Stopping a Puppy From Biting

Training a puppy to stop biting takes patience from the owner. Those sharp teeth can really hurt and do damage to your skin and clothing. Never hit or slap your puppy, though; this is not an effective way to stop a nipping puppy. Remember that it is young and has a lot to learn from you. Love and kindness will create a life-long bond between you and your pet.

Hands Are Not Toys

Purchase several toys and keep them within easy reach as a substitute for hands. Set the rule of hands being off-limits as top priority when training a puppy to stop biting. Every family member and visitor must work together on this for the puppy to receive positive reinforcement. During playtime, it is easy for dog owners to forget that using hands around a dog's face sends the message that hands are toys. When the puppy takes a nip at hands, pant legs or some other object that is not meant as a toy, speak firmly and tell it no. Quickly hand a puppy toy to your pet as a substitution. Do this immediately while it is fresh in the puppy's mind or the concept will be lost.

Quick Stop

Use the same word every time to reprimand for biting. "No" is quick and to the point. Use a firm voice so the puppy understands you are the one in charge. Also, keep a spray bottle filled with water ready to squirt immediately when your puppy nips. The puppy will not like being squirted and will soon make the association that a bite results in a squirt.

Fill a can with rocks, coins or any noise making object. A quick shake of the can will remind him that biting is bad behavior. Be consistent in the method you choose as a deterrent.

Toys

Puppies need to chew on something and they have a lot of energy that needs to be released. New teeth can also be very bothersome. When you spot your pet chewing on the wrong object, quickly make a substitution to its toy. Select a rawhide chew toy for teething. Rawhide toys tend to get soggy after they have been chewed, so do not get a rawhide piece that has a colored coating. The color will come off on carpet or paws. Stuffed animals are cute but if there is a child that has stuffed toys at home, the puppy may get its toy and a child's toys confused. The same can happen if the puppy is given an old sock as a toy. It won't know the difference between a toy sock and a good sock.

References

• Dog Obedience
• Dog Training

Resources

• Pet Smart dog toys