How to: Stop puppy biting / nipping

[skunkstripe]

Since this question comes up a lot I wanted to have a thread with info for puppy owners to help them get through the puppy biting / nipping stage. Please, if I missed something or if you have a different point of view you want to share, do please contribute more ideas. :)

A lot of things are fun about adopting a young puppy, but the nipping and biting stage is not one of them! Puppy teeth are sharp as needles, and you don't want puppy to grow into an adult dog who thinks that biting human skin is acceptable.

First, it helps to recognize that the nipping most likely has nothing to do with aggression. It is probably playful biting or a result of teething pain. Second, be aware that puppies need to chew on something, so it is a good idea to have several hard and soft chew toys ready.This stage seems to start at about 10 weeks and hopefully ends when the teething stage is completed at about 5 months.

There are different philosophies on how to deal with puppy nipping. One is that a dog should be trained never to have his/her teeth touch the skin. The disadvantage of teaching the puppy not to bite at all is that while your pup may not bite you, he may well try to bite someone else (like a small child who does not resist the nipping as effectively as an adult can).

The other philospophy is that the puppy should be trained in "bite inhibition", which means you are training your puppy to learn where the limits of force are that he/she can use on human skin. The advantage of this method is that your adult dog will have a "soft mouth" and be less likely to harm someone in the unlikely event that he/she does "bite".

What you can do to teach your puppy not to hurt you is:

If the nipping hurts, squeal or yelp like a small puppy, pull your hand away, and ignore puppy for a few minutes.
This is more or less what a littermate would do when the nipping hurts and teaches puppy where the limits are.

If you want to teach your pup not to bite but instead to chew on a toy, have one ready the next time the nipping starts, and withdraw your hand, substitute the toy, and praise doggy for chewing on the toy. This redirection technique works when you see puppy going after the electrical cords or furniture. You may want to keep the chew toys in the freezer to help against the teething pain. Keep in mind that if you give you puppy old shoes or socks, it may be hard for him/her to tell the difference between "old shoes that are ok to chew and old shoes that are not ok to chew".

If these methods don't work, another technique that helps is to gently hold puppy's snout closed and say "No bite". You may want to turn facing away from puppy with your arms folded or even leave the room to help puppy understand that there is NO reward for nipping and biting. Speaking of which, puppies do love to play and sometimes get overexcited. If you notice that playing gets your puppy riled up enough to play-bite, stop before it reaches that point and help your puppy learn to stay calm.

Like any dog training, the keys to success are patience and consistency. It can and will take weeks so hang in there and don't get frustrated by setbacks. http://www.geocities.com/mymixedbreeddog/smileys/animal/woof.gif

[Haglm]

Hi,

Your info below if really useful, however, our puppy (a 12 week old black lab) seems to properly bite if he's frustrated or doesn't get his own way.

For example, I bent down to pick up a frisby as he could not pick it up and he launched himself at my arm quite visciously....so much so that he drew blood and left me with 5 teeth marks which bruised almost instantly. Another example is when my husband and I were lying on the sofa and were not Hitch was trying to jump upas he wasn't being allowed he launched him self at my nose...although this time, no blood or bruises. Or if he jumps up at something and you try and push him away he just bites harder and harder each time. Also my husband was fussing him gently and for no reason Hitch then jumped and bit his arm.

For the first example he doesn't seem possesivee over his toys as we take things off him on occassions so that he knows that they are ours and not his which is I think it may having been just because he was frustrated that he couldn't pick it up.

We have never abused him in anyway and have tried allsorts to try and stop his general mouthing which appears to have eased off but we are just concerned that he now appears to be biting.

We also do things like pretend to eat out of his bowl, don't allow him on the sofa and we go through a doorway first to show him that we are the alpha figures in the familly.

I don't think this is normal for a puppy but it has also made me think, is it something that we are doing but after racking my brains, I can't think of anything that might make him like this.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatfully received.

Thanks!!!!!

[skunkstripe]

haglm from what you are saying it does not sound normal, but it is always difficult to know for sure over the internet.
There is such a thing as aggressive puppies and the first post above is definitely not meant to address that kind of biting, just the "normal" biting.
Aside from making sure that the puppy has enough exercise and that it is clear to him that you rank higher than he does (which it sounds like you are doing :thumb: ) you might need a professional behaviorist to visit your home and observe your puppy first hand.
Good luck!

[DeniseDenise]

I am having the same puppy problem Biting,
I found if I hold it still from behind the neck so it cant reach me and holding the body ,untill it calms its self, it stops, then I let it go ( im lucky its so small).
IS That okay to do??

