How to Stop a Puppy from Biting

It is a very natural for young puppies to bite your hands and legs as a playful dog behavior. It is very common for puppies to nip and 'mouth' you when they are being mischievous. This biting is rarely serious, but if this behavior continues in the future it can lead to many serious injuries. Therefore, it is very important to teach your puppy not to bite too hard and then gradually make them stop biting once and for all. You need to teach them to control their jaws and inhibit themselves from biting you. They should be taught to think before biting, so that in the future they do not indulge in biting.

Puppies learn not to bite too hard when playing with their litter and mother. If the puppy bites his siblings too hard, the other one yelps in pain and stops the fun. And so the puppy learns not to bite too hard. In case he bites his mother a bit too hard, he is in for a good punishment. Therefore, it is important that you allow the puppy to live with his mother for some more time. The mother will teach the puppy in her way and it becomes easier to teach the puppy not do bite later on.

Puppies bite as it is one of the developmental stages of a puppy and they tend to do it more when they are teething. They want to sink in their teeth in just about anything they find when teething. Many dog owners become worried as the cute, cuddly pet they bought home turns into a snapping machine. The puppy is not doing this on purpose, it is just a phase in its life. But you need to take some steps on dog training as this can turn into a serious problem later on. You can try some of the best methods to stop a puppy from biting.

Tips to Stop Puppies from Biting
It is not a fun thing to let your puppy play with your hands and feet. This just gives the poor animal an idea that it is all right to bite skin. Never allow your puppy to even bite your finger. You should stop a puppy from biting immediately as you do not want him to repeat it. You can try the following tips to stop a puppy from biting.

As soon as the puppy bites you or gives you a nip, give out a loud yell or say 'OUCH'. Give him a glaring stare and move away from there. Then come back after a minute with a toy. Ask the puppy to play with the toy. If he bites you again, give out a loud yell and walk away. Puppies are very social and like to play. This sudden stopping of the fun will make them connect the bite to 'no more fun' and they will try to stop biting. Also, they do not want to hurt you and the yell will reinforce the thought that the bite causes pain.

If your puppy does not stop biting with the above technique, you can use a shake can. Take an empty soda can, fill it with some coins and tape the mouth shut. When your puppy bites, give a verbal command and simultaneously shake the can vigorously. You may even drop it next to the puppy and remember NOT to drop it on the puppy. This will reinforce the verbal command and once he stops praise him.

Next, you can allow your puppy to play with other puppies. You can even enroll your puppy in dog obedience training class and allow him to interact with other dogs, as old as 6 months old. If he rough plays with the other dogs, he will be in for a nip or two himself. This will really help you to stop your puppy from biting. When the puppy plays with others of his kind, he will learn the acceptable etiquette when he meets his own kind. This will help him control his behavior and help him release all his desire to play and bite with other puppies.

You can spray some bitter apple or rub garlic over your hands, so that when the puppy bites you, it won't like the taste of your skin. This will discourage him from biting and it will prove to be an effective way to stop a puppy from biting. You should give your puppy ample exercise. A tired puppy will be all spent and will have no desire to bite. You can let the puppy play on its own, run and stop at will. This is very useful in case of biting puppies, as it helps in controlling them more easily.

The best way to stop puppies from biting is to give them plenty to chew. Take him for walks and play fetch to take his attention away from biting. Whenever he licks you without using his teeth, praise him and give him treats. You should play with your puppy everyday for 15 to 30 minutes, at least twice a day. This will make him less attention seeking and avoid biting. Make sure all the members of the family remain consistent with the verbal command 'no biting'. Never over indulge in rough games like tug-of-war, as it will promote aggressive puppy behavior.

Never ever use physical punishments as a method to stop a puppy from biting. This will only make him do it more as a form of challenge. Never leave very young children alone with puppies, till they do not learn to stop biting. These were some puppy care tips. I hope you find it useful and are successful in stopping your little snapping machines from biting.