Hi reddit, we are 5 weeks in with our gorgeous border collie pup Leo. He is around 14 weeks old, mum was pure B/C, dad is mostly Collie with a bit of Akita and Lab in him. My main issue at the moment is biting and trying to understand and balance self-soothing whilst not confining/ ignoring him too much or causing anxiety later on. He is crate trained and sleeping through the night. He is increasingly resistent to going into his crate for enforced naps during the day, but settles (sometimes instantly) still runs in for his meals and sleeps during the day and night without issue. My problem is what to do with him when he's not asleep… I know different people will have different advice, but the constant biting is really challenging. I also know that B/C's are more likely to nip because of their inherited traits so I don't want to be overly critical of a puppy, but equally I need to manage it appropriately whilst he's young. We have built up leaving time home alone, crated for 2 and a bit hours, but otherwise I am WFH and here all day or my mum is here with him all day. He has a range of different toys including kongs and teething related things, but also plushies and snuffle balls etc. When I'm working I crate him on/ off throughout the day for enforced naps or he's out with me. He gets a walk in the morning and lots of mini training sessions throughout the day, but he really does not do well playing with his toys or chewing alone unless it's a filled Kong. We built a play pen in the kitchen so he is "with me" when I'm trying to work, but I think it gives him FOMO so he just launches himself at the sides of the pen continually. I know I should reward periods of quiet but if he does eventually settle on his bed with a toy, if I start praising him or giving him a treat he just jumps up and starts going bananas again and if he's out unless I give him constant attention or filled kongs he's just attached to my feet, ankles or the table legs, despite having about 6 available other things. Which means I'm really struggling to work in the same room as him. Obviously he's at an age where he can't walk him much, but I feel overwhelmed by all the things to remember or focus on. Are we giving him too many options, too much stimulation, is the biting an attention thing because he know's he's gauranteed my attention if attaches himself to my ankle when I'm not expecting it?? I'm wondering if what I need to do is make an hour by hour schedule, currently we have a rough daily schedule like meals, naps, walk etc but maybe I need more like. Nap, get up, toilet, 5-10 minutes active play/ training, snuffle mat/ kong and then alone in his room with the crate and potentially enforced nap if he doesn't settle alone?
Thoughts appreciated l
submitted by /u/Fich23
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