Episode #247 How Do I Stop My Puppy From Biting?

Those little shark teeth aren’t a character flaw—they’re a language. We unpack what puppy biting really means, why it’s a normal stage of development, and how to turn chaotic nips into gentle, thoughtful play. You’ll learn the core pattern that works: soft mouths keep you close, hard bites pause the fun. With bite inhibition techniques, smart use of pens and gates, and a toolbox of engaging chew options, we map out a plan that’s humane, simple, and effective.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Topic Setup
• 0:54 Why Puppies Bite: The Real Reasons
• 3:02 Play, Littermates, and Bite Signals
• 4:19 Not Aggression: Understanding Intent
• 5:30 Teaching Bite Inhibition
• 6:40 Chew Needs and Toy Strategy
• 8:12 Consistency and Positive Methods
• 10:10 Markers, Timeouts, and Tired Puppies
• 12:20 Patience, Personalization, and Resources
• 13:40 Closing and Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Today, we are talking about puppy biting. If you guys have a new puppy, or you've you're getting one soon, or you've had one recently, you know about their razor-sharp teeth. And the main question we get asked is, how do I stop it? So in today's episode, we'll talk about why it happens and what we can do about it. Some of my answers might surprise you. Welcome to the puppy training podcast. I'm Amy Jensen, founder of Baxter and Bella, the online puppy school. Here we are all about helping you create the best possible experience raising a puppy. From training tips to practical tricks, all aimed at fostering a happy, well-behaved dog who truly feels like part of the family. So, if you are ready to enjoy the journey and strengthen the bond with your dog, let's get started. Hey everybody, thanks for listening to the show. I'm excited you're here. Today we are talking about a hot topic in puppy training: puppy biting. We wish there was just an easy button we could push that stops it, but unfortunately, there is not. So we need to understand why puppies bite and then how we can help them learn that we don't like that. So I'm gonna take you back in time. We're going to go two years ago when I discussed this on the show. I'm going to bring back that episode. We're going to talk all about puppy biting and what you can do about it and where it comes from. This is gonna surprise you. For anybody getting a new dog or a puppy soon, maybe you already have one, or for anyone who has an older dog who is still mouthy, I know there's some of you out there, that's okay. Today we are talking about biting. So biting and mouthing, right? We all know puppies bring a lot of joy and companionship to our lives. They're so cute, but they also come with some challenges, and one of the most common being puppy biting. This behavior, while it is natural for dogs, can be frustrating and even painful for dog families. Here at Baxter and Bella, we do our fair share of coaching on this topic. So I thought, why not talk about it on the podcast again? Understanding why puppies bite and how to address it using positive reinforcement techniques is necessary, you guys, for creating a happy and well-adjusted dog in the home. Today, let's start with the question: why do puppies bite? Why, right? If I can understand the why, life is a lot more simple, I think. And I'm like this in all facets of life. Why, why, why? So why do puppies bite? Puppy biting is a normal part of their development. That's an important statement. Think about that. It is a normal part of their development. So we actually want to recognize they have a need to move their little mouths, and their little mouths have sharp teeth in them, which I know doesn't always go well with humans, but we'll talk about more of that today. So puppies explore the world primarily through their mouths, using their teeth to investigate objects and learn about their environment. We want them to do that. Now, think of human toddlers. If you have any experience with human toddlers, how often have you heard parents say, we don't put that in our mouth, right? Don't do that. Don't put that in your mouth. Exploration happens using their mouths, and this is so true for puppies. Additionally, biting is a form of play for dogs and communication for puppies. They may bite during play to engage with their human or other puppy friends, much like they would their litter mates. So I like to show a video in our classes here at Baxter Umbella, our puppy biting video specifically, of a group of puppies playing and how they use their mouths. Just watching this little litter play, it looks aggressive. It looks maybe unfriendly, but watching their body language, they're having a good time, but they are using their mouths and teeth. And occasionally, yes, one puppy gets another puppy a little bit too much, and the puppy yelps, and the other puppy learns, oh, that was too rough, right? So they play this way with their litter mates. This is how they grow up. Um, and that's important to recognize when we bring these puppies or dogs into our home, right? So, humans, we use our hands. If I want to do something, I'm using my hands primarily. Puppies use their mouths, which also means you guessed it, their teeth are involved, and very sharp ones while they're young. So it's important to note that puppies don't bite with malicious intent. I would say that's a very rare instance if we have an actual aggressive puppy. Okay, so we get a number of calls or email questions saying, I think my dog is aggressive. And