You thought you were getting a puppy but seem to have brought home a land shark with needle-sharp teeth instead! Here are some of the most common reasons why our puppies bite and how we can work on stopping it.

Why Do Puppies Bite?

The first thing to know is that puppy biting and mouthing is normal behaviour. They use their mouths and teeth to explore the world around them.

So how do I stop the biting?

Redirect the biting

Your first step will be to redirect your puppies from biting on to something else. Try a toy that your puppy loves, a knotted micro fibre cloth or tea towel. Keep these things in your pockets or close by so that you can get them quickly when those teeth appear. If your puppy doesn’t seem interested in these start to make them a fun distraction but does keep them close to floor level.

How Much Sleep Is Your Puppy Getting?

How many hours of good-quality sleep is your puppy getting? Just like us, they can get grumpy and grouchy if they don’t get enough – on average they need 19 hours of sleep a day! 

Is Your Puppy Getting Over-Excited?

Too much running around and playing chase with your puppy can lead to biting! Think about mental stimulation instead and use puzzle games and short training sessions. To bring your pup’s excitement levels down give him things like lick mats, Kongs and snuffle mats. You may need to help him make good choices by also popping him in his crate or playpen but always make sure he has something to do. Once excitement levels lower you may well find that he falls fast asleep.

Is it The Clothing That You Wear?

Movement of clothing such as dressing gown belts and the bottoms of our trousers can spark off biting. If there is a particular piece of clothing that your puppy loves to hang off and bite try not to wear it for a few weeks.

Have you got ‘busy hands’?

Too much movement of your hands around a puppy’s head can also spark off biting. Think ‘hands off’ training for a while and try and avoid patting your pup’s head!

Is Your Puppy Hungry?

Puppies go through growth spurts and may become hungrier than normal during these times. Think about increasing the amount of food you give your puppy during these periods to see whether it helps.

Are You Rough Playing with Your Puppy?

Too much rough play can cause our puppies to get over-excited which will then lead to biting. Try calmly playing with a tug toy instead but keep it close to the floor – no one wants a puppy jumping up in their face!

Is Your Puppy Bored?

A bored puppy can turn into a biting puppy! Think about doing some training in 3-minute slots, teaching them to find their food in cardboard boxes and rolled-up towels. Scatter food in the grass, make them their very own digging pit or set up a treasure hunt for them.

Top Tips

• Stand still
• Walk out of the room – this can reset your puppy and helps stop the biting.
• Wear wellies – if you have a pup that goes for toes and ankles wearing wellies will help!

Reward your puppy when they choose not to bite so that they learn that this brings tasty rewards.

At Happipup we offer training either at home or in person that will help you learn how to interact with your pup. Get in touch today by calling 07973 272 911 or emailing sandra@happipup.co.uk