How do you get a puppy to stop biting on you?

Question

I found a stray puppy 2 wks ago and he is great except he gets excited and bites at our arms and hands. I don't want to take him to the animal shelter but it is hurting me and my kids when he does this

Answer 1

You have several possibilities here, and several solutions. Is he biting while playing, and scratching you, or is he clamping down on your arms and hands in a possessive way, holding on?

Aggressive biting play is usually learned, with some moron teaching the puppy to play rough to make it mean (since it's a stray and you don't know it's history, this is a possibility). I despise macho fools that tease and aggravate puppies like this, because it's cruel, and hard to get them to un-learn if they wind up in a decent home.

Some dogs do this instinctively, too. They do it with their litter mates, with mock battling, and usually don't break the skin, so don't worry about tetanus shots for your kids yet, for pete's sake, or smacking the dog for doing what's natural, as others have recommended.

I understand your concern about the pain, tho, because some of the little suckers have quite a grip. We have a 14 year old pit bull mix at our shelter, with no teeth, who sometimes clamps down on our arm to maintain our attention with her. She doesn't press down or attempt in any way to hurt, but she wants our undivided attention for a moment. We have a lot of dogs, and this is her way of saying "Give me five minutes, will ya?"

I give her special time, but not while she's holding my arm. I'm the alpha female around here, and make her let go with a firm tone of voice. I don't like being hit, and I only resort to a rolled up newspaper with some of our more hardheaded individuals around here. Striking an animal involves your hand and arms in a negative way. Not a good idea.

If your pup is biting while excited during play, get your hands and arms out of the "play." Get toys, treats, balls or anything to play WITH, but don't involve your hands or arms. Get this across to the kids, and everyone will be a lot happier. Their hands are not toys!

Also, tho this one's hard with kids, please coach them to use a hard "No!", not a wild scream or yell, while the dog un-learns his bad behavior. Please don't let them hit the dog, as this is also aggressive, AND once again involves the hands. Since it's a pup, and enthusiastic, it may take awhile, but please use "NO!" until it learns how to play.

If it's a possession thing, like our pitt, it can be resolved with a firm tone also, and eye contact. We are the humans, they are the dogs, and we have to do what's right for all concerned. But it doesn't sound like this is one of the gripper dogs, just an excited little pup thrilled with a good home and attention and trying to make as much contact with his new people as possible.

This may sound a bit odd, but if he's very young, he may see your kids as littermates, and pups do tussle and mock-bite each other.

So get some toys between you and the pup. Please give him a chance. You were wonderful to rescue him and it sounds like he's very happy to be saved. One trip to the toy aisle at PetSmart could make everyone happy.

Good luck to all of you.

Answer 2

How old is he? Usually during the teething stage they have the urge to bite on anything. So make sure he has something harmless to bite- you can buy it at the pet stores like chewable bones or such stuff. When he tries to bite, genlty tap his nose and with a firm voice say NO. When you make him realize that biting is not appreciated he will stop. That is the basic training. Try it and also make sure that he does not chew up anything valuable in the house or the electric wiring which can be risky too. When he stops this biting I am sure he will be an adorable pet. Good luck.

Answer 3

Its natural for a puppy to bite aand chew. Its his way of playing or getting you to play. You have to get him to understand how you want him to play. There is a spray sold in pet stores that you can spray on you or house hold items that you do not want chewed. There is Bitter Apple and Natures Miracles. Both sprays are not harmful to you or your puppy. They just leave an awful taste in his mouth. But its a training aide. So when he does bite you grasp his mouth tell him "no" in stern voice and give him a toy. It helps him to understand that biting you is not playing but chewing the toy is.

Answer 4

The quickest and easiest way to break a puppy of biting too hard is to treat it like a litter-mate would. When puppy bites you, say "YIP!" in loud, surprised voice and then stop playing with puppy until they calm down. A few times of showing the puppy in it's language that he's hurting you and then you stop playing, he'll learn to use his teeth nicer.

Answer 5

A firm voice and a rolled up news paper swatted in your free hand. Tone of voice is most effective in training a dog. The swatting sound of paper scares the pup for a second and you are not hitting your dog. Be sure you use the same command every time.

Answer 6

puppies chew. That is what they do. It is called teething. You can buy him all the toys you want, but he will still want to chew on you, your kids, your furniture, everything. You need to train him out of this ASAP! There are tons of awesome websites you can go on that have simple instructions on how to do this. It takes time, but it'll be worth it to have a nice, well mannered dog around the house.

Also, another thing that'll calm the pup down a lot is neutereing. If he's old enough, get him neutered!

Answer 7

place your other hand on the back of his head and push the hand/arm that he is biting firmly but not harshly into his mouth so he cant push it out, and say "NO" in a stern voice ... do this every time he bites, within a few hours he will stop as this panics him ... repeat as needed over the next couple days and he will be cured of it

Answer 8

Whatever you do DO NOT SLAP HIM, get a long thing and hit him with it not very hard and not too soft. If you hit the dog with your hand it causes the dog to think that your hand is the bad think so when you lift your arm or go to pet him he will be scared. He will think that he is doing somthing bad. Trust me this happend with my cat she is afraid of my dad so don't hit him with you hand EVER. Say hi to the feller for me!

Answer 9

It seems he wants to play and is trying to get your attention. You don't mention anything you have for him to do instead. Is he tied up and bored to tears -- or does he have toys and get attention and time outside? A calm clear "no" and walking away for a while might help. Also, dog training with treats can help keep his mind occupied on what you want rather than what he will otherwise occupy it on.

Answer 10

Every time he bites, put your hand around his muzzle, hold it shut, and say 'No!'

If something happens that he doesn't like each time he tries it, he'll stop doing it. That's pretty much how dogs work.

My neighbor had a kitten that liked to bite fingers. Every time he bit mine, I'd shove it down his throat, and he soon stopped doing it.