Like babies, puppies explore by putting everything into their mouths. But despite their curiosity, your dog should not have a puppy biting or nipping problem once he reaches the age of 15 weeks or older. At that point, puppy teeth should never touch human skin.
Many people who own dogs older than 15 weeks still struggle with puppy biting. Many go so far as placing a muzzle on their dog’s mouth to combat biting. That is extreme and rarely necessary.
Instead, recognize that biting and mouthing are natural behaviors, and you need to teach your puppy what can and cannot go into its mouth.
How to get your puppy to stop biting
Puppies separated from their mothers and littermates too early may not have learned bite inhibition. As a good puppy parent, you must teach bite inhibition and offer bite training.
Start by making a yelping sound if your puppy tries to bite you. You can also attempt to distract your puppy with a chew toy.
Another option is to walk away from your puppy. This may not work if you are trying to get a puppy to stop biting your feet. In that case, you may consider using a longer rope toy to distract your puppy.
Whenever your puppy tries to bite, give a firm no command. Do not yell at your puppy or bite your puppy. You can also consider using a short puppy time out to teach your dog that biting behavior is unacceptable.
Wondering how long puppies bite? By the time your dog reaches 15 weeks, you should have given him proper training techniques and basic commands to stop his annoying mouthing behavior. Training your puppy can be as simple as taking him to a puppy class to help him learn the necessary obedience commands.
The good news is that the puppy-biting stage is short. Most dogs stop biting after they finish teething, which is typically at six months.
If your dog is older or you have adopted a dog older than 15 weeks and is new to your home, then you may wonder how to train your puppy not to bite.
Use the following tips to help you get your dog to stop biting your hands, fingers, feet, toes, ankles, or any other body parts.
1. Stop rough play
The first item on your checklist must be to discontinue playing all dog games, including roughhousing immediately.
While part of the fun of having a new dog is playing games like tug-of-war and wrestling, unfortunately, this doesn’t work for many dogs.
To get a puppy to stop play biting, quit the game immediately and distract your puppy with a toy or treat. Once your puppy calms down, you can continue to play.
Puppies play with great energy; your goal for a play session should be to tire your puppy out, not create bad habits. You need to help your puppy learn appropriate play, so if you’re faced with an animal still not over its biting period, you have to stop these types of activities.
By playing these games, you are giving him the notion that if he playfully bites you, he is allowed to roughhouse with you whenever he wants. You must be very careful because you don’t want your dog to be hostile towards strangers and young children.
Your dog should never try to bite you in anger or behave aggressively.
2. Use discipline
While allowing some light puppy biting is OK, only puppy nipping from very young dogs is OK.
Once your dog is older than 15 weeks, all forms of biting should be completely discouraged. Always stop playing if you experience puppy teeth on your skin.
It’s one thing when your puppy is teething and tries to use your fingers as a chew toy.
If that happens, give the nipping puppy a “No bite” command and then hand the dog a chew toy. This should teach your dog that it’s OK to chew on certain items.
But if that bad behavior continues, you must get your puppy to stop biting. Whether it’s just a little nibble on your fingertips or a hand that seems harmless, give your dog a firm command to stop biting and immediately pull your arm away.
Never hit or bite a puppy that bites you. That will only make your dog afraid. If your dog continues to try to bite your hand, stop what you are doing and walk away. If you are playing, stop playing immediately.
Losing your attention should be enough to get your puppy to behave. If your puppy continues misbehaving, you may have to resort to other methods.
3. Use firm commands
Use firm commands when required to make your puppy stop biting. This goes for puppies of all ages. There is nothing wrong with quickly giving a loud and firm “No bite!” command if you feel a tooth at your hand. You also can yelp or say “ow” in a loud, high-pitched tone.
Two things to remember here: Do not scream and scare your dog, and don’t stare at his eyes for an extended period when you are disciplining him. Doing so can cause confrontation.
If your dog isn’t paying attention, turn your back or leave the room.
You can quickly eliminate puppy biting or snapping by using these simple tips to train your puppy to stop biting.
If you have trouble getting your puppy to follow basic obedience commands, work with a dog trainer or use online training programs.
4. Buy chew toys
Chew toys offer a positive option for training a puppy not to bite.
To help ease teething pain, keep plenty of tough chew toys, a natural product like Pet Parents Gnawtlers®, or ice cubes on hand to soothe sore little mouths. Other toys to consider:
Nylabone Teething Pacifier Puppy Chew Toy: This puppy pacifier uses raised nubs to stimulate gums and teeth and soothe teething pain. It is designed for puppies up to 25 pounds and is not recommended for adult dogs or puppies with permanent teeth.
KONG Puppy Goodie Bone Dog Toy: Fill with puppy snacks for an interactive game to keep your puppy entertained while stimulating his brain. The soft rubber material will help soothe your puppy’s gums.
Petstages Crunch A Chew Tough Dog Chew Toy: Crunchcore toys appeal to dogs that love crunching on water bottles but get frustrated when the bottle collapses after chewing. The familiar and irresistible crunch sound will keep your puppy engaged. These durable toys are made for tough chewers.
Nylabone Teething Rings Puppy Chew Toy: This tough toy helps pet parents build bonds with their puppies by playing a gentle tug-of-war game. It’s also a safe chew toy that soothes teething pain and helps keep puppy breath smelling fresh.
