Puppy biting visitors

[kp818]

So I've had my little Luna for almost three weeks now. We've been working on her puppy nipping the entire time. She is rewarded when she licks skin and we tell her "no bite" when she nips at us. She has gotten a lot better with my boyfriend and myself.

However, when family comes over to visit she forgets all training (not just the nipping). I imagine she is just excited but are there any suggestions to help her treat visitors nicely? The whole time my family was over she was nipping and biting at shoes; and they just wanted to pet her! I want her to socialize around everyone, but she is really wild with the biting when someone new comes over.

Are there any special steps I should be taking? I tell everyone to tell her "no bite" and ignore her is she is biting at them?

[Mr Good Cat]

Well, me and my partner have had Toby almost two weeks and he's came a long way with his nipping. Certain people he carries on biting, he's the same...he gets really excited and then forgets his training and bites BUT I think it's just a case of consistency and if you and everyone else carries on doing what you're already doing with the "no bite" and praising for licking then at some point Luna will understand that she's not meant to do it.

[kp818]

That sounds a lot like what is happening with Luna. She is a lot better with me and boyfriend, but certain people she really takes to nipping.

She is better though, except now she thinks it is fun to bark at us. :(

[Rosiepug]

It's completely normal puppy behaviour. Plus she's overwhelmed by the excitement of visitors. Continue the no bite training and try to help her from failing by not putting her in situations where she gets over stimulated. It's great for her to interact with visitors but after greeting them it may be better to put her in her crate before she gets too excited.

[jstpugginalong]

I agree with Jaqueline, keep up the positive reinforcment but try not to set her up for failure when she becomes overly excited, crating would prevent this.

[518dark-rose]

I find that keeping Scooby distracted with his toys when visitors are around helps.

& I always make sure there are some of his toys near to our guests, if he nips I just tell them to say "ah ah" in a sharp voice, remove their hand and replace it with a toy followed with "good boy" when he chews on that instead. He's learning that people aren't for chewing on, but as Jacquelin said, it's normal puppy behaviour, she'll grow out of it if you're consistent :) x

[Spinicki82]

Ugh! I'm going through the same thing with my pug puppy. She is doing great with us, but when we have visitors she goes crazy. I think she just gets really excited. I've started having my company ignore her completely until she is calm. If she gets all nippy I have them put her down.

[Nixy n Gertie]

Right there with you guys. Gertie, now 10 weeks old, is an absolute bitey monster! My 16 year old son looked after her yesterday and when I got home he looked exhausted - apparently she is 'possessed' . She has time outs in her pen, praise for chewing on good things and she is starting to get the message - but when she goes, man does she go! It's like I've swapped my puglet for a little gremlin.

[kp818]

First, I want to thank you all for your answers. I will definitely try to work in some toys/treats nearby now when people are around. I've been trying to work on a little obedience training right when people arrive (she can show off how smart she is AND she calms down!), like sit and stay. She has gotten better about the nipping.

Luna is much less bitey with people now, but she is still a total spaz when someone comes over. Thankfully she is now just rolling on them and licking them like crazy. She also whines and starts wiggling a lot when someone knocks on the door.

Is this something that she will grow out of or should I be taking some steps to calm her when people come. Yesterday I placed her in her quiet space in the kitchen until she calmed down and she came right out and did her typical hyper puppy lick/wag dance on my sister. haha.