Puppies, with their boundless energy and curiosity, bring immeasurable joy into our lives.
One of the downsides to having a new little puppy is that they tend to think they are piranhas and will get their little needle teeth into just about anything they can. Including your fingers…
The playful nipping and biting that often accompanies their teething phase can leave even the most patient dog owner feeling a bit frazzled. If you find yourself on the receiving end of those tiny, sharp teeth or if your puppy is play-biting the kids a bit too enthusiastically, then this article is for you!
We’re about to delve into the reasons why puppies nip at humans and explore effective strategies how to stop puppy biting.
Understanding why puppies bite
Puppy biting is a natural behaviour rooted in dogs for a variety of reasons. Understanding why is really helpful when trying to stop your puppy from biting. Here’s a few reasons puppies bite.
Teething
Like human babies, puppies experience discomfort when their baby teeth are coming through at about 3 – 4 weeks old. They also experience a similar discomfort when their baby teeth or “milk teeth” start to be replaced by their adult teeth.
Chewing and biting provide relief for their sore gums. It’s super important to recognise this aspect of their development and give them appropriate alternatives for chewing.
Exploration and Play
Puppies explore the world primarily through their mouths. Play-biting is a way for them to interact and learn about their surroundings, as well as engage with their owners or fellow littermates.
Attention-Seeking
Puppies, just like human kids, crave attention, and they quickly learn that a little nip can turn heads their way. If biting leads to a reaction, positive or negative, they might see it as an effective method to get noticed.
Mimicking Littermate Behavior
In a litter, puppies often engage in rough play, including nipping and biting. When they join a human family, they may carry this behaviour over, not realising that humans don’t appreciate this kind of play.
Energy Release
Puppies’ are little furry bundles of energy and biting can be an outlet for that excess energy. Regular exercise and mental stimulation can help address this aspect of their behaviour.
How to minimise and hopefully stop puppy biting
Puppy Chew Toys
One of the most effective ways to manage teething discomfort is to offer a variety of suitable puppy teething chew toys. Opt for toys with different textures and materials to appeal to your puppy’s chewing preferences. There are loads of great puppy chew toys available on the market. These are generally made of softer materials that are gentle on sore puppy gums.
Positive Reinforcement
Like with all puppy training reinforcing good behaviour with positive reinforcement is more effective than trying to punish a pup for bad behaviour. Whenever your puppy shows gentle mouth behaviour, reward them with treats, praise, or affection. This helps them associate positive consequences with appropriate behaviour.
Redirect Attention
If your puppy starts to nibble on you, redirect their attention to a toy or an appropriate chew item. This teaches them that chewing on toys is acceptable while biting humans is not.
One toy that is fabulous for this is a flirt pole. We got one after advice from our puppy school trainer and it was a game changer. A larger version of a cat wand. It gets the pup’s attention on the toy at the end of the pole and the best part, your hand isn’t anywhere near the toy. They can’t even accidentally bite you! What a dream. Seriously, if you have a biting pup you NEED a flirt pole.
Teach Bite Inhibition
Bite inhibition is a crucial skill for puppies to learn. Encourage gentle mouthing during play and withdraw attention if they bite too hard. This helps them understand the limits of acceptable biting. You can do this by establishing consistent commands such as “no bite” to signal that biting that hard is not acceptable. Use a firm but gentle tone and be persistent in reinforcing this command.
Time-Outs
If your puppy’s biting persists despite your efforts, consider implementing short time-outs. This involves removing yourself from the interaction which signals to the puppy that biting leads to the end of play time.
This was the most effective trick when training our pup. If she got too rough I would take myself out of the room and close the door. I then made her wait a few minutes before I reentered the room and resumed play. It didn’t work straight away but after several play sessions, she started to get the point…
They will grow out of it
One of the easiest ways to stop a puppy from biting is just to wait it out. You should of course do everything you can to train your puppy not to bite however majority of pups will grow out of this kind of biting. As dogs mature, often after they have a full set of adult teeth, they will move from proper biting to gentle mouthing. It does take time but it will happen.
Puppy Biting and Kids
Dealing with a playful puppy is one thing, but when your furry friend starts play-biting the kids, it raises additional concerns. Here are some tailored strategies to manage puppy biting when children are involved.
Supervision is Key
Always supervise interactions between puppies and young children. This ensures that play remains safe and helps you intervene promptly if the puppy’s behaviour becomes too rough.
Teach Gentle Interactions
Educate your children on how to interact with the puppy gently. Encourage them to use calm voices and avoid rough or over-excited play that might trigger the puppy’s biting instincts.
Teach the Puppy to Be Gentle
Similarly, teach your puppy to be gentle with the children. Reward calm behaviour around kids and use positive reinforcement to reinforce the idea that interacting gently leads to positive outcomes.
For example, when they are sitting calmly and letting the kids pat them, give them a treat.
Involve the Kids in Training
Make training a family affair. Involve children in basic obedience training and teach them how to use commands like “sit” and “stay.” This not only helps control the puppy’s behaviour but also fosters a sense of responsibility in the kids.
When the puppy starts to get a bit rough, they can also use these commands to switch gears with the puppy and turn the rough play into a mini-training session. This keeps the pup mentally stimulated and out of reach of little fingers.
Set Clear Boundaries
Establish clear boundaries for both the puppy and the children. Designate specific play areas and times, reinforcing the idea that certain behaviours are acceptable in certain contexts.
If crate training make sure the kids know that the crate and any area you have designated around the crate are off-limits for play. This area needs to be a safe space for the puppy to escape and feel safe.
Teach Your Kids to Read Dog Body Language
Teach children to understand dog body language, emphasising the importance of respecting a dog’s signals. This helps prevent accidental provocation and ensures safer interactions.
In the grand journey of pet ownership, navigating the waters of puppy biting is a rite of passage. Understanding the underlying reasons behind this behaviour and employing consistent, positive training methods will pave the way for a well-mannered and affectionate furry companion. When it comes to puppy biting and interactions with kids, an extra layer of patience, supervision, and education is crucial. With time, effort, and a sprinkle of puppy love, you’ll find that those once-sharp puppy teeth will transform into the gentle nuzzle of a lifelong friend.
More articles that are helpful for new pup parents
How to toilet train a puppy in an apartment.
Tips for dealing with fussy eating dogs.
