Hi. We’re new owners of a male border terrier, now 9 weeks old. He’s pretty well behaved overall but the big problem we’re having is him biting and nipping ankles, toes, trouser legs, shoes, fingers etc etc. I know it’s part of normal puppy behaviour but we’re finding it frustrating. The advice we’d read was that when the puppy bites you should leave the room for a short time as that teaches him not to do it. However that’s easier said than done when he’s attached to your big toe! We try distracting him with other toys but that’s usually not very successful. Any tips for helping curtail this behaviour? We don’t want it to become normal as he grows up. Thanks!
My Border is now 13 years old. He's an old trouper. I have had him since he was 10 weeks old and he raced around like a raving lunatic for a while. He grabbed your socks while you were still wearing them and he play bit just like yours. We wondered what we'd got ourselves into, but he got through it and it didn't take that long. It just requires a little patience, because with a Border it is all worth it in the end. I wouldn't worry about it. Just don't wear any decent socks! You can try and distract him with hard toys like Kongs. Empty plastic water bottles seemed to work for us, but make sure he's supervised. You will find pretty soon he will be the best friend you will ever get. It's just a phase, and he will get through it.
Thanks. It’s always good to hear from people that have been through similar experiences and that it doesn’t last forever. Definitely going to try the water bottle later as well!
Also if trying to turn his mouthiness onto a toy, try one that squeaks. My Border loves her squeakies, but won't even look at other toys. They do get through it and when they do they are marvellous dogs. So comical and wonderfully loving.
Also, you will be reaching the teething stage soon, so make sure you have good chewing toys and treats. Straight toys won't work for that, he's going to want to gnaw on things more.
Thanks for the replies, we’ve been surprised at just how much hard work a new puppy is, but we’ll get there. Good to hear that other people have been through similar experiences
My pup is 10 weeks and doing the same. We've had her two weeks and have consistently shouted "no bite" and pulled away from her. Then play with her immediately when she stops. She's slowly starting to lick instead of biting (slowly!). I've done the same with the other 3 dogs I've raised and it worked well with them. This is my first terrier breed, so I don't know! How are you all doing now?
Please don't shout at her. It is unnecessary and can actually make things worse, or at the least result in taking much longer to teach the appropriate behavior. Think how you'd feel if every time you make a mistake you got shouted at - it's irritating and frustrating. A dog will feel that same way. That she is licking at you suggests she is feeling anxious. This is most likely due to being shouted at. You can get the https://www.dogdecoder.com/ app to help understand dog body language. Rather than shout "no bite" at her, simply use a calm gentle voice and give her an appropriate chew instead. By giving her a chew, you are allowing for her teething needs. She needs to know what she is allowed to chew on, not just that she is not supposed to bite and chew on you. Remember that most all inappropriate dog behavior is natural behavior to a dog. Biting, nipping, chewing, barking, etc, are all normal dog behaviors. So we want to provide them with appropriate outlets for those behaviors rather than try to eliminate them completely. And we don't want to shout at or punish a dog for those behaviors because it doesn't make sense. It's like the old technique of smacking a left-handed child's hand if they wrote with their left hand - it causes frustration, anxiety and negative connotations rather than helping the child.
