# Help please - puppy is eating us alive!!!!



## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Hi, I'm new to this forum so sorry if I'm missing obvious answers and advice.

Our puppy is nearly 12 weeks old, as far as we know we are doing most things right by giving him attention, playtimes, a quiet pen if he wants time to himself and lots of space to run around the garden. He also has toys of all shapes and sizes! He can learn commands i.e sits before being given food, sits when putting/taking off lead, we also always ensure he waits to follow us out of the door.

At times he is the most loveable little pup (usually when tired), when in his indoor pen he is always calm and we can stroke him without being bitten.... but then things change!

When out of his pen his play always ends up being painful for us. He bites, dives at us, if he gets hold of you he shakes his head from side to side and often growls, with his eyes open extra wide! He's ripped clothes and drawn blood and we are feeling totally drained. 

Worried and baffled as to where we are going wrong. Appreciate puppies need to learn and are excitable but no matter what we do he doesn't stop or back off. 

We have tried to show dominance, ignored him when he's behaving badly, praised good behaviour, timed him out, but he never submits. We have consistently tried to stop his biting and chewing but so far with no success. Clearly we need a consistent approach that works. 

We really want to see that loveable dog that must be hiding in there somewhere! Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Greetings, Barney0510, and welcome to the forums!! 

Your puppy is being, well... a puppy! There is a "search" box in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. If you click in the search box, type in "puppy nipping and biting", and then click on the "search" button, you will find thirty threads on this very subject. There's a lot of reading there, so that should keep you busy for a while. The main thing you should know as you continue this journey through the trying time known as puppyhood is that what you are experiencing is absolutely normal. ;D ;D ;D


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

mswhipple said:


> Greetings, Barney0510, and welcome to the forums!!
> 
> Your puppy is being, well... a puppy! There is a "search" box in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. If you click in the search box, type in "puppy nipping and biting", and then click on the "search" button, you will find thirty threads on this very subject. There's a lot of reading there, so that should keep you busy for a while. The main thing you should know as you continue this journey through the trying time known as puppyhood is that what you are experiencing is absolutely normal. ;D ;D ;D


Thanks for your reply, much appreciated. I'll check out the threads. Hoping to find an approach that enables us to be consistent in how we respond, so he can enjoy puppyhood and we survive it


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

You'll survive it - the crazy shark biting doesn't last forever! I've had dogs all my life and feel completely comfortable in my ability to raise well balanced, fun, loving dogs that are fun to be around. Cash was my first V and when I got him and he would go crazy biting at me and everything around him, including my other two dogs I had a moment of "what have I gotten myself into". I tried my usual tactics to try and teach him to stop biting and it seemed like nothing worked - I thought that I was going to end up with an aggressive, extremely mouthy dog and I was starting to think that I had made a big mistake. I just kept chew toys near me at all times and whenever he would come after me with the shark teeth out, I would quickly exchange my arm, sleeve, pants, foot for the chew toy and try to get his attention on that instead of me. It's a phase that all V's go through and one day you are going to wake up and realize that he's not doing it anymore. Cash is about 18 months old now and he's the sweetest dog I've ever had and actually has the softest mouth of any dog that I've ever had. Don't get me wrong, he still loves to chew on his toys (and my other dog from time to time), but the crazy biting is long gone.

Hang in there, this will pass and then you'll be on to the next phase, which for me was when Cash decided to eat the hot water heater...


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Thanks CrazyCash, what you say gives me hope and made me laugh  think I'd better start saving up for a new boiler! Ive had a dog before, but not a Vizsla, I know Ive still much to learn.

My dog 'Blue' should be a lovely dog but I don't want to make early mistakes by doing things wrong. Theres so much info out there its hard to know what's best to do to help him through this. It seems hard to find a way that works - that lets him know its not really acceptable to draw blood! 

At the moment I'm flipping between lots of different ways which cant be helping him. Id love to find a consistent way that works, that isn't harmful or aggressive towards him. I appreciate time will help. He's still only a baby shark 

Thanks for your encouraging words.


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## FLgatorgirl (Mar 11, 2013)

We went through the exact same thing. Tried everything you tried and more. What finally worked was a quick spritz of water to the face with a pocket sized spray bottle. I think it only took a few times and she never did it again. Wish we would have tried it sooner as we were exasperated and bleeding! Good luck.


