So let me ask you owners this: Is it the breed, or just puppies in general that bite the hell out of everything? Anna, my 8 week old mini has put about a million little holes in my fingers and nose and ears, pretty much anywhere she is able to close her little jaws. I would like to put a stop to this behavior as soon as possible but if it's just a puppy thing I don't know exactly how I would go about that. Thanks for the info.

Andy

*Edit - I bought her a few flavored nylabones and that type of thing. I also bought a mini kong, the smallest one I could find, and she doesn't show any interest in that. The other toys she loves as long as I throw them for her, but she won't go and just pick one up and chew it, she would much rather chew my fingers when I'm not paying attention.

It's certainly is a puppy thing! All puppies large breed or small breed, at that age, are going to chew. Try some puppy toys that you can put in the freezer. She shouldn't be starting to teeth for a little while yet but she will enjoy them nonetheless. The cold feels good on their gums. She probably likes the way your fingers taste over her bones, my puppy was the same way when we first got him home. They learn pretty quick though what's acceptable to munch on. Constant correcting is key. I'd give the frozen toy thing a shot too. Most puppies love it to pieces.

**I noticed Dachshunds are quite popular here too:)

It certainly is a puppy thing. Most of my experience is with Labs and other larger breeds. Some individuals within in a breed are worse than others. Over the years, I have seen the same questions about biting and chewing from people with many different breeds.

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find one that won't yelp, jerk their hand away, and leave.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
Pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
There to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
Close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
Pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
I don't trust any of the consumable chews. The dogs just gnaw them down to a
Dangerous size too quickly. These problems are the worst with, but not
Limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

The sticky starting at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251802 covers chewing other things and some other useful information.

Well I am glad to hear that it's not just this dog that has bad habits already. I have been worrying a lot about it because I really want this dog to listen well. I am going to buy a book or two about dog obidience. I think she is starting to understand sit, but she loses interest very quick, which I know is normal. I don't want to overwelm her too soon though.

Glad to help! It's actually very good that you're starting this early with sit. In my opinion, a puppy is most absorbent between 8 and 12 weeks. I got Abram when he was 8 weeks old and he had sit and lay down mastered by 12 weeks. Not to mention he was fully potty trained at 12 weeks also. If you're consistent, they learn quickly. He's now 6 months and we continue to work on his obedience. We've got him to where we tell him to sit, stay, and we can walk clear around the block and he'll be just frozen right where we left him. (of course someone is close by making sure he doesn't dart off) The more complex commands take more patience, but the basics can be learned sometimes in a matter of hours. You're right to not overwhelm her. Once she seems to get fidgety or confused I think it's best to take a break. Let her get one thing mastered at a time before introducing something new. Keep up the good work!

There seems to be like a few minutes every hour that she pays attetion to what I am trying to teach her, and that's the time I am sitting there trying to teach her things.

Katie, my cousin has a beautiful rott, just a little over a year now, and he is the smartest dog I've ever met. He can do so many things, turn on and off the light switch, wave, stand on his back legs, he always stays out of the kitche, doesn't beg, doesn't eat anything off the floor. I really want a rott to be my next dog, sometime way in the future.

Very young puppies do learn quickly, but you must keep the sessions short, only a few repetitions of a command at a time. When I get a 7 week old puppy, I put it down on the floor of the kennel lobby and start its first heeling lesson on the way out the door.

I guess I'm just unsure what commands to give her, and how to handle her. Do I physically show her what I mean over and over? Or try to let her figure it out? It's all a bit overwhelming I guess. I've done nothing but read stuff online about this subject for the past couple of days. I read a lot starting about two months before we got her, but I am surprised at how much more difficult it is. I really enjoy working with her though, and hopefully I'll have her and I on the right path. labman, I saw your sticky with all of the books, but is there one or two specific books that have helped you more than the others? Thanks again for the help.

The list is a list that was given to me. None of the few books on the list that I have read is the basic dog book you need. I have read the Monks of New Skete The Art of Raising a Puppy, and it is a good basic book.