Puppy question, Please HELP!!!

[Gertie's Mom]

Hi, I have a new puppy question. What is it with the biting!?! Gertie is 8 weeks old and she has a TON of toys and chews, all her own, but she far prefers to bite toes, feet, any human flesh she can get in her mouth. I know puppies chew, I know puppies are sometimes destructive chewers, I've had puppies before, but she is my first Bulldog puppy and OMG!! PLEASE tell me how to make her stop doing this!

[bullmama]

Hi Gertie! Now stop all that chewing, I know human flesh is soft and salty (makes for a great chew toy) but it's time for your mommy to lay down the law.

Be firm, and aggressive while teaching her this is not acceptable. Do not offer her chew toys in a sweet voice. (This confuses them and they will think they are being rewarded for the behavior)

You can tell her no by tapping your finger on her nose to get her attention, then roll her on her back until she stops squirming. Then again tell her NO firmly while she is paying attention.

Do this for any type of bad puppy behavior. Until the teething stops, it will be a long haul, get some no-chew spray for anything she can reach. Otherwise, your furniture will be nicely decorated as well.

Possibly adding some yummy chewing alternatives, like flavored Nylabones, would be good as well.

Good luck

[Reggie]

Hi,
Congrats on acquiring your new baby and finding this site so soon, it is excellent! Part of my nightly love-in with Reggie involves me holding his nylabone (whilst lying horizontal on sofa) and he just chews it for England! He's 7 months now so the habit is ingrained from about 8 weeks when we got him. I just redirected (some of) the behaviour (nipping at my flesh) onto the flavoured nylabone. It really helped when he was teething, itchy gums, hot ears time. Now I think he does it to relax and comes and asks for it! I still haven't eradicated the feet biting totally yet though. I think the above post is really good advise.
Best wishes

[Libra926]

Another way to deter is to get a plastic bottle and fill it will gravel. When the unwanted behavior starts, shake it. It'll startle them, tell them no. Redirect. In my case, this worked for awhile. Then Vegas decided he wanted the bottle to play with. Fast forward....he's 3 and he doesn't bite.

[catorres8988]

i had this problem with spike when he was a baby... he is now 7months and doesn't do it as much... i think its just a stage

[Gertie's Mom]

Thanks Everyone! I do have Nylabones for Gertie, she really does love them. She has gotten a little better in the last day or two. I did get the bitter spray too. She doesn't seem too detoured by it tho. But so far she's leaving furniture alone pretty well. She'd rather chew feet than the sofa.

[sheshistory]

Bentley was a very mouthy puppy too and loved to lick and bite fingers and toes as a puppy. In addition to all the methods above, when he gnawed on us, we'd gently depress his tongue with our thumb and say no. It's unpleasant (but harmless) for the pup and also teaches them negative association with biting people.

I agree with the post above, suggesting it is a phase but it's important to be able to correct bad behavior before they get too big!

[Nichols Timothy]

i can say fergie loves feet not so much chewing. I would say its more of a way to get noticed.

[Libra926]

Thanks Everyone! I do have Nylabones for Gertie, she really does love them. She has gotten a little better in the last day or two. I did get the bitter spray too. She doesn't seem too detoured by it tho. But so far she's leaving furniture alone pretty well. She'd rather chew feet than the sofa.

Ohhhh watch out for the bitter apple! Bulldogs seem to love the taste!

[LisaRN]

Chester wanted to chew everything when we brought him home..and everything he chewed we put "bitter apple" on. (from PetSmart).. now, he chews on nothing.

[Gertie's Mom]

We actually got Bitter Yuck, instead of Bitter Apple, it was cheaper and just sounded less appealing than Apple. This stuff is AWFUL!! Trust me, I got some on my fingers and it is terrible! But it doesn't seem to matter much to Gertie. We sprayed it on the things she'd been chewing on and I guess I have seen a difference. I'll spray it some more and see how we do. She is really doing better with the chewing on people tho.

[bullmama]

bitter yuck does not seem to do as well I don't think...