Puppy troubles: Biting!

We’re raising another puppy! Number 6 in 7 years. This time, she’s born here, so I already know her pretty well. And she’s been handled and trained since she was a tiny pup, so we don’t have to start from scratch.

Puppy Bee Seen Honey, aka Sien(tje), is now 10 weeks old and she’s doing great!

But one thing though, she seems to have a hard time with, is learning not to bite in EVERYTHING. And I mean EVERYTHING. Her mom, Jessie, and I are her biggest victims, biting in Jessies legs, snout, and my hands, arms, and legs. It hurts because of her super sharp baby teeth.

Anyway, as I said, I have some experience with puppies biting because all our dogs did this, some more than others. And when your puppy bites in your hands a lot, it’s totally normal, especially during the teething phase (usually up to six months). But it’s really important to teach her not to bite too hard early so she can grow up with good behavior.

Here are some 'do's and don’ts' I do to help Sien:

Do Not:

* Yell or hit: This can scare her, confuse her, and damage your bond with her.
* Yank your hand away suddenly: This can make her chase you or make the situation worse.

Evie, for example was a real challenge when it came to putting on her harness, collar, and leash. I had to learn the hard way how to approach her slowly, speaking to her in a soothing tone, and offering treats to distract her. Now, she’s totally fine with it. She’s learned that it’s okay for a human hand to reach out to her. She doesn’t have to grab or bite in order to stop the hand from doing something she doesn’t want to.

Here are some things you can do to help your puppy stop biting:

1. Redirect the Biting:
    * When your puppy starts biting, immediately give them a chew toy.
    * Offer a variety of textures, like rubber toys, frozen carrots, or teething rings specifically designed for dogs.
    * Praise your puppy right away when they chew the toy instead of biting you.

2. Teach Bite Inhibition:
    * When your puppy bites too much, say “Ouch!” in a high-pitched voice and let your hand go limp.
    * Immediately stop playing and turn away for 10-30 seconds.
    * This is how puppies learn boundaries from other puppies.

3. Implement Timeouts:
    * If the biting continues, calmly remove yourself from play for 30 seconds to a minute.
    * Repeat this each time your puppy bites too hard to help them understand that biting means losing playtime.

4. Maintain a Calm Play Environment:
    * Over excitement can lead to biting. Avoid rough play, especially with your hands.

5. Use Deterrent Sprays (Optional):
    * Bitter apple spray can be put on your hands or furniture if your puppy keeps biting.

I try to use all of these methods, except for method 5. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a calm play environment when there are other dogs around. When that happens, I call for a timeout.

Consistency is key:

* All family members must respond the same way to biting incidents. If they don’t, your puppy will get confused.

Additional Tips:

* Enroll your puppy in a puppy socialization class to help them learn bite inhibition and manners. Next week I start with Sien puppy group classes and this will definitely something I want to address also.
* Provide mental stimulation with puzzle toys and sniff walks to reduce nipping from boredom.