Puppy Biting
If your puppy is a little land shark who constantly bites pant legs, ankles, feet, arms, and hands, you’re not alone! Puppy biting is a very normal behavior and something virtually all puppy owners deal with. It’s also important to note that this normal puppy biting is not aggression.
WHY PUPPIES BITE
Puppies bite for a couple of reasons:
to get attention or initiate play
boredom
they’re overstimulated or overly tired
it’s fun
HOW TO HANDLE PUPPY BITING
IGNORE IT/BE A TREE
It’s so much more fun for your puppy if you give them a reaction. Most people, when bitten by their puppy, will vocalize and move quickly, which only serves to excite the puppy further and encourage biting.
Instead, be still and ignore them. Give them no reaction at all, and they’ll quickly get bored and move on. If you’re consistent with this, they’ll learn that you’re not fun to chew on.
If you’re on the floor with your puppy, stand up. If your puppy is on your lap or the furniture with you, set them on the floor and stop interacting. If you’re petting your puppy, stop. If you’re trying to brush them, clip nails, or put the leash on - stop.
BITE THIS INSTEAD
Give your puppy an appropriate chewing outlet. If your puppy is biting your hand, pop a toy or a bully stick in their mouth instead.
TIME OUT/QUIET TIME
A time-out means giving your puppy time to calm themselves down. This usually means you put them behind a baby gate, outside, or in their crate. I’m a big fan of putting a bitey puppy in their crate with something to chew on, like a bone or bully stick. This will help them self-soothe and settle down on their own. Chances are, your puppy will just fall asleep because they were really just overstimulated and don’t have the ability to recognize that they really just need a nap. And no, putting your puppy in their crate when they’re out of control is not going to make them hate their crate. It’s giving them the opportunity to relax by restricting their options.
If you’ve ever spent time with young kids, you know toddlers can get a little overstimulated and wild and cranky when they’re tired and need a nap. If you suggest they take a nap, you’ll probably get an earful, but if you set them on the couch with a blanket and pillow and turn on cartoons, they’ll be out like a light. We can do the same thing for our overly tired puppies, only with a crate and a bully stick.
BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE
Most puppies have a witching hour, where, like clockwork, they get wild and zoomy and bitey. This is really common and is usually seen in the evening and/or the morning. If your puppy has a set witching hour, plan for it! Have some awesome chews ready to give your puppy, or have their breakfast or dinner ready in a food-dispensing toy. Instead of running around putting out fires, simply prevent them instead.
KIDS & PUPPY BITING
Kids can often inadvertently make puppy biting worse by squealing and flailing around, maybe even trying to run away. To your puppy, this is really fun play - just the reaction they were hoping for! If your puppy is biting your child, intervene quickly and remove the puppy. Most kids aren’t able to ignore sharp puppy teeth and will need help.
There are some really great toys that can be helpful for kids to play with with a biting puppy. I like flirt poles and long tug toys that can be drug along the floor for the puppy to chase and bite. These help keep sharp puppy teeth away from little hands while allowing fun play and interaction.
CHEWS ARE YOUR FRIEND
I can’t emphasize enough how helpful chews can be in reducing puppy biting. They need plenty of stuff to chew on, and what’s more fun - a tasty marrow bone or your hand? Make sure to have a variety of edible chews on hand to keep your puppy’s mouth busy - bully sticks, bones, stuffed Kongs, pig ears, Himalayan cheese chews, etc.
FINAL NOTE
At the end of the day, puppy biting is something your dog will naturally outgrow. Some puppies bite more intensely and often, some bite for a much longer time, some barely bite at all - they’re all a little different, but it will eventually stop. This is a typical puppy behavior and is not something that should ever be physically punished.