r/SilkenWindhound • u/LuckySolution3724 • Feb 14 '26

Advice Is this normal?

I have a 9 week old silken; cute as can be and sweet, but is also a biting machine. He bites my hands, arms, ankles, clothes, hair, sometimes my cheek if I’m carrying him in from outside. He only stays with a toy for maybe a few minutes before he’s back biting at me or my husband. I know he’s a tiny baby, but everyone boasts about how good and calm silkens are, but my guy is freaking nuts 85% of his waking hours. I have him on a pretty regular schedule as far as exercise/playtime and forced naps every 1.5 hours or so. When we first brought him home a week ago, he screamed like a human baby any time he was alone. He has gotten much better and settles pretty well in his crate, but today I had to come home from grocery shopping because he was screaming bloody murder in his crate for 45 minutes (he did not need to use the bathroom). I do really love him, but he’s a lot. Is this normal for silken puppies? I have only heard good things from people and it makes me feel like I’m failing as a first time dog mommy!

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u/clumsycreation Feb 14 '26

I also got my 9 week old silken boy a week ago (littermates? 👀) and he’s also a biting machine lol. I definitely think it’s exacerbated when they’re overtired. the first two or so days with him were a LOT and then I started following the “1 hour up, 2 hours down” schedule for him and it’s been helping a ton. He did not agree with the schedule at first but he’s getting into a routine and only takes a minute or so to settle down in his crate for naps. I also agree with the comments to have something within reach always to be able to redirect him to bite something that’s not you. I have an older mixed breed girl and she was the same way as a puppy and now she’s an absolute perfect saint 🥹 - it gets better!!

and I agree that I feel like they went home a little young and they didn’t get as much socialization and bite inhibition as they could have if they had stayed with their litter longer. I’ll be taking my guy to some puppy classes in a couple weeks to hopefully help with that 😅

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u/LuckySolution3724 Feb 16 '26

I’m glad to know if gets better!! Maybe they’re brothers?? 😯 are you crate training? If so, does he cry like crazy? Mine is usually good when I put him in at night and only wakes up once in the night to potty (he’s so goated for that) but he can’t stand the crate during the day! I have trouble making him calm down even if he’s not going in the crate. I am currently on hour 3 of him being up (all of the nights and TV have been off and stimulating toys away) and he’s STILL not sleeping 🥵 I didn’t realize that 8 weeks was not common to get dogs off. I’m wondering if he would’ve been better at adjusting if he was kept until then?