we just got a new Cavalier King Charles spaniel pup, we've had her a week and she's now 9 weeks old. She was separated from her mum (but not her litter, one other bitch and one dog) @ 5 weeks, so is fairly independant and v playful.

She is genreally a DELIGHTFUL dog and i know is only v young at the mo so i'm sure i'm worrying about nothing but she tends to playbite a lot when she's excited. She's great in the mornings but in the afternoons - particularly if there have been alot of coming s and goings in the house [$ she's had new experiences (visitors] new toys) she can get very over-boistrous and for a long time(ie 1 or 2 hours). To get attention she can nip and bite at me (hands and clothes) a lot and jump up too.

My tactic is being to ignore her for a few minutes if her teeth go anywhere near my hands; to try and divert her chewing onto a toy/chew, but if that fails, then go for ignoring; and generally to only do good things (give her affection, let her have toys, feed her, give her treats) when she's just done something good.

I also am trying to be mindful that she has enough rest - i think over-tiredness might be half the problem.

Does anyone have any advice or opinions on this situation? If it gets worse, I shall be worried! And i would really appreciate any confirmation that my strategies for correcting her are on the right track.

THanks everyone, Kate x

I think you're learning the hard way one of the reasons why puppies should not leave their Mums until at least 6 weeks as during that time they are starting to learn about bite inhibition :( You are doing all the right things, although some pups respond well to a sharp 'Ow!' (It's hard to describe just what this should sound like - but when it's done properly it should stop your pup in it's tracks and make it look at you in a puzzled way because the game has stopped) as you say it make sure you don't snatch your hand away (as this just turns you into a squeaky toy! :( ) and the instant the pup pulls back make sure you have an alternative toy to offer a game with as a reward........

HTH

Hi Katie

We had a Springer Spaniel puppy 2 wks ago. He is now 10 weeks old and I am having the same problem with the play biting. Infact he ripped my nephews tee-shirt yesterday. Is this a spaniel thing?? He is very good in every other way.I to would like to know how to go about stopping this behaviour.

Hi, it's not a 'spaniel thing'. It's a puppy thing! I would say that every single puppy in the entire world does this!
:)

You're right Jeangenie! I have a 10 wk old Lab puppy and she doesn't stop biting! And if we try to ignore her, she takes a CD out of the rack and runs about the house with it! Very tiring after a hard days work.

V good to hear its not just our pup! She is DEFINITELY gettting better - have to keep rotating toys & chews so she doesn't get bored with what she's chewing and she seems happier. I'm having difficulty with the "OW!" as i'm not naturally a shouter - but I am going to try VERY hard today if she really goes for me (don't want to do it all the time, it'll just excite her) but i saw mum do a V effective one last night when Ruby decided her bare toes looked v interesting!!!

will keep perservering....
Thanks xxxxx

I have a 9 week old retriever and we are currently combatting this problem and this is what is working for me:
When ever he starts biting or chewing something he is not meant to ie hand or chair etc I say in a stern voice 'Monty NO' (I say his name to get his attention as I have another dog) and then when he looks up say in a playfull voice 'Toy' and give him his toy. You have to do it every time he starts and have toys in all the rooms he goes in so you can always act fast!! We have been doing this for 1 1/2 weeks and now when we say toy he goes to his toy, predominantly his 'special' toy which he only has access to when we are around, as apose to all his other toys which are lying around all the time. Its working for us but you do have to be persistant and not let him chew sometimes and them tell him no other times, its no every time!

Did your pup take to toys immediately or did you have to work at it? Ruby loves a play but she kind of play-fights with everything, i think. If she's getting too aggressive/not playing nicely (and she never gets REALLY agressive, she just shakes around a lot and sometimes growls a little) I try and stop the game and get her to rest as i think its a sign she's getting over tired.

But I'm teaching her to play some more fun games that aren't just 'Kill the Toy' eg to chase after a ball when i shout "Fetch" (she always runs, 75% she brings the ball back) and also am teaching her to drop tug/squeaky toys on command. (Only started today but she's doing it pretty well so far. If she REALLY gets it, maybe it'll work when she goes for my trousers/trainers :)!)

This feels really silly to ask - but how do people play Tug-of-War games with their pups? I just hold the rope thing there so she can pull at and chew it. SOmetimes she gets too over-agressive with it, so i've stopped letting her win it, have stopped 'teasing' her with it (ie wriggling it just in front of her or making her run round after it before we start - i know that's not ideal but it took that to get her interested! - have stopped pulling v much myself and don't let her play it for too long. I just worry that its a game that encourages the rough-and-tumble/fighty litter games if it gets too competitive.

Does anyone else know what i'm on about, or have any advice? Basically i want to know nice games to play with the pup that she will be interested in this early and will help teach her to play good human games and not encourage her play-bitey/rough-and-tumble games!

Thanks everyone again - it really helps to hear other people's advice & experience!

Someone on this forum advised me to introduce a 'special' toy which I have done, a teddy. To first get him to like it I wiped a piece of ham on it to give it a nice scent to make him interested and believe me it got his attention. I let him have it for 5/10 mins and then took it away, then I repeated it and now he loves the toy, I know longer rub ham on it its just his toy. I am in control of it and he doesn't have access to it all the time so it is not just a regular toy it has become a treat. I now leave him with it when we are watching telly for about half an hour and I am increasing this as his mind starts to get wiser to me removing it. When he starts to chew all I say is Toy and wiggle the teddy and he jumps on it. Its getting better to the point where he is going to the toy on his own when I say it.
If he continues to chew/bite I remove him for 2 mins (thats alongf time to a puppy) and ignore him and then alow him back in to play. He will soon realise that playing nicely is better than being ignored for 2 mins. I only put him out when he has refuse to leave the chewing several times.

Playing rough and chewing is natural to the dog as is growling dont be too worried about a bit of rough and tumble you just have to direct this natural behaviour to things that they are allowed to play with, toys, balls etc. My retriever will run round the room and literally throw himself into gamboles(sp). When he has his teddy he shakes it vigourously but thats fine because its not me or the chair he has his teeth into!!
As for getting over tired the puppy will stop when they have had enough unless you encourage her to keep playing. Monty has about 1 hour of madness and then sleeps for about 3!

Be carefull playing tug with young puppies as their teeth and jaws are developing at this stage. I play a little with Monty but I put no pressure on the other end I just hold on but I only play small amounts and then a encourage him to ply with the rope himself, ie, rolling about with it etc.

I hate to say it but I would probably say that the rough and tumbles are there to stay and will probably get worse during 'adolescence'.