# Why is puppy growling and biting me?



## mariebowman (Feb 8, 2013)

Hi. So my puppy who totally sweet cuddly and angelic 90% of the time has started growling at me and biting my legs, arms. Why? Is he playing or being dominate or does he just suddenly dislike me? He's always done some normal puppy mouthing in a soft way to explore, and sometimes gently when he's playful. But he just ran up to me and growled and bit my thigh. I was like 3 or 4 yards away and not doing anything to him. Once he decides he wants to bite and growl he will just follow me until he has a chance to bite even if I walk away. He'll just keep following me so I have to crate him if he doesn't calm down, he breaks the skin just slightly. He's 14 weeks old, and I've already registered him for puppy kindergarten, he'll start next week. This new behaviour is really not like him, I've had him for 5 weeks.

I tried the "Ouch!" approach when he bites or playbites, but it just entices him to attack more! I also asked the breeder who sold him to me what to do and she said to whack his bum with a rolled up newspaper but not an entire newspaper just the ads section so it's not too hard. Well I didn't have a rolled newspaper handy a couple of times when he bit me so I smacked his bum with my hand (not super hard, I'm a really wimpy person, just hard enough to be smack more than a tap). I know it's not good to "spank" dogs and I pretty much agree, because it just doesn't work and it doesn't seem good for the relationship BUT I had to do something to tell him not to bite me and I had nothing else. Perhaps the couple smacks have caused him to feel more aggressive towards me, BUT AGAIN he growls and bites first..before anything has happened...like when he just ran up to me simply to growl and bite. 

Ever since I've had him I have taken great care of him, exercise, treats for "come" and "sit", toys, cuddles, the best food, a nice crate, etc. Another thing that is new is he has started humping me alot. If I try to walk away from the hump or gently lower him off of my leg..he will bite me. Also, I have a 5 yr old daughter and he doesn't growl or bite or hump her. Just me. One would think he would go after a smaller target? Not that I want him to, of course! I'm glad he only goes after me but I find it interesting that he leaves the smaller, weaker human alone


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## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

Dogs don't try to dominate humans, so It's definitely not that.

He's a puppy! He's playing. And he's chosen you as a target because you are exciting. You make noise, run away, and even "play" back by using physical force. What he's doing is attention seeking, so stop giving it attention and he'll offer other behaviors (hopefully sit or down since he knows those). Step over a gate when he does it. Or, in the absence of a gate (such as taking him potty) make sure you always have your clicker and treats with you and click and treat the moment that he "pauses" in his attack. He'll soon learn that when he's nor biting is much better than the self-rewarding act of biting.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

He's trying to play - nothing there sounds aggressive, and dominance isn't a thing really (dogs don't think we're other dogs anyway). 

Definitely stop smacking him. Smacking will either scare a dog and ruin your relationship, or make them bite harder as they think you're playing. A quick yelp is a start, but you need to follow that up with walking away and ignoring the dog. The yelp will become a cue for him to stop biting, but he doesn't instinctively understand it at this point. You need to build an association of bite me, I yelp, then I walk away, and playtime ends.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Dominance isn't real. 
De-Bunking the "Alpha Dog" Theory
AVSAB Position on Dominance
Misconceptions of the Mythical "Alpha Dog"


When he goes for you, stick a toy in his mouth -to redirect him onto it, showing him what's appropriate to chew on.
If he continues to come after you, remove yourself from the room for a moment. This takes the fun away. 

Smacking in any shape or form is only going to hurt. The dog is going to come at you harder or is going to fear you.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

For some puppies, a higher pitched sound only excites them further. So, you may have to change the noise you make. Maybe a firm, loud OUCH (not in an angry way).

Have you read the sticky at the top of the forum page called "The Bite Stops Here"? It has excellent advice. Part of it is that you make a noise to let him know you didn't like it, and then, you have to leave the area for a bit, to let him know that when he bites, he loses contact with you. You mention that he continues to try to bite you if you walk away. The goal, then, should be for you to get to another room as quickly as possible, so you can shut the door. That way, he is losing contact with you, and he isn't being allowed to bite anymore. The losing contact is important.

As for the humping, that is normal puppy play, it can be a result of over excitement (not sexual) or over stimulation (not sexual). Just a puppy that is in a hyper mood, and is using humping as an outlet. When he does this, you can distract him by trying to get him to perform a command he knows, like sit. Then, run through all the commands he knows. Then, maybe play a quick game. That way, you are keeping his mind off going right back to humping, and you are giving him something to do.

He's just being a puppy. Puppies bite, and they bite hard sometimes. You mention he will continue to try to bite if you walk away.


