‘Ouch,’ does your puppy also bite you whenever you try to play or pet him? I know you want to make your puppy stop biting, but you must first understand why puppies bite.
Biting or nipping is a very natural behavior of a puppy as they explore the world around them with their mouth’s help. They pick up things in their mouth, feel, smell, and taste things, which is their natural behavior. This fighting or even biting is a very natural process that helps develop when they’re young and their teeth have just started to grow.
Generally, when a young puppy bites another puppy too hard while playing, the shout of pain made by another puppy makes them realize that this behavior is not okay. This is how they acquire the skill of adjusting the force of bite pressure in various situations. Thus it is undoubtedly essential to train your puppy young before they are fully grown up.
This behavior is quite similar to human babies. Both try to chew on objects that come in handy during the teething stage to reduce any discomfort.
Though puppy biting may initially feel cute, the bite becomes more painful as the pup grows. Their teeth become very sharp, and the puppy will not realize how hard they are biting.
This is not the behavior we would like to continue and result in a bite that would draw blood. So here are a few steps that would stop the puppy from nipping.
Inhibit The Biting
As discussed, it is quite natural for puppies to mouth the other puppies while playing. In the process, they may bite the other puppy, and on receiving a yelping sound, they realize that this behavior was not right.
Similarly, while playing with your puppy, if it is nipping on your hand or finger, make a loud sound warning the puppy that this action hurts. You may also reward the dog with some goodies or a pat if he does well. The goal is to teach that ‘rough play is no play.’ If they do not respond well to the cry, you can isolate yourself for some time, which would give a signal that the playtime has ended.
This gives a message that only gentle play is encouraged, and bad behavior will be discouraged.
Redirect The Urge Of Biting
You must satisfy the urge to nip on something by providing the pup a chewy toy or fetch a ball to bite. This would give the puppy an instruction that biting on human skin is not acceptable. They will become more playful with each passing day and will crave this playtime.
