Why Do Puppies Bite and How to Stop Puppy Biting You?

One of the most common issues faced by pet families who welcome a new pet into their homes is puppy biting. Even if it is a puppy, her bite hurts. So, how to stop puppy biting you? Read on.

Mouthing and Biting 

Before proceeding with why puppies bite, let us have a look at the difference between puppy mouthing and puppy biting. 

When puppy puts her mouth on your hand, ankle or any body part, even with some pressure and lets her grab go, it is termed mouthing. Whereas, in case of puppy biting, your skin may get hurt due to piercing bite. The puppy holds on to her bite causing you pain. So, mouthing is not as painful as biting. 

So, Why do Puppies Mouth and Bite?

Basically, puppy mouthing is an expression of playful behavior by puppies. Puppies use their mouths to explore the world around them; naturally, that includes you. 

Puppies may mouth or bite to grab your attention. 

                   

I want all of your TV time Big B

Puppies bite when they are involved in excited play. 

Teething is one of the most common reasons for puppy biting. 

Sometimes, unintentionally we could have sent a wrong signal. For example, when your puppy bites you and you give her a treat to divert her attention, she would connect the bite to treat. So, we would have given them wrong reinforcement. 

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Some puppies may mouth or bite to show their displeasure or unwillingness to do something. Let's say you pick her up to play when she is in no mood. She would either not show interest or give you a bite to let you know. The same goes for petting. If your pet is not in a mood to receive petting, she may air snap or bite you to let her feelings be known.

Some puppies and adult dogs bite in their efforts at resource guarding.

These are some of the reasons why puppies bite their owners.

How to Stop Puppy Biting You?

One of the early and highly important lessons a puppy learns from her mother and siblings is bite inhibition. Bite inhibition is the ability of dog to control the force of her mouthing. Puppies learn how much pressure would be too much when they play with their siblings. This lesson is very crucial because puppies learn not to hurt their playmates. This helps not only their human families but also other dogs with whom they socialize. 

Here are some tips to stop puppy biting habit:

1) Let out a Yelp: It helps but may not always. When you feel her pressure is getting higher, let out a yelp and rub the part she bit as if to soothe your pain. Not that she will not try again but every time the force of bite gets higher repeat yelping and she would settle for lesser pressure. However, keep a watch on her response. If yelping makes her think it is fun, she may come again for more.

2) Quit Playing and Move Away: When biting gets serious, quit playing and move away from the place. Return in a couple of minutes and resume playing. Repeat it every time she bites.

Let's play again please..I won't bite

3) Divert Her Well Before The Moment: By now, you would be having a pretty good idea as to when her mouthing would get serious. Divert her before the moment with a treat or a toy. As mentioned above you would not want to send out a wrong signal and make her conclude biting equals treat or toy.

Hey toy, I hope you don't have a mouth to bite me...

Sometimes, the diversion gets big enough...

Thankfully, this thing doesn't have legs...

4) Chew Toys Come to Rescue

Chew toys keep your puppy's mouth engaged, helps with her stimulation while also addressing teething discomfort. 

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Never punish your puppy or reprimand her for mouthing and biting. This definitely will not help with building trust that would last a lifetime. Be gentle on your puppy, keep using positive reinforcement on your puppy so you can be successful in preventing puppy biting you. We always need to remember that she is just a puppy and that is her way of expression.

5) Trade is the Game

If your puppy bites in an attempt to resource guard, you can offer her a toy or some puppy treats so you can safely retrieve what your puppy has been protecting. 

What to Do if Your Puppy Bites You and Your Wound Bleeds?

For normal bites, you can wash the bitten area with mild soap and rinse well in running water for few minutes. 

If the wound bleeds, it is highly recommended to do the following:

Wash the wound using mild soap and rinse the wounded area in running water for five to ten minutes.

After cleaning the wound with a clean cloth, apply antibiotic cream on the wound. 

Visit your doctor to check for treatment protocol.