When you get a new puppy, it isn’t before long that they begin to use their tiny, yet sharp, puppy teeth. Your puppy might start to bite you, the furniture, or other animals in the house. While this can be a sign of playfulness, teaching your puppy when it’s appropriate to use their teeth is essential. As your puppy turns into an adult dog, biting is no longer cute or harmless. It can end with severe consequences if not handled in puppyhood.
To learn more about five easy steps to help stop your puppy from biting, keep reading!
Reasons Why Your Puppy Might Be Biting
Puppies don’t have hands to pick up and interact with objects they come across, so they want to use their teeth. In this sense, it’s a very natural behavior. All puppies will nip and bite from time to time, but how you react will set up how your future looks.
A few common reasons for your puppy to be biting are:
- When trying to reduce discomfort during the teething stage
- When trying to get their human’s attention
- When playing with other dogs or humans
How To Stop Puppy Biting
Puppy nipping is a pretty natural occurrence. While this is a common puppy behavior, it’s your job to teach them when it’s appropriate to bite and when it’s not. In most cases, biting is not encouraged, so it’s more about teaching your pup what objects are OK to bite. Chew toys and bones are usually in the clear, whereas clothing, furniture, and body parts are not.
When dogs play with each other, especially when they are puppies who are learning, they’ll involve themselves in play biting. When a bite is too strong or unwanted, the other puppy will tell them by omitting a loud yelping sound. This warns the other dogs that the style of biting is taking it too far. When a puppy is no longer alongside their littermates, it’s the responsibility of the human to teach them when their biting has crossed a line.
1. Teach Bite Inhibition
Bite inhibition is teaching dogs to control the force of their mouths. Your dog must understand that human skin is very sensitive, so they have to be more gentle when playing with you than with their fellow canine playmates.
Dogs teach each other bite inhibition when they yelp during play, so humans should mimic this reaction when playing with young dogs. If your puppy bites down too hard when playing with you, let out a loud noise and stop playing completely. Once your dog has calmed down, continue playing.
Instruct young children to do the same. Kids can sometimes be more tolerant of their fingers ending up in their puppy’s mouth, but this only prolongs this bad behavior.
Soon your dog realizes that rough play means that the fun times stop, so if they want to play, they have to be more gentle. There are plenty of dog training resources out there that can help you to stop unwanted behaviors, like the teams of expert dog trainers at AskVet!
2. Redirect the Biting
While stopping the play session and teaching bite inhibition is the first step, having other options to give to your dog when they start biting you is essential.
Keep a chew toy nearby. When your pup starts going too hard on your skin, give your puppy a chew toy instead. Then, make the toy a part of your game. This shows your dog what items are appropriate to chew on. Redirecting goes for if your dog is chewing on something inappropriate, like clothing or furniture. Tell them “No” and give them something they can go to town on.
If you find that your pup is nibbling a bit more than usual, they could be teething. Like human babies, puppies might experience discomfort as their adult teeth grow in. Giving your puppy teething toys can help relieve some of that tenderness. Typically, a puppy stops teething altogether at eight months old.
Keep in mind that some puppy toys are different from those of adult dogs. Puppy chews are generally made from softer materials for their weaker mouths and teeth.
3. Distract Your Pup
When your puppy is exhibiting undesired biting behaviors, try to distract them. Direct their attention elsewhere and have them put their energy into the new object or obstacle. Whether it’s having them perform a trick and receive a treat or initiate some sort of enrichment play with them, distracting teaches them that they don’t get the reaction they desire from nipping.
Enrichment activities are great because they put all of your dog’s focus and energy into receiving whatever treat is hiding in the toy. Try rolling up an old towel with all of your dog’s food in it and letting them unravel it to get their reward, or use a peanut butter lick mat to help divert their energy and get a nice snack.
Mental stimulation is key to lifelong good behaviors — not only in puppy training. Along the same note, routine socialization and leash manners are life-long lessons worth revisiting consistently.
4. Put Them in Time-Out
When your dog is not listening to you or reacting to your attempts at distraction and redirection, you may need to put them in a time-out. By not giving in to their behaviors, you choose not to reward them. Whatever the time out is, don’t use the crate or the time-out area as a punishment. The crate should be a safe place associated only with positivity.
A time-out shows puppies that they have to participate in human-approved behaviors. When they begin to bite, the playtime stops. And no puppy wants that!
5. Engage in Physical Activity
Sometimes, a puppy will bite because they are bored and have surplus energy. To ensure that your puppy is not biting excessively, make sure they are getting enough exercise each day. When your puppy won’t stop nipping, change up your activity and take them on a walk or run outside in the backyard for a bit.
Letting them burn off some steam will result in a tired and content dog that isn’t going to go looking for trouble.
Dog Trainers On-Demand: Perfecting Puppy Play
Having a new puppy can be a lot of work. Whether it’s your first puppy or your seventh, each puppy you raise will have their own distinct personality. This means that no matter what you try, you may need a bit of guidance. AskVet can help answer the questions you have and put together wellness and behavioral plans for your pup.
Reach out for a virtual consultation with one of our Certified Pet Trainers™ (CPLC) to learn more about the services we offer. If you need to come up with a plan to curb your puppy’s biting habits, we are here to help you.
Sources:
Chewing Behaviour In Dogs – A Survey-Based Exploratory Study | ScienceDirect
Behavior Guide for Your New Puppy | OSU Veterinary Medical Center
Training Bite Inhibition in the Dark | The IAABC JOURNAL
When Do Puppies Lose Their Teeth | Veterinary Dental Services
