Puppies indeed have what are often called “shark teeth,” referring to their razor-sharp teeth that seem to latch onto anything within reach.

Puppy biting is a natural phase of their development, but it’s important to be equipped to manage it effectively.

This blog offers a concise explanation of why puppies bite and provides insights to help you choose the most suitable approach to address this behavior.

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It’s important to understand WHY your puppy is biting so you can address the behavior appropriately.

Here are 5 reasons puppies bite:

  1. Teething: Puppies typically start teething around 3-4 months of age and may bite to relieve discomfort in their gums. The process usually ends when all the adult teeth erupt around eight months.

  2. Exploration: Puppies explore the world around them through their mouth, so they may bite or chew on objects to learn more about them.

  3. Attention seeking: Sometimes, puppies may bite to get attention or affection from their owners.

  4. Fear or anxiety: In some cases, puppies may bite out of fear or anxiety. This may happen if they are in an unfamiliar situation or feel threatened.

  5. Play: One of the most common reasons why puppies bite is to play or engage with their environment, other animals, or humans.

To curb puppy biting, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but here are four practical strategies you can try:

1️⃣ Exercise

Consider whether your puppy has had enough physical activity in the past few hours. Sometimes, biting can be a sign of excess energy.

Try short exercise sessions tailored to your puppy’s age. A general guideline is to allow puppies to exercise for about 5 minutes per month of age, up to twice a day. For instance, if you have a 3-month-old puppy, two 15-minute exercise sessions would be suitable. Stick to this rule until your puppy reaches adulthood.

2️⃣ Mental Stimulation

When your puppy begins to exhibit biting behavior, shift the focus to mental stimulation activities such as short training sessions or providing enrichment toys.

For training, consider utilizing resources like our app, which offers a variety of video and text tutorials covering basic skills. This can engage your puppy’s mind and redirect their attention away from biting.

Enrichment toys are another excellent option. These toys are often interactive and require dogs to use their problem-solving abilities to access treats or rewards hidden inside. They tap into natural behaviors like nose work, chasing, chewing, and playing, providing mental engagement and helping to curb biting tendencies.

3️⃣ Redirect with a Toy

When your puppy begins to target your clothing or skin with biting, offer them a more suitable alternative to chew on.

Keep soft chew toys readily available throughout the house so you can quickly provide one when needed.

Long fleece tug toys are particularly effective, as they create ample space between your puppy’s sharp teeth and your hands, especially if there are children interacting with the puppy. This helps redirect their biting behavior towards a safer and more appropriate outlet.

  • I would recommend avoiding rope toys at this point because they are hard to sink teeth into, and they may avoid the toy and keep trying to go for you instead.

4️⃣ Socialization

Puppies are initially unaware of the strength of their bite and the impact it can have.

Facilitate opportunities for your puppy to interact with other puppies in a controlled setting to promote learning of appropriate play behavior and bite inhibition. Interactions with peers allow puppies to understand the consequences of their biting, as their playmates will vocalize or withdraw if bitten too hard. This teaches your puppy to adjust the intensity of their play biting.

Consider organizing or attending “puppy parties” or playdates in a safe, enclosed environment with supervision. Emma, for example, participated in weekly puppy parties until she was 14 weeks old, providing valuable socialization opportunities in a controlled setting.

Prioritize puppy socialization with other puppies during the initial weeks to foster healthy play behavior and bite inhibition.

When Do Puppies Stop Biting?

At the height of this phase, I often questioned when it would ever end. It’s essential to recognize that this stage is part of their normal development and is temporary.

The peak of puppy biting typically occurs during the teething phase, which typically begins around three to four months of age. This challenging period usually subsides as all the adult teeth emerge, usually around eight months.

We hope this blog serves as a valuable resource to guide you through the puppy biting phase.