biting / nipping 12 week old pup

Hi!
I have a 12.5 week old male puppy, named MOMO. We've had him for about almost three weeks now. He's usually quite good. Obedient with training and such, but recently, he's been nipping at my pants/legs and has punctured me quite a few times, he doesn't draw blood, but i have some nasty bruises. He doesn't do it as much as to my husband, but more so with me, especially when we are going outside for walks or potty time.

any one else have this issue with pups? i know he's teething and we try to teach him bite inhibition, which he has a soft mouth when he is playing with us, but he just gets rather aggressive towards my legs/pants when i take him outside. Almost as if he doesn't want me going out or pulling me back. I believe i'm the ALPHA in the family and have been the main person training him and feeding him.

I really need help with this. I'm not sure what is wrong with him, as this is my first time owning a dog. I thought i've been doing everything correctly. Excising, disciplining and affection.... but it's getting hard to take him out on exercises.

thanks. I hope to have some help soon.

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on November 5, 2012 at 1:48pm

One strategy is to LOUDLY squeal/shriek in a very high-pitched voice, like a hurt puppy, wildly exaggerated. The pup gets the idea, "Ew! These humans are fragile! I gotta be careful!"

I've heard that bite inhibition is one thing puppies learn between 8-12 weeks if the litter is kept together -- keeping the litter together 12 weeks has a downside if the breeder does not have the time to give the pups lots of individual attention, so don't think your pup has missed out on something.

But you do have to extinguish this behavior. You also want pup to be comfortable with you examining his mouth. Rule is: you get to put your fingers inside his mouth anytime you want; puppy NEVER gets to initiate tooth contact. Make sure everybody in the family is on the same page. Zero tolerance for biting.

Others will probably have some good suggestions.

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Permalink Reply by Momo Taro Lundgren & Mommy pk on November 5, 2012 at 2:15pm

THANKS John ....
We do do the yelping when he bites harder than he should or he closes down his jaws on our body parts. He's actually pretty good at not chomping on us, while we are playing and he's mouthing around. He has soften his bite strength quite a bit compared to his first few days with us.

I just don't know if it's something i've done with him OUTSIDE that he doesn't like me going outside. He gets very nippy and pulls on my pants (be it wide legs or tight leggins or workout pants) and doesn't want me to leave teh house.

Not sure if he's gotten more attached to my husband and doesn't want to leave my husband alone in the house while we go for our morning walk.

I've heard that corgis don't LIKE to have family members apart from each other, and probably wants my husband with US in the morning.
But, when my husband takes him out on walks and potty breaks, he doesn't nop at him like momo does to me, when i take him out.

Momo stayed with the breeder until he was a lil over the age of 10 weeks.

I would love to get rid of this behavior... if only i figure out WHAT was wrong that he doesn't like and keeps nipping at me. I know this is his way of communicating with me... but i'm not sure what he's trying to say. Just wondering if any corgi pup parents out there have experienced this... and what their pup's problems was and how they fixed it.

Thanks. <3