October 2, 2025 • 14 mins
Those little shark teeth aren’t a character flaw—they’re a language. We unpack what puppy biting really means, why it’s a normal stage of development, and how to turn chaotic nips into gentle, thoughtful play. You’ll learn the core pattern that works: soft mouths keep you close, hard bites pause the fun. With bite inhibition techniques, smart use of pens and gates, and a toolbox of engaging chew options, we map out a plan that’s humane, simple, and effective.
Follow us on social media
Instagram @BAXTERandBella
Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool
YouTube @BAXTERandBella
Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips!
Check out our FREE resources!
Join our membership here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Today, we are talking about puppy biting.
If you guys have a new puppy, oryou've you're getting one soon,
or you've had one recently, youknow about their razor-sharp
teeth.
And the main question we getasked is, how do I stop it?
So in today's episode, we'lltalk about why it happens and
what we can do about it.
Some of my answers mightsurprise you.
(00:20):
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy.
From training tips to practicaltricks, all aimed at fostering a
happy, well-behaved dog whotruly feels like part of the
(00:40):
family.
So, if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey everybody, thanks forlistening to the show.
I'm excited you're here.
Today we are talking about a hottopic in puppy training: puppy
biting.
We wish there was just an easybutton we could push that stops
(01:02):
it, but unfortunately, there isnot.
So we need to understand whypuppies bite and then how we can
help them learn that we don'tlike that.
So I'm gonna take you back intime.
We're going to go two years agowhen I discussed this on the
show.
I'm going to bring back thatepisode.
We're going to talk all aboutpuppy biting and what you can do
about it and where it comesfrom.
This is gonna surprise you.
(01:23):
For anybody getting a new dog ora puppy soon, maybe you already
have one, or for anyone who hasan older dog who is still
mouthy, I know there's some ofyou out there, that's okay.
Today we are talking aboutbiting.
So biting and mouthing, right?
We all know puppies bring a lotof joy and companionship to our
lives.
They're so cute, but they alsocome with some challenges, and
(01:45):
one of the most common beingpuppy biting.
This behavior, while it isnatural for dogs, can be
frustrating and even painful fordog families.
Here at Baxter and Bella, we doour fair share of coaching on
this topic.
So I thought, why not talk aboutit on the podcast again?
Understanding why puppies biteand how to address it using
positive reinforcementtechniques is necessary, you
(02:06):
guys, for creating a happy andwell-adjusted dog in the home.
Today, let's start with thequestion: why do puppies bite?
Why, right?
If I can understand the why,life is a lot more simple, I
think.
And I'm like this in all facetsof life.
Why, why, why?
So why do puppies bite?
Puppy biting is a normal part oftheir development.
(02:28):
That's an important statement.
Think about that.
It is a normal part of theirdevelopment.
So we actually want to recognizethey have a need to move their
little mouths, and their littlemouths have sharp teeth in them,
which I know doesn't always gowell with humans, but we'll talk
about more of that today.
So puppies explore the worldprimarily through their mouths,
using their teeth to investigateobjects and learn about their
(02:51):
environment.
We want them to do that.
Now, think of human toddlers.
If you have any experience withhuman toddlers, how often have
you heard parents say, we don'tput that in our mouth, right?
Don't do that.
Don't put that in your mouth.
Exploration happens using theirmouths, and this is so true for
puppies.
Additionally, biting is a formof play for dogs and
communication for puppies.
(03:12):
They may bite during play toengage with their human or other
puppy friends, much like theywould their litter mates.
So I like to show a video in ourclasses here at Baxter Umbella,
our puppy biting videospecifically, of a group of
puppies playing and how they usetheir mouths.
Just watching this little litterplay, it looks aggressive.
It looks maybe unfriendly, butwatching their body language,
(03:35):
they're having a good time, butthey are using their mouths and
teeth.
And occasionally, yes, one puppygets another puppy a little bit
too much, and the puppy yelps,and the other puppy learns, oh,
that was too rough, right?
So they play this way with theirlitter mates.
This is how they grow up.
