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Playing with your new puppy is so much fun! But wait… Ouch! Their tiny teeth sure are sharp, and it’s no fun to get nipped during playtime. While biting is a normal part of canine development, there are ways you can communicate with your dog and let them know that biting isn’t appreciated. Keep reading to learn all the tips and tricks you need to train your pup not to bite you anymore.
Things You Should Know
- Make a high-pitched yelp and take your hand away from your puppy. Ignore them for about 20 seconds to let them know that biting isn’t okay.
- Put your puppy in their crate or another room to let them calm down. This also sends the message that when they bite, playtime is over.
- Offer your pup a chew toy or a bone to bite instead. Reward their positive behavior so they’re more likely to repeat it in the future.
Steps
Expert Q&A
- QuestionHow do I stop my puppy from biting other puppies?
Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianPlay biting is normal behavior, and another puppy yelping because yours bit too hard is the quickest way to learn bite inhibition. If your puppy is biting too much, then remove her from the game as soon as she bites. Let her calm down, and then let her resume playing. The idea is to teach her that being too boisterous stops the game. - QuestionHow do I stop my puppy from snapping at my small grandchildren?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
VeterinarianSmall children move quickly and have high-pitched voices, both of which are things that mark them out to the puppy as play objects. Teach the children to sit still and be quiet when the puppy is around. Then get the puppy used to being in their presence without biting, by distracting the puppy with a squeaky toy. Also do some "Sit" training in the children's presence, and reward the dog when he ignores the kids. Avoid getting the puppy over excited as this triggers the urge to play bite, so take regular time outs during play to allow him to calm. - QuestionWhen do puppies stop teething?
Community AnswerPuppies stop teething at 7 months. This is when their permanent molars are fully grown in.
Tips
- Puppies usually grow out of biting by the time they’re 5 months old or so.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/puppy-socialization-and-bite-inhibition/271
- ↑ https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/puppy-socialization-and-bite-inhibition/271
- ↑ http://therightsteps.com/documents/bite_inhibition.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cabq.gov/pets/documents/puppy_chewing.pdf
- ↑ https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/managing-mouthing-dogs
- ↑ https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/10668/dog_nutrition_final_fix.pdf
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-training-classes/
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/puppy-mouthing
- ↑ https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/managing-mouthing-dogs
About This Article
To get your puppy to stop biting, play with it until it bites you, then let out a high-pitched yelp, similar to the sound another dog would make if the puppy bit it too hard. Be consistent with your training, and reward the puppy with treats or praise if it licks you or tries to comfort you after biting your hand. If yelping alone doesn’t work, add a 20-second timeout every time the puppy bites you. Over time, the puppy should learn that biting is unacceptable. Keep reading to learn tips from our veterinary reviewer on how using a taste deterrent can discourage your puppy from biting.
Reader Success Stories
"Positive guidelines, especially for the small breeds that are biting and nipping with razor-sharp teeth. Ways to praise the good behavior and use how to use the time out to separate the biting/bad behavior that might have both occurred simultaneously helped."..." more
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