Help! My Puppy Won’t Stop Biting!
Welcome to puppy parenthood! When you first get a puppy, they are bound to bite, chew, bark, jump, and perform many other behaviors that we may find cute at first, but then they get annoying. First, let me assure you that you are a great puppy parent and your dog is not a bad dog. Biting is a natural behavior for puppies because they are teething. If you’ve ever had a baby, you may have experienced this, but their teeth aren’t razor sharp like those of your furry friend. When it comes to playbiting, you have to remember the puppies don’t know any better, they are new to this world, and they don’t speak our language. Saying "no" or "stop” may stop the biting for a moment, but it will not teach them what to do instead.
Let’s now discuss how to help your newest furry family member...
The importance of chew toys
Is your pup biting and chewing on objects around the house that they are not supposed to? Are they choosing the soft pillows on the couch? the corner of the walls or other hard surfaces? Try to identify the things your pet is choosing to chew on; once we have identified that, we can now begin to provide appropriate things to chew on with similar textures. Linked below are some examples:
Chews on soft things -> Soft plushy toys will be perfect. However if they rip them up try a two in one toy like the one linked below!
Great soft toy with a surprise toy inside if your pup loves soft toys but tends to rip them apart! Click the photo to be taken to amazon!
Chews on Hard surfaces? Try strong rubber toys. (see below)
Linked above is a Classic Kong chew toy. I use this toy and toys similar to this for my strong chewers. I recommend filling it with Kong Easy Treat or Peanut butter! If your dog licks the treat out of it too fast you can even try freezing it for a few hours before hand and then giving it to them! Check out my products page to find more toys linked.
You want to have at least 2-3 of your puppy's favorite toys available at all times. In total, you should have at least 10–15 toys for your pet; however, you WILL NOT give them all their toys at once. Instead, you will give them 5–10 toys and put the remaining toys away where your puppy cannot see or reach them. Every 4-5 days, you will alternate the toys. This is important because dogs get bored just like us. If we play the same game every single day, we will eventually get bored of it and try to find other games to play. We can keep our dog from becoming bored if we alternate the toy on a regular basis.
Is your pet getting the exercise they need?
Exercise is so important, your pup should get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, and I recommend dividing it into 2-3 sessions of 10-15 minutes each. As your pup gets older, this number may increase depending on their breed and energy levels.
Ways to exercise your dog:
Nice long walks! Taking a nice long walk with your pet is a great way to exercise them. On these walks, I recommend allowing your dog to sniff everything they want (try to keep them away from unsafe items, like another dog's stool). Sniffing is important, as it will provide mental stimulation to your pet and really tire them out more than just going for a walk around the block.
Playing fetch in your backyard: throw the ball or toy, and when your pet comes back, you can ask them to drop it, sit, and then throw it again. I like to ask for cues in between throwing the toys to make my dogs think a little more.
Training: Working on obedience training may seem like an easy task at first, but practicing fetch, recall, retrieving, and reinforcing basic commands offers mental stimulation, as well as exercise. You can also teach your dog fun new tricks like weaving and twirling.
Mental Stimulation:
Mental stimulation enriches our dogs' lives by giving them something meaningful to do. And because these activities alleviate boredom, they decrease the likelihood of our dogs developing behavioral issues such as excessive chewing or barking. This should be done in addition to their exercise; brain games are just as important as the physical exercise you do with your pet. I recommend toys like the Kong Wobbler, snuffle mats, and puzzle toys. I have these toys and many more linked in my product pages with a short description of how to use them, so be sure to check those out!
What do I do when my dog bites me?
The goal of the last few parts is to help tire your pup out to try and prevent this. In a training session, we can teach you how to redirect your dog from biting using commands, but while your pet is still learning their commands, here is what I recommend for you to do.
When playing with your puppy, I recommend having toys with you just so that when they get nippy, you can immediately redirect them to a toy.
Now if you do not have a toy and your pup bites, you can say, “Ouch!” And pull your hands away; if they continue to bite you, you will remove yourself from the situation (15 seconds or so). I recommend having toys near by, and when you remove yourself, grab a toy and come back with it. This way, you can encourage them to bite on the toy instead. This will teach your friend that this naughty behavior results in you leaving, but if they chew on the toy, you will stay.
Assume he bites you again after you've given him the toy. Say, “Ouch!” but now you will remove the puppy from the situation—essentially, it's time to take a chill pill. Allow your dog to go to their crate or a safe area, and provide them with some chew toys.
REMEMBER: Celebrate the little things! Make sure you are praising your dog when they are chewing on the appropriate items, so if he is biting on his toys, say words like “Good dog! Yes!”
In a training session, we can work together to help develop more skills to help your pup's biting and chewing, but remember to praise them for chewing on the correct things, redirect them to more appropriate things, and try to remain calm. Remember, your pet doesn’t know better, and it's our job to teach them! You’re a great puppy parent!
