Puppies would be an absolute dream if they weren’t so bitey, right? And those needle teeth really hurt at times!
Puppy biting, to a certain extent is normal and to be expected. However some puppies take the biting to the extreme!
Whether you have a puppy who bites all day long, or is perfect until their ‘witching hour’ and then the teeth come out, here are some reasons your puppy might be biting you.
Your puppy is over-tired.
Okay, this is the big one. Puppies under 6 months should be sleeping for around 18-20 hours in a 24hr period, and even teenagers should be still getting above 16 hours. This is much more than most people expect, and more than most puppies get.
Think about toddlers and babies. When they get tired, they don't know to just go to sleep, right? They cry, have tantrums, and get ratty! Puppies are babies too, and we need to give them plenty of nap and rest time.
Your puppy is over excited.
Everything is exciting for a puppy. The world is all new to them, and they want to explore the world as much as possible. The best way to do that is with their mouth. Keep things calm, and when exciting things do happen, ensure that you are setting your dog up for success by not getting them overexcited. Reward them for calm behaviours.
Your puppy is frustrated or over stimulated.
This is often from things like being held, restrained, stroked, or trained. It's really common for our puppies to bite us when we cuddle them, and we think 'i'm just showing them love'... but what if they don't want love at that time.
Of course they love you, but sometimes we need to understand that they are happy with our company, and we don't always need to be on top of them, stroking them, or picking them up.
But how can a tiny puppy tell us this? Well, usually they do tell us, but dog communication is very subtle, so we miss it. Then, they resort to biting, and because that works, they rely on that in the future.
You are encouraging them to bite.
This is a surprisingly common one. Think about every time your puppy has had their teeth on you... How have you reacted?
Perhaps you've told them no or shouted at them, or maybe pushed them away...
Maybe you've laughed at them and given them toys...
Or have you ever just allowed them to mouth, because 'it's only gentle'?
By doing these things, you are telling them that biting is okay, and it might even get them rewarded.
They are teething.
Ouch! Teething hurts! Your puppy is doing everything they can to soothe their mouth, but think about the last time you had toothache... Now imagine that on every tooth! No wonder they want to chew to relieve the pain!
They need to poop!
This is a random one, but some puppies get a little hyper up and have zoomies when they feel the need to toilet. Also, some puppies have these zoomies after pooping, as there is a release of energy.
They are just being a puppy.
Puppies are going to bite. It's a guarantee! There are things you can do to lessen it, as well as stop it sooner, but puppies will be puppies... and that includes biting!
If you're feeling down about your puppy biting, check out this blog post: https://www.muckypups-dogtraining.com/post/the-puppy-blues
Or, if you need some help and the biting is just too much, book in a free call with me: https://calendly.com/muckypupsdogtraining/free-discovery-call
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