Is your puppy using you as a chew toy? Puppy biting is normal, but it’s also painful and really annoying. Here’s how to cope with the land shark phase.

Raising a puppy is fun. It’s also tough, and at times, actively painful. Puppy biting is something a lot of people don’t expect when they bring their little ball of fluff home. They soon realize that they’re living with a relentless land shark that thinks it’s great fun to put their teeth into everything. If that describes you, know that you’re definitely not alone.

Puppy biting is 100% normal. It’s also 100% annoying for humans. Puppies have the sharpest little needle teeth on the planet and they think it’s super fun to sink those little needles into human flesh, clothing, and anything else they can get their paws on.

Luckily, the land shark phase doesn’t usually last too long. But it can feel like a very, very long time before your puppy outgrows this mouthing behavior. So, why do puppies bite and how can you protect yourself, your kids, and your valuables? Here are some tips for surviving!

Why Do Puppies Bite?

Puppies bite and chew for a number of reasons. Like babies, they enjoy exploring the world through their mouths. They use their mouths in play. They also have an urge to chew, which gets stronger when they start losing their baby teeth and their gums get sore.

While they are still with their mother and siblings, puppies learn how to regulate their mouthiness so they don’t hurt other dogs when they play. Puppies will let out a squeak or screech when their siblings play too roughly with them, which teaches them how much pressure they can apply without ending the game. As humans, we’re usually a little squishier than other puppies and we don’t have a fur coat to protect our skin, so our level of tolerance for puppy biting tends to be pretty low.

Excited puppies and tired puppies are much more likely to be mouthy. When they meet a new person, play with you, or need a nap, you’re likely to see the land shark behavior coming out in force!

How Do You Stop a Puppy From Biting?

Young, immature animals of all species need time to grow up. It’s not fair to expect a puppy to behave like an adult dog. Yet, so many people expect a puppy to learn all the skills they’ll need to live in our human world within a few days or weeks.

If you’re wondering how to teach a puppy not to bite, then you’ll probably be disappointed in the answer: you don’t. But, that doesn’t mean you should let your puppy ruin your clothes and maim your hands.

Until they grow out of the mouthy phase (and they will!) management should be your best friend. To stop puppy biting, you’ll need to anticipate when your puppy will bite and prevent the behavior when you can. When you can’t, you’ll need to respond appropriately so you don’t reinforce biting.

Management Tips

The good news about puppies is that it’s often pretty easy to spot patterns in their behavior. You’re likely to notice that puppy biting increases during certain situations, including:

When they’re trying to initiate play/attention or are actively playing
When they’re tired
When they’re excited

The problem? Puppies fall into one of these categories a LOT when they’re awake. That means you need to have some management strategies ready to go for situations that might involve sharking.

At SuperPup Academy, we strongly believe that management is an important skill for new puppy owners to learn. Our SuperPuppy course can help you build a management toolbox to help you maintain your sanity while your puppy grows and develops! If you’re dealing with a lot of mouthiness, here are some management tips to try.

Make Sure Your Puppy is Sleeping Enough

Puppies sleep a whole lot–or at least, they should. Ideally, your puppy should be asleep for 16-20 hours a day when they’re young! If they’re not getting enough rest, then you’re likely to see more puppy biting.

If you see your puppy getting amped up and biting, there’s a good chance they’re overtired. Like a toddler, being overtired will result in hyper behavior until they finally crash. Instead of playing with them and making them even MORE tired, try settling them in their pen or crate for a nap.

Offer an Alternative

How do you stop a puppy from biting? Give them something else to do! Keeping your puppy’s mouth busy is a great way to prevent puppy biting. After all, they can’t bite you if they’re holding a big stuffed animal!

Offering your puppy a toy when they get mouthy will provide an outlet and give them something else to focus on. You can even arm your visitors with a toy when they greet your puppy to help prevent mouthing and biting behavior.

Playing tug is also a great outlet and alternative to chomping on your arm. A fleece tug will be your best friend if you’re raising a mouthy puppy!

Teach an Incompatible Behavior

When your puppy sees a person, they’re likely to get excited, jump up, and start biting and mouthing at fingers, arms, and clothing–anything they can reach. One way to prevent this is to teach an incompatible behavior, such as sitting. Teach your puppy that they only get attention when they’re sitting politely and they will have fewer opportunities to sink their teeth into your friends and family.

Protect Your Clothes (And Warn Your Friends)

If you have a mouthy puppy, use common sense. Roll up your sleeves, wear shoes without laces, and keep an eye on the cuffs of your pants. Save your nicer clothes for when your puppy is older. It’s also kind to warn your friends about your tiny land shark so that they can prepare for their visit.

Use Your Pen, Crate, and Tether

It’s tough for a baby dog to self-settle, but they’re very good at self-entertainment. Puppies will get into everything and If you don’t want them nipping at you for attention or chewing on your best stuff, it’s a good idea to use your crate, pen, and tether as needed.

Fulfill the urge to chew with puppy-safe toys and chews. A frozen Toppl is a great way to work your puppy’s brain and satisfy their need to chew! Settle them in their pen or crate or tether them near you and hand them a special, chilly treat. Frozen teething toys are also helpful when your puppy’s gums are sore and need soothing.

What to Do When Your Puppy Bites

So, what should you do when your management tricks aren’t working? How should you respond when your puppy bites you?

First, it’s important to avoid any drama. Simply remove yourself from the game and walk away. You need to make it clear that biting ends the fun. You might have heard that making a high-pitched noise will help your puppy understand that they are hurting you. Unfortunately, it often has the opposite effect and might get your puppy even more excited!

Try not to let your puppy rehearse biting clothing. It’s an annoying behavior that only gets more annoying as a puppy grows! Consistently ending your interactions when puppy mouthing happens will help your puppy understand that biting = no more fun.

When Do Puppies Stop Biting?

Sometimes, it can feel like nothing is working and your puppy will never stop using you as a chew toy. When that happens, you just have to manage as best you can and get through the day, knowing that this WILL end in the near future.

You’re not going to be able to stop puppy biting completely until your puppy has gotten their adult teeth and gained some maturity. Some breed groups are mouthier than others (here’s looking at you, retrievers and herding breeds!), but all puppies bite to some extent.

Every puppy is an individual, and you might have to deal with puppy biting up to about six months or so. Until teething is complete and your puppy is starting to enter adolescence, puppy biting isn’t a behavior problem–it’s a normal and annoying part of raising a puppy.

Want more advice on helping your puppy gain the skills and exposure they need to become a happy, confident, and easy-to-live-with adult dog? Check out our courses and let us help you raise a SuperPup!

Help! Why is My Puppy Biting? The Land Shark Survival Guide