over again.

Ive also tried tapping him and pinning him down (without force) as someone mentioned this help but he gets even worse and results in scratches all up my arms from him continuously struggling, then when he stops and I think hes calm he bites again.

He also used to be fine in the car, now when he gets in the car he tries to bite me when im driving ive tried putting him in the front or back wearing a harness seat belt but he manages to escape and runs around the car trying to bite me, its got to the point where im unable to take him out in the car without someone sitting with him as its dangerous for both him and myself as I can see it resulting in an accident as I cant fully concertrate on the road when I have a dog clamped on my arm drawing blood.

Hes 2nd injection is due next week so in 2 weeks time he will be able to go for walks which im hoping will help aswel....

My otherhalf says maybe I should have named him Damien as hes that bad...lol... I love him to bits thou and wont give up on him.... im determined to do everything I can to make him a loving, healthy & happy dog...... buts its painful getting there :o)

Hi All..
When TJ was six weeks old, up to about 3/4 months old..
He used to bite and bite...I used to look to see if he had
666 markings anywhere..
I cannot remember how or when he stopped.. but he did..

But like another member as said
A very loud sharp abrupt shout
"NO"
might do the trick..

i thinks most pups grow up and do this mouthing and nipping stage... and evry dog is diffrent... i didnt have any probs with stich but lelo give me right hassill but wot i done was picked her up by the scuff only about 2,3inchs off the floor and give a litile shake.... but not hard but not soft or it miet think its just a game, a toned voice when you do this helps to inforce this ...
all the best........

hi my pup is also 9 weeks and he bites too but not to the extent that yours does i have found that when he gets too hyper i put him out in the passage with my other dogs and they calm him he dont get away with biting them u see they tell him off, not nastily but it seems to work basically gypsy my big staff pins him to the floor with her paw and lets him up when he submits i did ask a friend of mine who has had his staff for 10+years how he coped and he said same u have to teach them who is boss as they are a very headstrong breed and will try to get away with murder if u let them. i have also found that a loud noise works with rollie ie clapping my hands cus he stops wot he is doing to see wot the noise is. hope u find the answer t o ur problems soon

annalou, gypsy and rollie

Hi, my puppy was just the same, I thought "oh my god what have i done." My children didn't want to go near him in case they got bit. Before i got Kobe i read all about staff's and how they loved people and children. But my dog was not like that. Until I got a muzzle!!!!!!!! I only ever used it for a few min each time he went to bite (not play bite, but killer bite) with in days he stopped. He is 5 months old and yes he is the staff that i read about, he loves children and is very gentle with all my kids and there friends. We all love him and he is part of the family.

The only problem im having with Kobe is re-call. when we are at the park. He is fine off the lead and will come back to me, unless he finds another dog to play with. Then i have no hope and end up running after him. Iv always got treats with me but this only works sometimes.

When your puppy bites, all play stops, get up and walk away, out of the room if necessary and close the door. He will soon learn that biting stops the play.

He could be teething so will need something to help, you can buy special teething toys for puppies

Mine was the same when i first got him. I tried a lot of different things to stop him and nothing worked, then i read something on the internet and it sounds harsh but it worked. When he bit me i bit him back, not hard but just so my teeth were touching his skin and after about 2 or 3 times of doing that he never bit me hard again. Altho he still bites now when im playing with him but he has learnt how to control it so it doesnt hurt and he knows to only do it when playing and he knows when i say enough that he has to stop. Like i said it sounds cruel and most people probably wouldnt want to do this but it worked for me.

we usally give gentle tap on nose (gentle!) and stern no and now as adults a tap on nose and stern voice is end the world resulting in sulking then copius creeping and rolling over for a belly rub ( the dog not me!)
i always tell buyers please dont spoil puppy be firm and gentle and pup will be nice dog when older spoil it and itll control you and seeing as itll be 3 stone of muscle an teeth it cant happen!

Between 6-8 weeks of age is when a puppy is taught bite inhibition by its mother. Unfortunanly getting a puppy too early can create problems, this being one. Puppys will mouth no matter what, but keeping up with consistant dicipline will curb the behaviour. Some of the suggestions already are a good starting point. Try using your fingers like a mothers k9's, instead of pinning the puppy try quick pressure on the neck like mum would bite the puppy to repremand, if it continues do it again, pick one word or sound and use in conjuntion. There's no point talking or telling off, Dogs speak Dog. Try and problem solve through a dogs eyes, not human.

i'm sorry but i couldn't help but laugh a little becuase your story sounded just like our first 2 months.......our staff was a little devil attacking everything that move.....we tried everything but it wasn't until she was about 6 months when we tried the correction spray has helped quite a bit........i'd give all the suggestions a go and repeat the spray when he's older.....the trouble is they are so cute with it ......all the best

peter wilson wrote:molly was exactly the same as a pup and i was told to give her a little tap on her shoulder as this is how her mother would have corrected her and if she continues to do it pin her to the ground for a second or 2 by her shoulder ( does NOT need great force ) it may sound cruel but staffies are a strong minded breed and you have to make sure they know their place, this method is simply showing your dog that you are the boss just as his mother would have done!!

hope this helps

The holding down is acually a great method, you hold them untill you feel them submit to you then let them go, as Pete said you do not need to use alot of strength for this with a puppy.

