Puppy Biting Issues
Do you have a baby shark? I mean…Pomsky puppy?
Is your puppy like this?
ALL Puppies Bite! They don’t realize those tiny little razor-sharp teeth hurt! Below are some ways to help curb this:
Hint - this is ALL puppies, regardless of breed!
GAME OVER!
Teaching puppies to not bite before they become adults is a valuable part of training. Ways you can do this is if they bite at your fingers/toes, “YELP” loudly, and immediately stand up and quit playing with them. Stop the play interaction. Once you have done this a few times, they will realize that their bite stops the play.
Here’s a great article with specific tips on the yelping/stop sequence.
Do not smack at or hit your puppy when they bite you. The puppy realizes that it causes you to give some interaction and turns into something called “positive punishment”.
Jerking your hand away when bitten encourages the puppy to go after the hand. Roughhousing with your puppy encourages biting. So although playtime is definitely encouraged, be aware that the type of play could give mixed signals to your puppy.
Some have sprayed bitter spray on their hands to be additional ways to stop puppy nipping.
Teaching your puppy to be gentle is not just good for the mouthing phase, but also becomes learned behaviors as they get older. They will be less likely to bite someone out of fear or pain, such as at a vet’s office.
REDIRECT
Puppies are natural chewers. Not only does this help them figure out their environment they also start teething shortly after arriving to their forever homes. By having plenty of yummy chew treats and toys, and will help keep those sharp little teeth off your fingers and furniture.
If the puppy is aiming for one of those things, keep a toy in your pocket that you would like them to chew on instead and begin playing with it, like you’re having a great time! The puppy will move from the other and want to participate in the fun you’re having! Constantly substituting the toy for the hand or furniture leg will help teach the puppy what is okay to chew on. Encourage non-physical (no hands/feet) play, such as tug-of-war, flirt poles, and fetch.
Rotating in/out toys will make old toys new and interesting again.
CHILL OUT
Just as a tired child will throw a tantrum, a tired puppy may misbehave. Biting puppies are often times very tired puppies. When puppies are playing very hard, they will forget their manners and may begin to bite. This is the time you gently place them in their crate or exercise pen and give them a time-out. You do have to be careful though, as you don’t want them to associate their crate/pen as punishment. As soon as the puppy has calmed down, you can let them out again for more calm play.
If the puppy is very hyper and does not want to calm down, it could be that they need to burn off their energy. Taking them to the yard for some fetch, pool time, flirt-pole play will help expend that extra energy.
REWARD WHAT YOU WANT
Remember that your puppy is learning. Teach them what you want. If you want them to sit still, reward them with petting, praising, and treats when they are doing the behavior you want. As they mature, those rewarded behaviors will become a habit, which will help form a dog that you love and appreciate.
WHEN TO GET HELP
Puppies are a LOT of work - and sometimes we can feel overwhelmed. When your puppy has had all 4 shots, be sure to enroll them in puppy classes. Not only will this give them needed socialization, but it will also start a lifetime of better behaviors.
If the puppy is still biting around the 6-month mark, after puppy classes, then it’s recommended to bring in a professional behavior trainer to help work one-on-one with your puppy. It may be an additional $500 investment but will save invaluable amounts of frustration and time.
Below are some linked videos that also demonstrate the ways discussed above to stop puppies from biting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLEG7ci-y_I&t=8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_6yT7RhJ8A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dMKR5i9iNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77--cCHPyU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwLfbkc8N24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ozpynzZuU
