Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I stop my puppy biting?

The short answer

Puppy biting is normal play and exploring, made worse by teething and tiredness. Keep a toy in your hand so your puppy has something better to bite, and freeze or step away for a few seconds when teeth touch skin. Reward soft mouths and calm moments, plan plenty of naps, and never smack, hold the muzzle or shout. Kroki, a reward-based training app for puppies and dogs, has a step on redirecting nipping and an SOS card for biting moments.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Carry a toy wherever your puppy is

    Long soft toys, rope knots and floppy fleece tugs work best because your hand stays far from the teeth. Before you stroke, play or pick your puppy up, offer the toy first. Biting is easiest to prevent when the mouth already has something in it.

  2. Swap skin for a toy, every time

    When your puppy grabs your fingers, sleeve or trouser leg, go still and offer the toy right at its nose. Most puppies switch within a second or two. Then play with the toy for a moment, so biting the right thing is fun.

  3. Pause the game when teeth press hard

    If the bite is sharp or your puppy ignores the toy, take your hands away, turn to the side and stay quiet for five to ten seconds. Then invite it to play again with the toy. Puppies learn that hard teeth end the fun, soft play keeps it going.

  4. Put your puppy to bed before the wild half hour

    Young puppies need far more sleep than most people expect. A puppy that suddenly bites everything, races about and will not settle is usually overtired, not naughty. Lead it to a quiet bed or pen with a chew, dim the room and let it sleep.

  5. Give the mouth a job

    Teething gums ache. Offer chews of different textures, a frozen wet flannel to gnaw under supervision, and food in a lick mat or rubber toy instead of a bowl. A puppy with a busy mouth needs your hands less.

  6. Notice and reward the calm

    When your puppy lies near you without biting, or licks instead of nipping, say “Top!” quietly and drop a treat between its paws. Many owners only react to biting; rewarding the gentle moments tells your puppy what you want.

  7. Make the rules the same for everyone

    Agree as a household: no rough hand play, no wiggling fingers in the puppy’s face, a toy in hand before play starts. Children should play only with a long toy and with an adult close by.

Is your dog past puppyhood?

A grown dog with adult teeth that still grabs hands has usually practised it for months, or is bored, frustrated or uncomfortable. Hard bites, biting out of fear or over things, or a sudden change are not a training topic at all. The page for adult dogs explains how to tell these apart and when to call a vet or behaviour professional first.

Why puppies bite so much, and why it usually fades

Puppies explore the world with their mouths, much as babies use their hands. Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, describes mouthing as a natural part of growing up rather than an attempt to hurt anyone, and notes that most puppies need help learning to use their mouths gently with people and other dogs.

Teeth play a part too. Veterinary guidance from VCA Animal Hospitals says baby teeth come through at around three to six weeks, the change to adult teeth starts at about three and a half to four months, and most puppies have all their adult teeth by six to seven months. Sore gums make chewing and mouthing feel good, which is why the biting phase often peaks during these months and eases afterwards.

Sleep is the part many owners miss. Dogs Trust gives about 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day as a guide for puppies and links overtiredness with zoomies and extra mouthing. A puppy biting more in the evening may simply need a nap.

Telling a puppy off harshly does not help in the long run. A review of studies on training methods found that aversive methods can harm a dog’s physical and mental health and that there is no evidence they work better than reward-based training (Ziv 2017). For biting, that means swapping, pausing and resting rather than smacking or holding the mouth shut.

Common biting moments and what helps

  • It bites your feet and ankles as you walk: stop walking, drop a toy on the floor and let it pounce on that. Wearing slippers it can’t easily grab helps too.
  • It bites when you stroke it: keep strokes short, offer a chew in your other hand, and stroke its chest rather than its head.
  • It bites the lead: carry a second toy on walks, and make the first lead moments calm and short.
  • It bites clothes and pulls: freeze, so the game of tug stops, then offer a toy it can pull instead.

What makes puppy biting worse

  • Rough hand games or play-fighting with fingers. They teach your puppy that hands are toys.
  • Pulling your hand away fast. Moving hands look like prey and invite a harder grab.
  • Smacking, flicking the nose or holding the muzzle shut. They can make your puppy wary of hands and lead to bigger bites later.
  • Long, exciting play with no rest. An overtired puppy bites more, not less.

When to see a professional

Most puppy biting is play and fades with growing up and patient practice. Talk to a professional if:

  • your puppy seems in pain, drools a lot, has a swollen or bleeding mouth, or a baby tooth is still in place next to an adult tooth

    Have a vet take a look

  • your puppy stiffens, growls, freezes or bites hard when you touch it, come near its food or chews, or pick it up

    Get support from professionals

  • young children are being hurt or are scared of the puppy, and you need a plan for the household

    More time and distance

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

At what age do puppies stop biting?

Most puppies bite much less once their adult teeth are in, at around six to seven months. The phase fades faster when biting never pays off and calm play does.

Should I yelp like a puppy when mine bites me?

A short “ouch” and a pause can help some puppies, but others get more excited by the noise. If yelping makes your puppy bite harder, switch to going quiet and still instead.

Why does my puppy bite more in the evening?

Evening biting is often a sign of tiredness. Many puppies have a wild spell before they fall asleep, so a calm bedtime routine and an earlier nap usually help.

Is it okay to let my puppy mouth my hand gently?

Very gentle mouthing is fine while your puppy is small, as long as you pause when pressure rises. Over time, offering a toy whenever it wants to mouth keeps hands out of the game.

How do I stop my puppy biting my children?

Keep play between puppy and children supervised, short and always with a long toy. Give the children a quiet job, like dropping treats on the floor, and give the puppy a pen to rest in when things get busy.

Does puppy biting mean my puppy will bite as an adult?

No, play biting in puppies is normal and does not predict a biting adult. What matters is that your puppy learns to be gentle with mouths and that you watch for fear or guarding, which are different.

What are the best chews for a teething puppy?

Soft rubber toys, rope toys and chews made for puppies are good choices. Stay close while it chews, and take away anything it can break into pieces and swallow.

Can I put my puppy in its pen when it keeps biting?

Yes, a calm break in a pen or safe room is fine if you treat it as rest, not as a telling-off. Give a chew, keep your voice friendly, and let your puppy sleep if it wants.

Sources