How to stop a puppy from biting?

Puppies love to bite, especially their owners’ hands and feet. This is not associated with violent behavior of these furry little ones, but rather with a common habit at this stage of dogs’ lives. However, how to stop the puppy from biting?

Although it is habitual behavior, It is important not to naturalize the bites that these little ones put on their hands, feet and other parts of the body. In addition to causing pain, this behavior can be bad for the pet’s future socialization and limit fun between owners and furry friends.

To know what to do to stop puppies from biting, it is important to understand the reasons that lead to this behavior. In the text, we explain everything. Check out! 🐶

Why do puppies like to bite?

It is a fact that the The act of biting is inherent to dogs, that is, they are born knowing how to do it. Through biting, dogs know the world and understand what they should and should not put in their mouths.

In the same way, they also get to know different tastes and textures and, over time, they learn to modulate the force they must exert on the jaw.

The problem is when biting goes from a natural habit to a behavior that is harmful to owners and other animals in the environment. At this time, it is essential to educate your pet to contain these impulses.

Fun

Your furry friend is likely to look at your hands or feet and see them as a toy. The movement of these limbs attracts the pet’s attention, which may end up understanding this habit as fun.

In nature, dogs need to use their bite to capture moving animals, so the hand can resemble a living being, instinctively drawing the dog’s attention.

The smell, texture and taste of these parts of the body also arouse his curiosity.

Changing teeth

Between the fourth and sixth month of the dog’s life, these furry dogs’ first change of teeth takes place. It is a process that causes a lot of pain and itching in the gums and is usually quite uncomfortable.

This process encourages the pet to try to neutralize the feeling of discomfort, trying to bite everything and everyone to alleviate the strong itching or pain it is feeling in the area.

In this cycle of changing teeth, the teeth are still very small and sharp, causing pain with each bite of the pet.

Stress and anxiety

The bite may indicate that the pet is uncomfortable and result in some behaviors.

Stress and anxiety, for example, are feelings that arise when the dog feels alone, bored, sad, sedentary, angry or even jealous of other animals in the space.

Generally, this happens when there is negligence on the part of the owners in the treatment and care of the dog. Giving up regular physical exercise with your pet, not playing with it, not taking care of its diet and not enriching the environment with toys are factors that can generate anxious and stressful behavior in your furry friend.

Biting, therefore, appears as a mechanism to alleviate these sensations and also show owners that they need more attention.

8 tips to stop your puppy from biting

Regardless of the breed, modifying a dog’s natural and instinctive habit has its challenges. Understand that reprogramming the way they will use their senses can be costly and time-consuming.

However, with patience, effort and a lot of love, it is possible to re-educate violent or harmful behaviors, as well as biting.

1. Make your pain clear

In the animal world, when puppies do something painful to their siblings or mother, it is common for them to emit a very loud and high-pitched sound, demonstrating that they did not like that behavior.

This way, you need to show your pet that the act hurt and you didn’t like it. You can voice an “Ouch!” or any other word that represents pain. This signal must be firm, high and looking into the puppy’s eyes.

Over time, the tendency is for him to realize that this behavior is hurting someone he doesn’t want and, naturally, modulate the force of the bite.

2. Don’t take your hand away

It is a natural reflex of the human body to quickly remove the hand when something hurts. In that case, the ideal is not to remove it from the bite. The reason is simple: your dog may end up understanding it as a game of “catching your hand”.

Therefore, when your furry friend bites, keep your hand still and repress with a “No!” loud and clear. It may be that, the first few times, he doesn’t exactly understand the message, so it’s important to be firm and not give up.

3. Stop the joke

Puppies are intelligent and understand the signals that their owners give. A valuable tip on how to teach your puppy not to bite is to stop playing when this happens.

First, repress with a “No!”, stop the game and avoid eye contact with him, demonstrating your dissatisfaction. Soon, your pet will understand that if he bites too hard, the fun will end.

4. Reward for positive behavior

Dogs are incessantly searching for positive and negative behaviors. This means they want to understand what pleases tutors in order to be rewarded for it.

A great tactic for a fussy, biting puppy is to reward him when he isn’t doing so. Take advantage of the moments when he is calm, playing calmly and without biting, and give him a snack.

If he bit hard, you suppressed him and he understood, also provide some positive reinforcement, showing what the desired behavior is.

5. Leave the environment

If you want to stop your puppy from biting, some things need to be non-negotiable, such as your dissatisfaction with this behavior. The dog needs to understand that you are angry and upset to avoid the behavior.

Leaving the environment and leaving the pet alone can be painful, but it is a an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your unhappiness with that situation.

It’s important to do this at the time of the bite and not take too long, as he may become confused about what behavior you are repressing.

6. Spend your pet’s energy

Leaving the pet tired and entertained stimulates its physical and mental abilities and reduces the chances of stress, anxiety and lack of motivation in the puppy, factors that contribute to biting.

Choosing the ideal food also influences your furry friend’s mood and happiness levels throughout the day.

7. Socialize your pet with other dogs

Having other dogs close to your pet can help with socialization and, consequently, reduce bites. Living with other beings like him helps create limits when playing.

For this to happen, it is important that he already has a full vaccination record, just like other dogs. This prevents illness and contamination.

8. Invest in toys

It is not known for sure at what age a puppy stops biting, as this depends on the physical development of each pet. For this reason, it is necessary to insist on training the dog until at least two years of age.

Investing in toys for your dog to bite can be a great idea, especially in teethers, balls, Frisbees and plush toys, items that will be useful to contain biting, expend energy and entertain your dog.

Do you want to know some models? At the Tudo de Bicho pet shop, there are different types of toys for puppies who love to “nibble”. Click on the banner below and discover the options. We’ll wait for you there!