My 13-week Saint Bernard puppy bites and growls. Is he aggressive?

Question

Some background: My dog is about 13 weeks old, a Saint Bernard, we got him when he was 4 weeks old, being told he was 6weeks. He is constantly biting at our ankles and out clothes and if we wear flowy clothes. He can be very sweet sometimes but the biting is very annoying. My parents are worried he could be aggressive but we don't aren't sure. He also growls sometimes at us as well. We've tried everything to get him to stop. Please help!! Pet's info: Dog | Saint Bernard | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 4 days old | 35 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Saban is very cute! Biting and mouthing is very normal for puppies this age - and since it sounds like he was taken from his mom and littermates much too early, it's likely that his bite inhibition and general play skills aren't as good as they would be in most puppies. This doesn't mean that he can't learn, but it does mean that you'll need to be very patient with him, and you may need to enlist professional help to get things on the right track if you're having trouble. In general, we want to focus on redirecting puppies to something more appropriate when they start to bite our hands, feet, clothing, etc. - so when he does this, I would grab one of his toys and encourage him to bite it instead, then reward by tugging on the toy and engaging in play. I would also make sure that he has plenty of things to lay and chew on, such as bully sticks, rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. If he isn't already enrolled in a good puppy kindergarten class, I would also start this right away. You can search for a qualified trainer offering classes in your area here: www.ccpdt.org. If you are not seeing improvement in the next few weeks or if things are getting worse, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person to help determine if what you are seeing is normal or not, and can also put together a detailed plan to help you address the issues he's having. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

My 13-week Saint Bernard puppy bites and growls. Is he aggressive?

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