Puppy owners often wonder just how much nipping is normal. With their razor sharp puppy teeth, it can sometimes feel like you’ve got a little baby alligator instead of a dog!
Some amount of nipping is completely normal… although not to be passively accepted. Excessive biting accompanied by growling, can sometimes be a display of dominance or a sign of future aggression problems.
Like babies, puppies tend to explore the world with their mouths. Tasting everything from socks and furniture to people’s hands and feet. While this is normal for a puppy, they still need to be taught right from wrong so it will eventually stop. Ask any parent whose child is standing on top of the couch screaming "Get him away… the puppy is biting me!", and they’ll tell you they’ve quickly had enough of ripped PJ’s and scratched arms. So what’s a dog lover to do?
Begin by making sure your puppy has lots of dog toys. Be sure to select ones with a variety of textures. A good assortment will include a rope toy, vinyl ball, hard bone, gummy bone, and dog stuffed animal. Whenever your puppy has his mouth on your hand, correct with a "No" and remove your hand. Immediately replace with an appropriate dog toy and praise lavishly "Good dog". Never allow your puppy to sometimes play bite. After all, how is he supposed to know the difference between Dad’s tough hands and children’s tender ankles?
Obedience training will play an important role in alleviating the biting as well. By working on some basic dog training commands such as "sit" and "stay", your dog will more quickly learn the meanings of the words "no" and "good dog". Your pet will also respect you more and feel like he actually has to listen!
Another helpful tactic is to rotate the toys so your pup doesn’t become bored with them. And remember…. a tired dog is a good dog. Lots of exercise, obedience, and consistency will soon have your dog keeping his teeth to himself!
