If I had a £1 for every time I have read this on a Facebook group, I would be a very rich man sat here typing this on a beach sipping cocktails. You are not alone, read on 🙂
Does your cockapoo jump and bite all the time? Do you sometimes think your pup might be crossed with a kangaroo and a snappy crocodile? The good news is you’re not alone. Jumping and biting are two of the most common behavioural problems when it comes to dogs. More good news that will have you jumping up and down (but hopefully not biting) with joy, is that there are ways to resolve both.
But before we get into that, let’s look at the reasons why your cockapoo is jumping and biting and how to stop your cockapoo doing it.
Why is my Cockapoo jumping and biting me?
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Jumping for joy
In most cases, a dog jumping on a human is just their way of saying hello. Unfortunately, the height difference between a human and a dog is one of the main reasons that they jump. After all, it’s the only way they can get in your face, literally, to say hello, I’m here.
Dogs also explore the world through their sense of smell. You’ve probably noticed when you’re out on a walk with your four-legged friend, and they spot another pooch, they won’t only sniff each other’s bums, they’ll also smell one another’s faces. Jumping up at your face is merely them wanting to get a good whiff of you and your pheromones.
If you’re a doggy person (is there any other type) it’s easy to understand this behaviour and let’s face it, sometimes there’s nothing better than a big sloppy welcome home lick after a long, hard day. But for strangers who might not necessarily know this is normal, a dog jumping at them can be scary. And if your pup throws in a bit of biting too, it can be truly terrifying.
Love at first bite
Just like your Cockapoo will jump with excitement to show her affection, she will also nip and bite to let you know just how much she loves you. And for her there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, for a puppy, nipping is absolutely normal. It’s one of the ways they learn about boundaries and interaction with their siblings. And just like a parent will teach their toddler what acceptable social behaviour is, a pawrent should do the same with their pup with training.
Solutions to stop him jumping and biting
Nipping it in the bud
As we mentioned earlier, biting and jumping is completely normal canine behaviour but it’s best to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. So get out your training books and with the help of article, we can hopefully put a stop to it.
The first rule is to never react. Your dog’s jumping and biting is her way of playing and you reacting, positively or negatively only reinforces the “game”. On the other hand, shouting and wagging your finger will make them confused, thinking they have upset you when all they want to do is play.
Cockapoos are especially smart, which means training them to stop jumping and biting will be a fairly quick process. The key is consistency so that your pooch doesn’t get mixed signals.
How to stop my Cockapoo jumping up
Chances are your pup is jumping because they want to get your attention, or they want to get at whatever is in your hand, be it a toy or a treat. You need to show him the only way he’ll get either is by sitting patiently, with all four paws on the floor.
When your pup jumps on you, turn away without saying a word, If you’re sitting or kneeling and he jumps, you need to stand up and turn away. This teaches him that his bad behaviour won’t be rewarded in any way, and as long as he’s misbehaving, his human is boring and unresponsive.
Wait for him to stop jumping. Depending on the levels of excitement, this could take a few seconds or a couple of minutes. He may stop and stare at you, or he might get bored and run off. This what you want.
It is essential that you redirect his behaviour. Tell him to sit and as soon as he does so, reward him with what he was wanting, be it your attention or the treat or toy that was in your hand.
Should he start jumping again, turn away immediately. Remember, the key is consistency. It won’t take long for your cockapoo to learn that jumping equals a boring, uninterested human and sitting means treats, praise and play time.
How To Train A Cockapoo Not To Bite
My cockapoo keeps biting me is something we hear a lot. A pup bites because it’s fun, but his siblings and mom keep him in check, letting him know when it’s getting out of hand. You need to carry on teaching him the difference between biting and “soft mouthing”.
- Whitwam, Linda (Author)
When your cockapoo bites hard, you need to make a loud sound, like “uh uh” or “ouch” and then turn your back to him and walk away. This teaches him that biting means no play time and no interaction with his human.
Wait a little while, giving him no attention at all.
Once he has calmed down, show him other ways to get your attention. This could be him touching your hand with his nose, mouthing your hand softly or even pawing you. If he goes back to biting, you need to go back to being boring, getting up and walking away.
Summary
There really is no reason to panic if your pup is jumping and biting because, with the right training, both issues can be sorted out relatively easily and quickly. Taking your pup for socialisation classes will show him what is acceptable behaviour, whether it’s interacting with other dogs or with people.
Ready for some more behavioural articles? Check out these…..
Mike is the proud owner of a 7-year-old Cockapoo named Luna. He loves to share stories, tips and information about owning a Cockapoo. With over7 years of experience as an owner, Mike is passionate about helping others own and care for their dog.
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I have loved reading through this easy to read and insightful website. We collect our F1 female cockapoo pup next weekend and whilst I have been (the only) apprehensive dog owner in our family, the information you have provided has made me feel excited to pick our Bonnie up. I really do feel this pup will change our lives for the better.
Thank you.
The biting brings blood sometimes. I’ve done things you say and she bites my lower legs and ankles. This has gotten painful !
Me too Janis. Have tried all of the above but still seems to think it’s a game. When I ignore she just goes for my ankles from behind and I have to run away😂 Has yours grown out of this?
Mine’s 10 month old and still bites and brings blood. She also jumps up on people when they come in and then jumps on my couch, loveseat, & recliner about 5 times. She goes beserk and I feel like I can’t take it much longer. She is so smart and does many tricks. She’s loving and friendly to everyone but I am the only one she bites. I’ve tried everything people suggest and nothing works.
Our spoodle pup was also a biter my daughter ignored it and didn’t react but I couldn’t and the ouches only encouraged him. He actually gave up with my daughter after a week or so but thought I was fair game. I did find that putting him in our adjacent laundry room for about thirty seconds only maybe distracted him enough and removed him in between a few yelps to get out actually tried to time his release when he was quiet so as not to reward him for bad behaviour did improve the frequency of his continuous biting that I couldn’t bear. He now is 12 months old and now only gently gum bites occasionally to play. They definitely grow out of it. A couple of the other attendees at puppy school who had a toy poodle pup would come to classes with tattooed firearms with many scratches and bleeding spots from being bitten The trainer gave the same advice to them that the pups will grow out of it and ours did definitely after about 6 months it started improving and disappearing. Our dog is the most affectionate and placid dog who never growls or gets grumpy. So it really is a stage and the dog dies not necessarily turn into grumpy biter. Regards Leonie Elluson
I have got a 4 year old Cocapoo I had him gave me he is avoid dog but when u try put his leed on he jumps and bites u also he takes food from bin and when u take it off him he bites you and also when you throw a ball and he brings it back u try and take it off him he bites u don’t no what to do
Can anyone help? None of this helps, it doesnt seem like my cockapoo is after anything, i ignore him and he just goes crazy on his on, sometimes for very very long. Doesnt matter how loud I ouch, he just follows me as i ignore him and carries on, as soon as he decides hes nipping you he doesnt stop.