Be sure to give your pup attention and praise when they are behaving nicely!
All family members and guests MUST be consistent in order for this to work!
Be aware that even doing everything right, this behavior may not go away entirely until 5-6 months of age. Remember, this is a normal developmental period in puppies.
For extra-bitey puppies, or those that are biting after 5-6 months of age, this blog will help give you some additional tips and recommendations.
An Important Caveat:
Some puppies find the act of a person walking away reinforcing. If your puppy seems to enjoy you removing yourself as a game of chase, you can alternatively use the side of your leg (not your knee, please!) as a “wall,” blocking your puppys advances and non-dramatically removing them from biting you without involving your hands.
You may have to block them multiple times before they stop trying; dont give up! And most importantly, still avoid yelling or using your hands – bitey puppies tend to find both of these things very exciting.
So, what should you do about puppy biting?
If your puppy bites you, you need to ignore the behavior and remove *yourself* from the interaction, with no drama.
Note: You are not putting your puppy in a time out. That involves way too much time, talking, and attention to be an effective punishment. You are either ignoring the behavior or removing yourself from it.
That means play is over, fun is over, attention is over. Be as non-dramatic as possible.
If the behavior is hard for you to ignore, go behind a door or baby gate where your puppy does not have access to continue nipping at you.
If your puppy tries to nip at you when you return, remove yourself again.
You should see a major decrease in the intensity of biting as well as the amount of biting attempts within a few days.
The BIGGEST Mistake People Make With A Puppy Biting Problem
