How to stop a puppy biting

If you’ve spent time with puppies, you know they like to nibble on, well, everything. Toys, furniture, clothes, shoes. You name it, a puppy keeps biting it. While occasional puppy biting seems harmless, unaddressed puppy biting can become a problem.

The good news? This is normal puppy behaviour, especially when they’re arriving in a new home. The less fun news? You need to discourage the habit before tiny nips become full-grown bites.

From causes to prevention to intervention, here’s everything you need to know about how to stop a puppy from biting.

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Why is my puppy biting me?

So, why do puppies bite so much? Well, biting things is fun and it feels good.

Like babies, puppies learn a lot about the world by tasting and gnawing everything. Again, like babies, they go through a teething period where chewing soothes sore gums.

“Puppies are going to test-chew everything — at first, they’re exploring, then later, they’re teething. Nipping is very common at this stage.” says Sarah Hodgson. She's a certified dog trainer, consultant, and bestselling puppy rearing author. You may have heard of her book including “Puppies For Dummies".

Puppies tend to nip more when they’re excited or have an unmet need, notes Hodgson. Like a crying baby, a nipping puppy may signal that it’s time to go for a walk, eat dinner, have a nap, use the bathroom, or play.

Nipping and destructive chewing often improve when puppies finish teething. But it’s important to remember that teething is a lengthy process for puppies.

“Many people believe that puppy teething is only something that lasts the first few months of puppyhood,” says Lisa Mullinax. She's a Seattle-based Certified Dog Behavior Consultant. “But puppies go through two teething phases: the first is between 3-6 weeks, and the longest begins at 12 weeks and lasts until 24 weeks.”

Why do puppies bite?

Puppies bite for a few reasons, and it's rarely for bad reasons.

• Attention-seeking - A bite usually gets attention, so we can end up positively reinforcing the behaviour

• Exploration - Biting (and their mouths generally) is a puppy's way of exploring the world

• Teething – Biting helps puppies relieve pain during the teething stage.

• Play – Biting and mouths are a key way for pups to engage with people, other pups and littermates when playing

How to stop a puppy from biting and prevent a painful puppy bite

Even though puppy biting is normal, it’s important to discourage the behaviour before it becomes dangerous. It's much harder to stop adult dogs from biting.

Depending on your individual puppy, and on the cause of the biting, there are strategies to address the behaviour.

• Redirect to chew toys – Offer appropriate chew items instead of hands.

• Use time-outs – Stop interaction when biting occurs to teach that rough play ends the fun.

• Encourage gentle play – Reward and positively reinforce soft mouth behaviour to reinforce good habits.

• Teach ‘leave it’ command – Train your puppy to respond to a cue that discourages biting.

• Avoid rough play – Games like tug-of-war can encourage aggressive biting.

Why might your puppy be biting you aggressively?

Does your puppy’s biting seem more purposeful than playful?

Some puppies may engage in an aggressive behaviour known as “resource guarding". They'll growl, lunge or bite when you reach for something they prize, like food.

A snarly puppy guarding a favourite stuffed animal might be funny at first. But down the line aggression can lead to serious consequences. Besides to causing injuries, dogs who bite risk being isolated, surrendered, and even euthanised.

“Millions of people are bitten by dogs every year,” says Marissa Sunny, senior dog lifesaving specialist at Best Friends Animal Society. “The majority of these bites, if not all, are preventable.”

Sunny offers the following tips for preventing and troubleshooting aggressive behaviour:

• Make a veterinary appointment. Aggression can mean a dog's in pain. Sudden aggression or negativity to touch can mean a health issue is going on. “Behaviour changes can sometimes be a symptom of a medical problem,” cautions Sunny.

• Work with a trainer. “A certified trainer can help you teach your dog appropriate behaviours in a humane, effective, and ethical way,” says Sunny. Training is available in person and online in most places, she notes.

• Socialise early and often. Make it a point to expose your puppy to a variety of people, places, and experiences. “Dogs also need to be socialised beyond your family and home,” notes Sunny. “They need to be comfortable in the world.”

• Prioritise your pup. Before adding a puppy to your family, make sure your schedule allows for lots of time together. “As social animals, dogs thrive on social interaction and love to be a part of the family,” says Sunny. “A happy dog is a good dog.”

Pet insurance could help you manage the cost of any veterinary treatments. Our Complete Care plan covers vet-referred behavioural treatment if your puppy needs it after an accident or illness, so your puppy can get the care they need when they need it.

Explore your puppy insurance options to find a policy that works for you and your pup.

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What not to do when your puppy bites you

Biting can be frustrating, and even painful. But it’s important to remain calm and positive. Yelling might stop the behaviour in the moment, but it won’t teach your puppy not to bite in the future. In fact, yelling can even lead to worse biting.

“Yelling is a release for you, but it leads to more problems down the road,” says Hodgson.

Similarly, you should never hit your puppy for biting – not even a “gentle” tap. Aversive training doesn't work - you need positive reinforcement training. Things like leash jerks, shock collars, and other painful punishments are ineffective and harmful. This isn't an opinion; researchers have proven they don't work.

A study by researchers in Portugal found that dogs who underwent aversive training displayed significantly higher levels of stress-related behaviours than dogs trained using reward-based methods.

Instead, commit to rewarding good behaviour instead of punishing undesirable habits. And make sure the entire household is clear on the plan.

“Read up on positive reinforcement training techniques and get your whole family involved,” says Sunny. “Make a game for the family of spotting and reinforcing desirable behaviour in your dog.”

Puppy biting: A common problem with proven solutions

Puppy biting can, well, bite. If your puppy keeps biting despite your best efforts, don’t worry—there are many effective training techniques to help. With a little patience, some know-how, and maybe professional help, you can teach your four-legged friend how to stop puppy biting safely and responsibly. Best of luck to you and your pup!

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