hi again, as you all know i have a nearly 11 week old english bull terrier puppy. firstly thanks for all your help on my last problem but unfortuntely i have another problem! my naughty little harriets' biting problem seems to have got worse, i dont mind the odd nip here and there but this morning she had hold of my grandmas little finger and wouldnt let go and when she tried to pull her finger out the skin went with it, (well not all of it just a bit of the top layer, blood everywhere!). we dont know what to do to stop her, shes got a rope thingy, nylabone and even a ball that drops treats out of it but shes not interested in any!!! we dont want to smack her but when she bites like she did this morning nothing stops her from doing it. any sugestions?

If you do a 'search' (top right-hand corner of the screen) and type in "Puppy Biting" or similar, you will find umpteen posts on the subject. And you'll be reassured to know it is completely normal!
:)

Just to say you are right not to smack for this - it would very probably make her worse :(  And don't forget older peoples skin is much thiner and therefore bleeds a lot more easily.....

u say that puppy biting is normal, but for how long is it normal ? lily still does it and she's 6 months old

I took my 7 weeks old lab for her puppy check this week and my vet warned me to be prepared for the very naughty biting stage which starts at 12 weeks. She told us that all dogs go through it and you need to just telling them no.
I have noticed that if when Buffy is biting we just dont move at all and very sternly say no she stops but if we move and say it (even moving a hand to push her away) she see's it as a big game and will bite more and harder.

Debbie

my 12 week old lab does the same, but after reading a post on one of the boards.  I have tried holding his bottom jaw (although not hurting him) and looking into his eyes saying no and this seems to be working - after about four days he dosent seem to do it as much, and if he does it is not as hard as before.
Jenny

We SEEM to be having some success reducing our 14 week lab's biting with a combination of things found via these boards and other people's advice - ignoring him when you first enter the room so that you first speak to him when YOU want to not when he demands it, and if the biting still starts yelp as a sibling would do (you feel a bit of an arse but it seems to work) and walking away from him/shutting him in the kitchen if it still continues. These things have to be applied consistently for weeks; there aren't any miracle cures. Many people say that they all do it but the type of biting seems to vary a lot from harmless mouthing to painful bites/torn clothes etc. When he first did it we often felt at our wits' end, but now we feel back in control and though I'm sure there will be bad times, we think we can get through it. So, be patient, be consistent with whatever you try, and most of all remember that loads of people are facing much worse - just read some of the other threads!!