Getting a puppy is a very exciting time. They provide so much energy and joy to your household. While getting a puppy is almost always a positive experience, there are some things that puppies do that can be very annoying. From peeing in the house, chewing up furniture, to whining, getting a puppy certainly requires a lot of patience. It is also very important that you train a puppy to outgrow these unwanted behaviors early, so that they don’t carry those tendencies into adulthood. One of the most annoying and common unwanted behaviors of puppies is biting. We are going to discuss puppy biting and the best steps to control it.
How to control puppy biting
The key to controlling puppy biting is to find the balance between letting your puppy know it is not okay, while also not being too strict or harsh that your puppy becomes anxious. Below are the best steps to control puppy biting:
Show physical discomfort
Biting is actually a very common and natural behavior that puppies do among themselves as a way to greet one another and play around. There is a good chance that your puppy does not want to inflict any harm, and is rather just in a playful mood. If your puppy is biting you hard, it is important that you relay that to your puppy so he/she won’t do it again. To control your puppy biting, simply yell out when he bites you so that they learn it is not pleasurable for you.
Leave
Another great way to control your puppy’s biting is by immediately leaving them when they bite you. This will signal to them that playtime is over, and they will eventually learn that biting you will cause you to leave every time. Hopefully this will cause them to control their biting if they want to keep you as a play partner.
Toy
You can also stop your puppy from biting you by getting a chewable toy for your puppy. This will act as a great distraction and will also help your puppy get all of its chewing out of the way before he plays with you. Toys are also great for puppies that are suffering stress or anxiety.
Run and exercise
One of the main reasons that puppies will bite you is because they have so much energy and they don’t know how to express themselves. Out of this jolt of energy, they accidently bite you because they are so excited. This is why most puppies bite in the beginning of play time. One great way to reduce this behavior is to make sure that your puppy is getting enough exercise. Even though they are puppies, you can still take them outside for plenty of walks or runs. You can also just play fetch with them. If your puppy is getting enough exercise, he/she will likely not be so jumpy when they see you which should help control their biting behavior.
Change feeding method
If you usually feed your puppy by hand (either for food or treats), it may be wise to switch from hand feeding for a while. Hand feeding may be one of the reasons that tempts your puppy to bite your hand, because he/she associates it with food.
It is important to remember that puppies are young, and it can take a while for them to learn right from wrong. Just like you do with children, it is very important that you stay very patient and don’t lash out at your dog, even if he/she causes pain when they bite you. If you lash out at your dog too harshly, it can be a very traumatic experience for them and it could damage your relationship for the coming years.
