Puppies have needle-sharp teeth for a reason!
The good news is that puppies can learn how to control their biting.
Understand that your puppy doesn't really know better yet, and using their sharp teeth, is all they've learned so far.
3 steps to help teach your puppy that your hand is not a chew toy:
First, Place treat jars and toys around the house so that you can easily access them no matter where you and your puppy are. Use a mason jar and place it up high so that you have access to it, but your puppy can reach it. You can also use novelty toys. These are supposed to be special treats that you'll use to practice teaching your puppy not to engage in nipping behavior.
Next, understand how to respond. No matter what you've learned in the past there really is no need to yell, shout, or use any sort of punishment. This only scares your puppy and can damage your relationship.
Instead....
Calmly redirect them to one of your nearby toys or roll a treats so you flip their brain to “train mode” and give them a more productive outlet for their teething. The goal would be to give them something more appropriate to chew on that can help eliminate sore gums.
Remember to have a safe space set up, somewhere you can place your puppy without having to worry about them getting into any trouble. When you can't supervise them closely, give them an activity like a chew or play our favorite game cardboard chaos and give them time alone in their safe space.
Your puppy will grow out of this stage, but if you stay consistent with these tips and reinforce good behaviors you’ll get there sooner.
Contact us to set up a free Puppy Consult Call with one of our Certified PDT Dog Trainer that specialize in Puppy Training.
Set up a free Phone Consult, Call 856-905-1556