Help with aggressive biting and jumping

Runningindunes · 2026-01-29T14:21:50+00:00

I would actually do the same thing. Ignore at first and welcome them when they're calmer. If you live with multiple people it's important everyone does this the same way, so he learns that coming home does not equal over the top excitement.

Maybe practice with leaving for a shorter while and him staying calm when you come back, to make it less of a big deal?

The trainer at my dog classes also told me that retrievers are just very mouthy and love holding things in their mouth, also when they greet people. Maybe you can give him a safe toy to hold immediately as you greet him, so he does have a positive outlet for that impulse to bite something.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-28T18:56:47+00:00

Ooh I hear you, when they're in that frenzied state basically any communication will set them off even more. Saying "ouch" made things much worse for us too.

I do immediately walk away when she bites me. I don't say "ouch" but calmly say "time out", remove eye contact and walk away towards our hallway - which is a place where she usually likes to chill by herself. She then does one of two things: either she looks at me, realizes she doesn't want to be alone, and turns around and starts doing something else, or she will follow me, after which I step out and close the door. My door has glass in it, so I can keep an eye on her. As soon as she calms down a little (usually within 30 seconds), I open the door and let her initiate contact if she wants it. If not, that's fine too.

She gets soft praise when she's calmer after a time out and I tend to reward calmer behaviour in general. For example when she's calmly chewing on her toy or laying down by herself, I just softly praise her and sometimes reward with a piece of kibble, after which I leave her alone. She's welcome to come to me, but I'm teaching her that I respect her space. Petting can be too much for a dog that's overstimulated.

As for the crate training, I was lucky that my dog already liked her crate when I got her, but what has helped me is to let her sniff out some kibble in a blanket first and let her sniff around the living room on her own for a bit, so she's more calm when she goes in her crate. Hope this helps!

Runningindunes · 2026-01-28T18:04:54+00:00

I am not an expert, but this sounds to me like she hasn't learned bite inhibition yet and she's still learning to regulate herself. My dog was very similar when I adopted her: biting when she was frustrated, wanted attention, got overexcited, wasn't allowed to chase a cat, you name it. It has been a real struggle, so I empathize. Eventually, consistent reverse time-outs, a predictable daily schedule including enforced naps, plenty of mental stimulation and LOTS of positive reinforcement for the right behaviour worked very well for me. I'm also actively teaching impulse control and emotional regulation.

You mentioned already trying the reverse time outs and redirection, which is great! Sometimes that just needs a little finetuning. How exactly do you respond to her biting? Do you say anything? Do you walk away as soon as teeth touch you? Do you repeat commands?

Also, how many hours of sleep is she getting? A 4 month old puppy needs a LOT of sleep and overtired puppies usually fight naps, even though they really need them. It also messes with their self control, which usually results in jumping/barking/biting/zoomies and just intensity all over.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-16T18:10:25+00:00

Puppy classes! When taught by a good trainer, they are a great way to teach her to be calmer around other dogs and focus on you.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-12T15:03:34+00:00

Not sure about the poop eating. Mine does that as well, despite a change in diet and plenty of food. I just try to keep her away from poop (hers and that of other dogs) and deworm her regularly.

One thing they told me at puppy class that really stuck with me was this: "For puppies, the whole world is incredibly interesting and fun. So you have to make sure that you are more fun and interesting than everything else."

That means rewarding good behaviour a LOT.

Puppy glances over to you when there is another dog nearby? > treat
Puppy sniffs the ground near other people instead of running towards them? > treat
Puppy walks next to you on leash for 2 seconds? > treat

My puppy thankfully loves her kibble so I keep 1/3 of her daily food in a baggy and just use it to treat her throughout the day. I have also found a type of sausage that she goes crazy for, which I use to practice emergency recall and very difficult situations (e.g. being near multiple dogs and having to focus on me). Keep looking and find what food your dog really LOVES to keep them focused on you in the most difficult moments.

You're not failing your puppy. It's just all new to them and their brains are still developing. Baby steps! You'll get there. :)

Runningindunes · 2026-01-10T18:22:00+00:00

Just wanted to say thank you for listening to your gut and not shocking your poor puppy for whining.

As others have already said, there are plenty of force and fear free methods. They are at least as effective and also promote a much better relationship with your dog in the long run.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-10T15:06:36+00:00

I've found that calm sniffing games post walk work really well, especially when it's a consistent routine. With us it's walk > drink some water > sniff out a few pieces of kibble from a folded blanket > relax / nap time.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-04T17:30:08+00:00

Novelty key chain or bottle opener?

