How to stop puppy biting: everything you need to know

The best way to discourage biting behaviour is to stay calm and stick to five consistent rules:

1. Avoid allowing your puppy to bite your hand or anything else you don’t want them biting. Instead, encourage them to mouth toys rather than nipping at people. Keep their toys close by, so you can easily redirect any nipping as soon as possible.
2. Be mindful not to send your puppy into a frenzy during play sessions. If you think they’re becoming overexcited, stop and let them settle down.
3. If your puppy starts biting something they shouldn’t, like your hand, remove it and use a simple command like ‘no biting’. Keep your voice flat and calm. If the command doesn’t work and the biting continues, walk out of the room and stop interacting with your puppy. This shows them that any biting stops the game.
4. As part of your puppy’s early training, teach them the command ‘no’. This will help you effectively communicate with your growing dog.
5. Use positive reinforcement, like giving your dog a treat when they do the right thing. This helps them understand what behaviour gets rewarded.
    

Getting bitten by your puppy can be a shock, but play biting is normal behaviour for any puppy. Like human babies, puppies explore the world with their mouths. Learning what they can chew or bite and what they can’t is known as mouthing. This usually involves your puppy nibbling and biting something – often your hands!

It generally happens when a puppy is overexcited, but their breed can play a part too. While all dogs can bite, some breeds are more likely to display play biting. Working dogs like German Shepherds and Rottweilers are typically more likely to test objects with their mouths, as are terrier breeds like Jack Russells.

Strong, durable toys are the best way to give your puppy something safe to bite. Some options include:

• A rag toy: These toys come in different sizes, making them great for all breeds. Rag toys are perfect for dealing with puppy biting because they have many tassels that a puppy can get their teeth into.
• A rope with two loops: This toy can be used for pulling games, but be careful not to overexcite your puppy with an aggressive game of tug of war, as this could encourage them to bite more.
• A rubber KONG: Keep your puppy occupied for longer by stuffing this with soft dog food or dog-safe peanut butter.

Children love puppies – and vice versa! But as they both tend to have a lot of energy and can get overexcited, this can lead to play biting.

An adult should always supervise any interaction between children and puppies. If children are inadvertently too rough, they may pester or corner a puppy who may react by biting. Helping children understand how to play with puppies in a calm, gentle manner is an essential part of dog ownership.

Just like us, puppies can become irritable if they’re hungry, tired or haven’t been getting enough mental and physical stimulation. All of this can lead to play biting.

It’s important to make sure your puppy gets the right amount of sleep and rest so that they’re not overtired. Make sure they eat regular meals throughout the day, and that they’re getting an appropriate amount of play, exercise and training to keep their minds active.