When you picture getting a new puppy, you might imagine all the sweet puppy cuddles you’ll get, or the silly things they’ll do, or getting to help your new pup learn about and explore a big, new world. What you may not have expected is the mouthful of sharp baby teeth that accompanies a new dog! Though it’s developmentally appropriate for puppies to bite, it can be annoying and painful! Fortunately, there are many ways you can help your puppy learn not to bite.
By and large, the most effective way to stop your puppy from biting you is to withdraw attention from your dog when they bite, according to the AKC. This teaches them hands and body parts aren’t part of playtime. If your puppy bites you while playing with them, that means that playtime is done. Your puppy doesn’t need to be yelled at or physically reprimanded. When you do this, they are still receiving attention from you for their actions, and to them, it can feel like that attention is a reward or a way that you’re playing back.
Another way to stop your puppy from biting you is to always have a chew toy available to them. You can offer the chew toy as a way to redirect behavior when you notice your dog beginning to chew on your or on furniture. This will help teach your dog which items in your house are appropriate to chew.
Sometimes puppies may bite because they have an excess of energy. Taking your puppy to a place where they can run around and tire themselves out may help prevent the biting before it even starts!
You can also make sure to reward your puppy with a treat when you notice them engaging in desired behaviors, like being quiet and calm. When you give your puppy reinforcement for those behaviors, it teaches them how you’d like them to act!
Above all, when you are training your puppy to stop biting, remember to stay patient and calm. Though it may seem like they will bite forever, with a little consistency, your puppy should have their biting tendencies under control!