Nip Nipping in the Bud
Puppy Biting & Mouthing
Why Puppies Bite — and How to Stop It
(Adapted from guidance by Jon Bastian – Cesar’s Way)
Puppies naturally explore the world with their mouths. Chewing and mouthing are normal puppy behaviours, especially during teething. Dogs use their mouths much like humans use their hands, so it’s completely natural for young puppies to grab, chew, and nibble as they learn about their environment.
At first, puppy biting may seem cute — until those sharp little teeth accidentally break skin during playtime. While mouthing is normal for puppies, it’s important to teach gentle behaviour early so it does not continue into adulthood.
Teaching Bite Inhibition
When puppies play together, they naturally bite and mouth one another. If one puppy bites too hard, the other puppy yelps and stops playing. This teaches the biting puppy that rough play ends the fun.
You can use this same method when training your puppy:
- If your puppy bites too hard, let your hand go limp.
- Say “Ouch!” or make a quick yelp sound.
- Stop interacting for 10–20 seconds.
- Then calmly resume play.
This teaches your puppy:
✅ Gentle play continues
❌ Rough biting makes attention stop
Avoid pulling your hand away quickly, as this can trigger your puppy’s instinct to chase and bite more.
If biting continues repeatedly, give your puppy a short break or quiet timeout before trying again. Puppies become overstimulated very easily.
Redirect the Behaviour
Instead of allowing your puppy to chew on hands or clothing, redirect the behaviour onto appropriate toys.
Helpful options include:
- Puppy chew toys
- Rubber toys
- Frozen teething toys
- Tug toys
- Fetch games
When your puppy tries to mouth your hands:
- Remove your hand calmly.
- Immediately offer a toy.
- Praise your puppy for chewing the correct item.
This helps puppies learn what is acceptable to chew and what is not.
Keep Puppies Mentally Busy
Puppies often chew because they are bored, curious, or teething. Providing safe enrichment can greatly reduce unwanted chewing.
Good enrichment ideas include:
- Food puzzle toys
- Stuffed enrichment toys
- Safe chew toys
- Play sessions
- Socialization with other vaccinated dogs
Interactive toys that hide treats are especially helpful because they mentally stimulate your puppy while encouraging appropriate chewing behaviour.
Using Taste Deterrents
Some owners choose to use safe taste deterrent sprays such as Bitter Apple or similar products to discourage chewing.
To use properly:
- Allow the puppy to smell and taste the product first.
- Apply it consistently to items you do not want chewed.
- Reapply daily during training.
Consistency is key. Puppies quickly learn which objects taste unpleasant and begin avoiding them.
Ankle & Heel Nipping
Some puppies become excited by moving feet and ankles, especially herding-type breeds.
If your puppy nips at your heels:
- Stop walking immediately.
- Redirect attention to a toy.
- Reward calm behaviour.
- Resume movement only when the puppy is calm.
The goal is to teach your puppy that calm behaviour gets attention and rewards — biting does not.
Final Thoughts
Mouthing and puppy biting are normal developmental behaviours, but training should begin early. Puppies are not trying to be “bad” — they are simply learning how to interact with the world around them.
With patience, consistency, redirection, exercise, and proper mental stimulation, your puppy will learn appropriate behaviour and grow into a calm, well-mannered companion. Early guidance now helps prevent frustrating habits later and builds a strong lifelong relationship between you and your dog.