Telling your brand new puppy the word “no” can actually prove to be quite difficult. So how to you deter puppy biting? This adorable little thing is brand new to this world and we want them to be happy, healthy and playful. However, uncorrected behavior in puppies can lead to unwanted and even dangerous behavior in adult dogs.
One of the more difficult behaviors to correct in adult dogs is biting. But before you start to worry, we’ve provided some simple yet effective solutions on how to train your puppy out of biting for good.
What You Will Need:
1. Safe, preferably natural chew toys that are appropriate for puppy biting
2. A treat ball that you can hide bits of kibble or puppy treats inside of
3. Chew deterrent spray
4. Patience
One of the best ways to deter puppy biting is to provide an alternative. When your puppy starts nibbling or biting your hand, release control of your hand and let out a painful “ow!” When the puppy releases, give the puppy a fun and durable chew toy. This not only rewards good behavior (releasing the grip on your hand) but it also shows the puppy that another fun behavior is acceptable.
Another fun way to keep your puppy busy, active and distracted from biting is to hide bits of puppy food or treats inside of a treat ball. When the puppy won’t stop nibbling and chasing your hand, again let your hand relax and make a pained sound. When the puppy stops, release the treat ball. This is another fun alternative to biting as it helps channel your puppy’s aggressive instincts toward something exciting and rewarding.
Sometimes puppies will fixate more on biting objects around the house than people. It is important to “puppy-proof” your home. Be sure that all valuables are stored away and that there are no tears in any fabrics for the puppy chew on. If the puppy then purposefully tears at household items, simply spray its favorite chewing spots with chew-deterrent spray. The puppy will learn quickly that chewing the house up is no longer fun. Always be sure to buy this spray from a pet store.
The last item you will need is patience. Your puppy will not stop biting overnight. But, with some time and effort, the puppy will slowly but surely get the hint and be trained out of biting for good.