It can be a little cute at the start, right? Especially if they do it softly and playfully, a little bite from your puppy doesn’t seem like a bad thing. Further, most people assume they’ll grow out of this behavior. And a lot of those people are lucky and that is what happens. But a lot of other people end up with grown dogs who retain this bad habit. So what is going on with puppies and biting?
First, let’s take a look at why puppies bite, and then we’ll give some recommended actions to curb this bad habit.
Why puppies bite
Tiredness
This is a big one. Puppies need regularly scheduled rest just like baby and toddler humans. And just like them, puppies get overly fussy and even grouchy when they’re tired. And when you’re tired, fussy, and grouchy, of course, you are more likely to act out.
Over-excitability
Puppies have big emotions in all directions, including excitement. If they’re playing, they can easily get overly wound up. Then they will get more mouthy. You can help by staying calm yourself, slowing down, and breathing deeply.
Frustration
Puppies are new to the world and they are constantly learning. This can easily lead to frustration if they get stuck on something that they can’t figure out. Pay attention to them. See if you can show them how to deal with the problem at hand. Or redirect them to healthy play.
Sometimes it’s you
If you’re on the floor with them playing for an extended time, firstly, they start to see you as a big toy. (Again, much like toddlers.) Their sense of boundaries are going to, basically, dissolve and you become the best chew toy ever. Also? If you are making a lot of excited sounds and they are loud, eventually this could lead to more biting. Speaking of…
Boundaries
Sometimes biting is a clear message that the puppy wants and needs some alone time. Or you could be overstimulating them by petting too much and for too long or too aggressively brushing them.
Puppies be puppies
Dogs experience the world much through their sense of smell and taste. They want to get to know you and sometimes that means taking a nibble.
Teething
This is the most obvious reason for puppies and biting. And even though it’s a healthy and needed activity for them to teethe, you don’t want to be a living, walking teething ring.
How to deal with puppies and biting
- Make sure you have a good selection of healthy chew toys. Go here to see some.
- Don’t play rough or play tug games with your hands. Show, through you actions, that hands are for other things.
- When you do see them chewing on something that is for chewing, make sure to praise them.
- Don’t spend so much time on the floor. Again, they will see you as a toy. Once they’re older and well trained you can go back to your floor time.
- Right from the start, create a command. For example, “no biting” or “gentle…” Use it consistently and make sure everyone in the family uses the same word or words. Be firm but don’t be too loud.
- Make sure your puppy is getting plenty of exercise. Take them for lots of walks and get them toys that they can play independently with.
We’ve written about ways to make your new puppy comfortable in their new home and it has some tips that would be relative to puppies and biting.