Puppy Biting

[Sassysmum]

PUPPY BITING

You may have noticed that your puppy regularly bites you with his needle sharp teeth. Please don’t be alarmed by this it is a very natural and important behaviour. The puppy teeth are specially designed to cause maximum pain for minimum pressure and injury. The biting allows us to teach our puppies to soften their bite so that when they have their full adult teeth they will be a safer dog as they will not cause any injury.

Whenever we watch a group of puppies, and indeed older dogs playing together, you will notice that whilst there is a lot of mouthing and growling, there is very little actual biting. This is because the dogs have learnt to inhibit their bites so they can play without hurting each other.

In the dog pack the puppies will play together and practice their fighting, biting and hunting skills. From time to time one puppy will bite a little too hard and the other puppy will yelp. Sometimes the game continues with the biting puppy ensuring that he is gentler next time. If he bites too hard again the second puppy will yelp again and usually end the game by walking away.

It is not normal for puppies not to bite. Puppies that do not bite miss out on this very important lesson and if they should bite when they are older they are more likely to cause injury than dogs that have been taught to bite gently.

• Next time your puppy becomes over-excited and bites you, say quietly ‘Ouch, that hurt me!’ - don’t pull your hand away as he may think that this is a game, just move it away slowly and examine it as you would if you really had been hurt. After a few seconds restart the game. If he bites again as hard or harder say ‘ouch’ again then immediately stop all contact with him for about thirty seconds. Then calm him down by asking him to sit, down and stand before continuing the game.

• You are aiming at this stage to have a puppy that may hold your hand in his mouth during play, without applying any pressure.



There are times when we will need to handle and touch the insides of our puppy’s mouth, e.g. when giving a tablet or cleaning his teeth, so it is important that he doesn’t avoid us touching his mouth. During your daily handling sessions ensure that you touch his mouth and teeth.

[kaisersmama]

very interesting post !!

[Otto 's Mutter]

Otto is normal then....although he is starting to lose his baby teeth now thank goodness!!!

[Chrystie22]

Very interesting post indeed! Our Diva, who is 10.5 weeks old, is quite a biter, she likes to grab hold of our wrists or hands and bite. This can be painful indeed at times! We are trying to curb this behaviour but she hasnt quite grasped it yet. We were told by the trainer at the puppy class that this is normal behaviour and that it should stop by the time she is 18 weeks old, CANT wait!!!

[Zak]

nice post, thanks

[Jude]

Very good post. People often do not realise that puppies are just little wild animals and need to learn what is acceptable behaviour. One good reason for leaving pups with their litter mates until they are 8 weeks is that they do start to learn by then that biting too hard has consequences.

[mackico]

Archie was a terrible biter! He bit, hard, until he was about six months old, mouthed (sometimes quite hard) up until about 16 months old. Then it started to settle down, and now he only mouths occasionally. Does give me the rare hard nip these days, never enough to break the skin but sometimes bruises especially on the arms, but when he does that I get up and leave, and if he follows me I shut the door in his face. He doesn't like that, so it sorts it out, and he won't do it again for a long time.

He only ever mouthed people he knew?

[Chrystie22]

Originally Posted by Chrystie22

Very interesting post indeed! Our Diva, who is 10.5 weeks old, is quite a biter, she likes to grab hold of our wrists or hands and bite. This can be painful indeed at times! We are trying to curb this behaviour but she hasnt quite grasped it yet. We were told by the trainer at the puppy class that this is normal behaviour and that it should stop by the time she is 18 weeks old, CANT wait!!!

Furtehr to my previous response to this post & other threads I have started on biting, I am pleased to say that Diva hasnt bitten us so much lately, touch wood She still occasionally grabs hold of our arms if she doesnt get her own way, the little minx, but she can be let out free round the kitchen when we are there, and wont come straight away biting us as she used to do, which is such a huge releif..we used to be on edge always waiting for the firt bite, we shouldnt have really coz dogs can feel what you think but her biting was so constant that we got to expect it all the time!
So my message is: dont despair, it really DOES stop at some point I believe..

[Annetty1]

Ive been having this problem with Jess still and she is 5 months and I think I have found a solution that works for me. Ive tried the yelping when she bites, turning away, putting her out of the room, me leaving the room etc etc and nothing worked, so I thought I would try stones in a tin to shake whenever she plays up, over the last 2 days ive only hd to shake the tin twice, in fact even if I pick it up she knows and she stops hahaha so simple yet so effective, the scars are now healing on my arms and the future is looking bright!!

She still eating poo and chasing the cats tho!!!

Annette xx

[Chrystie22]

Originally Posted by Annetty1

Ive been having this problem with Jess still and she is 5 months and I think I have found a solution that works for me. Ive tried the yelping when she bites, turning away, putting her out of the room, me leaving the room etc etc and nothing worked, so I thought I would try stones in a tin to shake whenever she plays up, over the last 2 days ive only hd to shake the tin twice, in fact even if I pick it up she knows and she stops hahaha so simple yet so effective, the scars are now healing on my arms and the future is looking bright!!

She still eating poo and chasing the cats tho!!!

Annette xx

Soo glad you've found a solution to Jess's biting and that your arms are healing! Mine are too
As for the poo eating, Diva doesnt eat it but anything smelly she is attracted to! We bought dry tripe sticks the other day, they smell and look vile but she she is mad for it!! God dogs are weird creatures, ah ah!!