Help please...

Hi,
I'm in need of some help/ advice!
I bought a staffy puppy 3 weeks ago, this past few days she has been a nightmare, she is really agressive, she has bit my son countless times, he's 5 and does not tease her in any way, never left on his own with her either, he just wants to cuddle and stroke her.
She is now growling quite loud at my partner and I and going for us, I mean running, growling and jumping for us ready to bite. Tonight she has gone to bite my nose! I understand she's teething but she can be quite frightening for such a little cute thing!
We give her lots of love and attention,and make sure she has lots of chew toys so she doesn't get bored!
I know she's a baby and this is normal but pleeeease any advise on how any of you trained your puppy would be greatly apriciated!!
Thanks
Sarah x

How old is she? You said puppy, so it won't be aggression. Puppies don't know human rules, growling and biting is how they play, explore and tell us how they feel. She's being a very normal puppy. Have a good read of this link, it should help you with the training, and make sure to be consistent whenever she bites:

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/stop_your_staffy_puppy_biting

They are little demons at that age, and I remember worrying Loki would never get better because it was like two personalities, the angel and then the devil. But they do get better, just have to put the effort in and try to be patient

I have a 9 week old Puppy and it's always biting me.
Make sure you Say NO in a high pitch voice and smack him/she on the noise and he/she will stop it and eventually learn from it.

Ashley S wrote:I have a 9 week old Puppy and it's always biting me.
Make sure you Say NO in a high pitch voice and smack him/she on the noise and he/she will stop it and eventually learn from it.

I'd strongly advise against smacking, tapping or anything like that. If you do it too lightly, the dog will think you're playing and bite worse. If you do it too hard, you'll hurt the puppy. Staffs, although physically strong, are pretty sensitive. Hitting a dog, tapping its nose, etc., won't physically harm it at all, but it can easily make the dog cower/lower its head whenever you raise your hand. It emotionally hurts them and can weaken the bond with the dog. We've all been through the biting stage, but it's 100% possible (and better, in my honest opinion) to teach a puppy to stop biting without ANY physical means.

Tara wrote:

Ashley S wrote:I have a 9 week old Puppy and it's always biting me.
Make sure you Say NO in a high pitch voice and smack him/she on the noise and he/she will stop it and eventually learn from it.

I'd strongly advise against smacking, tapping or anything like that. If you do it too lightly, the dog will think you're playing and bite worse. If you do it too hard, you'll hurt the puppy. Staffs, although physically strong, are pretty sensitive. Hitting a dog, tapping its nose, etc., won't physically harm it at all, but it can easily make the dog cower/lower its head whenever you raise your hand. It emotionally hurts them and can weaken the bond with the dog. We've all been through the biting stage, but it's 100% possible (and better, in my honest opinion) to teach a puppy to stop biting without ANY physical means.

That's what I meant really haha, a little tap on the noise is all that needs to be done when trying to bite you on the face or anywere else on your body.

Ashley S wrote:I have a 9 week old Puppy and it's always biting me.
Make sure you Say NO in a high pitch voice and smack him/she on the noise and he/she will stop it and eventually learn from it.

Absolutely not! Smacking only teaches a dog to be scared of you!

Nipping (it isn't aggression) and growling are normal behaviours for puppies.

In fact everything a dog does is a behaviour & perfectly normal & acceptable in the dog world - what we have to do is teach our dogs which behaviours are acceptable to humans & which ones aren't.

The easiest way is to either yelp loudly or say "No!" and then stop all interraction immediately - turn away, don't play, touch or even look at your pup! Once he's calm again you can give calm, gentle praise. If he carries on, just pick him up & put him out of the room for a minute to calm down.

Ashley S wrote:That's what I meant really haha, a little tap on the noise is all that needs to be done when trying to bite you on the face or anywere else on your body.

Tapping in any way (especially on the noe) is a very bad way to train your dog! You'll make your dog head shy, and might even encourage it to snap at your hand, which is rather counter productive!

I'm trying to ignore her but at the min she just continues to bite!!
I have stated to put her in her cage (in a different room to me) for time out and then go in after a few minutes, it not working though!

On a plus side she has done fab with toilet training!!

Will she eventually grow out of the biting?

Thanks for your help
X

Goody3107 wrote:I'm trying to ignore her but at the min she just continues to bite!!
I have stated to put her in her cage (in a different room to me) for time out and then go in after a few minutes, it not working though!

On a plus side she has done fab with toilet training!!

Will she eventually grow out of the biting?

