How to Stop Puppy Biting: A Clear Guide for Dog Owners

Jan 8, 2025 | Behavior & Training, Dogs

Puppies are undeniably adorable, but behind those fluffy faces and wagging tails lies a tendency to nip and bite. While puppy biting is a form of normal behavior that puppies use to explore their world, it can quickly become an issue if left unchecked. If you’re wondering how to stop puppy biting, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will help you understand the biting behavior in puppies and provide actionable steps to stop your puppy from biting.

Whether your playful puppy is teething, engaging in rough play, or showing signs of aggressive biting, learning to manage and redirect these behaviors will set the stage for a happy, well-mannered adult dog.

Why Do Puppies Bite?

Before we tackle how to stop puppy biting, it’s important to understand why puppies bite in the first place. Here are the primary reasons:

Exploration and Communication

Puppies experience the world primarily through their mouths. Biting is a natural behavior that allows them to explore their environment, learn about textures, and interact with their surroundings. It’s their way of figuring out what’s safe, what’s edible, and what’s fun. Additionally, biting is a key form of communication for puppies, especially when playing with their littermates. They use their mouths to signal excitement, assert boundaries, or even initiate playful interactions.

When your puppy bites, they aren’t trying to hurt you—they’re trying to understand their world or tell you something. However, it’s important to guide this natural behavior to ensure it doesn’t develop into problematic habits. Teaching bite inhibition and providing appropriate outlets, like chew toys, are essential steps in redirecting this exploratory and communicative behavior. This phase is vital for your puppy’s development, so patience and consistent training will help them learn the proper ways to express themselves.



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Teething

Teething is a significant stage in every puppy’s development and a common trigger for biting behavior. Between the ages of 3 to 6 months, puppies begin to lose their baby teeth as their adult teeth emerge. During this period, their gums can feel sore and uncomfortable, prompting them to chew and bite on anything they can find to alleviate the discomfort. This natural response helps soothe their gums and facilitates the teething process.

To manage teething-related biting, it’s essential to provide proper chew toys specifically designed for puppies. These toys can offer relief for their gums while keeping them engaged and away from inappropriate items like furniture or shoes. Frozen chew toys or wet washcloths placed in the freezer can also provide a cooling sensation that soothes their gums.

Patience is key during teething, as puppies might exhibit more persistent biting due to their discomfort. Redirect their biting onto appropriate objects consistently and reward them for choosing the right items to chew. Understanding that this is a temporary phase can help you approach the situation with compassion and ensure your puppy develops healthy chewing habits as their adult teeth come in.

Learning Bite Inhibition

Bite inhibition is a crucial skill for puppies to learn, as it teaches them to control the force of their bite. This behavior is typically developed during play with their littermates. When a puppy bites too hard, their sibling will yelp and stop playing, signaling that the bite was too forceful. Over time, this social interaction helps puppies understand appropriate bite pressure.

You can reinforce bite inhibition at home by replicating this natural learning process. If your puppy bites too hard during play, give a high-pitched yelp or firmly say “ouch” and immediately stop the interaction. This signals that their behavior was undesirable.

Resume play only when they have calmed down or reduced their biting intensity. Consistency is essential, and every member of the household should follow this approach to avoid confusing the puppy.

Additionally, providing plenty of toys and safe objects for chewing helps redirect their energy and prevent overexcited biting. By teaching your puppy bite inhibition early, you can ensure they grow into a well-mannered and gentle companion who understands how to interact appropriately with humans and other animals.

Playful Energy

A playful puppy biting during play sessions is normal behavior. Rough play with siblings (or other dogs) in their early months teaches them important social skills.

Boredom or Overexcitement

Puppies often resort to biting as a way to express boredom or cope with overexcitement. When a puppy lacks sufficient mental and physical stimulation, they may turn to undesirable behaviors like biting to release pent-up energy.

This is especially true if they have no engaging activities or toys to occupy their time. To prevent boredom-induced biting, ensure your puppy has access to a variety of appropriate chew toys, puzzles, and interactive play sessions. Regular exercise, such as walks or playtime in the yard, is also essential to burn off energy and satisfy their need for physical activity.

On the other hand, overexcitement can lead to biting when puppies become overly stimulated during play or interactions. This often happens when play gets too intense, or when they encounter new people or situations and don’t know how to channel their excitement.

To address this, it’s important to monitor play sessions and intervene when your puppy becomes too rambunctious. Briefly pausing the interaction and allowing them to calm down teaches them to manage their excitement levels. Incorporating structured activities and consistent routines can further help balance their energy, reducing instances of biting caused by overexcitement.

A small black and white dog being held by a person

Steps to Stop Puppy Biting

Use a Loud Yelp Sound

This is one of the simplest ways to teach bite inhibition. When your puppy grabs your hand or bites too hard, make a loud yelp sound—just like another puppy would during play. This lets your puppy know they’ve gone too far. Immediately stop playing to show that biting ends the fun.