[skunkstripe]

Honestly I think with a lot of dogs they might take it as you playing with them. Since yours is so small it might actually be frightening (she weighs only 1 lb, right?). I would try something that does not involve physical force, but that is just my opinion.

[DeniseDenise]

Honestly I think with a lot of dogs they might take it as you playing with them. Since yours is so small it might actually be frightening (she weighs only 1 lb, right?). I would try something that does not involve physical force, but that is just my opinion.
I dont think im scaring it and it knows im not playing because she stopped. Im just letting it know Im stronger ??? I yelp first too. Ill try your methods if she does it again.
Thank you

[DFrost]

Redirect, redirect and then when you are getting frustrated, calm down and redirect some more. Find a toy the puppy likes, chewing, nipping etc is one of the ways they communicate and explore their new world. In order to stop them from chewing on inappropriate objects, including you, redirect that behavior to something that is appropriate to chew on. Don't make a big deal out of the inappropriate object, then it becomes like a game, just replace it with something they can chew, then make a big deal out of it. It works, it just takes time and patience.

DFrost

[Bailey-lover]

Could it be anything to do with the person you brought this pup off? like they miss treated the pup and made it like it or handled thing's in the wrong way is this possible or did you breed him:confused: :confused:
goodluck

cheers emma:)

[ellewood]

The other philospophy is that the puppy should be trained in "bite inhibition", which means you are training your puppy to learn where the limits of force are that he/she can use on human skin. The advantage of this method is that your adult dog will have a "soft mouth" and be less likely to harm someone in the unlikely event that he/she does "bite".


Thanks for the great info! I have to say I'm a believer in "bite inhibition" training...my dog was very mouthy/nippy as a puppy (that's why he was surrendered to the shelter by his first family) and redirection to chew toys has helped reduce it, but with doing the puppy yelp & walking away when he bit too hard he developed a "soft mouth" - so now even if someone gets him really excited (say, by rough-housing with him a little too much :) ) if he does use his mouth, he doesn't even dent the skin.

[Kaos]

Could we make this an FAQ? SS is right, this topic does come up regularly.

[applesmom]

Could we make this an FAQ? SS is right, this topic does come up regularly.

I'll second that motion!;)

[Sugardog]

One method that hasn't failed me yet is the ignore method.

If you are playing with the puppy and he either puts his teeth on you or bites too hard (depending on which philosophy your using) you say "oops!" or "uh oh!" in a somewhat cheerful voice and proceed by immediatly getting up, walking away and ignoring your puppy. Do this consistently and he will soon learn that when he bites or bites too hard, the fun ends. And puppies don't want that. So they learn that if they want your attention and they want you to play with them, they must be aware of their teeth.

The yelping method that Skunkstripe mentioned is also a good one, but one thing that needs to be considered is that some puppies become more rambunctious at the sound of a high pitched squeal and think you want to play more.

[solitarysoldier]

My pup bites alot, I think he just gets carried away and doesn't realise that it's not fun for us to be bitten hard. Nothing seemed to work, if we push him away and told him 'No' he just came back harder and fiercer. Then someone told me about the yelping thing. He was so shocked the first time I did it he reverted to licking me and jumped on my lap to snuggle up. I'm definately a believer in this method for ours as he was the only one who survived the litter and he didn't learn about biting with his siblings.

[sheplovr]