Um, and that's important torecognize when we bring these
puppies or dogs into our home,right?
So, humans, we use our hands.
(03:56):
If I want to do something, I'musing my hands primarily.
Puppies use their mouths, whichalso means you guessed it, their
teeth are involved, and verysharp ones while they're young.
So it's important to note thatpuppies don't bite with
malicious intent.
I would say that's a very rareinstance if we have an actual
aggressive puppy.
Okay, so we get a number ofcalls or email questions saying,
(04:17):
I think my dog is aggressive.
And I'm saying, How old is yourdog?
And they're saying, It's an11-week-old puppy, right?
As an example.
But we learn through discussionwith these people that really
what they have is a puppy that'sexciting or excitable and
they're playing, and they'replaying like a puppy plays with
their mouth and their teeth.
And as humans, we don't likethat.
It hurts, those teeth are sharp,but that can lead families to
(04:40):
think, hey, I have an aggressivepuppy.
So it sure can seem like that attimes, right?
But their teeth are theirprimary means of interaction,
and they are yet to learn theboundaries or rules of
acceptable behavior when livingin a home with humans.
So it is our responsibility toteach these dogs how to use
their mouth appropriately whenthey are living with us.
(05:01):
Um, they do not come knowingthat.
So remember that because again,that takes away a lot of the
frustration, is if I justunderstand puppies don't come
knowing that they shouldn't puttheir teeth on me, right?
They're just trying to befriendly and play and engage
with me.
And it can seem, in my eyes,maybe possibly aggressive
because, hey, they bit me, butthey're just trying to play.
(05:22):
So understanding this, I think,helps us be more patient with
them and allows for thislearning process to take place
on their end as well as ours.
Now, what can we do about puppybiting?
So, first things first, I liketo teach bite inhibition.
I think this is one of the mostcrucial aspects of puppy
training is to teach the puppyhow to control the force of
(05:44):
their bite.
Puppies learn that biteinhibition are the puppies who
learn by inhibition are lesslikely to cause injury during
play or when they become overlyexcited because they can control
that force of their mouth.
So to teach by inhibition, allowyour puppy to kind of mouth you.
This is when they're very young,they first come home.
They might put their mouth onyou, right?
If the biting becomes too hard,make a high-pitched yelping
(06:06):
sound to mimic the reaction of alitter mate, like, ouch, that
hurt, right?
You might even want to just turnand walk away.
This signals to the puppy thatthey have done something, you
know, use their teeth, theirmouth, they've bitten too hard,
and they should reduce thepressure.
If they respond appropriately,reward them with praise and
continue to play with them.
Uh so if they back off or um,you know, walk away or they
(06:28):
re-engage with you, but nowthey're much softer with their
mouths.
That's that's good.
We want that.
Um, if they respondinappropriately, you might just
need to simply get up, like Imentioned, and walk away anytime
your puppy mouse you.
And we'll talk about this in alittle bit, but setting them up
for success using pens and gatesand tethers and things like that
so that you can get up and walkaway without them following you,
(06:49):
that creates this pattern thatthey quickly learn.
Oh, if I want Amy to stickaround and play with me, I can't
put my mouth on her.
Okay.
Next, we need to provideappropriate chew choice,
recognizing that a puppy needsto chew, right?
They are growing, you guys, twosets of teeth within six months
of life.
Now think about that.
So they're born without teeth.
(07:10):
The teeth start to grow, theygrow an entire puppy set of
teeth, which I know are verysharp and they hurt.
But they lose those teeth aroundfive to six months of age and
grow an entire adult set ofteeth.
That is a lot of changehappening inside a dog's mouth
in not very much time.
So your puppy does need to chew,right?
Their gums are probably oftensore and hurting.
(07:30):
And they have this naturaldesire or urge to chew.
So uh just remember that andrecognize that.
Let's give them appropriate chewtoys that help satisfy their
natural urge to chew, but alsoprevents them from using our
hands or belongings as chewtoys.
So we always want to make surethat we provide safe, durable,
and toys that are appealing toyour puppy, right?