Holding down is a great method but you have to be really careful, if you give up because of the struggling you wll just make the pup think its won.

I didnt really have a problem with Freya mouthing but then we did get her at 9 weeks so she had her mum and sibling teaching her throughout their important learning stage. tbh even if she did do it she is such a sensitive soul that one firm telling off and she wouldnt do it again.

MILO (my weimaraner) on the other hand was a complete and utter git, yes they do grow out of it but you still shouldnt allow it. It sounds like its a great game for you pup.i would also suggest completely ignoring him when he does it, as soon as those needles touch your skin a firm "NO" or however you would normally tell him off then leave the room close the door behind you and stay out, if he whines try not to go back till he is quiet and then when you go back dont fuss over him at all.
We did try everything with Milo he really didnt like me leaving but the thing that made him stop completely was Freya (not suggesting you get another pup)

We have a "no teeth on skin" rule its not tolerated at all even if its an accident all play stops and if there is a toy involved thats taken too. In my opinion its the safest thing to do for example yesterday i was having a tug game with Freya in the garden she missed the ball and grabbed onto my arm and locked on , now she is only 6 months but still have bruises and scratches on my arm,i instantly grabbed her by the scruffed and pinned her making sure she was actually submitting (so not getting up as soon as you let go) and then walked away with the ball.
Sounds harsh but if she accidently did that to a kid all hell would break loose, i could never live with myself knowing she was put to sleep because i didnt teach her that teeth on skin is not excepted ever.

Also top tip for releasing their jaws place your palm on the bridge of their nose and squeeze their top jaw, it basically folds their lips under so they are effectively biting themselves they will let 99% of the time.

Hope you find something that works for you soon

I have a 9 week old puppy (male) ive had him 2 weeks, hes gorgeous and I love him to bits but he seems to be VERY aggressive, I understand all puppys bite & chew as its normal play behaviour but my puppy seems to be to the extreme, you cant hold, stroke or play with him without him biting you VERY HARD, he starts of softly then decides to get harder and harder, until he draws blood.

He bites harder because you are not listening to him, he is probably telling you he isn't happy before she even bites gently. He is small, you are big, this can be frightening to a dog. Many dogs don't like being picked up, the are frightened.

ive tried the yelping & turning away but he gets very aggressive when I do this and lunges for me, when he lunges ive tried telling him no, changing the tone of my voice, even tried barking loudly (as somebody advised should help) but with no luck he goes loopy and trys to bite lumps from me, ive tried crating him until he calms down or placing him in another room until he calms down but this doesnt work either and while picking him up to place him in hes crate he trys to bite when he seems to be calm I let him out and he just lunges at me again, ive tried correction spray but hes take no notice, ive tried spraying water at him he just sticks he tongue out as if he enjoys it then attacks again.

You are using aggression when you spray him, if you use aggression to solve a problem when it doesn't work you have to get even more aggressive. Usually a dog that has been trained this way will become aggressive themselves. He sounds to me to be mixed up and doesn't understand what you want of him.

Just re-read through this section, instead of putting him in his crate or another room, you go out of the room and close the door. You haven't touched him but have taken away what he wants. He won't respond to the work no because he hasn't been taught what it means.

Ive tried taking my hand or arm out of hes mouth and replacing it with a toy of his but he drops the toys to get my hand again. So many people have said puppies CAN NOT BE AGGRESSIVE OR SPITFUL but im starting to think otherwise. Im more than willing to put in as much time and effort needed to get him out of this biting habit. I spend lots of time with him, and he seems to be a quick learner with other things ive been practicing simple commands with him he sits when told everytime, gives Hes paw when told but when he loses hes temper he goes mad, Remind me of Tasmanian Devil. He is enrolled in puppy training which starts in 2 weeks which will hopefully help but any ideas and guidance would be great.

What are you feeding him on? Have a look at the ingredients, if there are a lot of them then he could be getting hyper on the additives.

It is difficult to advise on the internet because we can't see what is happening or your dog's body language. Are you housetraining him, if so how?

Over handling of a puppy can cause aggression too, if disturbed from sleep etc, they need peace also

WIth regards to older dogs teaching a pup that biting is not acceptable. Roxy will growl at Hanna as she is nipping at her face etc. Then I would interven and stop both of them. My Q. is Should I let Roxy "go" and teach Hanna that its not acceptable to bite? I dont think Roxy would do anything nasty to her, but what do I do??
thanks

I let my older dogs chastise my youngster, she learns a lot quicker from them than she does from me. I do watch them to make sure they don't go too far but usually Tilly backs off when the tell her off.

The other dogs will snap if she pushes them too much but they are snaps and not bites.