I'm saying, How old is your dog? And they're saying, It's an 11-week-old puppy, right? As an example. But we learn through discussion with these people that really what they have is a puppy that's exciting or excitable and they're playing, and they're playing like a puppy plays with their mouth and their teeth. And as humans, we don't like that. It hurts, those teeth are sharp, but that can lead families to think, hey, I have an aggressive puppy. So it sure can seem like that at times, right? But their teeth are their primary means of interaction, and they are yet to learn the boundaries or rules of acceptable behavior when living in a home with humans. So it is our responsibility to teach these dogs how to use their mouth appropriately when they are living with us. Um, they do not come knowing that. So remember that because again, that takes away a lot of the frustration, is if I just understand puppies don't come knowing that they shouldn't put their teeth on me, right? They're just trying to be friendly and play and engage with me. And it can seem, in my eyes, maybe possibly aggressive because, hey, they bit me, but they're just trying to play. So understanding this, I think, helps us be more patient with them and allows for this learning process to take place on their end as well as ours. Now, what can we do about puppy biting? So, first things first, I like to teach bite inhibition. I think this is one of the most crucial aspects of puppy training is to teach the puppy how to control the force of their bite. Puppies learn that bite inhibition are the puppies who learn by inhibition are less likely to cause injury during play or when they become overly excited because they can control that force of their mouth. So to teach by inhibition, allow your puppy to kind of mouth you. This is when they're very young, they first come home. They might put their mouth on you, right? If the biting becomes too hard, make a high-pitched yelping sound to mimic the reaction of a litter mate, like, ouch, that hurt, right? You might even want to just turn and walk away. This signals to the puppy that they have done something, you know, use their teeth, their mouth, they've bitten too hard, and they should reduce the pressure. If they respond appropriately, reward them with praise and continue to play with them. Uh so if they back off or um, you know, walk away or they re-engage with you, but now they're much softer with their mouths. That's that's good. We want that. Um, if they respond inappropriately, you might just need to simply get up, like I mentioned, and walk away anytime your puppy mouse you. And we'll talk about this in a little bit, but setting them up for success using pens and gates and tethers and things like that so that you can get up and walk away without them following you, that creates this pattern that they quickly learn. Oh, if I want Amy to stick around and play with me, I can't put my mouth on her. Okay. Next, we need to provide appropriate chew choice, recognizing that a puppy needs to chew, right? They are growing, you guys, two sets of teeth within six months of life. Now think about that. So they're born without teeth. The teeth start to grow, they grow an entire puppy set of teeth, which I know are very sharp and they hurt. But they lose those teeth around five to six months of age and grow an entire adult set of teeth. That is a lot of change happening inside a dog's mouth in not very much time. So your puppy does need to chew, right? Their gums are probably often sore and hurting. And they have this natural desire or urge to chew. So uh just remember that and recognize that. Let's give them appropriate chew toys that help satisfy their natural urge to chew, but also prevents them from using our hands or belongings as chew toys. So we always want to make sure that we provide safe, durable, and toys that are appealing to your puppy, right? If you are with your puppy and you try to hand them this toy that's maybe like a squeaky toy, right? Or just like a tennis ball or something, and I let it go, that toy becomes boring and lifeless, right? It just lays on the floor. Um, if you plan to stay next to your puppy and want to interact with them and they are wanting to mouth you, you might need to make that toy engaging, make it more exciting than you. Wiggle it, squeak it, bounce it, throw it, toss it, right? Keep offering them that toy like you would a child with a pacifier who keeps spitting it out. You just keep putting the pacifier back in, right? Remember, you are always, you can always walk away if they go for you and not the toy. So again, set them up for success by playing with them in a pen. If they go for you, you simply step outside the pen. They can't follow you. Or play with them in a room where there's a baby gate. So you can walk over the gate, step over the gate and get out of that area and your puppy can't follow you. You could also have your puppy on a leash and tether them to say a door. And that way you can play with them right there with a toy and interact and teach them to really, this is how you play with a human, right? Is with a toy between us. And then if they go for your hand instead of the toy, you can simply walk away and they're tethered. They can't follow you. So it's important that you're able to teach them that pattern. Oh, you mouth me, I walk away. Right. And as they get that over and over and over again, they start to see that pattern, recognize it doesn't happen in one time. They have to develop