Puppies bite. While it’s unpleasant to be covered in punctures, it’s built into the package. Puppies don’t have hands, so they use their mouths to explore the world. Instead of discouraging all forms of biting, you can redirect this behavior onto objects that are more suitable.
When you pup starts to get excited, come armed with a variety of toys. Does your pup prefer plush toys? Rope tugs? Rubber bones? Once you know what she prefers, be sure to have one tucked into your pocket so that you can be prepared. Make the toy exciting! Wiggle it! Shake it! Toss it! Play chase with it! Not only is this giving the pup a fun way to expend energy and bite something productive, but it’s also enhancing their relationship with YOU! The toy is more fun when you are playing with it. Another option for dealing with biting is to teach an alternate behavior. It’s hard to bite if they are doing something else. Teaching touch is a really fun game. Or you can also ask the dog to sit.
Here are three videos on Youtube that offer some excellent suggestions for how to positively deal with puppy biting. Remember – we do NOT want to be punitive to our pups. We want to offer them as much support as we can in our training. You would not punish a baby for biting you when it’s nursing, right? Puppies are babies too. They don’t come loaded with the knowledge of what’s “good” or what’s “bad”. We need to teach them what we want them to do, including how to bite other things or how to calm down when appropriate.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwHk3o3P5cw This video teaches how to teach your puppy boundaries. It also encourages redirecting biting you with biting a toy instead.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9KQegi4r8k This video encourages people to engage the pup with a toy that you want them to play with instead of biting. It also encourages rewarding calm behaviors instead.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c77–cCHPyU This video shows how moving your hands towards the dog or putting your hands on the dog means getting a treat. It uses a clicker as a marker word to show that the dog is doing the right thing. The click is always associated with a treat. If you don’t have a clicker, you can say “yes” instead.
Occasionally, you will want to take something from your pup. The best strategy? Teaching them to trade! Trading with your dog builds your relationship and builds trust. Try it!
Which of these strategies worked best with your pup?
Category: Dog Behavior
