[linnealand]

I don't have a problem with having our puppy sit on our furniture. In fact, I would be happy if he would eventually sleep in our bed. The problem, though, is that every single time I put him on the couch or on the bed, he goes into a little nipping fit. It's like a power stronger than himself, and he nips and chews uncontrollably. He'll be nipping or chewing on us, at the couch, at the pillows, the sheets, his tail... everything. I give him his own toys to chew on then, which is working just fine for now, but I thought that maybe after a week or two of conditioning him to relax in these places that the nipping and chewing would subside, but it hasn't. We've been guessing that these are places that really have our scent in a major way, and maybe he's feeling stressed out that they're dominant places? I sit with him, try to pet him, will keep him in my lap, talk calmingly to him, but it's still kind of a mystery in terms of what to do, other than not putting him there, that is. I know he likes the bed, but he's so excited!

His nipping and chewing are usually just at normal puppy level. Does anyone know why these places make him go into super nippy-chewy mode and what we can do to bring him to relax in these places?

Also, are we making a mistake by putting him on these places? Is it unhealthy to sleep with a dog in your bed?

[N0help4u]

I would let him stay on the furniture when he is not nipping and place him on the floor when he is nipping so that he eventually catches on to the distinction of when he nips and when he doesn't.

[linnealand]

That certainly would be a simple solution, but the nipping and chewing start the second he gets there...

[froggy7]

It sounds to me like you have a very active puppy. I wouldn't put him on the furniture unless he was very sleepy, for now. I have a feeling that he sees being invited up there as an invitation to play with you two, and is surprised when you don't want to.

[N0help4u]

Up until around their second birthday some dogs are just extra playful, nippy and all that so I would say do like froggy says and only allow him up when he is really too tired to play.
Then after he gets older and a less nippy then put him up when he seems less nippy and put him down whenever he is being nippy.
His nippiness should start to slow down within a few months to a year

[Unknown008]

Is it cold in Italy at the moment? Huh, I don't think so, am I right? Then you could perhaps keep your puppy most of the time outside. Let it tire off playing, running, etc with its toys. Mine is nearly 8 years old. After playing, she just drinks a lot of water and lay down, enable to do any more exercise! Lol!

[linnealand]

Thanks for your answers. :)

We're in full-on summer at the moment, and it's only going to get hotter. There's not a lot of air conditioning around here, so you can really feel it, but the weather is beautiful. We live in the city center, and (very luckily) our apartment is right above our design studio. Since we own the business, we have no problem with the puppy coming to work with us, plus the studio has a large courtyard garden where he can run free. This means that between work and home we are together a ton, and we play a LOT. He is a very active puppy, but he also takes a nice number of naps throughout the day. I tried putting him in bed with us when I knew he was totally worn out, but that fountain of energy had him wide awake and bouncing like a little lamb between all the things he could nip and chew. The for the experience! If I try to get him to sleep on the couch, he jumps off it. I think your suggestions, though, are good, and it might just take time for him to chill out with the nipping. At least sitting *on* the couch is not a necessary lesson. :)

[linnealand]

Okay, I am adding another post because I tried putting the pup on the couch and on the bed yesterday, especially because I knew that he was totally exhausted. He BITES when he's there, and he's trying to bite ME - my arms, my hands, my legs, my face - ME. It's the same thing for my hubby - the pup is trying to bite us. It's not done with barking or anything, but it IS a lot of non-stop biting. I have been supplying him with other things to bite all along, but he doesn't really want them, and he really wants to tell me that he does not want to be there. His playful nipping is different - this biting is harder and with a lot more mouth. He's not trying to break skin (and he hasn't), but he is definitely telling me that he does not like these places. What could it be? I haven't done anything I can possibly think of to make him hate being there. Maybe he feels trapped, like the bed is too high? I am at a loss here...

[N0help4u]

Yeah he probably feels trapped because he is too small to jump down.
Maybe don't push him being on the sofa and bed until he is old enough to jump off and on.

[Unknown008]

Anyone never thought that your pup's teeth were aching? It's a pup and it's teeth are growing.

linnealand, do you still give your pup milk? Or any soft things to eat? Your pup perhaps need bones! You can start with chicken bones!

[froggy7]

Actually, if the pup is teething, I've heard that a good thing to do is get a cloth wet, knot it, and put it in the freezer. Then give it to the pup to chew on. The cold soothes their gums.

[Unknown008]

Ah OK thanks for the precisions and advice!

[linnealand]

Thanks for the ideas, all! He's 2 1/2 months old, so I don't think his adult teeth are coming in yet (are they supposed to come in between 4 - 6 months?). We have been giving him beef knees to chew on, he has different toys, and if we come in from an intense play period on hotter days I will also give him ice cubes, which he's crazy about. We just got home from the pet store where we got him a TON of different things to chew on, which is great because in addition to satisfying his urge to chew it keeps him away from the things he shouldn't chew on. I really, really like the idea of putting the cloth in the freezer. Anyway, the chewing is one thing, but this biting on the bed looks psychological to me. I'm going to see if I can find some steps or something for him to use for getting on and off the bed to see if that helps. If there are any changes I'll post them. I'm still wide open to ideas!

[Unknown008]

Ok, then! Hope that you get the solutions to your puppy biting problem!

[Unknown008]

NEVER give a dog a bone that will splinter! I don't even believe in steak bones. Give the puppy dog bones to chew on.

You meant give it... the bones of a dog! But... isn't that cannibalism!

[bushg]

Linnealand here is a list of the ASPCA"s list of foods that should never be given to your dog. Chicken bones are on the list as being dangerous to dogs. They can cause severe, life threatening constipation as well as a choking hazard they are also said to sometimes splinter causing damage to the dogs intestines.

The No-No List
Do not feed your dog the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Grapes & raisins
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems & unripe fruit
- Yeast dough

[Unknown008]

Oh, sorry, I didn't know that poultry bones formed part of the "harmful to dogs". I guess I'll better edit my previous post?

[linnealand]

Thanks to all of you for being so thoughtful in your posts. You've been incredibly supportive, and I really appreciate your ideas. I'm here with an update: success!

After a whole lot of tiny treats, quiet time, sleepy moments, very squeaky toys and (yes) tiny bite marks, he fell asleep in my arms on the couch. I really thought it would take much longer for that to happen. Granted, it didn't last forever, but we're slowly getting him used to being in these special places. He's still bouncing like a tiny lamb with a mouth full of little teeth when he's on the bed, but the biting will cease for short periods. If he gets too excited and mouthy, we put him back down onto the floor. The good part is that I'm hopeful, and I do believe that one day we will be able to sit and sleep in peace, all three of us. :) I put a step next to the bed and I've been showing him how to get up and down from it, but he's still so little that it's going to take some time for him to be able to reach the height it requires in either direction. Still, I think it gives him some reassurance that there are ways on and off "the big rectangular squishy place" in addition to his mama's arms. Thanks again to all of you!

[Unknown008]

Happy to learn that your pup and you are going on better! Good luck for the future. You'll be most welcomed if you have anymore problems! Ok, I'll now edit my previous post about bones... lol

[Unknown008]

Ah, shoot! I cannot... Well, I hope that anyone reading post 10 in this topic does pay much attention to my last part:o