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## stryker (Dec 9, 2012)

washcloth dipped in chicken broth wrung out rolled up and frozen.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Have a soft toy around. Every time he bites you or mouth your hand quickly replace it with the soft toy. That teaches him what's ok to bite and what's not. Also use commands when you're not happy with a behaviour and especially when you are. Positive reinforcement is the best training method and if you make sure you praise him every time he behaves as you expect it then he will learn quickly what's acceptable. 
You can also use the the "shark attacks" in the search bar, that will bring up plenty posts about this behaviour. 
It will stop eventually but don't expect it any time soon. If it does then you're lucky! 
I have to say we didn't really have much problem with the biting but we always had a toy around to use if needed be.

Just hang in there and the time and effort you put in now will pay off in a few months!


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## Mountain Man (Mar 29, 2013)

Well, this initial post took the words right out of my mouth. Holy cannoli, this was a pretty rough biting day. Mountie is almost 11 weeks, and his biting has definitely ramped up to nuclear levels. I follow the training recommendations...lots of exercise, toys, chews, providing alternatives as soon as he bites AND yet, I'm sitting here with cuts, bruises, rips in my clothes, band aids on my heels, etc surfing the forums for reassurance that my puppy isn't actually a vampire!


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

All this biting talk is making me nervous about puppy 2. 

Miles very very rarely nipped us as a puppy. The worst he does now in regards to bite is take our wrists in his mouth and lead us around the house. We didn't have shark attacks ever. 

Thanks for all the suggestions in advance since I guess this is the norm!


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## EastBayer (Aug 17, 2012)

Around 5 months is when Milo ceased the shark attacks. When we were deep into it, I never thought she would stop. At the same time, we also were diligent about bite inhibition since we were taking Sirius I & II Puppy Classes (Ian Dunbar method). It was awesome when she finally stopped the attacks and it was shortly after that when the kids really, really connected with her. They loved her since we got her but can you imagine the pain and frustration from all the bites -- they couldn't play properly with her. So it WILL cease then stop altogether. Hang in there! Milo is still very much a pup (9+ months now) but when I think back just a few months ago, I can't believe how much she has matured. 

The pulling however is another story.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

When the owners of new puppies worry about all the biting and nipping, and wonder if it will ever stop, it kind of reminds me of moms who are trying to potty train their human toddlers...

I never saw a normal human being who wasn't toilet trained by, say, the age of five or six. LOL! Don't worry. And...

I never saw a dog who was still engaged in the puppy biting and nipping behavior by the age of two. Grown up adult dogs don't do this. Some stop way sooner than others. 

This behavior will go away all by itself, even if the only thing you do is survive! Just hang in there. ;D ;D ;D


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Oh the werewolf phase....yes, it is a phase. People would laugh at me when I told them I would spray my arms and legs in bitter apple spray in desperation because Ruby was so awful. I had bruises all over me. Looking back now, that seems a lifetime ago. I couldn't even imagine my sweet Ruby sinking her teeth into me. 

We had plenty of different texture toys to help. Nylabones and elk anters were life savers. We didn't introduce raw hides until Ruby was almost 1 yr old and wish I did sooner as long as it is supervised. We still have nylabones for Ruby as it s her ritual every night to chew on it before bed. 

Good luck and your little shark like demon will grow up and this will be a thing of the past.


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Can i just say a huge thanks to everyone who has responded, its impossible to thank everyone individually but I really appreciate the time people have taken in helping. The warmth and humour of responses really made us smile.

Its really comforting to know our little 'Blue' is acting normal and one day I can walk around without shredded clothes and if I dare bare feet - well maybe not! He's 12 wks this weekend so he'll be able to start exploring more than the garden, that should help. Also plan to join the local 'Puppy club'. 

Thanks everyone. Just off the retrieve my sock!


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## abatt (Jul 10, 2012)

I don't miss those couple of months. They were really hard. We were covered with scratches and bruises. When my husband went for a client meeting, he got few wondering looks at his hands. He felt he had to explain he has a little puppy at home. The response he got was that it looked more like he has a little crocodile.

Just be patient and don't wear nice clothes!


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

I remember the nipping/biting stage, you feel like its never going to stop. I think Bella was 6 months old when she stopped. She did it to my husband far more than me or the boys. I use to say ouch in a loud tone and walk away from her, my 2 boys did the same and it did work or us. Hang on in there, by the way welcome to this great forum


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## Mountain Man (Mar 29, 2013)

Barney, as my wife noted in our post above, while we regret hearing your experience, we also found it reassuring to hear that we are not alone. I have dealt with Labs -- and researched the V breed for months and months ahead of obtaining our pup -- however, I'm not too humble to admit that I had failed to adequately prepare myself and family with our experience with our Mountie (basically, same age as your pup -- and, like my wife's reaction, I could not have penned better our current situation than your initial post).

