My Sheltie Puppy Won't Stop Biting!

B

birdfeeder77

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I have a 13 week old Sheltie puppy named Charlie. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. Our problem is that he will not stop biting. He is so smart, and I have taught him many tricks with ease and he is probably at least 75% house broken. We don't quite trust him yet. With Charlie I have tried EVERYTHING. I have yipped like a dog, I have moved away and ignored him when he started biting (but he chases after me and tries to bite more), I have tried the stern NO! and that doesn't work. I have tried using a finger folded over and knocked him gently on his little beak and said NO! and he just bites more - although I know this breed doesn't take to physical training, the vet recommended this. I have tried the spray bottle, which he attacks when he gets sprayed. I have held his bottom jaw gently and said NO! And when he stops fighting me and I let go, he just bites more aggressively. I can't pet him without him biting, I can't play with him because he bites. I know everyone has said, oh he is teething, you need to give him more things to chew on. Really? This dog has everything in the world to chew on. I have tried sticking his toys and chew bones in his mouth when he tries to bite and he will drop them and bite me. And YES! He has a Kong toy too. I have tried a different word to say no like STOP - someone else told me that. You name it, i have done it. I read on another website someone said to hold him and his little muzzle closed (gently) and tell him no bite or stop until he becomes calm and his little body stops fighting me and he looks away to show he has fallen into a "Cesar Millan" submissive state and display that I am the dominant one. Has anyone done this? I love him and want to spend time with him and play with him and pet him without getting attacked. And yes, I have walked him and walked him and played with him to release his energy and exercise him. Still, he keeps biting. Has ANYONE experienced this??? Anyone??? :confused2:
 
Oh, I remember this age well!

I could not move around the house without Bacca attached to my ankles.

The good news is that they do outgrow this phase. The less good news is that it takes until about 12 months until they finally stop using human's as things to herd.

The only thing I can suggest is distraction. You want to give the dog something more interesting than YOU to chew on.

There are a few passive techniques to try (i.e. give him a bully stick or something yummier than your feet) or take the opportunity to turn his play into a training opportunity. When pup is biting everthing, it means he is alert. A great time to work on sits/stays/comes/down, etc. When they are feeling "mouthy" they respond really well to treat rewards.

p.s. I finally solved this problem by getting a 2nd dog at 10 months.....they just chewed and herded each other....and still do.....
 
ive only had one that was that headstrong that nothing worked, yelping, toy redirection..etc...he is extremely smart and will out think everything! I swear if I didnt know any better I would say he was part BC!

What worked well when he got riled up and and lets say out of control, I had a time out spot for him in an ex-pen. When he wouldnt stop or listen to what I was instructing I would calmly pick him up and put him in his ex-pen with some chewy toys. Rather quickly he came to realize the play time with me ended if he didnt stop when I said to.
 
I know I'm going to get beat up on this but here goes. Our Amber Lee will be five months old on May 19th. She was doing every thing you said your dog is doing. We did everything you did with the same results. She likes to play tug of war with some of her chew toys. When she would let go of it I would play keep away and not let her have it. Her reflexes are so fast that one day she lunched faster then I could react and my hand hit the side of her face and she yelped very loud. She jumped back and looked very startled. I was able to react fast enough and say in a loud stern voice NO BITE.After that the command NO BITE has worked.

I am in no way saying you should hit your dog. It was not my intent to hit Amber either. But I was able to use that unplanned instance for good. She will still come to me and want me to pet her. When I pick her for a cuddle she will lick my neck and ears. She still wants to taste my hearing aids.
Amber still sleeps in her crate in the kitchen. My wife is the first one down stairs in the morning and will take her out in the back yard. When they come back in she goes back in her crate so she can eat. But she doesn't want to eat until I take her out of the crate and have our good morning cuddle.
 
dkean said:
I know I'm going to get beat up on this but here goes. Our Amber Lee will be five months old on May 19th. She was doing every thing you said your dog is doing. We did everything you did with the same results. She likes to play tug of war with some of her chew toys. When she would let go of it I would play keep away and not let her have it. Her reflexes are so fast that one day she lunched faster then I could react and my hand hit the side of her face and she yelped very loud. She jumped back and looked very startled. I was able to react fast enough and say in a loud stern voice NO BITE.After that the command NO BITE has worked.

I am in no way saying you should hit your dog. It was not my intent to hit Amber either. But I was able to use that unplanned instance for good. She will still come to me and want me to pet her. When I pick her for a cuddle she will lick my neck and ears. She still wants to taste my hearing aids.
Amber still sleeps in her crate in the kitchen. My wife is the first one down stairs in the morning and will take her out in the back yard. When they come back in she goes back in her crate so she can eat. But she doesn't want to eat until I take her out of the crate and have our good morning cuddle.
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True....its hard to condone this as a training technique, but at least you were able to turn an accident into stopping a behaviour.

You might want to consider a next step though....and that's to now reinforce with positive reinforcement. So when you say No Bite, and she complies, she gets treats and praise. Just a thought.
 
Thanks Barb,

I do give her treats when she complies. We give her the treats we get from the vet. They are lo-cal but she likes them. My wife thinks I give her to many but she listens to me. My wife can't get her to come in when called. So she asks me to get her in. I just call her from the other room and she will come in because she knows I will give her a biscuit. She also knows she has to sit to get her biscuit,so as soon as her feet hit the kitchen floor she sits.

I still feel bad about that incident but she still gives me our good morning cuddle and kisses on my neck. After that the only way to cuddle her again is to corner her. But she is only five months old (May 19). I hope she will out grow this soon.
 
I to have a 12 week old ankle biter, but he has improved since he was 8weeks old. I have been lucky and positive renforcement has worked for me. When Storm starts to ankle bite us, I give him a little tap on the noggin, tell him no bite and then he gives me, the well Ok, but why not look and he is off to play with his toys, or to pester his cousin Ella. I have had extremely good luck with Storm with positive renforcement training. He will just about do anything for a "Good Boy" and a pet.
 
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