This struggle can seem huge to new puppy guardians and can be hard going when you are in the thick of it but I can assure you, you are not alone. This struggle is incredibly common and it does get better with the correct guidance and teachings.
Let’s look at why puppies bite.
Puppies explore the world with their mouths and play with littermates and mum is all part of the learning experience. Likewise there can be some breeds more predisposed to biting behaviours due to their genetic make up and learning all about breed traits is so important for new canine guardians to make sure the breed is suited to their lifestyle.
Bite inhibition is an incredibly important lifeskill and one that is taught and learnt, this takes place in those early weeks with mum and littermates. Play is a fabulous way to learn and when puppies bite each other they learn quickly what hurts, what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
However this is when it gets tricky not all dogs are cut out to be mothers and if the mother has learnt inappropriate communication signals, is too harsh or simply too laid back, puppies don’t learn what is appropriate and this is why we see the super bitey land sharks!
Other influencers at this early stage all depend on how breeders rear the litter and important information worth noting includes:
⭐️ Was the mum removed from pups at a certain age for weaning and then pups kept separate.
In such cases a litter can get as bitey and over the top as they like without the energy of an appropriate adult splitting off such play.
These pups can get themselves into a lot of mischief as they get older as their sense of play and communication becomes warped.
⭐️ Were the litter hand reared? Or was it a singleton litter.
Both these are challenges that sometimes we cannot change as breeders and it can be one of those thing that simply happens.
However it does need to be noted and it is incredibly important information to new owners as it means more structure and appropriate learning in the early stages is key.
Singleton puppies also struggle with arousal issues as the concept is somewhat alien to them not having a litter to bounce off.
⭐️ Did the litter meet other appropriate adults with the breeder.
Now having a multi dog household and being a breeder as well as a behaviourist, puppy biting is completely novel to me and it is not an issue I have had since welcoming Yani into my life many moons ago.
All our puppies intermingle with the rest of the dogs in the household from 6 weeks of age.
They learn how to navigate different characters, different ages and breeds who all in turn teach them what it means to be dogs and the respect they need to not get into mischief.
I have yet to receive a report of someone taking one of my pups having an issue with biting.
Now we have looked at some of the early influencers what else do we need to take into account.
Puppies will play, nip and bite. It’s part and parcel of the process and bite inhibition is a process that new owners can certainly work on at home and you should. The advice however for this struggle varies massively and let’s face it it’s a bit of a mine field.
A couple of things to remember.
Puppies need sleep, 18-20 hours of rest a day and an overtired puppy is the equivalent to an overtired toddler…naughty!
Puppies can go from cute and cuddly to little gremlins very quickly and this is one of the reasons why it can feel like you have a witching hour on an evening.
Does your new addition need enforced rest during the day?
Do they need more work on calmness instead of go go go!
Now before we get onto top tips and training games, let’s have a quick look at some of the myths around this struggle:
⭐️ Your puppy is not trying to be alpha or the boss!
This is a theory that has long been debunked and is a massive topic in itself, one I will go into on a separate blog. Your puppy is not being deliberately naughty or trying to be the boss of you. He/she needs guidance and has been removed from mum therefore it is down to new owners to offer the guidance and pick up where mum left off.
⭐️ They will grow out of it!
This is partially true if your puppy is teething. Biting can get alot worse around teething stage which starts anywhere from 16 weeks old, some being later.
The general tell tale of it being teething related is your puppy will push your finger to the back of their mouth and they are looking for relief.
Their mouths will be sore and sensitive during this stage and offering different textures for chewing experiences as well as frozen kong’s or chunks of appropriate fruit and veg will help save your fingers (and your furniture)
However, biting is a self rewarding behaviour and just like any behaviour the more your puppy practises it, the better they get at it.
Will your puppy simply grow out of it as they get older? Possibly not!
⭐️ Playing games like tug or ragging something will make your puppy aggressive and biting worse!
Think the opposite here. It will help massively as you are offering an outlay to the behaviour, however as we are flexing arousal it is important to keep this game short and sweet.
The more you flex into such play, the less likely you will get gremlin or land shark mode as your puppy is Learning how to turn that arousal up gradually and not flick from 0-100
Tug games are a fabulous addition to all breeds and will not make your puppies biting worse.
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Now let’s move on to some top tips and training games.
There is lots we can do here but these are my go to games to help create a perfect pupster!
🐾 First of all calmness is your friend! It is your reset button and very important with a puppy.
If your puppy is worse at set times of the day, ask yourself how do I change the picture and the outcome.
Change the scenario before the biting starts. This could be utilising brain games, scent work (find it) or time with a kong, long lasting chew. If you need to utilise a pen or crate then this is a perfectly suitable option and some individuals need this additional layer of support to make the right choice.
It also gives you chance to catch your breath and have a break.
🐾 Play, play, play.
Play is a brilliant way to teach bite inhibition, it can be hands on or it can be utilising toys.
What’s important to remember here is keep your session short and sweet to no more than 2-3 minutes.
Body contact during a play session I also find helps create awareness and therefore less likely to catch your puppy off guard. The play point in dogs is the rib cage area so touching this area during play can be beneficial. If you have a sensitive dog, go east here as it can be too much for some.
🐾 If it all gets too much, all fun stops!
There is a couple of rules here to teaching successful bite inhibition.
First off if you feel play is getting too much or too intense then it’s time to stick a pause in and some puppies need a step down game such as some luring work or feet on rather than a massive drop to nothing. Combining low arousal games and high arousal ones can help reduce frustration based biting.
If you are playing and puppy misses the toy or the bite becomes too hard then all play stops, and you become very boring and still. Some people just cross their arms, others stand up to disengage the situation both fantastic first options.
However what can happen is that your puppy continues the game and keeps biting you.
If this occurs it’s into a time out. Do Not use the puppies safe space for this.
You are just going to pop your puppy out the room using a stair gate or door as a barrier and ignore for a couple of minutes.
As soon as quiet, let puppy back into the area and either start again or move onto something else.
If you find that you cannot remove your puppy from the room because they think this is an awesome game, then you leave the room.
No need for shouting, No’s or any other reprimand just ignore.
And the final top tip for this struggle and it’s a tip I got from a fellow behaviourist recently and it is absolutely brilliant!
Invest in a large teddy or stooge dog (life size stuffed toy) that allows your puppy to rough house with. It’s not to be left lying around and is only brought out for a play session before disappearing.
This allows your puppy to be as rough as they like, releasing pent up energy appropriately and it doesn’t transfer to an inappropriate behaviour to other dogs.
‼️ I Do Not recommend the use of water sprays, pet correctors, e-collars or smacking for stopping puppy biting and in many instances these can all make your puppy worse by either teaching them the appropriate use of force to place on others or by shutting down their communication skills which will lead to other struggles further down the line ‼️
I hope this is helpful to all new puppy parents.
The most important thing to remember though is have fun!
Lois Hetherington. BSc.
Holistic Canine Behaviour Coach.
Nice little read thank you