Biting puppy blues

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - Play biting by puppies is normal - but some puppies might bite aggressively. What can you do to stop that behaviour?

To figure out the reasons for biting, you need to consider the puppy's age, breed and body language. Local K9 behaviourist and trainer George van Huyssteen explains:

Rufus might be playing

Unfortunately puppies have incredibly sharp teeth and playtime can often be quite painful for us. We often mistake puppy play with aggression, especially if the puppy starts nipping a bit roughly.

The thing is, your puppy might have had a ball wrestling or mock-fighting his littermates before coming into your home - so it would be quite natural for him to engage with his owner in the same way.

Your puppy might bite you to engage in play, he might grab your pants for a friendly game of tug, or he might even chase your legs and nip you while walking. This is quite normal.

Genes play a role

Some breeds are more predisposed to nipping and might do it with more intensity. Some dogs were selectively bred to herd livestock, so nipping to get livestock moving is normal.

Redirection and training typically solve the problem quite quickly.

Teething

While teething, puppies might experience discomfort in their mouths. Chewing and biting objects (including your hand) might offer some relief. Unfortunately, this is typical puppy behaviour, regardless of the breed.

Overstimulation

Like children, puppies can become very grumpy when they are exposed to more stimulation than they can handle. As a result, some puppies are unable to self-soothe and settle and might not be able to put themselves to bed unless you help.

Providing puppies with a nice quiet place is crucial to ensure lots of sleep. In addition, Rem-type sleep is vital for puppies as it is the most restorative sleep of all.

How to stop rough play and biting

Avoid punishment. Should you punish a puppy by flicking him on the nose, shouting at him, lifting him up by his collar, or pushing him down to the ground, his play biting might change to defensive biting or even aggression. It is best to teach your puppy that your hands are fragile.

Should you allow your puppy to interact with you roughly, he will keep on doing it. You need to teach him that your hands are not for biting, and hand targeting is a good way of teaching him not to play roughly with your hands - instead play catch or use toys to redirect his bites away from your hands.

Should the puppy bite down hard, stop all interactions immediately, wait a few seconds and try again.

Remove temptations

You don't want the puppy to rehearse his over-the-top nipping or biting behaviours; for instance, should your puppy nip your feet or legs, wear something that is not easy to grab like rubber boots and redirect his attention to something else like a toy or treat. If your puppy likes grabbing your shoelaces, wear shoes that don't have laces until the puppy stops showing interest.

The goal here is to prevent the puppy from rehearsing over-the-top nipping behaviour.

Unfortunately puppies have incredibly sharp teeth and playtime can often be quite painful for us.

Become a tree

Puppy bites can be painful, and any normal person would pull away - this movement might attract him even more. Should you see your puppy approaching to bite, stand still like a tree.

If you have an over-the-top biting puppy, make sure you have rubber boots or something that covers your legs and stand still. If the puppy doesn't have anything to grab onto, he will probably lose interest quickly.

Redirect

If you know your puppy is an over-the-top biter, redirect him to something that moves, such as a ball or flirt pole, or you can even throw some kibble to one side. The secret here is to do this before the puppy gets close enough to bite you.

Training

It is crucial to provide the puppy with enough stimulation to keep him busy.

Give enough downtime

This is very important. Overly tired or overly stimulated puppies will have difficulty regulating their emotions and are more likely to become grumpy.

Naps

It is vital to provide a puppy with a nice quiet place to nap. A puppy should have the opportunity to nap often, and you might want to create a routine for this. Puppies need about sixteen to twenty hours of sleep per day.

A puppy should have the opportunity to nap often, and you might want to create a routine for this. Photo: Unsplash