How to Stop Puppies From Biting & Chewing

Puppies may chew for a variety of reasons, such as teething, separation anxiety and for fun.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, normal puppies show chewing and biting behavior in play with dogs or humans. However, they say it's important to train your puppy to stop biting and chewing before it grows bigger and can damage objects or hurt people. When puppies play with one another, they naturally get out of hand and bite too hard. The bitten puppy's cry alerts the other that it's done something wrong, and it eventually learns from these experiences. There are also things you can do to train your puppy not to chew or bite.

Things You'll Need

• Kong-type toy
• Bitter, sprayable, nontoxic substance, such as bitter apple
• Squirt gun or shaker can

Instructions

1. Give your puppy his own safe, chewable toys. The Humane Society says not to provide household goods as toys, since this may confuse the dog. Kong-type toys, which can be filled with treats or food, will help your puppy adjust to chewing on his toys instead of your possessions.

2. Avoid using your hands to play with your dog. Veterinary Medicine says biting or mouthing in puppies is a playful behavior. They advise using toys, such as balls or rope, which let you interact with your dog without direct contact. Don't play too rough, as that can overexcite the puppy and encourage biting.

3. Make sure your puppy is getting plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. The ASPCA says chewing might be an expression of boredom. They suggest plenty of walks, playtime with other dogs, classes or puzzle toys, in which you can hide treats inside.

4. Spray a bitter, nontoxic training substance, such as bitter apple, on areas you don't want your dog to chew, or on your hands if he bites. Veterinary Medicine says when the puppy chews on a treated area, give him an acceptable toy to chew on instead. You will need to reapply the spray to keep the bitter taste strong until training is completed.

5. Socialization and training can, according to the Humane Society, alleviate nervous biting behavior. They stress the importance of including the whole family in training. Introducing your puppy to a variety of people and other dogs can help assuage nervousness and prevent biting.

Tips & Warnings

• If your puppy bites you, yelp as if you're hurt. But, if he does it more than three times in 15 minutes, remove your hand and ignore him for a one-minute time-out.

• Use a squirt gun or a shaker can if your puppy chews on an inappropriate object. Offer a chew toy.

• The ASPCA says if you don't catch your puppy in the act of chewing, it's too late for him to understand any connection with punishment. A guilty expression isn't because he knows what he did, it's a response to your aggressive behavior. Punishing a puppy after the fact is not only ineffective, it could also provoke new bad behaviors.

References

• ASPCA: Destructive Chewing
• ASPCA: Puppy Mouthing
• Veterinary Medicine: How To Stop Chewing Problems in Puppies
• Humane Society: The Whys and the Hows to Stopping a Gnawing Problem
• Humane Society: Prevent a Dog From Biting