Hello, I am new to the forum and have found lots of helpful info. My puppy, Archer, is a 16 week old terror. We got him at 8 weeks from a highly reputable breeder and did lots of research/preparation before his arrival. We've been attending puppy kindergarten for a few weeks and he also goes to the dog park and socializes at play group (now that he is fully vaccinated).
He is smart and has taken to basic training (potty training, sleep/crate training, basic commands, ect...) extremely well. However, he is a horrible biter. I say bite, because this has gone beyond puppy nipping. He actually jumped up and bit my SO's earlobe last night while we were watching TV, tearing it. He has destroyed tons of clothes and left us bruised and bleeding on many occasions. He also snarls and barks when he does this. His tail is wagging, so we initially expected he was just playing.
Here are the corrective strategies we've already tried to no avail:
1. yelping/wincing like another dog.
2. Stopping and shouting at him, no, bad, uh-uh, ect...
3. Turning our backs/shunning him. This does not deter him - instead he bites whatever body part is closest
4. Spray bottle - likes water, is not deterred.
5. Distracting/redirecting with a chew toy - he drops the toy and goes back for us. We try to distract with a squeeky toy to get him to let go of our pants or hands and he is so crazed, he can't be distracted with the noise.
6. time outs - we designated a time out space and put him in there for 1-2 minutes after he starts biting. He has learned that we will only take him out when he's calm. So we put him in and he immediately calms himself. The second we take him out he starts biting again.
7. The pet corrector - air horn/hissing type thing from Petco our trainer recommended. He stops what he's doing and then immediately starts back up. We try to engage him with a toy when he's distracted but he won't do it.
8. Pick him up off the floor or roll him on his back and hold him down until he submits. This seems to make him crazier.
He is being exercised. After work each day, the three of us go for a walk - usually 2-4 miles. He has all sorts of engaging toys and is walked every 3 hours throughout the workday. He also goes to the dog park and playgroups. He socializes at puppy kindergarten class on Saturdays, and every Sunday we take him to my in-laws for a couple of hours to play with their dogs.
The biting/snarling/barking is getting out of control. He is growing rapidly at a rate of 1-2lbs a week and it is getting more difficult for me to physically restrain/control him. I have read a number of books and consulted a variety of sources on how to deal with this. I understand he is so young we need to have some patience, but I also understand that this is a problem that can escalate if not addressed.
We are tearing our hair out and just don't know what to do!
I appreciate any insight you may have.
He is smart and has taken to basic training (potty training, sleep/crate training, basic commands, ect...) extremely well. However, he is a horrible biter. I say bite, because this has gone beyond puppy nipping. He actually jumped up and bit my SO's earlobe last night while we were watching TV, tearing it. He has destroyed tons of clothes and left us bruised and bleeding on many occasions. He also snarls and barks when he does this. His tail is wagging, so we initially expected he was just playing.
Here are the corrective strategies we've already tried to no avail:
1. yelping/wincing like another dog.
2. Stopping and shouting at him, no, bad, uh-uh, ect...
3. Turning our backs/shunning him. This does not deter him - instead he bites whatever body part is closest
4. Spray bottle - likes water, is not deterred.
5. Distracting/redirecting with a chew toy - he drops the toy and goes back for us. We try to distract with a squeeky toy to get him to let go of our pants or hands and he is so crazed, he can't be distracted with the noise.
6. time outs - we designated a time out space and put him in there for 1-2 minutes after he starts biting. He has learned that we will only take him out when he's calm. So we put him in and he immediately calms himself. The second we take him out he starts biting again.
7. The pet corrector - air horn/hissing type thing from Petco our trainer recommended. He stops what he's doing and then immediately starts back up. We try to engage him with a toy when he's distracted but he won't do it.
8. Pick him up off the floor or roll him on his back and hold him down until he submits. This seems to make him crazier.
He is being exercised. After work each day, the three of us go for a walk - usually 2-4 miles. He has all sorts of engaging toys and is walked every 3 hours throughout the workday. He also goes to the dog park and playgroups. He socializes at puppy kindergarten class on Saturdays, and every Sunday we take him to my in-laws for a couple of hours to play with their dogs.
The biting/snarling/barking is getting out of control. He is growing rapidly at a rate of 1-2lbs a week and it is getting more difficult for me to physically restrain/control him. I have read a number of books and consulted a variety of sources on how to deal with this. I understand he is so young we need to have some patience, but I also understand that this is a problem that can escalate if not addressed.
We are tearing our hair out and just don't know what to do!
I appreciate any insight you may have.