If you are with your puppy andyou try to hand them this toy
(07:53):
that's maybe like a squeaky toy,right?
Or just like a tennis ball orsomething, and I let it go, that
toy becomes boring and lifeless,right?
It just lays on the floor.
Um, if you plan to stay next toyour puppy and want to interact
with them and they are wantingto mouth you, you might need to
make that toy engaging, make itmore exciting than you.
Wiggle it, squeak it, bounce it,throw it, toss it, right?
(08:15):
Keep offering them that toy likeyou would a child with a
pacifier who keeps spitting itout.
You just keep putting thepacifier back in, right?
Remember, you are always, youcan always walk away if they go
for you and not the toy.
So again, set them up forsuccess by playing with them in
a pen.
If they go for you, you simplystep outside the pen.
They can't follow you.
Or play with them in a roomwhere there's a baby gate.
(08:37):
So you can walk over the gate,step over the gate and get out
of that area and your puppycan't follow you.
You could also have your puppyon a leash and tether them to
say a door.
And that way you can play withthem right there with a toy and
interact and teach them toreally, this is how you play
with a human, right?
Is with a toy between us.
And then if they go for yourhand instead of the toy, you can
simply walk away and they'retethered.
(08:57):
They can't follow you.
So it's important that you'reable to teach them that pattern.
Oh, you mouth me, I walk away.
Right.
And as they get that over andover and over again, they start
to see that pattern, recognizeit doesn't happen in one time.
They have to develop thatpattern or learn that pattern
that I bite, she walks away.
I mouth her, she walks away.
And then the more consistent youare at that, the quicker your
(09:19):
puppy learns, oh, that doesn'twork.
I guess I should be more gentlewith Amy, right?
I shouldn't put my mouth on Amyif I want her to stick around
and play with me.
So along those lines, third isto be consistent.
And consistency is key whenaddressing puppy biting.
We need to make sure thateveryone in our household is
aware of the rules and followsthose same rules and techniques.
Mixed signals will definitelyconfuse our puppy and it just
(09:41):
impedes our progress.
Uh, remember also to avoid harshpunishments.
It's tempting, I know, if yourpuppy gets you to want to flick
them back, or um maybe that's anatural reaction of yours, but
try your best to avoid usingpunishment-based methods,
especially when it comes topuppy biting.
We encourage it for anybehavior, but especially with
puppy biting.
Physical punishment or harshverbal reprimands can lead to
(10:02):
fear or anxiety in your dog, andthey may even um make this
biting behavior worse.
So be careful getting angryabout it.
We simply just want to get upand walk away.
So focus on the positivereinforcement.
Now, positive reinforcementinvolves rewarding desired
behaviors to encourage theirrepetition.
Here are some positivereinforcement techniques that
(10:23):
you can use when addressingpuppy biting.
First, you can use treats andverbal praise.
So I like to reward my puppywith treats and enthusiastic
praise when they exhibit goodbehavior.
I promise if you watch for goodbehavior, you can find some.
As a parent, I know in raisingmy kids sometimes, the only
positive thing I could thinkmight be, I like the way you're
(10:43):
breathing, right?
Maybe some of you can relatewith me.
That might be the only good youfind in the moment, right?
No, my kids are awesome, andusually we find lots more better
things, right?
Um, that I can praise andreward.
With our dogs, it's the sameway.
You will find good behavior thatyou can reward if you watch for
it.
So look for the good behavior,pay them, reward them for that
(11:04):
good behavior, and that goodbehavior will increase.
So watch for that.
Again, they repeat whateverworks for them.
Now, next you could try clickertraining or using a verbal
marker, yes.
So, clicker training is aneffective positive reinforcement
technique.
We pair a distinct click soundwith a food reward that helps
the puppy associate the soundwith good behavior.
(11:24):
So use the clicker to markmoments when you find your puppy
refraining from biting, right?
Maybe they sit down and grab atoy, click treat.
I like to use the word yes as myclicker because I always have it
with me.
Next, you can practice timeouts.
