Reasons Why Your Puppy Bites and How to Stop It

Mouthing, nipping and biting in puppies is normal as they go through a teething period, but how do you know when it becomes something behavioural? When should you look into a dog behaviour training guide to stop your puppy biting, mouthing and jumping up?

A dog training guide provides you with all the basics on how to best teach your furbaby basic commands so that you can enjoy a positive relationship with them as part of your family. 

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your puppy bites and get armed with some tools to help nip it in the bud before it becomes habitual. 

When Is Biting Considered Aggressive Behaviour?

In adult dogs and puppies alike, mouthing is normal. It can be difficult to tell when playful mouthing is no longer normal, however, but you can take a look at their body language for a few clues. 

A playful pup will have a relaxed face and body and the mouthing shouldn’t hurt. There won’t be any tension in their muscles, unlike when a dog is displaying aggressive behaviour. 

Faster nips and bites can be taken as more aggressive behaviour, you might see their muzzles more wrinkled and their teeth showing as well. An aggressive dog’s body will be stiffer as well.

If you believe your dog’s biting is more than normal mouthing behaviour, then take a look at some tips to train an aggressive dog to help with some ways of de-escalating their aggression. 

Regarding puppies, the quicker you can nip that nipping and biting in the bud, the better, although be mindful that it is very normal behaviour that you need to guide. 

Identifying Reasons Why Your Dog Bites

If you’re asking yourself, “why is my puppy biting?” we do have a few potential reasons. It is pretty normal for puppies to bite and it only takes correct and consistent training to guide your puppy into understanding this isn’t acceptable behaviour.

Be sure to arm yourself with some tips to prevent your dog from jumping and biting on walks as well, so you can correctly react to these adverse situations when they arise. 

As a defensive measure

Dogs often bite when they feel threatened in some way. A dog may bite to defend their territory or any members of their pack, or if they feel their puppies are in danger if they have a litter. 

If a dog is startled or frightened, it can lash out and attack. Also, if you run from a dog, herding or predatory instincts can kick in and they may bite as an involuntary reaction. 

They are tired

Puppies in particular get fussy and cranky when they are tired and are more prone to biting and nipping. They do need more than 16 hours of sleep a day, so they might get grumpy a lot. 

The same can be said for older dogs when they are stiff or in pain or just simply don’t want to be touched by anyone except their favourite people.

Sign of frustration

Just like young children can hit, slap or kick in frustration, puppies can bite when they are feeling that icky emotion called frustration. 

Often frustration comes from being confused, so be patient with your new pup as they are learning and seeing a lot of new things during those first few months. 

They are overexcited

Dogs can get overly excited and lose all self-control. Puppies have not learned to regulate their emotions yet and are more prone to over-excitement which can lead to biting.

Tips to Stop Your Pup from Biting

So, you’ve figured out why, now you need to know how to stop puppy biting. Just like training your pup to walk on a leash and then training your dog to walk with a loose lead, it’s important to have goals and be clear and consistent with your training. 

It’s important to stop puppy biting if you believe they are acting aggressively with the inclusion of some tips to train anxious dogs.

Train your pet to be gentle

When your puppy bites you too hard through play, yelp loudly and stop playing. If they stop or lick you, continue playing. They will begin to learn that gentle play continues to play, whereas rough play stops it.

By rewarding good behaviour through praise and play, like when training your dog to come when called, you can work on establishing that positive connection with them.

Teach them to stay away from human skin

After teaching them to be gentle, you can begin substituting human skin for toys or continue the yelp and stop play technique every time they mouth your skin. 

Avoid sudden movements

Sudden jerking movements can seem like a game to your furbaby, encouraging them to nip or bite you. 

Do not hit your pet

Slapping or hitting is likely to only result in your dog biting you even harder as aggression directed towards them will give permission for the situation to escalate. 

You can also make your pet fearful of you and this could be when they strike out. 

Keep a chew toy at hand

To be consistent with your training, offering a chew toy whenever your puppy begins to bike at your fingers and toes will constantly remind them that biting you isn’t acceptable. 

Put your pet in a time-out

Timeouts are quite effective for puppies as it allows them to calm down. 

However, be careful not to make the crate a punishment. Their crate is a safe place for them to relax before you let them back out.

Offer a potty break or a time out

As you are potty training your pup, you’ll soon realise that puppies need very frequent toilet breaks and naps. 

Your puppy may be biting because they are tired or frustrated, so ensure their needs are met to alleviate any discomfort or stress they might be feeling.  

Final Thoughts

You need to know how to train a puppy not to bite for its well-being and the safety of others. Be sure to check out our tips to train your dog for toddler safety as well as our tips to stop your dog from pulling on the lead to help train your puppy to be a breeze. 

If you’re at your wits end with rough puppy play and asking how to get your puppy to stop biting, it’s important to first recognise the reasons why they might be biting and then try to react accordingly. 

Through play and with some distraction, your puppy will quickly learn what is acceptable behaviour, and what is not.