A puppy is a heartwarming addition to any family, but bringing home this new family member comes with its own set of challenges. Just like with human children, young puppies require training and have a lot of habits to grow out of, and one of the biggest habits is biting. Whether it’s nipping at you or other animals or biting possessions around the home, this behaviour needs to be addressed before it becomes a problem.
In this blog, we’ll teach you how to stop your puppy biting, as well as the different reasons that a puppy may bite or chew. With the right training and care, you’ll be on the way to raising a gentle, respectful companion.
Make sure you’re ready for training with our range of puppy care products from VetUK.
Why do puppies bite?
In order to effectively resolve this issue, you need to identify why your puppy is biting. You might have noticed this behaviour and are thinking, Why does my puppy keep biting me? There are several reasons why this behaviour might be occurring.
Teething
Dogs also go through teething, just like human babies, and this can often cause discomfort and pain for young puppies. Unlike babies, dogs can’t cry or vocalise this discomfort, so they often resort to biting or chewing to attempt to relieve the pain of their adult teeth growing.
Playing
Most puppies love to play, and you’ll notice that with other puppies, they may nip, bite or wrestle. This is perfectly normal for young dogs, and playing this way also helps them to understand and control how hard they bite you or their littermates.
Overstimulation
Puppies need lots of attention and exercise, but at times they can become overstimulated if there is too much sensory input. This can lead to biting and nipping as your dog tries to engage you.
It’s normal for dogs to go through their puppy biting phase, but it’s important to manage this behaviour and teach them how to control their biting. Adult dogs that have poor bite control can cause damage to property and hurt people or other dogs, even if they don’t mean to. Training your puppy to be gentle and control themselves is the best way to keep all your family safe.
How to stop your puppy biting
Now that you know what causes puppies to bite, you can develop a plan to help correct this behaviour.
Teach bite inhibition
Bite inhibition is what allows your puppy to control how hard they bite. This isn’t always innate, and there are several steps you can take to teach your pup to control the force of their bite.
- Discourage rough play: If your dog bites you too hard, vocalise this. Make a physical “ow” noise and stop engaging in any play. This indicates that the bite caused pain or discomfort and also mimics the reaction other puppies have when bitten too hard.
- Reward soft play: When your puppy is gentle and licks or nuzzles without biting, reward them with affection or dog treats. This positive reinforcement should teach your puppy that this is the right way to behave.
Offer chew toys and alternatives
You shouldn’t punish your puppy for biting. Instead, you should make it clear they shouldn’t be biting you or their litter mates and offer toys to redirect this behaviour. Dogs will always have a natural urge to chew, so it’s important to provide safe objects for them to bite.
- Invest in Nylabone dog chews that are durable, puppy-safe options for chewing when your pup starts to nip.
- Rope toys and a range of interactive toys are also great for preventing boredom and biting that comes from hyperactivity.
- Help your puppy when they begin teething by offering them soft and cold toys to chew, which can help ease their sore gums.
Keep an active routine with your puppy
Biting behaviour ca also stem from pent-up energy. Growing puppies need a lot of exercise and playtime, and one way to learn how to stop your puppy biting is by tiring them out.
- Daily walks and play sessions will ensure your pup is enriched. You can also consider puppy daycare, where your pup can enjoy interaction and play with other puppies their age.
- Training sessions can also provide important stimulation for your dog, along with teaching them how to behave as they navigate the world.
Avoid playing rough
Whilst playing with your puppy is important, you also need to use the right amount of force and avoid rough play.
- Play with your dog using toys rather than your hands. This will help to stop your dog from associating your hands with playtime and biting them.
- When playing games with tug or rope toys, enforce training alongside this to ensure your pup knows when to stop playing and doesn’t become too rough.
- Ensure that everyone in your household, especially children, understands how to play safely and gently with your puppy.
Consider placing your puppy in a time-out
There might be times when your puppy becomes overexcited and continues to bite. In this case, you can place your pup in a playpen for a few minutes. This time out allows them to calm down and will also teach your puppy that this biting behaviour can lead to them losing attention and freedom.
Practice patience with your pup
The best thing you can do for your pup is to be patient with them while learning how to control their bite. The need to bite is mostly innate in young dogs, and this behaviour won’t be fixed overnight. Be prepared to work for weeks or even months to ensure your dog understands biting, and create a consistent plan that allows your puppy to continue developing their progress.
Ban biting for long-term benefits
Learning how to stop your puppy from biting can have a wealth of benefits for both you and your pup in the long run. Not only will your home and hands be protected from bites and damage, but your dog will be able to socialise better with other dogs and guests.
The most important thing to remember when training during the puppy biting phase is positive reinforcement. Through dedication and patience, you can create an environment of trust and love between you and your pup.
If you need any training advice or you’re searching for the right puppy care products to help teach your dog, our VetUK experts are here to help. Tell us what your training goals are, and we can point you to the right dog behaviour products.
If you’re looking for more information on dog care, take a look at our blogs below:
Leave a Reply