Puppies are wonderful bundles of fur and joy, until they sink those razor-sharp baby teeth into your skin. That’s about that time that many dog owners start question why they got a puppy (that, and potty training!). It can even get so bad that the puppy, now an adolescent, gets relinquished to the shelter. So why does that adorable puppy that you just want to cuddle bite you? There are several reasons and knowing why can help you curb the biting and get back to cuddling.
Why Puppies Bite
When we encounter a new object, our first desire, especially as babies, is to pick it up and get a better “feel” for it. Dogs don’t have hands. Their mouths act as a carrying device as well as a way to explore their world. Even baby humans put things in their mouths when they are exploring, so it only makes sense that puppies will too. So, sometimes those teeth may accidentally find themselves in your skin simply because your puppy is exploring. And if you have a herding breed or hunting/retrieving breed, they may even bite because their instincts are telling them to.
Some other reasons a puppy may bite are:
Play – Puppies bite each other during play and your puppy doesn’t know that your skin isn’t tough enough to take it like their siblings are.
Scared – A puppy will definitely bite if you do something that scares him or if something in the environment scares him while you are holding him.
Pain – Aside from a yelp, biting you is the only other way your puppy has to tell you, “ouch, you just hurt me.” So many will bite when an owner is trying to pull a mat out or if they accidentally hit the quick during a nail trim. A child’s rough handling can also cause a dog to bite, out of pain or fear or both.
Guarding – If your puppy is displaying signs of biting you when you go to take anything from them, contact a certified dog trainer immediately for help dealing with this serious behavior issue. You can find one here.
How To Handle a Biting Puppy
First – what’s causing the bite? Pay attention to your puppy so you know why he is biting. Was it rough play? Did you do something scary like try to blow dry him without proper desensitization? Did you accidentally pull too hard on a mat? Is he guarding? Is your child handling your puppy inappropriately? Figuring this out will help you prevent future bites. Remember, if he is guarding, you are going to need to get help from a professional.
Second – teach bite inhibition. The number one most important thing to teach a puppy is that you can’t sink those teeth into people. When it comes to play, be careful not to encourage biting with rough play. If your puppy puts his mouth on you at any time, stop play and walk away. Prevent biting when unnecessarily scared (like by the nail clippers) by working on conditioning your puppy that good things happen (like treats, petting, toys and praise) when he encounters new or scary things.
Third – get to a puppy class! It is never too early to start training! A puppy class will help you learn how to teach your puppy to be a good canine citizen, including being handled for the vet and grooming, and not to bite a humans.
