How to Stop a Puppy from Biting and Nipping?

The best way to stop a puppy from biting you – is to teach them new behavior. One of the most effective options is to replace their intended targets with a chew treat or soft toy. It helps you redirect their habit of nipping or biting.

For example, you can start by creating a crate for them – one they can call home. On the other hand, you may be worried that your pup may not feel so good in your home. In that case, you can provide them with a rewarding and safe place they can call their own.

You need to ensure that crate training is a positive experience for them. Start the training by letting the puppy spend some time in the crate. Keep increasing it even as the puppy becomes comfortable with the previous time.

You can help the puppy focus on games and gather experience by watching you in action. Body language is the first language that a puppy learns in its lifetime. They observe our hands and pick up movements and gestures.

Usually, they do not make straight eye contact with us. You can teach your puppy to take a treat with a glance of your eyes. It is always better when they get more comfortable looking at you.

Puppies would learn better to focus on their eyes if distracted. It would only increase when the behavior is a rewarding one. You can teach them to follow basic commands such as “stand-up” and “sit-down.”

Teaching gymnastics is a viable option in this case as well. You can use gestures or their favorite objects to teach gymnastics to lure them.

You can capture the behavior when they are doing things themselves – you can also place them in those positions if you want to.

The best way to teach them such movements is by finding something that motivates them. You should also reward their good behavior as much as you can.

For example, you can teach them to follow you when you are walking away from them. You can build a new relationship with your puppy through experience only – you do not always need food for the same.

Steps To Teach Mouthing, Nipping, and Biting To Your Puppy

You can follow some easy steps and teach your puppy not to nip or bite when playing. These steps are enumerated below:

1. Before their teeth get to your flesh, let out a loud yelp – this will inform them that the way they are behaving is not welcome at all
2. Provide them soft toys to nip or bite instead of your fingers and hands
3. If they chew a toy instead of biting and nipping any of your body parts, reward them with a small treat
4. If your pup is holding your hand in its mouth, do not pull it away by force – Ask them to stop doing so in a gentle but firm way.
5. If they bite or nip you, ignore them for around half a minute.
6. Praise or give them a chewy toy when they stop biting your hand.
7. If your puppy is biting or nipping, you can drop the toy to signal that playtime has ended.
8. You can also get up and walk away from them, thus leaving them all alone.
9. Punishing your puppy with long intervals between playtimes is not wise, as they would only learn by interacting continuously with you.
10. Never shout at a puppy or intimidate them in any way – it is also not at all okay to punish them physically.
11. It would help if you were consistent with your approach – always following the same teaching method while playing with the puppy.

Following the last method would help them learn that biting and nipping are unwelcome as they hurt you.

The basics of teaching a puppy not to bite

Puppies learn the ways of social behavior when they play with their twins – their mates in the same litter. It involves nipping and biting each other at times.

You often hear a puppy yelping loudly because another has bitten them too hard. If the yelping pup is hurt, it will likely stop playing.

They would walk away and ignore their twin, who would want to get on with it. Apart from you, your family members also need to learn that your pup needs to discover a way to play without aggression.

Tips for playing with your puppy

Following are the tips that you need to follow in this context:

1. It must be you or your family members who start the playtime – not the puppy
2. Play games like Retrieve and Chase or tug of war – use various toys for the purpose
3. It would be best if you never dealt with your puppy in a rowdy way, as your puppy would learn that from you
4. You can walk the puppy for as long as is permissible for their age – this will help you redirect their energy
5. Always have small toys with you so that you can offer them readily to the pup instead of biting or nipping your hand or finger
6. Make sure that your family members are also following the plan that we have detailed above to stop puppies from biting
7. If you want them to stop biting, then give out a loud yelp and do not pay attention to them for a few moments
8. If your pup is playing with kids, monitor the activity – ask the kids not to provoke the puppy in any way, such as head-to-head or any other such form of close contact
9. You must have a daily schedule that you follow with them – this is the time when they get the necessary attention from you, indulge in some exercise, and have the time to explore the surroundings

Conclusion

Stopping a puppy from biting and nipping requires consistent training using positive techniques. Socialization, redirecting to appropriate toys, and rewarding good behavior is essential.

Patience is vital as every puppy is different. Avoid punishment, stay calm, and seek professional help if needed. Building trust and respect creates a harmonious bond with your puppy for a happy companionship.

FAQs

Que: Why does my puppy bite and nip? 

Answer: Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and it’s a natural behavior during play and teething.

Que: Is it okay to use physical punishment to stop the biting? 

Answer: Physical punishment can lead to fear and aggression, which is not recommended. Use positive reinforcement instead.

Que: How can I redirect my puppy’s biting behavior? 

Answer: Offer appropriate chew toys or engage in interactive play whenever your puppy starts to bite.

Que: How long will it take to stop my puppy’s biting habits? 

Answer: Progress varies, but most puppies learn to curb biting within a few weeks with consistent training and patience.

Que: What if my puppy’s biting behavior doesn’t improve? 

Answer: If the problem persists, seek guidance from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist for tailored solutions.