how to stop your puppy from biting

Puppy biting is an inevitable part of having a puppy. But it can also be one of the most frustrating and painful. Almost all pappies are undergoing a pretty significant puppy biting stage.

Today, we'll discuss how to teach your puppy to stop biting.

There are two main reasons that puppies bite, it's because they're teething or because they're trying to engage the world.

Dogs can be really nippy until they're about five months old or even longer if it goes unchecked.

Really Crystal clear communication together and every interaction you have with them needs to be focused on building that communication Addressing puppy biting is one of the best opportunities to do that in addition to the exercises.

How to stop your puppy from biting and nipping

Teaching your puppy not to bite is an exceptionally important element of puppy training, as a biting dog is a serious danger to other people – particularly children – and other pets. Use these lessons to make sure the training sticks.

Lesson 1: No hard biting

It’s tempting to try to completely curb your puppy’s biting and mouthing from the beginning. However, doing so will skip a vital step – allowing your puppy to understand the limits of how hard they can press against skin before it becomes painful. Teaching this lesson gives your puppy a built-in inhibition against causing harm if it should become stressed or scared.

To teach your puppy not to bite hard, take your cues from natural puppy play. Gentle mouthing and nibbling is natural behaviour, so let your puppy indulge in this, but when you feel a hard bite, make a yelping sound and let your hand lie still.

This will show your puppy that it’s gone too far, and soon it will learn to adjust. Everyone the puppy plays with should adopt this strategy, so that eventually your puppy will gently mouth your hands rather than nip or bite. Consistency is an important part of puppy training and will help reinforce these lessons.

Lesson 2: No teeth on skin

Now that your puppy has learned the pain threshold for biting human skin, it’s time for the next lesson: no teeth on skin. To do this, continue with the previous technique, but now you should yelp and go limp at the slightest nip. This will show your puppy that no level of teeth on skin is acceptable.

You can reinforce this training exercise through treats: hold a treat in a closed hand, and only open your hand when your puppy is not mouthing, chewing or pawing at your fingers. This will demonstrate that mouths and skin do not belong together. It may take some time and patience, but puppies are like children – they’re programmed to learn and adapt!

Lesson 3: Use toys to redirect their attention

Since chewing, mouthing and biting are natural behaviours for dogs, we don’t want to discourage them completely. Early on, puppies need to know that chewing on toys is fine, but chewing on skin is not.

While your puppy is learning the first two lessons, make sure to provide plenty of chew toys so it can understand that while skin is a no-no, toys can be chewed to its heart’s content.

Lesson 4: Walk away

Puppies and young children have many traits in common: both can find it hard to focus on lessons, particularly when they’re excited. Sometimes, the best thing to do is give your puppy a little time to calm down in their playpen, perhaps with a nice chew toy.
Don’t think of this as a punishment, but simply a chance for your puppy to calm down. Training can resume when the pup feels a little more tranquil.

Lesson 5: Discourage herding instincts

Some breeds of dog, such as Australian Cattle Dogs, Collies or Shetland Sheepdogs, have strong herding instincts, which can lead them to nip at ankles in an effort to keep the ‘herd’ moving. If your dog does this, try to stand still so it understands that nipping ankles will have the opposite effect to its intention. Avoid wearing flip-flops as this draws the attention of the dog to your heels.

Conclusion

Puppy training needs a great deal of patience and persistence. Even if your puppy doesn't understand the things you're attempting to teach right away, it's important to be calm and focused. Screaming or scolding your dog may terrify them or cause them extra stress, which may be recalled into maturity - and lead to the same behavior you're trying to avoid.

If you believe your puppy is having trouble learning your biting lessons, consider hiring a professional trainer. Biting dogs are dangerous to you and others, and it's ultimately your job to make sure your dog is safe to be around.

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