Hi everyone,

I got a staffy puppy at 5weeks old, i realise that this was way to early for him but the lady had another buyer interested and was gunna let him go in 2days. Anyway he is now 8 weeks but is quite a handful. He listens to NO sometimes but majority of time does not. I understand he is still just a puppy and some things i don't mind but he bites A LOT! when he is calm he normally play bites but it doesn't hurt and when i yelp OWWW! he lets go and licks me, but sometimes he bites very hard and refuses to let go. Particularly with my children. They are 3,6 and 8. Everytime they walk across the floor or sit on the couch he runs and jumps up at them and tries to bite them. I'm just not sure if it's normal puppy biting or aggression as sometimes he does really hurt and as i say will not let go.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Puppies at this age do NOT have aggression.  Puppies play with their mouths, and he doesn't know that he can't play with young children this way.

First - children are not left alone with a puppy of any breed.  They need total supervision.  Pups leaving mum this early have missed out on playing with their siblings.  All done with the mouth - biting.  Human babies automatically put new objects in their mouths.

Leaving mum far too early means she has not been able to start his experience of bite inhibition.  You say that he won't let go.  He does not understand NO.  Why would he?  You have not trained the leave command, and he doesn't talk human.  In fairness, I would have never picked up a pup this young, whatever the backyard breeder had to say about others wanting the pup.

However, there are an awful lot of reputable breeders who would refuse you a puppy with 3 children so young.  You must have your work cut out looking after them, and you have a puppy that needs one on one training. 

When your pup is old enough, make sure that you get him vaccinated and microchipped.  Then join a reputable training class aimed at people like you who have very little canine knowledge.  You will need to be consistent with your training. 

I think one of your first jobs is to read Ian Dunbar's article "The bite starts here."  Google it, you will easily find it.  Remember that, if the children get excitable and high pitched, The pup will think that is an invitation to play.  And play means biting.  So remind the children that they will have to stay calm around the pup.

Good Luck.  :-)

I am sure more people who are better qualified than me will be along soon, but to me it sounds like normal puppy activity, but maybe worse as he was taken from the litter so young.

From 5-7 weeks or so, he would usually be playing with his littermates, and learning how hard he can bite them before they turn round and tell him ENOUGH! in their own terms. Unfortunately we can't really replicate that, but we can teach them not to rough-house with us. If he gets like this then grab a toy and give it to him - sometimes the OUCH doesn't work, but that bitey mouth which wants to play needs something else to occupy it.

There is a great article by Ian Dunbar about bite inhibition training called The Bite Stops Here - I don't have link to hand but it will come up on Google... in fact anything by Ian Dunbar especially Before, and After You Get Your Puppy is well worth reading and taking on board.

Edited to add: I posted same time as Jean :)

You can download the articles and books free from here: http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads  Lots of helpful articles on the whole site including more aimed at puppy training.

I have put a post on here as I have a pup in my litter that was really bitey. But Mum has taught her the most as she is much better. I have 9 pups and 3 young children (ages 4, 9 and 12) They are allowed to play with the pups but they have to sit on the floor quietly or we have a low wall around the puppy run, they sit on there. It is really, really important the children do not run about as it will make the pup much worse!

>sometimes he bites very hard and refuses to let go. Particularly with my children. They are 3,6 and 8. Everytime they walk across the floor or sit on the couch he runs and jumps up at them and tries to bite them.

Kids are great fun for puppies/dogs. Children move differntly to adults, they sound different, they react different, they can be unpredictable & impulsive and in general are the perfect way to get a pup or dog very excited. DO NOT leave the pup unatended with the children, the more chance the pup gets to bite them, the harder it will be to stop. Pups is not being nasty he is being playfull and probly getting over-excited by the children. Pup needs to learn that he should be calm aroudn the children, so for now make sure your children are calm around him.

What a shame that the OP has not come back to thank everyone for their input, and let us know how she is coping.