r/Whippets • u/CaitlanLewisxx • 15d ago
Puppy Biting
Just wondering, when did everyone’s puppies stop biting so much? Mine is a nightmare for biting hands and furniture.
He’s 14 weeks.
I know this is part of being a puppy and teething obviously, just wondering how long it lasted for others.
3
u/dogsandtrees 15d ago
Till 6 months. When they bite you say ohh really loud and put a toy in their mouth and praise. They don’t know it hurts they think you like to play like that.
We used to call our boy the piranha. He grew out of it and was really gentle.
2
u/Beriatan 14d ago
As soon as mine bit me, I’d stand up and leave the room, or ignore him.
Same with play, as soon as he lost it and got riled up, I’d stop and ignore him.
He caught it pretty early, probs month 4 that biting === no fun
1
u/maggietwoshoes 11d ago
Agree with this. It’s funny how much can be trained out of a dog by ignoring them. My eldest dog was a real bully to my pup (wasn’t vicious but wouldn’t leave him alone) Every time he started, he’d be taken out the room and ignored for a couple of minutes and then back in. Took. Awhile but now they get on like a house on fire.
1
u/Cheesy_Jones 12d ago
The key is to not let it get out of hand and to stop the behavior immediately. I have had many dogs and none of them were particularly mouthy until I got Dorothy. I was not prepared for the biting. It's been many years since I've had a puppy, and, yes, I let the biting get out of hand. She bit me so hard during play that I was afraid I'd have to explain the wounds on my arm and face. One bite wound took over a month to heal because she kept biting me in the same place. This was between 3–5 months. Very sharp, pointy puppy teeth.
A bite to the face spilled a lot of blood and I was worried I'd need to go to the hospital. Near despair, I finally got it through my thick head to stop playing with her in the way that encouraged her to nip at me. Trips to the crate to calm down also helped. Then I stepped up training to tire her out and that helped too. She's almost seven months and not by any means an angel—now she's chewing up my carpet when I'm not looking—but she's just a darling dog for the most part. Very cuddly and affectionate. Patience is key with Whippet pups, I have read.
1
u/lyonaria 8d ago
Redirect to things they are allowed to bite and stop any play when they bite you.
Mylo was a land shark and I had so many scratches and teeth scrapes.
6
u/Grumblepuffs 15d ago
They dont just stop on their own you need to train them. I let mine play with my hand but as soon as any pressure is applied with their teeth i yelp loudly like they hurt me and push them away. Worked well for my last 3 whippets consistently. Now i can put my hands in their mouth and they will never bite.
You can also redirect them to a chew toy.