Why do puppies bite so much!?
It's how they explore the world! They don't have hands so they check things out by chewing on them. It's also inherently enjoyable to chew on stuff.
It's how they learned to play with their siblings, and they don't know yet that we humans want to play differently.
They are excited by movement (particularly herding breeds and terriers).
They're teething, and are experiencing pain or irritation in their gums that may be soothed by chewing.
How to discourage biting while petting or playing with your pup:
Don't reach for your dog's head from the front or above. Pet from the side or while he's facing away from the hand that's petting. (See video below.) Belly rubs also tend to lead to mouthing, so avoid them unless your pup is truly calm.
Always have a toy or chew within reach and if your pup is in a biting mood, physically place it between his mouth and your body parts. Keep moving it around as needed to keep it between the two of you, like a shield.
Play with long, thin, whippy toys that drag along the ground rather than toys you hold up in the air. Encourage tug and chase games with the longer toys.
Flirt poles are an excellent option, especially when kids want to play with dogs. You can purchase a designated flirt pole (small dogs, big dogs) or create your own by purchasing a lunge whip at the feed store and attaching any toy dog to the end.
For extra protection, have the kids stand behind a baby gate or pen, so the puppy cannot get to their feet or hands. (Don’t have the kids play while “safely” on the couch or chairs, as soon the pup will be big enough to reach up and nip them there.)
Every time your pup manages to get his mouth on your skin or clothes, calmly remove him and redirect to a toy or chew. Be prepared to do this over and over and over again!
If your puppy is suddenly biting harder or more frequently than usual - or you’re trying to redirect him to a toy but he is very insistent on going right for your skin - he is probably either overly excited or overly tired. Redirect to a different activity (such as calm training time) or put him away in a pen or crate with a chew and let him decompress. See here for information on puppy schedules to avoid overly tired and nippy pups.
Some puppies also bite more or harder when they are physically uncomfortable, such as from feeling hungry, needing to potty, or having itchy or inflamed skin.
For pups who never seem to stop biting: try smearing something like peanut butter or cream cheese in a thin layer on the back of your hand, wrist, and/or lower arm. This encourages the dog to lick rather than bite. Praise the puppy for licking. Repeat as needed.
Demo on how to pet a puppy without getting bitten.
Should I yelp or yell when my puppy bites?
This is common advice, but doesn't always help. Many puppies become MORE excited when you yelp or yell, which makes them bite more.
If your pup doesn't have that problem, the proper way to use the “yelp” method is to yelp, AND then do a mini time out. Pull your hands close to your body, look away from the pup, and ignore him for 1-3 seconds. Reengage when he is acting appropriately (not jumping, barking, or biting)
Do NOT:
Do not close your puppy's mouth, swat at it, or otherwise put your hands in/around his mouth when he is biting. This creates a negative association with hands coming toward his head, which will cause problems down the road.
Troubleshooting:
My puppy bites my legs/feet/clothes when I walk by:
Don't let your pup practice this behavior. If you’re too busy/distracted to train, proactively keep him away from your feet by using x-pens, baby gates, tethers, and leashes.
Use treats to direct your dog's head up and reward him for any steps taken without biting you.
When it does happen, hold still (don't yell or jump around) and calmly redirect your puppy to a toy or chew. Be prepared to do this over and over and over again!
Make sure your pup is getting plenty of appropriate exercise (including toy play, mental enrichment, and calm cardio exercise like walks).
Add proactive training exercises:
My puppy bites every time I try to put on his collar, harness, or leash:
Do some desensitization and counter-conditioning to handling.
Here is a video on proactive handling exercises with puppies:
My puppy is fine with the adults, but bites my children:
Puppies are always worse with children because the kids are smaller, move quickly and erratically, and have higher-pitched voices (more exciting and less intimidating).
Use more environmental management to prevent uncontrolled interactions between the puppy and children. Encourage parallel play. When they’re together, an adult should always be supervising and ready to step in.
Coach children to “be a tree” when the puppy bites (or jumps). They should raise and cross their arms (branches), look away from the puppy (to the sky), keep their feet firmly planted (roots in the ground), and hold still and quiet. The parent should then step in and redirect the puppy to a more appropriate activity.
Do not let the kids run away from the puppy by jumping onto couches or chairs - this will backfire when he gets big enough to chase them upwards and keep nipping.
Teach children how to play toy games (tug, fetch, flirt pole) in a way that encourages appropriate biting on the toy and discourages jumping and chasing. Keep toys down low; many kids will raise their hands up when they're worried, which can make the puppy jump up to grab the toy. Teach the kids how to do trades and “drop it” instead of reaching for the toy.
My puppy is usually good but goes crazy an hour before bedtime:
Nearly all puppies go through a “witching hour” shortly before bedtime.
Be prepared and plan ahead! It's not realistic to ask your puppy to clamp down on his energy – instead, have a plan for directing that energy into appropriate activities.
Play with long, whippy toys that you can drag on the ground. A toy on a string or flirt pole is great for playing with the puppy while keeping your body parts far away.
Scatter treats all around the room, or even better, in the grass outside.
Give a particularly enticing chew, such as a new marrow bone.
Arrange a play date with another puppy or let him run in a safe off-leash area around the time of the witching hour, or shortly before.
What about chewing on furniture and other household items?
Have plenty of chew toys available, and rotate through them daily. You should have toys of various textures (rubber, plush, crunchy, rope, etc) along with real, edible animal parts (bully sticks, cow hooves, smoked knuckle bones, water buffalo horns, pig ears, antlers, marrow bones, yak milk/Himalayan sticks, dense wood chews, etc).
Some puppies enjoy chewing on frozen items such as ice cubes, frozen water-soaked cloth, or frozen fruit. It may numb aching gums.
Pick up any smaller objects you don't want to get chewed.
Use gates, pens, tethers, and leashes to confine the puppy and keep him away from furniture he wants to chew.
Bitter-tasting sprays (like Bitter Apple and Bitter Yuck) deter most puppies (though not all). Reapply daily.
You are developing good chewing habits by restricting his ability to make mistakes. Gradually give your pup more freedom as you see that he is making good choices.
Give plenty of mental enrichment and age-appropriate physical exercise. (No forced running or other highly repetitive activity. Allow plenty of free walking and running time, play time with appropriate dogs, and low-impact play.)
Will my puppy grow out of it?
Typically puppy biting and chewing decreases drastically once the pup is finished with teething (~5-6 months old). However most dogs enjoy chewing for life, and should regularly have chews and toys made available.