Teach your Puppy How to Not Bite

All puppies bite. Some breeds, in particular the sporting/retrieving breeds and the large-jawed breeds, tend to be more mouthy than others, but all puppies do bite. The trick is to teach your puppy how to have good social manners and only chew on appropriate toys.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN MY PUPPY BITES?

When your puppy bites you, follow these steps:

1. FREEZE! Do not pull your arm or clothing away from the dog, as this just makes it into a tug game. If it is a serious case and you really need the dog to let go, push into the dog instead of pulling to get the biting dog to release.
2. YELP! Make a high-pitched or other surprising noise. This will often make a puppy let go on his/her own.
3. PRAISE! Praise the puppy for removing his/her teeth.
4. REPLACE! Give your puppy an appropriate chew toy to play with and praise for chewing on that toy instead.

DO NOT grab the puppy's mouth, hit the puppy's face, or play tug with your arm. These actions do nothing to solve the problem. Try to avoid hand games entirely and only play with the puppy's toys.

Remember, puppy nips are only a stage in the infancy of your puppy's life. With constistent training and time, your puppy will grow up to be a great member of the family.