8.5wk Bichon - lots of nipping/chewing - how should we play with him?

We've only had our 8.5 week old Bichon Frisé puppy for a week but he is becoming quite the menace as far as biting our hands, feet, and pant-legs. Whenever he wants to play he tries to chew on us. It's not charming at all and has my wife worried about him. I'm not sure when it leaves the realm of normal puppy behavior.

He bites my pants and holds on, I try to open his mouth to get them off the pants so he growls and bites my hand, etc. He gets really wound up and play growls during all this. I do think it's a play growl but it is quite excited.

We usually try to give him a chew-toy, or just walk away. But it's hard to walk away when he is biting at your pant-leg... he thinks we're playing chase or tug-of-war...

As far as I know we cannot take him on a walk, or to a park, until he's a bit older because he doesn't have all his vaccinations.

We've also been told not to play tug-of-war with his toys because that can encourage the type of behavior that will make him bite more.

So playtime basically consists of us trying to encourage him to chew his toys. I feel like he has a lot of energy and that may be influencing his persistent chewing and growling.

What types of play do you do with a young puppy? What can we do to burn off his energy? He doesn't fetch or chase balls, which I don't think is a surprise for a bichon.

Thank you!

(summary: new puppy, lots of biting... if we can't walk him or play tug-of-war how can we constructively burn of his energy and discourage nipping?)

Typical puppy of his age for any breed not just Bichons

Puppies learn by using their mouths & what you need to teach your puppy is that biting you is non rewarding yes it is painful for a short period of time but I never react to a puppy nipping/chewing on my hands & when it starts I simply make clenched fists with my hands with my thumbs tucked inside a puppy soon learns tat if it gets no reaction from you it isn't rewarding & the behaviour soon stops. Any reaction from you is reward for the puppy. In the 50 + years I have had dogs I've never had a puppy who nipped after a week or so.

Playing with your puppy yes you can play tuggy for short periods of time & no it doesn't make your puppy bite more. If he accidentally nips during tuggy playing stop immediately & let the puppy work out why play stopped, it won't take long. Bichons can play ball but you do have to teach him

Clicker training is a brilliant way to interact with your puppy & Karen Pryor's site has lots of information. It's never too young to start. You can teach your puppy to walk with you off lead in the garden but holding a treat just out of reach above it's head & luring it to walk a couple of steps alongside you.

Most people who have owned a puppy have experienced all of this. Perfectly normal puppy behaviour, the nipping, little growls etc.Its how they interact with their litter mates!Can just about remember mine as a pup, I think we just ignored her,walked away.When the nipping started the game was over!She soon learned.You will find a great change when you'll able to take him out on walks, burn off some of that energy!!!! Other members will have great advice for you, don't worry. Enjoy your new puppy.

Betty is playing nicely now but was handful to begin with, Our older dog Mollie seemed to have the right idea and would push her away and give her a toy when she got too bitey with her. We did the same and she has learned quite quickly the limits and what hurts us is different to what hurts Mollie and her !

Hi, not many dog owners know that it is actually very important for a puppy to bite and nip you! This is the only way they can learn how to use their teeth gently and then not at all! It's actually more of a worry, and dangerous, if your puppy is not allowed to touch you with his teeth at all.

My husbands uncle has a bichon, I visited it when it was about 8 or 9 weeks old.
She was the most adorable little thing ever!
The most angelic little face and the softest fur.
Then the little monster attached herself to my shoes and feet.
I only visited for ten minutes and my feet were covered in bite marks and scratches, plus my hands where I'd tried to foist her off and she'd latched onto them.
It was pretty horrific.

Fast forward many months, I haven't seen her since but hear she's a lovely little girl now so it doesn't last forever!

It doesn't last forever if you train them not to do it, I know one couple who failed to address the problem who now have a 2 year old lab who they are near rehoming due to her mouthing and nipping. Perfectly lovely dog they just haven't put any time into training her.