How to Get a Puppy to Stop Chewing on Hands
When you bring a new puppy into your home, you are bringing in a little ball of fun and entertainment. You may be surprised to learn that your puppy loves to chew, and your hands are not exempt from this behavior. A puppy chewing on its owner's hands is not a sign of aggression, as this is how the puppy played with its littermates. Even though the behavior is normal, most owners do not enjoy it. To train your puppy not to chew on hands, start early and be consistent with the training.
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Instructions
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How to Get a Puppy to Stop Chewing on Hands
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Provide your puppy with acceptable items to chew on from the moment you bring it into your home. Make sure these are chew toys or bones, not discarded clothing or shoes, which will cause confusion.
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Make the chew toys accessible at all times.
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Keep hands closed in a fist when playing with your puppy, so your fingers are not open for chewing. Puppies are much less likely to chew on a closed fist.
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Make an "arp" or sharp barking sound if your puppy chews on your hand. This mimics the sound dogs use with each other when indicating that they have had enough play, and is more effective than "no," which the puppy does not yet understand.
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Remove the hand your puppy is chewing on, placing it out of sight in your pocket or behind your back, and offer the chew toy as a replacement.
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Provide your puppy with plenty of play, stimulation and exercise. Puppies who are bored will start chewing, and if your hand is available, it will be chewed on.
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Remove yourself as a playmate if your puppy bites or chews hard on your hand. This will quickly teach the puppy that biting a hand causes him to lose interaction.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember that chewing is a normal behavior. Puppies chew to help them lose their baby teeth, and they also nip and bite at hands in an attempt to play as they would with their littermates.
Weeks eight through 16 of a puppy's life are crucial times in training its behavior. Try to teach your puppy appropriate objects for chewing during these eight weeks.
Never strike your puppy when training it not to bite your hands. If you feel a nonverbal consequence is necessary, squirt the puppy with water. According to the University of Minnesota, hitting your dog will create unwanted aggression, and this is a time when you need to teach your puppy that you are worthy of its trust.
Do not ignore chewing behavior. What is cute in an 8-week-old puppy will not be cute from a full-grown dog.