If the biting becomes toointense during play, just
implement a short timeoutperiod.
Essentially, that's what we'redoing when we stand up and walk
(11:46):
away, right?
It's not like I'm punishing mypuppy or sending them to the
corner.
Um, you know, I'm literally justwalking away from them.
They might be in their pen.
In their pen, they have toys,they have things they can do and
entertain themselves with.
I'm simply just removing myselffrom the situation.
So it is okay to give your puppythese little timeouts.
It's also okay if you noticeyour puppy's just really bitey
(12:09):
mouthy, to recognize, ah, thispuppy is tired.
They need a nap.
How much sleep have they hadtoday?
It's very common that we findwith uh new puppy families that
they are just go, go, go all daylong and these puppies are tired
and they get to a point in theday where they're over
threshold.
We call it zone four here atBaxter and Bella, and they just
can't think.
They don't want to think, theyjust react because they're
(12:30):
tired.
So if your puppy might be inthis situation, recognize, oh,
are they tired?
Have they slept lately?
Maybe they just need a good nap.
And that is 100% okay to putthem in their crate or their pen
and give them some downtime.
So, puppy biting, you guys, is acommon behavior that can be
dressed, uh addressedeffectively with patience,
consistency, and definitelypositive reinforcement
(12:50):
techniques, like we talkedabout.
But I just think understandingwhy the puppies bite and then
employing these differentappropriate training methods
that we talked about today, youcan guide your puppy towards
becoming a well-mannered andenjoyable companion.
That's our entire goal here atBaxter and Bella is to help you
live life with your puppy,incorporate that dog into your
(13:10):
home and family and live lifewith them.
Now, do remember that everypuppy is unique.
So be attuned to theirindividual needs and you might
need to make adjustments alongthe way.
At Baxter ⁇ Bella, we are happyto coach you through any puppy
training problem that you areencountering, definitely
including puppy biting.
So reach out to us if needed.
But with dedication,consistency, positive
(13:33):
reinforcement, you can help yourdog grow into a happy and
well-behaved adult canine.
I know you can do this.
All right, you guys, have awonderful week.
Happy training.
Talk to you soon.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
(13:53):
Remember, with a little patienceand consistency, you can create
a loving bond and a well-behavedpup who's a joy to have in your
family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review, and share itwith fellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visit Baxterand Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Today, we are talking about puppy biting.
If you guys have a new puppy, oryou've you're getting one soon,
or you've had one recently, youknow about their razor-sharp
teeth.
And the main question we getasked is, how do I stop it?
So in today's episode, we'lltalk about why it happens and
what we can do about it.
Some of my answers mightsurprise you.
(00:20):
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy.
From training tips to practicaltricks, all aimed at fostering a
happy, well-behaved dog whotruly feels like part of the
(00:40):
family.
So, if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey everybody, thanks forlistening to the show.
I'm excited you're here.
Today we are talking about a hottopic in puppy training: puppy
biting.
We wish there was just an easybutton we could push that stops
(01:02):
it, but unfortunately, there isnot.
So we need to understand whypuppies bite and then how we can
help them learn that we don'tlike that.
So I'm gonna take you back intime.
We're going to go two years agowhen I discussed this on the
show.
I'm going to bring back thatepisode.
We're going to talk all aboutpuppy biting and what you can do
about it and where it comesfrom.
This is gonna surprise you.
(01:23):
For anybody getting a new dog ora puppy soon, maybe you already
have one, or for anyone who hasan older dog who is still
mouthy, I know there's some ofyou out there, that's okay.
Today we are talking aboutbiting.
So biting and mouthing, right?
We all know puppies bring a lotof joy and companionship to our
lives.
They're so cute, but they alsocome with some challenges, and
(01:45):
one of the most common beingpuppy biting.
This behavior, while it isnatural for dogs, can be
frustrating and even painful fordog families.
Here at Baxter and Bella, we doour fair share of coaching on
this topic.
So I thought, why not talk aboutit on the podcast again?
Understanding why puppies biteand how to address it using
positive reinforcementtechniques is necessary, you
(02:06):
guys, for creating a happy andwell-adjusted dog in the home.