that pattern or learn that pattern that I bite, she walks away. I mouth her, she walks away. And then the more consistent you are at that, the quicker your puppy learns, oh, that doesn't work. I guess I should be more gentle with Amy, right? I shouldn't put my mouth on Amy if I want her to stick around and play with me. So along those lines, third is to be consistent. And consistency is key when addressing puppy biting. We need to make sure that everyone in our household is aware of the rules and follows those same rules and techniques. Mixed signals will definitely confuse our puppy and it just impedes our progress. Uh, remember also to avoid harsh punishments. It's tempting, I know, if your puppy gets you to want to flick them back, or um maybe that's a natural reaction of yours, but try your best to avoid using punishment-based methods, especially when it comes to puppy biting. We encourage it for any behavior, but especially with puppy biting. Physical punishment or harsh verbal reprimands can lead to fear or anxiety in your dog, and they may even um make this biting behavior worse. So be careful getting angry about it. We simply just want to get up and walk away. So focus on the positive reinforcement. Now, positive reinforcement involves rewarding desired behaviors to encourage their repetition. Here are some positive reinforcement techniques that you can use when addressing puppy biting. First, you can use treats and verbal praise. So I like to reward my puppy with treats and enthusiastic praise when they exhibit good behavior. I promise if you watch for good behavior, you can find some. As a parent, I know in raising my kids sometimes, the only positive thing I could think might be, I like the way you're breathing, right? Maybe some of you can relate with me. That might be the only good you find in the moment, right? No, my kids are awesome, and usually we find lots more better things, right? Um, that I can praise and reward. With our dogs, it's the same way. You will find good behavior that you can reward if you watch for it. So look for the good behavior, pay them, reward them for that good behavior, and that good behavior will increase. So watch for that. Again, they repeat whatever works for them. Now, next you could try clicker training or using a verbal marker, yes. So, clicker training is an effective positive reinforcement technique. We pair a distinct click sound with a food reward that helps the puppy associate the sound with good behavior. So use the clicker to mark moments when you find your puppy refraining from biting, right? Maybe they sit down and grab a toy, click treat. I like to use the word yes as my clicker because I always have it with me. Next, you can practice timeouts. If the biting becomes too intense during play, just implement a short timeout period. Essentially, that's what we're doing when we stand up and walk away, right? It's not like I'm punishing my puppy or sending them to the corner. Um, you know, I'm literally just walking away from them. They might be in their pen. In their pen, they have toys, they have things they can do and entertain themselves with. I'm simply just removing myself from the situation. So it is okay to give your puppy these little timeouts. It's also okay if you notice your puppy's just really bitey mouthy, to recognize, ah, this puppy is tired. They need a nap. How much sleep have they had today? It's very common that we find with uh new puppy families that they are just go, go, go all day long and these puppies are tired and they get to a point in the day where they're over threshold. We call it zone four here at Baxter and Bella, and they just can't think. They don't want to think, they just react because they're tired. So if your puppy might be in this situation, recognize, oh, are they tired? Have they slept lately? Maybe they just need a good nap. And that is 100% okay to put them in their crate or their pen and give them some downtime. So, puppy biting, you guys, is a common behavior that can be dressed, uh addressed effectively with patience, consistency, and definitely positive reinforcement techniques, like we talked about. But I just think understanding why the puppies bite and then employing these different appropriate training methods that we talked about today, you can guide your puppy towards becoming a well-mannered and enjoyable companion. That's our entire goal here at Baxter and Bella is to help you live life with your puppy, incorporate that dog into your home and family and live life with them. Now, do remember that every puppy is unique. So be attuned to their individual needs and you might need to make adjustments along the way. At Baxter ⁇ Bella, we are happy to coach you through any puppy training problem that you are encountering, definitely including puppy biting. So reach out to us if needed. But with dedication, consistency, positive reinforcement, you can help your dog grow into a happy and well-behaved adult canine. I know you can do this. All right, you guys, have a wonderful week. Happy training. Talk to you soon. Thanks for tuning in to the Puppy Training Podcast. I hope today's tips help you feel more confident and excited about raising your dog. Remember, with a little patience and consistency, you can create a loving bond and a well-behaved pup who's a joy to have in your family. If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with fellow puppy parents. For more resources, visit Baxter and Bella online. Until next time, happy training.