Why is my puppy nipping and biting? Mouthy biting behavior in puppies
Although often thought to be a teething behavior, nipping, mouthing and biting in young dogs is generally a form of social play. Teething is more likely to involve gnawing or chewing on household objects. The first thing you must do is provide ample opportunity for play, without biting. Social play with people could involve retrieve games (ball, Frisbee or soft toy), hide n’ seek (with the puppy finding the humans for a treat), chasing after soap bubbles as well as walks, swimming or learning tricks. Although wrestling and tug of war games can be fun, they may lead to play that is too rough or rambunctious.
Puppies need to learn bite inhibition. This is something they start to learn while with their litter mates. It is one reason that puppies should not go to new homes until 7 - 8 weeks and they have had time to practice social skills with other dogs. It can therefore be extremely beneficial for the puppy to have regular interactive social play periods with other dogs or puppies in the home or in the neighborhood.
How can I stop play biting?
Provided the dog is receiving adequate play, attention and exercise, you can turn the training to bite inhibition. One of the things that they need to learn is how much pressure from their jaws causes pain. Without this feedback, a puppy does not learn to inhibit the force of its bite. Because all dogs can and will bite at some time, this lesson is vital for human safety.
How is this lesson taught? When puppies play with each other, if puppy A bites on puppy B too hard, puppy B will yelp. If that does not work, puppy B will leave. This sends the message to puppy A that its’ bites were too hard and if it wishes to continue to play, it needs to be gentle. However, people often do not send this message to their puppy. In the beginning, they often allow the puppy to chew on them without reprimands and the puppy assumes that the behavior is acceptable.
Instead, the message people should send is THAT ALL mouthing and chewing on hands is painful. To do this, often all that is necessary is for ALL family members to emit a sharp "yip" and cease all play and attention immediately. This sends the message to the puppy that the bites are painful and that biting will cause play to be terminated. When consistently administered this will often stop playful biting. This training often works for those family members that are a little more forceful and assertive and who are immediate and consistent in their training. If the puppy persists, chases or immediately repeats the behavior, closing a door or walking over a baby gate to leave the puppy behind can help to teach the puppy that nipping leads to immediate inattention and isolation. In turn, it is very important to praise the puppy for soft gentle play or licking your hands instead of biting. This is the true key to teaching the puppy what is acceptable social and play behavior with humans.
It is important that if you have young children in your family (12 years and under) that ALL interaction, including games, be supervised 100% of the time. Children should simply be NEVER left alone with a dog, no matter how well behaved. Please read our accompanying handout on dogs and kids for more detailed information.
What if yelping does not help?
Other techniques are often suggested for play biting. Some involve harsh discipline, like slapping the puppy under the chin or forcefully holding the mouth closed. REMEMBER, PAIN CAN INCREASE AGGRESSION and cause the puppy to become anxious, fearful or perhaps more excited. These techniques also require that you grab an excited puppy; not an easy thing to do. Some puppies may even misinterpret the owner’s attempts at punishment as rough play, which in turn might lead to an increase in the behavior. PHYSICAL METHODS ARE THEREFORE NOT RECOMMENDED. Owners who cannot inhibit the puppy with a yelp, should use time-outs or a head halter.
The use of a head halter with a remote leash attached allows the puppy to play and chew, but a gentle pull on the leash can immediately and successfully close the mouth and stop biting without any physical force. By simultaneously saying "OFF", most puppies will quickly learn the meaning of the command. As soon as the puppy stops and calms down, the owner can allow play to resume, as long as biting does not begin again.
Remember that play biting is a component of play behavior in puppies. Play is a form of social interaction. Realize that your puppy is trying to play with you even though the behavior is rough. To ensure that you are in control, be certain that each play session is initiated by you and not the puppy, and that you can end each session whenever you choose. One effective strategy when the play gets too rough is to immediately end the play session and leave. Social withdrawal can be a very powerful tool. Leave the puppy alone long enough to calm down (30 seconds to two minutes). If upon your return the wild playing begins again, leave again. Keep repeating until the puppy figures out that when he gets wild or bites, you immediately leave the room. Although it is tempting to pick the puppy up and take it out of the room, this interaction may be interpreted by your puppy as additional play and the biting may continue as you carry the puppy to a confinement location.
An easy way to achieve social isolation is to simply leave a lightweight leash (a 6’ cat leash works well) on the puppy and as soon as the biting begins, drape the handle of the leash over a doorknob and leave the area. Or you can quickly tie the leash to a solid piece of furniture and leave the area. Or simply leave the room and shut the door behind you so the puppy can’t follow you. Again, keep the "time-outs" for short time periods, 30 seconds to 2 minutes and repeat if necessary until the puppy is calm.
Owners, who cannot inhibit the puppy with yelping or time-outs, could consider an electronic alarm, air horn, squirt bottle or ultrasonic device, as soon as the biting becomes excessive. Use the device as discreetly as possible and immediately AFTER yelping first. Praise the puppy as soon as he lets go. Repeat as needed but remember to keep your extra "tool" like the squirt bottle or air horn hidden until needed and then hide it again immediately after it‘s use. Do not leave it out or threaten the puppy with its use. Use it and then hide it. Children should NOT be allowed to use these devices but they should be supervised by an adult who can use these devices as discretely as possible.
http://www.heathersplace.ca/index-13.html Read more about this at this link please!!!!

[regi]

THANK you I will try the advise its just frustrating because she does it so often however I watched how my other 2 older dogs handle her and u are right they yelp and then bite her back but not hard just a warning and it works for them so maybe I should sharpen up my teeth and nip her in the butt ha

[skunkstripe]

Another tip I picked up recently is that if your pup is trying to nip you, to tap them on the side of the face as long as they are trying to nip. The idea is to be really annoying 'tap, tap, tap, tap, tap' so that you are more annoying to them with the tapping then they are with the nipping. And the split second they stop nipping, your stop tapping.

I've never done this myself, but I have high regard for the trainer who recommended it so I wanted to pass it along.

[BrittanyLover7]

That is really helpful! Somehow my pup will not stop biting until I give her a frozen washcloth. It helps with the teething pain.