How to Stop Puppies from Whining & Biting

Providing toys promotes good chewing habits.

Like humans, puppies go through numerous growth stages, and throughout their puppyhood they naturally will bite and whine. Puppies whine to get your attention, and they bite because they are teething and are not aware of what is acceptable and unacceptable to chew on. It's important to discourage both of these behaviors as early as possible, to prevent these typical puppy annoyances from becoming something much worse when they're adults.

Instructions

Stopping Puppies from Biting

1. Give your puppy plenty of chew toys to play with. Praise your puppy each time he chews on these toys instead of biting you; this lets him know what he is permitted to chew on.

2. Put a toy in her mouth anytime she tries to chew on you. If she chews on your hand, for example, say, "No bite," and replace your hand with a toy. Praise her when she chews on the toy.

3. Get up and walk away. Walking away when your puppy bites you tells your puppy that biting is not acceptable and playtime is over.

Stopping Puppies from Whining

1. Make your puppy's crate comfortable and comforting. Puppies generally do not enjoy being placed in crates and may take a few nights to adjust. Place pillows, chew toys and stuffed animals inside the crate.

2. Praise your puppy when she is quiet. Pet her, play with her and talk to her to let her know that being quiet is good behavior.

3. Ignore your puppy. Giving your puppy any attention when he is whining simply reinforces the whining. Your puppy whines to get your attention. If you give it to him, he's succeeded and thinks that if he does it again he'll be successful again.

4. Ensure that your puppy has water and does not need to go out.

Tips & Warnings

• Crate your puppy when you cannot supervise him. Your puppy can tear up your furniture or hurt himself if you are not watching him.

• Hide all pieces of clothing and other valuables that you do not want to be chewed while your puppy is teething.

• Take your puppy to a vet if he continues to whine. Whining can also be a sign of pain.

• Do not physically reprimand or use negative punishment. Puppies learn from positive reinforcement, and will only develop aggressive and fear-related issues later if they are hit or negatively punished.

References

• Saint Francis: Tips for Training Your Puppy
• Training Dogs Information: Stop Puppy Whining

Resources

• Perfect Paws: Puppy Barking, Whining and Howling