Originally Posted by Kaya

Thanks for the link! And just to answer your questions.. Her breeder sends the puppies home at 7 weeks on the advice of her vet to help human bonding, with the recognition that they need extra dog socialization in the meantime. And, just to clarify, I didn't mean that she was actually being aggressive. I know chewing and nipping are all normal puppy behaviours. She was just escalating and biting more and so on when I tried to distract her with her toys and so on so a time out seems like it would help her calm down. But since everyone's suggestions for a time out would likely only make her more upset/riled up I was looking for an alternative. Thanks for giving some ideas!

Time out will not upset her or rile her if introduced carefully and gradually remember she is very young.

Puppies like children get over tired then get naughty so they do need some time out especially around tea time I find.

You need to find the thing that will calm her I use to find speaking in a soft voice even singing or humming they then start to relax like human babies do and hey presto they gently go off to sleep. She will stop but it is going to be a long journey and a lot of consistency and a lot of different ideas till you find the one that suits her.
Try the bite inhibition link it does work if you keep at it she is also getting some mental stimulation from this kind of training which will tire her mind as well as her body being tired. Puppies wear themselves out physically by running around and playing but of course the mind is still busy so they find naughty things to do and nipping is one of them. The joys of puppyhood.

I had a 6 month old staffie to stay recently for his holidays I am inbetween dogs at the moment. He was teething and by tea time became unbearable with his laying on the sofa with you kicking your arms with his back legs ouch !! and his nipping so one evening it took at least 10 goes to stop him gently removing him from the sofa telling him no and popping him outside the back door he eventually got the message. No shouting not leashing him up and I have no crate we did gate him in the kitchen on the odd occassion mainly when we were eating he had no manners at all. Just consistency and my voice getting firmer every time.

He couldn't be walked his owner had not had his puppy innoculations done and I feel sure if I could of walked him he would of been much better. He went home with better manners than when he arrived but it was the hardest 9 days work I have done.

Originally Posted by sa1821

I find raising dogs just like raising kids. SO many different opinions and different things bring success for different people. You know what's right for your puppy Do what works for you!
How is she doing now? Good luck!

No kidding! I'm definitely learning that everyone has opinions on what is best.

She's doing very well - she's a good girl anyway, but she is growing literally before my eyes and she's good to be gated in the kitchen now and happy to get her meals in the kennel and sit there for a few minutes. Definitely progressing!