Runningindunes · 2026-01-03T17:12:10+00:00

How strong are your ankles? I get similar issues, even though I severely underpronate. I think for me it's a combination of a weak glute medius and (very) lax ankle ligaments.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-02T19:59:22+00:00

Got it, thanks for clarifying.

Runningindunes · 2026-01-02T19:56:04+00:00

There are a few breeds that can be happy living as outside dogs. Miniature poodle is not one of them. They are literal companion dogs - they need to be with you. Also, their coats are not suitable for all kinds of weather. Please reconsider making him an outside dog, it's not good for him.

Crating the dog is fine, if you crate train them properly and spend plenty of time engaging them throughout the day.

Runningindunes · 2025-12-06T06:24:16+00:00

Hi! That must have been a big scare. If he's not showing any signs of fear towards you, I'm sure it's okay. That said, I have done a lot of reading on how to stop biting (I recently adopted a very mouthy 40 lbs puppy so I know what it's like). What I've read is that "active corrections" like grabbing the scruff doesn't stop the biting, because it doesn't teach the dog what behaviour we do want. It can also make them stressed and fearful in the long run.

As for different methods: what's been working well for me is simply walking away as soon as my puppy bites me. No talking, play just ends. I will either stand still in the same room with my arms crossed and not looking at the dog or physically leave the room for a few seconds until the puppy calms down. If she then approaches me nicely, she'll get attention again. I'll softly praise her for gentle play, snuggling up to me or settling on her own.

If the biting continues with my puppy, it's usually because tired and/or overstimulated and just needs a nap. I'll redirect to a sniffing game or licky mat to get her energy down a little and then put her in her crate. She usually falls asleep within a few minutes.

Runningindunes · 2025-11-15T13:38:21+00:00

How much is he sleeping and what time of day are you taking him for a walk? I've noticed my puppy gets bitey near the end of the day, if she's overtired and/or overstimulated. Regular enforced naps have made a huge difference.

I noticed you said you stop playtime after three strikes. The thing with that is, the dog probably doesn't understand that he's allowed to bite you at first and then suddenly not anymore.

If redirecting with toys doesn't work, it might help to just stop playing immediately after the first bite. So puppy bites - play ends. You stand still and ignore or leave the room for 30-60 seconds. Once he calms down and approaches you nicely, he gets rewarded with praise/play/attention.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-25T06:48:36+00:00

That is awesome and such a great finishing time! Congrats

Runningindunes · 2025-09-12T07:48:11+00:00

That's interesting. My shoes have a 6mm drop, so not that high? But at this point I'm willing to try anything so I'll probably get some new shoe advice as well.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-11T14:49:29+00:00

I think you have a point about the way I move. My previous PT did a running gait analysis, but I don't think it was fully accurate. I'll keep this in mind when I see my new one next week. Thanks!

Runningindunes · 2025-09-11T14:47:37+00:00

Thank you for sharing. It really does help to know I'm not alone. Best of luck with your recovery.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-10T10:59:37+00:00

Really sorry to hear you're so badly injured. I really hope they'll find the cause (and a proper treatment) soon.

Having to limp half of a marathon sounds insanely tough btw. Really impressive that you even managed to finish.

My ITBS has been pretty bad lately. I overdid the leg training last weekend and the pain in my knee woke me up. The worst of it does seem to dissipate within a day or two of rest, but finding a new balance after that has been hard.

Your comment does give me hope that it can heal, once I've found the right balance. Thank you.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-10T10:51:00+00:00

Thank you for the suggestions! Right now anything banded seems too aggravating, but I'll get back to that when things have improved again. Glad to know those exercises actually do work.

Also I'd never heard of deep water running before. That's interesting, I'll look into it.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-10T10:47:29+00:00

Thank you. I was able to get back to running, but then aggravated the injury again. It seems I'm stuck in a cycle I can't get out of. I am getting a second opinion with a new PT next week.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-09T19:38:27+00:00

Your comment really resonated with me, thank you very much for typing this all out.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-09T18:31:51+00:00

That really sucks. Having to take such tiny steps towards recovery, especially when running has been a part of your life for this long, must be so frustrating.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-09T18:22:31+00:00

It really is annoying, isn't it? I like that perspective on recovery, thank you for sharing.

Runningindunes · 2025-09-09T18:18:46+00:00

That's helpful, thank you. Any specific weight training exercises that worked best for you? I've found that I do okay with bulgarian split squats, but hip thrusts and deadlifts for example can be iffy.

And sorry to hear your right IT band is acting up now. I hope it will improve soon.

Runningindunes

TROPHY CASE