Folks told me in advance, "he'll require a ton of time and patience," "he'll 'shark-bite'," "he'll test you..." Yeah, yeah, I thought... Sounds like every Lab pup I've had. W-R-O-N-G.

Don't get me wrong -- Mountie is awesome. He also, though, is not as soft as I thought Vs were. That is, while staying calm, I usually have to assert dominance with a sterner tone than I expected (and while we believe in positive reinforcement, I feel that our other family members may be too nice and apprehensive, which tends to exacerbate the biting issues). So, we all are trying to learn to be better Vizsla leaders... And we also are in the midst of seeking out Vizsla-experienced trainers in Central Virginia who can help us and Mountie.

As is the case with Blue, Mountie's sole "shortcoming" (not the correct term, but you know what I mean) stems from the rampant biting (only on humans - not furniture)... Not puppy bites and gnawing -- rather "butterfly-suture" painful and, frankly, dangerous bites. We are trying to learn to cope with the "it's a stage" behavior while seeking out both positive and corrective techniques to quickly reinforce that this degree of biting can not be tolerated (for perspective, if certain of these incidents occurred in a public, non-rural environment, an observer would certainly call animal control owing to the amount of blood resulting (as in, literally dripping from hands) and aggression demonstrated). 

I happen to be a believer in appropriate usage of e-collars (even on soft dogs, the low-level ticks tend to be more immediate to the offending behavior and less harsh than a shout or muzzle-grab). Not to hijack, but what does this crowd think (in these contexts)?

Also, Barney, FYI, quality elk antler chews do wonders to distract imminent biting into benign chewing. As we run MountainDogChews.com, I'd be happy to send you a complimentary small puppy split if you PM me or drop me a line via our site. Mountie enjoys them. Just wanted to offer...

Best,
Corey


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Hi Mountain Man - I can't comment on the e collar because I've never used one myself so I have no experience with it. As to your comment about how this biting is very aggressive behavior I can tell you that when I first got Cash and he would get into one of his biting modes, I tried everything I had used in the past with other dogs to try and get him to stop and it just seemed like he was in the zone and was crazy aggressive and out of control. It was like nothing I had ever seen in other breeds before, but I can also tell you that it really is just a phase and it will stop eventually - don't take it as a sign that your little guy is going to grow up to have aggression issues. My Cash is a rescue and has some pit in him, so I was extremely nervous about the biting because I thought he was going to grow up to be a dangerous dog if the biting continued. I just kept at it, redirected the biting away from me and onto chew toys and really, truly you will wake up one day and the biting will be gone. Cash does not bite anymore and is a total sweetheart now. My advice is to do your best to work with him on the biting, tell him no and redirect the bites onto a chew toy instead - hang in there, it's a painful phase but one that will go away. V's are a lot of work and you have some more challenging, funny, crazy phases ahead of you, but it's completely worth it - they are fantastic dogs and I wouldn't trade mine for anything!


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## Főnix (Feb 3, 2013)

Thanks so much for this thread- we're in the middle of this as well and at this point it feels like that's just who he is and we'll have to get used to it. He's started doing it while we're on walks too, and it's hard to deal with while he's on leash. But if I don't walk him in the morning he's crazy for the rest of the day. At home I've started crating him when it gets bad, not because I think a time out will get through to him, but because _I_ need one to calm down, so I'm not trying to deal with him while I'm frustrated. This is a really, really great reminder that it's temporary and we can get through it.


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## candi30 (Jan 2, 2013)

Haven't read all the posts but rest assured it will stop soon.
Our girl is now 18 weeks and this phase has been totally over for the last few weeks/month at least.
For the time being just try to replace your skin with a toy or something they are allowed to chew on.

We were bloodied too. Thank goodness for this forum otherwise we would have been A LOT more worried!


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Good advice about not wearing nice clothes! I'm sat here with the insole of my slipper missing and a hole in my t-shirt. Both were perfect just a week ago! My Vizsla agains a crocodile - the crock would be toast  

Tried one of the tips today, spraying water when he starts getting manic, its early days but it seemed to help, it certainly distracted him. Just need to make sure I don't overdo it. 

Tip to new Vizsla puppy owners, before you go out and buy toys, basket, food, lead etc...... get protective footwear if you value your toes!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Barn,,, cheap, soft, leather work gloves from Home Depot... will stop the blood flow... 
just make sure you don't let him bite on them too hard. You will want to condition the dog to bite very softly! 

It is very important the dog understands that human skin is very fragile!!! So treat the gloves just like they were your own skin... YELP and waddle away... if it's hard on them..