KONG Puppy Binkie: This pacifier-inspired toy made of a natural rubber helps promote proper chewing behavior and soothe sore gums. Stuff this toy with treats, yogurt, peanut butter, or kibble. It’s an ideal teething toy for puppies up to nine months old.
5. Try a “shock method” to train a puppy to stop biting
Lastly, use a “shock method” to get your dog to quit biting. Don’t do anything harmful to your dog.
A soda can be filled with pennies, or a spritz water bottle fits the bill. Use anything that lets you quickly spray at his little body or head when he bites or nibbles; it should be enough to stop him from wanting to bite again. Shaking the can makes a noise your puppy dislikes and will help him stop biting.
Do not overuse either method. If it doesn’t, using these methods typically quickly eliminates biting behavior; however, repeatedly spraying your puppy or shaking the can will not break this bad habit.
Instead, redouble your training efforts. Eventually, your dog will learn not to bite you or chew inappropriately.
Use socialization to stop puppy biting
Socialization can help prevent biting.
Exposing your puppy to people, animals, and environments in a controlled and positive manner helps them develop appropriate social skills and behaviors, including learning to control their bite force.
One of the main reasons puppies bite is their instincts as predators. In the wild, young canines learn how to hunt and protect themselves using their mouths.
However, this behavior can become problematic in a domestic setting where humans lack thick fur and tough skin.
Therefore, it is essential to teach puppies early on that biting is unacceptable.
Proper socialization helps puppies understand the consequences of their actions.
When they interact with other puppies or well-trained adult dogs, they learn through playtime about bite inhibition — controlling the strength of their bites.
Socialized puppies may struggle to understand these boundaries. They may continue to engage in rough play or biting behaviors.
Socialization also plays a crucial role in building confidence in puppies. A well-socialized puppy will be less likely to feel fearful or anxious when encountering new situations.
Fear-related aggression is often linked to a lack of proper socialization during the critical developmental period of a puppy’s life.
Proper socialization creates well-mannered and confident pups and helps prevent behavioral issues like excessive barking or destructive chewing habits.
Puppies who have had limited exposure during this critical period may become overwhelmed by new stimuli, leading them towards negative behaviors as an outlet for stress and anxiety.
Socialization helps you spot any underlying health issues contributing to biting behavior. For example, you may notice your puppy’s discomfort or sensitivity through interactions with other dogs or humans during organized playtimes.
Catching these issues early on can lead to effective treatment and prevent any potential aggression from pain or discomfort.
Eliminate biting due to fear or anxiety
Identify triggers
Observe your puppy’s body language and note what situations or stimuli cause them fear or stress.
That could include loud noises, strangers, other animals, or specific objects.
Once you identify triggers, you can work towards desensitizing your puppy to them.
Create a safe and positive environment
A fearful or anxious puppy needs a safe and positive environment where they feel secure and relaxed.
Ensure their living space has plenty of comfortable bedding, toys to chew on, and access to water and food.
Consider using calming pheromone sprays or diffusers.
Avoid punishment
Don’t scold or punish your puppy when they bite out of fear or anxiety. Doing so only reinforces their negative emotions and can make the behavior worse.
Instead, use positive reinforcement techniques, such as rewarding good behavior and redirecting their attention with toys when they show signs of fear.
Patience and consistency
Dealing with a bitey pup can be frustrating, but remaining patient throughout the training is essential.
It takes time for puppies to learn and unlearn behaviors, so consistent training and positive reinforcement are fundamental.
Be patient with your puppy and celebrate minor improvements.
If your puppy’s biting behavior persists or becomes too difficult to handle, it is always a good idea to seek professional help from a certified dog trainer or animal behaviorist. They can provide personalized guidance and techniques to address your puppy’s needs.
Should you discipline a puppy for biting?
Disciplining a puppy for biting requires patience and consistency.
It’s essential to teach the puppy that biting is unacceptable behavior without being too harsh.
Here are a few tips to help discipline a puppy for biting:
Use a firm “No” command: When the puppy bites, firmly say “No” to convey that the behavior is unacceptable. Be consistent with this command so the puppy understands that biting is prohibited.
Provide an alternative: When the puppy bites, immediately offer a chew toy as an alternative. This helps redirect the puppy’s attention and teaches them what is appropriate to bite and what is not.
Use positive reinforcement: When the puppy stops biting, offer praise and a treat to reinforce the good behavior. Positive reinforcement encourages the puppy to behave appropriately, and giving your puppy rewards for good behavior encourages more good behavior.
Time-out: If the biting behavior persists, consider a short time-out by removing attention and leaving the room for a few moments. This helps the puppy understand that biting leads to a loss of interaction.
Avoid physical punishment: Never physically punish the puppy for biting. Using physical force can lead to fear and aggression in the puppy.
Training a puppy not to bite
Often, your puppy’s mouthing or biting is a sign of teething. It’s not an indication there is a puppy behavior problem. And the good news is teething only lasts a few months.
Suppose your puppy’s biting behavior persists or becomes too difficult to handle. In that case, seeking professional help from a certified dog trainer or animal behaviorist is always a good idea to break the biting habit.
They can provide personalized guidance and techniques to address your puppy’s needs.
Kelly Marshall is a featured author on Oh My Dog Supplies. For more articles by Kelly, visit Oh My Dog Supplies.