puppy biting

Question
I have a 6 month old lab.  We have had him since he was 7 weeks old.  He also was neutered when he was 4 months old.  Jackson is still teething(you can see the teeth bleeding and breaking through his gums).  I am wondering why he nips and bits at us.  I think he thinks it is fun, but this is not a game.  I also wonder if it is when he is tired, but this seems to happen morning, noon and night.  He is walked everyday twice a day.  My fear is that he will become an aggressive dog, which I do not want to see.  Can you let me know if this is "normal" puppy behavior, and do you think he will grow out of his nipping and in your face barking?  Please help!

Answer
Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months they are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find one that won't yelp, jerk their hand away, and leave.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens. Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords. Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not there to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed. I don't trust any of the consumable chews. The dogs just gnaw them down to a dangerous size too quickly. These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

The barking is an attention getter.  Ignore him when he does, or walk out of the room.  Giving him a shot in th eface with a spray bottle or squirt gun works well too.  Add a little vinegar or lemon juice to make it more effective.