Hi guys, I am completely new to this forum but it seems by far the best on the internet for advice on dogs so I was wondering if anyone could help me?My 12 weeks old puppy Maxwell is a miniature jack russell x miniature poodle and over the past week has begun barking at peoples feet as well as trying to chew and bite at them. His posture suggests he isn't playing and he has also been snapping at people yesterday and today, not in his usual playful way but a proper bight. I was just wondering if anyone could give me any advice on how to get him stop this or possibly help me with an explanation of why he is doing this? Sorry if these are stupid questions but this is my first puppy! Thanks!

Terriers are generally pretty intense their entire lives, terrier pups are always pretty full on!  My pups have always done the grabbing of feet thing whilst growling and looking as though they were v. v. serious.  A good game to a terrier is generally built around pretending to kill, it's their instinct and they find it great fun.  The snapping sounds more as though you've got an over excited or stimulated, maybe tired terrier pup - never having had a snapping pup (if that's what it is) not really able to advise on that bit - but the shoe/foot thing is pretty easy, everytime he does it, a nice, calm & firm NO and give him something else to play with instead - something he can really get his teeth into like say a soaked, frozen knotted flannel.  It'll ease his gums, good fun to shake about as it thaws and a lot cheaper than shoes!  Enjoy him.

I agree a definate terrier thing. They can appear to mean every bite thay give and it does hurt, trying to swap your flesh for another toy isn't always accepted as they know your trying to fob them off - warm human skin that then screaches with pain is far better that non reacting toy!

You need to put puppy away for a few mins to calm down a little or remove yourself from the room. I have 2 pups waiting to go to their new homes (terriers) and when they first wake up they have monster intentions and will chase feet. I have found pushing them away (not forcefully as such) and telling them no can aggrevate them more and they just come back with double the attitude and look like they mean every bite.

Thick socks and getting visitors to stand still might help with the feet thing - its boring if doesn't move. Saying that oone of girls will still do this if lots of people enter the house at once and then when they've all stood still she is happy and then allows them in!