There is another way... place fingers in it's mouth and keep them there for a while... repeat as necessary. Guaranteed, will make him aware of what to avoid, LOL


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Don't fancy fingers in his mouth scenario, reckon it'll take more than 8-10 tries before he realises he's being naughty  gloves sound a good idea though...... that gives me an idea, think i'll wear my motorbike leathers, gloves, helmet and boots for the next six months! The things you do for love of a Vizsla!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Barney, motorcycle gloves are too thick.

Welcome to the forum, sounds like the dog will match your level of energy. Motorcycles are cool.


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

LOL..... at the moment my gloves covered in kevlar aren't up to the task! Perhaps baby Vizsla's should become the new 'kite mark' testing for all products designed to protect you from harm! agree, motorcycles are fab, not sure when i'll get the time to ride it though  'Blue' is a full time job!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Hey, puppy pictures are mandatory! Forum rules...


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Brilliant forum, first one Ive joined and the level of support, advice, warmth and humour is brilliant. Did lots of research into Vizsla's but was still totally unprepared. The posts have really helped so thanks everyone.

Picture of 'Blue', taken about 3 weeks ago, his eyes are now hazel, except when he's biting me and then they seem to glow red!


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Belated welcome Barney,

Great looking Pup, more pics please 

Hobbsy


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Thanks Hobbys for the welcome, will certainly post more pics as he morphs from shark to ............ who knows what! 

Its going to be an adventure


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

After the shark attack phase, this was the next fantastic phase for Cash - the don't leave me alone (even with other dogs) or I will destroy the house phase...

The last picture is a cute one of Cash and Penny just to show you that they do outgrow it (well Cash has - Penny is six months behind him and still not out of the chewing phase  ). I think that V's so cute to help get through all the craziness, even when Cash made these huge messes, I'd look into that cute little face and I couldn't stay mad.


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

I found this forum when Wilson was 12 weeks and I thought he was defective due to shark bites! Normal! He calmed down a lot -- stopped biting at 4 mo with my husband and has more or less stopped with me too now at 6 mos. still a lot of crazy puppy to work with, but the eating me alive phase seems to have stopped.

And here he is being a big Velcro, sleeping at my feet


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

OMG looking at pics posted by CrazyCash i'd better put my favourite leather chair into storage and search for a cave to live in 

Using toys to divert him is helping, I grab one of his favourites as soon as his gills start to flare and his tail slices through the water towards me! Forget about his cuddle monkey, Kong, multi-textured hoops with cord attached - its a metre length of hosepipe I cut off, toilet brush (new I must add) and plastic bottle filled with a few treats that work!

A good few days since I first posted, people sharing their thoughts, ideas and great stories helps. Getting some mighty strange looks though when answering the door in shredded clothes holding a toilet brush and hosepipe.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

"Getting some mighty strange looks though when answering the door in shredded clothes holding a toilet brush and hosepipe."

Barney, this isn't the place to describe your love life... LOL



Don't worry about the couch, teach the dog bite inhibition just like the picture I posted and he will never eat you or the couch or anything leather. 
CrazyCash ate the water heater, that qualifies for bonus points as far as extracurricular activities go...


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Couldn't help but laugh at your comment datascan ;D totally agree. Then again since our wonderful 'Blue' became part of our lives i barely have the energy for anything! 

Will def try the gloves. Thanks. 

He's been on his first walk away from the garden today, it was brilliant, he's full of energy and totally nosey. my challenge will be to get fit enough to keep up with him when he's fully grown and we don't need to restrict his exercise.


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Datacan - Cash does love to chew on my fingernails too, he's extremely gentle and would chew on my hand for an hour if I let him.  but I can say that even with all the stuff that he's destroyed (and sadly I didn't post all the pictures - there are more  ) he's never chewed on the leather couch or any furniture. He is still the master cardboard / paper shredder! 

He definitely took it up a notch when he went after the water heater - that's when my family / friends thought I was crazy to have a V, but they all love him too.


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## Mountain Man (Mar 29, 2013)

This thread has been a God-send. This weekend, our Mountie has been SO much better. Frankly, keeping our fingers in his mouth (while he gnawed as well as when WE chose to) has resulted in an unbelievable transformation. Mountie has not bitten (puppy play aside) any of us since my last post. Datacan and others: We now pretty much consider you all to be Vizsla-puppy-versions of David Blaine... Wow. 

Suffice to say... THANK YOU. :-*


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## Barney0510 (Apr 4, 2013)

Mountain man - brilliant to hear about Mountie, nice one. Its been invaluable to me too. Thanks for your earlier response, much appreciated.


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