Tips to Stop a Puppy From Biting

By Karen Corey

Biting and chewing comes naturally to puppies; especially when they are teething. It can seem like it will never end, but take heart; it is a natural phase all puppies go through. At first it may seem like it is just a game, but it needs to be stopped quickly to avoid further problems when your pup gets older. During the teething stage a puppy will try to sink its razor sharp teeth into anything; including the hand that feeds it.

There are a variety of training methods to help teach a puppy not to bite. You should keep in mind some basic guidelines:

• Don't slap or hit the puppy in the face. This is not effective and it may confuse the puppy. He or she may think that you are playing or this might frighten the pup and make him afraid of you.


• You should always encourage acceptable behaviour and discourage unacceptable behaviour. Everyone in the family has to be consistent when it comes to showing the puppy want you want them to do and not to do.


• During the teething stage when you are trying to stop your puppy from biting you shouldn't play tug of war games or playful wrestling with them. This is hard to do because they are so cute and want to play rough. However, it you do play these types of games with them this will only encourage nipping and biting.

Your puppy is just doing what comes naturally and doesn't know any better. He doesn't know that he is doing anything wrong. You have to consistently show him what is acceptable and what is not. There are different techniques used to show your pup that biting you is not acceptable. Below you will find a few suggestions to try for yourself. To stop this habit quickly you need to start as soon as they are showing signs of wanting to sink their teeth into anything that moves.

You can try to redirect the biting from your hand or toes to a toy or chew stick. As soon as the pup starts to nip, say NO, and replace your arm or feet with a chew toy. Puppies are very smart and if you use this method consistently they will catch on quick.

One of the most popular methods is to make the puppy think he is hurting you each time he tries to take a bite out of you. If you have ever watched a litter of puppies play and wrestle with each other; you will notice that they don't stop attacking until another pup yelps. When your pup bites you say Ouch! and pull away from him. The trick to this is to startle them with your voice and then pull away and stop playing for awhile. This will show him that if he bites you won't play with him anymore.

You can us a small spray bottle filled with water and every time he nips or starts to bite at you spray him with the water. Just one short spray in the face should deter the pup. Most puppies don't like to be sprayed.

Here is a tip that might sound a little strange, but it seems to work on some puppies. You take an empty can and fill it with rocks or coins. When your puppy starts to bite, you say No and shake the can. For some reason most pups don't like the rattling noise and they will stop biting you.

If you have a pup with severe biting problems you can use this method. When the pup sinks his teeth into you say, No, and quickly put your thumb under his tongue and your other finger under his chin. Be careful not to hold his mouth too tightly and do this for about 10 seconds and release him. This is uncomfortable for the pup and after a few times he will understand that if he bites he will be uncomfortable.

Keep in mind that this is a natural phase and they will settle down after the teething process is finished. Just be consistent when training them not to bite. You will have many years ahead of you to play, wrestle and run with the newest member of your family. You might want to consider getting pet insurance on your puppy as there may be unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. This will give your family peace of mind knowing that you will be able to provide medical attention when needed.

So please visit us to see how we can help protect your pet - you can buy online easily too at Pet Insurance by Animal Friends or simply call our friendly staff if you prefer on 0844 55 70 300; the policies won't cost you more and you won't be disappointed!