11 Week Old Persistent Nipper - Any Tips?

Our 11 week old pup (probably a staffy/JRT cross but could by full staff we're not sure)  has been with us a week and a half and seems very settled in and part of the family.

We got her from a rescue - mum had an 'unwanted' litter (or backstreet breeder found themselves with a large litter they couldn't rehome, as the rescue weren't sure how truthful the 'owner' was). So she has had a fairly normal start to life apart from the week in rescue, without her mum but with her littermates.

She is my third staffy puppy but it's 30 years since we had our first, and 14 years since we had No 2. So I've forgotten it all, apart from remembering that nipping (and it is more than just mouthing now) was a big thing for our last staffy too and we thought he'd never stop - then he did.

Last couple of days, as she has found her feet, pup is nipping persistently. Maybe has a mad half hour a couple of times a day when nothing can stop her. Ignoring doesn't work as you have to disengage yourself from her jaws before you can ignore than she just runs straight back at you, wagging her tail and sinking in the teeth! The yelping thing worked for a day or two - now she ignores it, and sinks her teeth into us anyway!

I could put her the other side of the baby-gate but the few times I have done this she has run straight back and sunk the teeth in again. It's impossible for the kids to do the standing still as trees thing as they find her nips just too painful. Plus, it doesn't stop her, either.

She can mouthe gently. We have started clicker training and she can sit on command, with or without the clicker, already. If you can catch her a second before she launches - sometimes a sit command works. But I don't want to confuse her.

Any tips what to do with a very young pup who persists with painful nipping even after you have tried all the usual methods?  (Only thing I haven't tried yet is rattling a jar of pebbles).

This lonk may help

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

Thanks, JStaff. Must admit I've been to that link already and tried most of the techniques! She is only 11 weeks, but we need to deal with it now.

Maybe we have to train 'Leave it!"? I'd assumed she was too young for that but as she is responding really well to being taught commands, it might work?

We have a similar issue in that we can't ignore Baxter biting as we normally have to unattach him from our clothing before he rips it, this is at its worst when we come back after been out.

Ruby does this but she just grabs hold, definitely go with the leave it, it seems to have worked with ruby, I have taught her leave it and drop it so that when she picks nasty stuff up outside she drops it haha

Hi there I also have a 14 week old pup and I am to going through exactly what you are going through and I found with my boy ignoring was to painful, yelping just made him more exited and trying to swap toy for hand just did not work skin seemed more appealing lol. The only thing that is working for us is to have a few cans dotted about the house with coins in and when they got hold of you say a firm NO and shake it then when they let go treat them so they know there doing right. some people may disagree that its a bad technique but its worked for us when nothing else has . hope things get on track soon

Oh thanks all - I don't feel so alone with it now! I'm hoping she can burn a bit of energy off now going for a walk (I hadn't factored in the walking is so exciting, I'll nip you even more, thing!)

The coins sound worth a try and "leave it". I was thinking at 11 weeks, maybe a verbal cue is too much but she does seem to pick up words fast (must be the JRT in her!)

Really appreciate everyone's replies.

You do sort of lose the momentum of 'ignoring' or the littermate yap when you're having to prize their teeth off you before you can even start ignoring (and she takes yapping as me joining in and having fun!) It helps that others have been/are still there, too.