Puppy Biting Training - Stop the Habit Early

Puppy biting training can be really challenging if it is your first dog! You expect your little pet to be furry and friendly, but occasionally they might bite you a little bit too hard! Your goal is to show them that they should never bite before they get used to it!

One thing to keep in mind is that it is normal for your little puppy to go through this phase. They are teething!

Puppies experience the world with their mouths. They love to bite anything that they can, and sometimes that happens to be your hands and fingers when you are playing with them! Don't get frustrated, because with puppy biting training you can show them how to use their mouth softly.

Puppy Biting Training: Helpful Tips

A lot of people respond to their curious little puppy by hitting them in the face or grabbing a hold of their mouths. This isn't the right way to go about showing your puppy what they are doing wrong. You will either be sending your puppy the message that you are playing with them or that they should be afraid of you.

You can't rough house with your puppy while you are trying to get them to stop biting. They will just get more and more riled up and won't be able to focus. They will have no idea that you want them to stop biting.

It is also very important to remember that when you first get your puppy, they have no idea that they are not supposed to bite. Be patient with them while they learn this and don't expect them to automatically "get" it. Keep that in the front of your mind always, and you won't be so upset when they do bit you.

Puppy Biting Training Methods

1. Chew This Instead - If you have a young puppy, your best bet is to show them what is ok to bite and chew on and what is not ok. If you are playing with them and they start to chomp on your hand, quickly give them a toy instead while saying, "Stop" or "No." You will be showing your puppy not to bite your hand while at the same time showing them that it is ok to chew on their toys. This same basic technique is used to teach your dog not to chew on furniture.

2. I Don't Taste Good - If you are having a hard time getting your puppy to learn to chew on their toys rather than your hand, try wearing gloves that you have doused in bitter apple spray (or some other scent that dogs hate). You won't even have to think when you use this technique. You can just play with your puppy, and if they try to bite you, they will quickly learn that you don't taste good. Be careful though, because some dogs know that you are wearing gloves, so for them you might not be able to rely on this method!

3. Don't Hurt Me! - This method allows you to actually act like a puppy, and will also show your puppy how to control their bite power. Normally, puppies learn how hard they can bite by playing with their brothers and sisters. If they bite their brother or sister too hard, the other puppy will yelp and stop playing with them. You can mimick this behavior to teach your puppy the important life lesson of playing nice!

So when you are playing with your puppy, if they bite you, make a loud yelping sound like a puppy would make. It feels silly to do at first, but if you do it loud enough you will notice that it will startle your puppy. You then need to stop playing with your puppy for a while. Remember, a puppy craves attention and playmates, so having those taken from them are the most severe punishments of all! Eventually, your puppy will learn that they get to play with you a lot more if they don't bite you.

If you have an older puppy or even a dog, you need to try different techniques. An older dog can learn by using a choke collar or through an alternate behavior command. They should learn quite a bit faster than a puppy because they will not be teething.

Puppy Biting Training - Final Thoughts

Puppy biting training is one of the hardest things you will have to go through when you first get your little dog. It can be very frustrating and make you angry at your dog but you have to remember that they are just doing what is natural to them. They aren't trying to hurt you!

Be consistent and patient as you try to teach your puppy to stop biting. As long as you are careful to show them what to chew on instead of your hand, you should not have a problem. If you have a puppy that is extremely aggressive and continues to bite, even as they get older, then there might be other problems that you need to address. In that case, it's recommended that you get a professional trainer to help you.

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