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## Den (Feb 11, 2013)

A dog will dominate in a heartbeat!
Sounds like alot of animal planet advice here.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Ok, think that, if you'd like. 
Animal planet, that's funny.
Dogs do not think we are dogs, they do not think we are part of their "pack". In fact, domesticated dogs do not really have packs the way they did thousands of years ago. They may try to take advantage to get what they want, because they are basically opportunists. They may, if not consistently trained, have bad manners, even extremely bad manners. But, they don't try to rule over, or dominate us.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Den said:


> A dog will dominate in a heartbeat!
> Sounds like alot of animal planet advice here.


Scientifically proven that dogs do not operate on a system of dominance. 
It's a FALSE THEORY that dogs will dominate. It's SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN dogs will not dominate.
Click a couple of the above links.


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## Den (Feb 11, 2013)

Not trying to ruffle feathers here and certainly don't mean to offend but I have been on calls many times to help owners regain their homes back. Usually the conversation starts like my dog won't let me.....

Dogs do pack up. I have seen it many times. Scientific study is always up for debate and I am the first one in line to debate or open dialog because of misinformation due to science. Folks who live in rural areas have seen a pack of dogs take a deer down. 

The animal planet reference made is based on techniques and data I have collected over the years from customers.


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## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

Den said:


> Not trying to ruffle feathers here and certainly don't mean to offend but I have been on calls many times to help owners regain their homes back. Usually the conversation starts like my dog won't let me.....
> 
> Dogs do pack up. I have seen it many times. Scientific study is always up for debate and I am the first one in line to debate or open dialog because of misinformation due to science. Folks who live in rural areas have seen a pack of dogs take a deer down.
> 
> The animal planet reference made is based on techniques and data I have collected over the years from customers.


:doh: (That's all.)


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## Den (Feb 11, 2013)

And scientifically speaking the worse devise to walk your dog on is a flat collar. Wanna teach
your dog to pull use a harness. Dog's memory 1.3 seconds, 1 out of five mature wiener dogs have bitten their owners far more than pits,rotties,Malinois, dobermans and other so called vicious breeds.

These are not my stats so don't shoot the messenger 

Happy training


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Den said:


> Not trying to ruffle feathers here and certainly don't mean to offend but I have been on calls many times to help owners regain their homes back. Usually the conversation starts like my dog won't let me.....
> 
> Dogs do pack up. I have seen it many times. Scientific study is always up for debate and I am the first one in line to debate or open dialog because of misinformation due to science. Folks who live in rural areas have seen a pack of dogs take a deer down.
> 
> The animal planet reference made is based on techniques and data I have collected over the years from customers.


If you have been called to help owners "regain their homes back" then you have clients who LET the situation get out of control, most likely by not knowing how to handle their dogs. For instance, a dog will often guard what they consider to be a resource (this can often include a special spot or area, like a spot on the couch). So, an owner that doesn't deal with this guarding issue from the beginning may feel like their dog is taking over the couch, like the people are no longer allowed on the couch.

This does NOT mean the dog is dominating. It means that the dog presenting a guarding issue, and the people did not respond appropriately to a behavioral issue. The dog is NOT thinking "haha! I am in charge, I am the boss, I will OWN this couch!" It is simply a matter of a dog deciding he likes the couch, and doesn't want to lose his spot on the couch.

Conversations that start "my dog won't let me" usually involve a PEOPLE problem, rather than a dog problem, meaning the dog presented a behavioral issue and the people did not respond appropriately.

I live in a very rural area, on 118 acres. I have never seen dogs "pack up". The dogs live with their owners, and are not allowed to roam free, thus, they don't "pack up." Years ago, like hundreds or thousands of years, not all dogs were domesticated. Domesticated dogs do not need to pack up as they do not need to scavenge for food or protect themselves. Dogs DO have a social hierarchy, but it's SOCIAL, not based on ONE alpha dominating the pack.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Den said:


> And scientifically speaking the worse devise to walk your dog on is a flat collar. Wanna teach
> your dog to pull use a harness. Dog's memory 1.3 seconds, 1 out of five mature wiener dogs have bitten their owners far more than pits,rotties,Malinois, dobermans and other so called vicious breeds.
> 
> These are not my stats so don't shoot the messenger
> ...


Don't know what your point is on this one. No one here really believes in vicious breeds, by the way, so that "fact" is not going to upset anyone. Lol.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Den said:


> And scientifically speaking the worse devise to walk your dog on is a flat collar. Wanna teach
> your dog to pull use a harness. Dog's memory 1.3 seconds, 1 out of five mature wiener dogs have bitten their owners far more than pits,rotties,Malinois, dobermans and other so called vicious breeds.
> 
> These are not my stats so don't shoot the messenger


From a clinical research perspective, if these are not your stats, could you provide peer-reviewed journal citations?


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## Umpire (Feb 12, 2013)

Best thing to do is distract him with other toys when he is bitting, also yell ouch or that hurts and he should hopefully stop granted it may take a few times. the growl is just play growl i am assuming don't get into a fear mod cause dogs can smell fear.


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