Puppy Biting Tips

Have you recently welcomed a puppy into your home? Congratulations! Few things can bring as much joy and laughter into our lives as a new puppy. Tail wags and affectionate smooches from baby dogs are really precious. Fido will always be charming, but he’s almost impossibly adorable at this special stage. However, that cuteness does come with a price. You’ll need to do lots of pet parenting during that toddler phase, to help your pooch grow into a polite, friendly adult dog. That means nipping bad habits in the bud. One thing you’ll need to address is biting. A local vet offers some advice on this below.

Offer Suitable Chews

One reason puppies bite is to help them cope with the pain of teething. You’ll need to make sure that Fido always has plenty of suitable chew toys. Look for durable playthings that will hold up to lots of abuse from your canine pal. Kong toys are also good for this.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Never yell at or punish your four-legged friend for misbehaving. This may only make him scared of you! If little Fido does something wrong, tell him ‘No’ in a firm tone. Then, just ignore him for a while. 

Be Consistent

Consistency is always very important. Your canine pal won’t know the difference between similar objects. Don’t give your canine companion an old pair of sneakers, and then expect him to leave your new ones alone. If you need to tell Fido not to chew or bite something, use the same vocal commands every single time.

Puppyproofing

This one is more about safety than petiquette. Fido often uses his senses to explore the world, and he may try to learn more about something by, well, eating it. Make your home safe for your furry little adventurer. Remove or secure anything that could be dangerous, such as toxic plants, plastic bags and ties, medicines, chemicals, and any small or sharp objects. You’ll also need to keep clothing in hampers, closets, or drawers, and store personal items, like purses, shoes, wallets, and phones, well out of paws’ reach.

Taste Deterrent

If little Fido constantly tries to bite your hand, try using taste deterrent. In some cases, yelping—as a puppy would—can help him realize his mistake.

Seek Help

No luck? Don’t be shy about enlisting a professional trainer. The cost of a few obedience sessions will be well worth it in the long run!

As your local veterinary clinic, we’re here to help! Call us anytime!