Popular Problems - How do I stop my puppy biting?
One of the most common questions I hear from new puppy owners, and a very common question in the community is about puppy biting. I have people get in contact who are worried their new puppy might be a genetic bad apple of the littler, aggressive and dangerous, physiologically damaged, dominant - you name it, i’ve probably heard it! Whats more concerning is the advice that is all to commonly given out on facebook groups and community corners of the internet. Put a muzzle on your puppy, pin your puppy down. Hit your puppy with a newspaper. This topic and many other FAQ’s are covered on my Puppy Essentials Page, but here are the top 3 reasons your puppy is biting, and what to do about it:
1: Your Puppy is Teething
The vast majority of the time that a puppy is chewing or biting is because it is teething. Just like how toddlers cry like mad when teething, puppies chew everything. Their gums are inflamed and sore, and chewing things is a way of trying to sooth that pain. Puppies teeth at two stages, when their puppy teeth are coming through (normally around the time you pick them up to take them home!) and around 6-8 months when their adult teeth begin to push through.
SO. Make sure you arm yourself with lots of different textured chews and toys. You can get hide chews, rope toys, Gummy rubber to put in the freezer and sooth swelling - its essential to be able redirect the frustration that teething causes into something other than your hands!
2. Your Puppy is trying to maintain their intimate space
Puppies aren’t born as teddy bears or childrens toys - and the idea of being touched and stroked comes more easily to some dogs than others. Its very common, particularly with dogs growing up around young children, that dogs use their mouth when their space is being invaded - if they are being picked up, pushed about, handled too heavily, or set off balance. Breeders normally do a great job of handling puppies from a very young age, but it requires a gentle approach and patience (as well as supervision with children).
If you pet your puppy and they use their mouth to disagree, keep your hand still on them, disagree calmly, wait for the puppy to relax, then continue to stroke them. Every time they try to use their mouth, just hold your hand still and wait for them to relax. Also get into a habit of asking your puppy to come to you instead of going to them - this is especially true for children, who should never be allowed to approach a dog. Always invite the dog, so the dog can show you if they don’t want to.
3. Your puppy is bored bored BORED.
For some bizarre reason, the amount of recommended exercise for a puppy seems to shrink every year. Ive heard vets say 5 minutes for every month of their age. Are you kidding me? A 6 month old puppy gets to ‘exercise’ for half an hour every day? Unfortunately, puppies didn’t get the memo about how to spend the other 23 and a half hours of their day - all that energy has to go somewhere!
Make sure your puppy is getting a sensible amount of exercise. That means no, they shouldn’t be running at full pelt over obstacle courses or going on an all day hike. But two long walks a day (they’ll show you when they’ve had enough) mean your puppy will learn to feel tired and sleep at home. Which helps with teething and calmness, greeting guests, and separation anxiety down the line.