Thanks for your help
X

Most definitely grow out of it but you have to put the work in with the training too and teach her its not the correct behaviour

Goody3107 wrote:I'm trying to ignore her but at the min she just continues to bite!!
I have stated to put her in her cage (in a different room to me) for time out and then go in after a few minutes, it not working though!

On a plus side she has done fab with toilet training!!

Will she eventually grow out of the biting?

Thanks for your help
X

Don't put her in her cage; you want her to see the cage as a safe place, but if you put her in it for a time-out, she'll see it as something negative. Just put her in another room for a minute or so. She'll grow out of it, I think you expect too much too soon. Loki was slow, he took a few months to stop biting all the time, and I spent a good few days crying thinking it'd never end and he'd always bite me, but eventually it slowed down and then stopped. We've all gone through it, you'll get through it too, just continue with it (even if it doesn't seem like it's working). Imagine if you were being told not to pick something up, you'd find it very weird because picking something up is normal to you. Biting/nipping is normal for puppies, so of course it'll take a while for them to catch on, just be patient

Goody3107 wrote:I'm trying to ignore her but at the min she just continues to bite!!
I have stated to put her in her cage (in a different room to me) for time out and then go in after a few minutes, it not working though!

On a plus side she has done fab with toilet training!!

Will she eventually grow out of the biting?

Thanks for your help
X

Oh gosh, no! She will think her crate a punishment!

Try to just leave her in a safe room, just for 10 mins at a time. Remember, she's still just a baby!

I'm going through a tough time too, but its always best to be kind (yet firm). Animals are different to us & communicate in different ways. However, you need to asses the age. She's a pup... She's still learning. It'll come good, I'm sure.

Please no smacking .

Yes she will grow out of the biting, with patience and persistence, you will see, darcy was a really bad nipper and now only very occasionally forgets her manners and nips please keep her crate as a safe haven, and just a firm no and/or time out in another safe room -& she will learn. Good luck

Here is a link that will help

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/stop_your_staffy_puppy_biting

I can't add much to the advice above .. all good advice that will hekp you work through the biting over time

I use the toilet or the bathroom for Chiquito 'time out' - both are safe spots in my house for him to spend a short time calming down. Do remember to take the toilet paper out of the loo if you use it though

I can't add much to the advice above .. all good advice that will hekp you work through the biting over time

I use the toilet or the bathroom for Chiquito 'time out' - both are safe spots in my house for him to spend a short time calming down. Do remember to take the toilet paper out of the loo if you use it though

Kell wrote:
I use the toilet or the bathroom for Chiquito 'time out' - both are safe spots in my house for him to spend a short time calming down. Do remember to take the toilet paper out of the loo if you use it though

Also remember to put the toilet seat down so that she can't reach into the toilet bowl - we use so many harsh cleaners in toilets & she could poison herself if she manages to lick anything!

This is normal! Puppies cannot be aggressive at this age..she wants to play and they play very rough at this age! It is your responsibility to teach her that biting/growling are not acceptable! This will take time and she is just a baby! When Gwen was 12 weeks old she almost bit my boyfriends ear off! Teething doesnt start until about 14 weeks old! You just have to be consistent with her training and as long as you do this yes she will grow out of the biting! I just have to say, NEVER hit your dog..especially on the nose as this is a very sensitive area! Even if you think it is just a "light tap" this will benefit NO ONE!

Ashley S wrote:I have a 9 week old Puppy and it's always biting me.
Make sure you Say NO in a high pitch voice and smack him/she on the noise and he/she will stop it and eventually learn from it.

NO NEVER SMACK, there's no need. Its totally normal, yes very annoying and painfull, but belive me, it stops.
When the pup does this, turn your back on him/her and fold your arms, when he calms down, praise. Any attension negative or positive is attension to them. Another thing to try is removing them for the room for a few minutes, then bring him back in. If he keeps on, keep putting him into another room. Only for a few minutes. Always reward good behaviour.

Don't worry about the growling, at such a young age it won't be aggression, more like a pushing of boundaries and tantrums.

With the biting here is what I did with Otis:
When he bit me I would yelp and say no firmly then I would stand up and ignore him for a period of time. when they do bite don't pull away as this then makes it a game for them so be still.
Then I would try again with him until he slipped up again.
If he got me hard then I would pop him in the kitchen behind the child gate and walk out the room for a short time again.
This teaches them that if they do it that the fun ends.

So basically what Caryll said

I also played find it - So I would put a treat in one of my hands and get him to figure out which one it was in and the only way he would get it was if he nudged my hand and sat.
I think you have to be prepared to get nipped a few times whilst teaching them manners with their mouths.