I'd offer a toy or give him something to do. If I was walking and he started focusing in the feet. I stop and ask for a sit. Incompatible behavior!

I ALWAYS had food or a toy on me for those first several weeks and heavily rewarded what I wanted.

With a super mouthy pup, I'd train and reward retrieving. Stuff goes in the mouth and you can easily call them over to remove it (and reward them for bringing it to you). Try to catch him *before* the mouth goes on you. When you see him thinking about it, you can freeze, ask for a sit, reward him for the sit with throwing a toy to retrieve or giving him a food reward (from your pocket!)

I also gave him lots of naps. Like he was out and we'd actively do stuff for 1-1.5 hrs and then he'd nap in his crate for an equal amount of time (busy household, he wouldn't settle unless he was in a covered crate). At first it seemed like a huge amount of downtime/crate time. But it worked so well for Kolt. When he was up, we were doing stuff. When he napped, I didn't have to think about him and I got my stuff done.

Proactively training self control/impulse control helps a lot, too.

 Quote: Mara Jessup

I'd offer a toy or give him something to do. If I was walking and he started focusing in the feet. I stop and ask for a sit. Incompatible behavior!

I ALWAYS had food or a toy on me for those first several weeks and heavily rewarded what I wanted.

With a super mouthy pup, I'd train and reward retrieving. Stuff goes in the mouth and you can easily call them over to remove it (and reward them for bringing it to you). Try to catch him *before* the mouth goes on you. When you see him thinking about it, you can freeze, ask for a sit, reward him for the sit with throwing a toy to retrieve or giving him a food reward (from your pocket!)

I also gave him lots of naps. Like he was out and we'd actively do stuff for 1-1.5 hrs and then he'd nap in his crate for an equal amount of time (busy household, he wouldn't settle unless he was in a covered crate). At first it seemed like a huge amount of downtime/crate time. But it worked so well for Kolt. When he was up, we were doing stuff. When he napped, I didn't have to think about him and I got my stuff done.

Proactively training self control/impulse control helps a lot, too.

Does self control/impulse training mean things like 'leave it'?

For me and my dogs "leave it" is a big part of early puppy training.

When a puppy even sniff at an unwanted object they get a firm "leave it".

It should be started working with objects that aren't super desirable.

If you wait till the pup goes for something of high values like a piece of food on the ground or sees a squirrel, then trying to say "leave it" will do nothing more the re enforcing the fact that "leave it doesn't carry a lot of weight and can be ignored.

With those early, low value distractions I will then call the dog (a solid recall is important of course) mark and reward when the dog turns away from the object.

If your to far away to do this successfully then your moving the training to quickly.

Some start out with something in their hand that the dog wants and closes the hand when the dog reaches for it with a "leave it".

Once the dog starts comprehending this them mark and reward with the OTHER hand and a high level reward.

I started out with something like this instead of a verbal leave it from the get go http://furryfourpaws.blogspot.com/2013/01/doggy-zen-by-virginia-wind.html?m=1
I like this method better as the dog learns to *offer* the controlled behavior for what it wants.

After this step I also added in a wait command for things that they could have but not at that second.

It worked super well for my boy. By 11 w/o he'd pause from bitey games on a wait command - which I easily transferred to the "I wanna bite YOU" behavior

Mara, the link isn't working and it won't let me copy it. Could you PM it?

Ugh, never mind - after I refreshed the page it was fine!

I've actually been doing those things! He's really good at it too!

What BOB said is what I do.

Glad the bully sticks are working. I was off lone..My router quit. Had to get a new one.