Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Help! Maltese puppy won't stop biting!
Hello! I'm hopping over from The Bump today 
My husband got me a Maltese Puppy for Christmas. Her name is Paisley. (See the picture in my avatar.)
She has done beautifully with almost everything. House training wasn't too bad. We take her outside about every 45 minutes to an hour. She rarely has accidents in the house.
However, her biting is OUT OF CONTROL. I understand that she is a puppy, but this is more like a vicious bite.
She has over thirty toys, some soft, and some hard for chewing purposes. We even got "teething bones" for her. She hasn't really destroyed anything around the house, but she bites at my feet and hands ALL the time. You can't even pet her without her biting, she opens her mouth immediately. If I raise my voice to tell her no, she comes lunging forward and bites! All of my holes now have socks in them because no matter where I am walking in the house, she latches on and bites me the whole way.
She does not seem to do this to DH, although she does sometimes. I just fear that when we do have children someday, she will be unsafe around them.
Anyone have any experience with something similar? Is this just a "puppy phase"? 
Thanks in advance, and sorry for the novel!
BFP # 1 - 4/1/2012
Jonah Alexander is here! ? Born @ 39w3d on 12/7/12
Re: Help! Maltese puppy won't stop biting!
She was born on October 18th. We brought her home on December 18th. She came from a woman who has bred her Maltese three times. She came from a litter of three, we got to go pick her out.
BFP # 1 - 4/1/2012
Jonah Alexander is here! ? Born @ 39w3d on 12/7/12
Eight weeks is the minimum amount of time a puppy needs to stay with their mom and littermates; ten to twelve weeks is ideal. She may have needed more time with them to learn bite inhibition, so you'll need to teach her.
https://sites.google.com/site/petsboardfaqs/home/training-and-behavior/bite-inhibition-training
Ditto teaching bite inhibition. We did it with Quincy and it worked well. We followed Ian Dunbar's advice too (which is what's in the link above) - whenever he nipped, we said "HEY!" or "OW!" and got up and walked away. Play time, together time, petting time - whatever you were doing - has to end immediately. After a few minutes, you can resume, but when she bites again, you have do it again. You have to be consistent and do it every single time, and eventually she'll learn.
ETA: Don't yell in a mean or punishing way, instead act like it really hurts.
Quincy and Dexter, new BFFs
I used to be kris216.
Quincy and Dexter, new BFFs
I used to be kris216.
That sounds awful, and I don't see how it would work in this scenario. The Ian Dunbar technique is a kind, positive way of teaching your dog what behavior is appropriate. It really does work.
Quincy and Dexter, new BFFs
I used to be kris216.
I have also read that spraying this anywhere near the pup's eyes can be extremely dangerous.
I have also read that spraying this anywhere near the pup's eyes can be extremely dangerous.