Is your puppy a land shark in disguise?

Were you dreaming for years about getting a puppy?  Did you spend hours, days and weeks planning every single detail, from the perfect breed for your family to puppy proofing your home and spending LOTS of money on every bit of kit imaginable?  And did you dream about the day your would bring this little fur baby home and how wonderful it would be?  Did you then discover that this perfect little ball of fluff is actually a little shark disguised as a puppy and now you’re covered in scabs and scratches, with holes in all your favourite clothes?  If so, you’re not alone, and you should definitely read on! 

Puppy biting is one of the most common concerns new dog pawrents experience. While those tiny teeth can feel surprisingly sharp, the good news is that biting is a normal part of puppy development.  When you understand why puppies bite, you can adapt your responses to help them learn different behaviours when interacting with their new human family. 

So why do puppies bite?

Puppies explore the world with their mouths. Just as babies use their hands to investigate things, puppies use their teeth. During the first few months of life, biting and mouthing are part of normal play and learning.  When they are with their littermates, this is how they play and learn.  Their mum will teach them how hard they can acceptably bite, so when they come to their forever home, they are quite skilled at biting!  There are other reasons aside from playing and learning that puppies bite:

Teething

Between around 12 weeks and 6 months of age, puppies go through a teething phase. As their adult teeth develop, their gums can become sore and uncomfortable. Chewing and biting help relieve this discomfort.

Over-tiredness or over-excitement

Many puppies bite more when they are tired or overstimulated. Just like young children, puppies often struggle to regulate themselves when they become overtired.

Attention seeking

If a puppy learns that biting gets a big reaction from people, the behaviour can quickly become a way to get attention.

What Makes Puppy Biting Worse?

It can be tempting to respond strongly when a puppy bites, but certain reactions can unintentionally make the behaviour worse.  Shouting “no”, pushing the puppy away, or grabbing their collar may increase excitement or frustration. Some puppies interpret these reactions as part of the game, which can lead to even more biting.  Screaming and running can also stimulate further arousal in the puppy and can incite even more frenzied biting.  Measured, calm responses are much more effective, but they take a bit of self discipline and practise, because obviously the biting HURTS and it’s hard not to respond in an extreme way!

What Helps Reduce Puppy Biting?

Fortunately, there are several simple strategies that can help puppies learn better ways to interact.

Provide appropriate chew outlets

Offer a variety of safe chew toys and enrichment items so your puppy has appropriate things to bite and chew, especially during teething.

Manage tiredness

Many biting episodes happen when puppies are overtired. Ensuring your puppy gets enough rest during the day can make a big difference.

Reward calm behaviour

When your puppy is sitting calmly or interacting gently, reward this with praise, treats, or attention. This helps them learn which behaviours work best.

End interaction when biting starts

If biting begins during play or stroking, simply disengage from your puppy or remove your attention a few moments (10-15 seconds is plenty). This teaches your puppy that gentle behaviour keeps the interaction going, but it always stops when they bite.

Use food games and foraging

Enrichment activities such as scatter feeding, food puzzles, and scent games can help puppies use their natural behaviours in positive ways and reduce excess energy.

When to seek help

Most puppies naturally grow out of puppy biting as they mature and learn appropriate social skills. However, if the behaviour feels like it is escalating, or you’re struggling to teach appropriate behaviour around children in the home, it can be helpful to seek guidance from a qualified dog trainer.

With patience, consistency, and the right guidance, puppy biting is a stage that most dogs move through successfully and understanding it, can help you get through it more quickly.

If you would like help with this or any other puppy behaviour, you can sign up to one of my FREE All About Puppy webinars, or book a focused training session so we can build you and your puppy’s skills!