malamute puppy

Hi, hoping someone can help me out.
I have a 3 month old Alaskan Malamute named Kaiko.

He started nipping when playing with someone, but now it has turned into some serious biting. We have tried many, many things (ouch method gets him excited)... but he just seems to get more agravated when punished. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to stop this? I have read other suggestions from members, and I'm hoping something will help.
I'm curious as to how long it possibly takes to get him out of this habit of his.
We do have him enrolled in puppy kindergarden, but that doesn't start for another 2 weeks. I might lose an arm before then... :eek:

Thanks for any suggestions!! Dawn
Also...
He can't stand being by himself outside. If we are not in sight, he cries and cries. Will he just get over that?

Ahhh....puppyhood....nordic breeds and puppyhood...even better. :p

I have a male siberian husky...he's a year now, but I went through those puppy woes last year with him. He was a major *brat* puppy. He was also a serious biter too. I was worried he could really get aggressive by the way he was acting. I have heard many different ways to help with this problem. I tried most of them. I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" way really (for the most part) because different things work with different dogs. Here's some things to try...

Make a yelping or "ouch" sound when he bites on you. This did not work for my dog when he was young, but it works now if he nibbles.

When he starts to chew on you tell him no and immediately give him a toy to chew on and praise him. Always praise him when he's chewing on correct things (toys!) Puppies HAVE to chew, so you can't discourage him from chewing things period, just encourage him to chew the RIGHT things. Maybe buy him a kong or something tough like that and put treats in it.

You can try spraying nasty things (like Bitter Apple) on your hands so when he goes to chew them he won't like the taste.

And another thing that works for some dogs is just plain ignoring them.....whenever the pup starts to chew on you, just get up and turn your back to him. Don't look or speak to him for a few seconds. Go back to play with him, and if he chews on you again, just keep getting up and ignoring him. The thought is that eventually the pup will learn that he only gets attention when he's playing nice!

I hope some of those ideas work for you!

As far as the problem being outside...I think maybe a good idea would be to get him used to you not being there all the time (inside and out). Never make a big fuss when you leave or come home. I'd try just leaving your door open to your yard (if it's fenced) and go in and out casually, not paying attention to the dog. Maybe give him a toy to play with by himself. Make the intervals that you stay inside gradually longer. I think eventually he'll get used to you being out of his sight when he's outside.

I think the puppy kindergarten is a GREAT start! I had my dog in that and also basic obedience later. Just keep working with him, I bet he'll be a wonderful dog for you. My dog is still a brat at times, and still acts like a pup but he has matured into a very sweet dog. :)

p.s. Any pics?

Thanks for all the suggestions! It's great to hear that most all puppies are like this. Kaiko is my first dog, and I sure didn't pick an easy one.
I'll try the indoor/outdoor routine, sounds like a great idea.
I'll post some pics soon!! Beautiful dogs you have!

Thanks again.:)

I went through these stages with my dog Timber. :) Not the most fun thing in the world, I know.

When she bit me, I would bend down, hold her nose up to mine and look deep into her eyes and say "No biting!"

I tried to turn my back on her and ignore her, but then she would start chewing on my legs and ankles. So I would leave altogether. She didn't like it when I stopped playing with her so suddenly.

Good luck!