
This same tactic is used when teaching a puppy to walk on a leash. If your puppy is pouncing on your legs or feet as you walk, a common playful puppy behavior, Santo recommends holding a high-value treat next to your leg as you walk, to help the puppy learn to walk nicely alongside you. If you’ve been training your puppy to sit, you might also redirect them by asking them to sit and rewarding with a toy. If they start nibbling at your fingers or toes while you’re playing, offer a toy instead.Īgain, if they continue to nip, stop the play session immediately.

Doing so will let pups know what is OK to bite or chew. It’s a good idea to keep a puppy chew toy at hand at all times, so you can anticipate biting behavior and substitute the toy for your hand or furniture. “And be careful not to roughhouse with your young pup in ways that only encourage them to lose control and bite you.” Give your puppy an alternative item to chew “It’s actually a calming signal and a minor form of attention withdrawal,” she says. Kathy Santo, dog trainer and columnist for AKC Family Dog, suggests turning around and tucking your hands into your armpits. Instead, teach them that biting will get them nothing. This can also make them fearful of being handled. It teaches them that biting gets some kind of response from you, which is known as positive punishment. Yelling at or physically punishing your puppy, as strange as it sounds, is also a type of reward. If your puppy bites you while playing, that means playtime is over, with no exceptions. Teach your puppy that biting means “game over” Some dog owners use a bitter spray to deter puppies from chewing and biting on objects. If they do back off, be sure to reward your dog with a treat and some verbal praise. In this case, it is better to turn quietly around, walk away, or gently put the pup into their crate for a few minutes to calm down. Beware though, because, for some puppies, this actually gets them even more worked up and likely to bite. If they bite too hard on their mother or littermate, the other dog will likely make a loud yelp sound, warning the puppy, “Hey, that hurt!”ĭepending on the dog, you can teach this, as well, by making a high-pitched “ow!” sound if they bite you.

Puppies naturally nip at each other while playing. But if they’ve learned bite inhibition, they understand that they shouldn’t bite down hard. There may come a time when they’re in pain or fearful, and they put their mouth on you or someone else.
PUPPY TIME OUT HOW TO
Learning how to moderate the force of a bite is very important for all dogs.

However, this is completely normal for puppy teething and necessary for development, and something you can train away with a few simple steps. Dog trainers call it “play biting,” but it’s irksome and often painful when your cuddly pup seems to be all teeth. Puppies’ mouths are filled with about 28 teeny-tiny razors that seem to be attracted to your fingers or toes. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to gently put your puppy in their crate to calm them down.Offering puppy chew toys can help teach your puppy what is acceptable to bite or chew on.Puppies who learn bite inhibition are less likely to grow into adult dogs who bite.