Redirect to Appropriate Toys

Always have chew toys or a favorite tug toy on hand to redirect your puppy’s mouthing. When your puppy starts biting you, swap your hand with the toy. This helps the pup learn what’s acceptable to chew on. Chew toys are great for soothing sore gums, while tug-of-war games (played safely) encourage engagement.

Encourage Gentle Play

Teach your puppy to mouth gently by rewarding calm behavior. During gentle play, use verbal praise or a treat when your pup mouths softly. If their biting becomes too rough, stop the interaction immediately.

Avoid Rough Play

Wrestling and overly rough play can encourage nipping behavior. Keep play sessions structured and focus on positive interactions, like fetch or supervised tug toy activities.

Offer Mental and Physical Stimulation

An under-stimulated, bored puppy is more likely to engage in biting. Ensure your pup gets plenty of physical and mental stimulation. Puzzle toys, training exercises, and walks can provide a productive outlet for their energy.

Enroll in Puppy Classes

Puppy training classes guided by professionals, such as a certified applied animal behaviorist, help improve a puppy’s temperament and socialization skills. They also provide opportunities for your pup to interact with other dogs, which is crucial for learning important behaviors and boundaries.

Stay Calm and Consistent

Consistency is key. If your puppy bites, avoid harsh punishment. Instead, respond calmly and consistently to reinforce the desired behavior. Remember, puppies are still learning—they need patient and clear guidance.

Take Breaks for an Overtired Puppy

If an over-tired puppy starts biting relentlessly, it may need a break, a nap, or even a quick potty break. Overexcitement can lead to puppy temper tantrums, so ensure they’re well-rested and comfortable.

Cute black pug playfully nibbling on a hand indoors on a wooden floor.

What to Avoid When Training a Biting Puppy

  • Do not use physical punishment. Swatting or hitting your puppy’s face can instill fear and lead to aggressive biting.
  • Avoid inconsistent rules. If one family member allows play biting and another discourages it, your puppy will become confused.
  • Don’t yank your hand away. Sudden movements may encourage your puppy to chase and bite harder.

The Importance of Teaching Bite Inhibition Early

Teaching bite inhibition early helps prevent biting people altogether as your puppy transitions into adulthood. Puppies who learned bite inhibition through controlled training are less likely to develop problematic aggressive biting habits. It becomes easier to manage your dog’s interactions with other dogs and humans.

Signs That Your Puppy Is Learning

  • Reduced pressure when mouthing during playful mouthing.
  • Choosing the appropriate toys instead of grabbing hands or feet.
  • Improved focus during training exercises.
  • photo of short-coated white puppy lying on green grass during daytime

Top 6 Dog Toys to Help with Puppy Biting

KONG Puppy Chew Toy

The KONG Puppy Chew Toy is a durable and versatile option designed specifically for teething puppies. It can be stuffed with treats or peanut butter to keep your puppy engaged and satisfied.

Buy on Kong

Nylabone Puppy Chew Teething Rings

Perfect for teething puppies, these teething rings are safe and gentle on your puppy’s gums while helping to curb destructive chewing habits.

Buy on Nylabone

Benebone Puppy Chew Toy

Made with puppy-friendly materials and infused with a tasty flavor, the Benebone is an excellent, long-lasting choice for persistent chewers.

Buy on Benebone

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Puzzle Toy

This interactive toy not only keeps puppies busy but also reduces boredom-related biting by engaging them in mentally stimulating play.

Buy on Outward Hound

Chuckit! Ultra Ball

Great for active puppies, this high-bounce, durable ball encourages exercise and play, redirecting energy away from biting.

Buy on Website

Milk-Bone Active Chew Treat Holder

A fun combination of a chew toy and a treat dispenser, this toy helps soothe teething irritation and keeps your puppy entertained for hours.

Buy on Milkbone

These toys provide a practical and enjoyable way to manage puppy biting while promoting healthy habits during their teething phase.

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Common FAQs About Puppy Biting

Is it normal for my puppy to bite so much?

Yes, biting is a completely normal behavior in puppies. However, teaching them to stop biting early is essential for long-term pleasant interactions.

How long does it take for puppies to stop biting?

Most puppies stop biting harshly by the time their adult teeth come in (around 5 to 6 months of age), especially with proper training and guidance.

What should I do if my puppy’s behavior seems aggressive?

If your puppy displays signs of aggressive biting, seek advice from a professional, such as a certified applied animal behaviorist, to rule out underlying issues.

Why does my puppy bite when they’re tired?

An over-tired puppy may be cranky and bite unpredictably. Ensure they get enough rest and downtime between play sessions.

Kate’s K9 Pet Care is here to play with your pups while you’re gone!

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Turning Your Biting Puppy into the Perfect Companion

Biting in puppies is part of their learning and growth process—it’s how they explore and communicate. By practicing the steps outlined above, you can guide your biting puppy toward proper behavior while strengthening your bond.

Be patient, stay consistent, and enjoy this exciting phase of your puppy’s development. With time and the right approach, you’ll have a well-mannered companion who keeps their teeth where they belong—on their chew toy!

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