If you have a new puppy, you are probably wondering when the tornado of puppy nipping and biting will end. The truthful answer is that healthy puppy development results in your puppy getting more gentle gradually, over the course of many months. By approximately 6 months, when those sharp puppy teeth are mostly replaced by mature ones, nipping and biting should be considerably less frequent (and sharp). But that doesn’t mean you can’t manage and guide your puppy- pyranha in the meantime.
Having some knowledge of your pup’s more predictable behavior patterns will help you plan and manage with fewer bites (and tears). Since daily puppy activity tends to swing between full-throttle alertness and high-octane napping, it’s common to get more unwanted behaviors at both ends of the energy-exhaustion spectrum. For example, your puppy is more likely to seek new things to tug, chase, bite and play with shortly after waking up. As pups become tired, they often want to chew and dig, and can be irritable about being restrained and handled. The tenor of the environment can also affect puppy behaviors. Lots of noise and activity (e.g. kids squealing and running, non-stop dog-dog play, overly rough play with people) will typically increase the likelihood of puppy chasing and nipping. That’s why it’s important to separate pups from especially amped-up kid playtime, encourage breaks during dog:dog playdates, and avoid roughhousing in play with people. Even some sensations-new surfaces and materials or simply needing to go to the bathroom- can be highly stimulating to a puppy. If you’ve ever seen a puppy get the zoomies after romping through grass or going to the bathroom, you know what I mean.
When your puppy is most awake and perky, plan to give your pup a safe, puppy-proofed place to engage in active exploration and play. This is the time to do something with your puppy that engages his/her puppy brain and body for 10-20 mins. Encourage your puppy to scavenge for scattered or not-too-challenging hidden treats, do a brief training session, or play a game of Find-My-Person (a.k.a. Hide & Seek). You could also give your puppy a food puzzle toy, such as a Kong Wobbler or frozen Toppl for enrichment as long as you keep in mind that this may not satisfy your puppy’s physical needs.
Discomfort, stress and frustration can also increase biting and nippiness. We tend to assume that pups will tolerate any physical restraint and handling-from unwanted petting to grooming and vet care-without considering that pups may be uncomfortable or frustrated in these situations. Without the verbal ability to tell us how they feel, or the hands to push away or grab what they need, a puppy often resorts to using their mouth. All of these activities are an important part of a puppy’s life, and should be approached as skills to be taught in small, positive steps. Don’t expect your puppy to melt into your lap for petting whenever you see fit. Rather, look for times when your pup is more relaxed and quiet, noticing how and where your puppy likes to be touched. Pair introductions to grooming with lots of treats and keep it short and comfortable. Make sure you work with a veterinary team committed to helping your puppy with a non-forceful, Fear-Free approach.
A bored puppy is a problematic puppy!
When you know your pup has had ample exercise, feeding and bathroom breaks, you can do a lot to reign in annoying behaviors by redirecting puppies to a longer-lasting chew toy. This will work best if that chew toy is really desirable and not something that is always available to your pup. Digestible, rawhide-free, chews should be large enough that your puppy won’t be able to swallow a dangerous piece and discarded when they become too small. Supervise your puppy while chewing, and trade the chew for a food tidbit after a good chewing session of 10-15mins. Often, this kind of concentrated chomping actually helps puppies to settle down, and may even encourage them towards sleep. Chewing may make your puppy need to drink water and pee, so don’t forget to take him/her for a quick trip outside, too.
When you are in the worst of it, you may feel as though the nipping/biting/chewing will never end! But, rest assured…sharp puppy teeth fall out and, with guidance and management, mouthy infants develop into more restrained, gentle-mouthed adults.