How to Stop a Puppy From Biting
How to Stop a Puppy from Biting and Mouthing
How to stop a puppy from biting should start right from the beginning of bringing your puppy home. Puppies are playful by nature, and biting/mouthing mommy and daddy, is fun! However, this can be a bit irritating, and become painful as they grow older.
Unfortunately there’s a lot of information and even trainers out there, telling you to teach your dog how to stop a puppy from biting, the wrong way!
Why, why, why?! …would you let your pup bite and mouth your hands when she’s a baby, only to reprimand her later?
Your best bet on how to stop puppy from biting is to never let start in the first place.
How to Stop a Puppy From Biting :: Nip it in the bud
Puppies will only continue a behavior and learn more by reinforcement. This means that if you allow your puppy to bite on you once he will do it again and again. This can be stopped before it develops by gently pulling the puppy away, and redirecting him to an appropriate chewing toy anytime he starts mouthing or biting you.
From the very start, encourage your puppy to leave your fingers and clothes alone by redirecting him to bite an appropriate item.
Get FREE Video Dog TrainingIf your puppy keeps biting, put her on the floor (calmly) ..and then give a little yelp so she knows she hurt you. This is what puppies do with each other so she’ll get what you’re trying to convey.
If she still bites and mouths, then calmly remove your puppy into a timeout for a minute or two. When you go back to playing, if she bites again, start back with the redirect.
Stop Puppy From Biting :: Give your pup toys to bite!
Your puppy (and older dogs) should have plenty to entertain themselves. Otherwise they are sure to get into mischief.
Here’s how it works –
1) When you’re working on how to stop a puppy from biting, you want to have a toy handy to redirect their biting and mouthing.
Get chewing toys according to the maturity of your puppy. If he is shredding them to pieces faster than you can buy them, try heavy duty rubber toys. There are plenty of toys: nylon bones, stuffed Kong, rawhide and others great chewing toys.
Mini chew toy packs are ideal for smaller dogs like dachshunds.
2) Give the puppy a toy when he starts playing with your ankles or arms. For variety, wave the toy and let him grab it. Move again while he starts playing with the toy. This will get him used to seeing your legs and arms moving without wanting to play with them.
When you see the puppy coming towards your arm withdraw it and dangle a toy. Let him grab the toy and play tug with him and the toy between. This will stop puppy from biting you.
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