Today, let's start with thequestion: why do puppies bite?
Why, right?
If I can understand the why,life is a lot more simple, I
think.
And I'm like this in all facetsof life.
Why, why, why?
So why do puppies bite?
Puppy biting is a normal part oftheir development.
(02:28):
That's an important statement.
Think about that.
It is a normal part of theirdevelopment.
So we actually want to recognizethey have a need to move their
little mouths, and their littlemouths have sharp teeth in them,
which I know doesn't always gowell with humans, but we'll talk
about more of that today.
So puppies explore the worldprimarily through their mouths,
using their teeth to investigateobjects and learn about their
(02:51):
environment.
We want them to do that.
Now, think of human toddlers.
If you have any experience withhuman toddlers, how often have
you heard parents say, we don'tput that in our mouth, right?
Don't do that.
Don't put that in your mouth.
Exploration happens using theirmouths, and this is so true for
puppies.
Additionally, biting is a formof play for dogs and
communication for puppies.
(03:12):
They may bite during play toengage with their human or other
puppy friends, much like theywould their litter mates.
So I like to show a video in ourclasses here at Baxter Umbella,
our puppy biting videospecifically, of a group of
puppies playing and how they usetheir mouths.
Just watching this little litterplay, it looks aggressive.
It looks maybe unfriendly, butwatching their body language,
(03:35):
they're having a good time, butthey are using their mouths and
teeth.
And occasionally, yes, one puppygets another puppy a little bit
too much, and the puppy yelps,and the other puppy learns, oh,
that was too rough, right?
So they play this way with theirlitter mates.
This is how they grow up.
Um, and that's important torecognize when we bring these
puppies or dogs into our home,right?
So, humans, we use our hands.
(03:56):
If I want to do something, I'musing my hands primarily.
Puppies use their mouths, whichalso means you guessed it, their
teeth are involved, and verysharp ones while they're young.
So it's important to note thatpuppies don't bite with
malicious intent.
I would say that's a very rareinstance if we have an actual
aggressive puppy.
Okay, so we get a number ofcalls or email questions saying,
(04:17):
I think my dog is aggressive.
And I'm saying, How old is yourdog?
And they're saying, It's an11-week-old puppy, right?
As an example.
But we learn through discussionwith these people that really
what they have is a puppy that'sexciting or excitable and
they're playing, and they'replaying like a puppy plays with
their mouth and their teeth.
And as humans, we don't likethat.
It hurts, those teeth are sharp,but that can lead families to
(04:40):
think, hey, I have an aggressivepuppy.
So it sure can seem like that attimes, right?
But their teeth are theirprimary means of interaction,
and they are yet to learn theboundaries or rules of
acceptable behavior when livingin a home with humans.
So it is our responsibility toteach these dogs how to use
their mouth appropriately whenthey are living with us.
(05:01):
Um, they do not come knowingthat.
So remember that because again,that takes away a lot of the
frustration, is if I justunderstand puppies don't come
knowing that they shouldn't puttheir teeth on me, right?
They're just trying to befriendly and play and engage
with me.
And it can seem, in my eyes,maybe possibly aggressive
because, hey, they bit me, butthey're just trying to play.
(05:22):
So understanding this, I think,helps us be more patient with
them and allows for thislearning process to take place
on their end as well as ours.
Now, what can we do about puppybiting?
So, first things first, I liketo teach bite inhibition.
I think this is one of the mostcrucial aspects of puppy
training is to teach the puppyhow to control the force of
(05:44):
their bite.
Puppies learn that biteinhibition are the puppies who
learn by inhibition are lesslikely to cause injury during
play or when they become overlyexcited because they can control
that force of their mouth.
So to teach by inhibition, allowyour puppy to kind of mouth you.
This is when they're very young,they first come home.
They might put their mouth onyou, right?
If the biting becomes too hard,make a high-pitched yelping
(06:06):
sound to mimic the reaction of alitter mate, like, ouch, that
hurt, right?
You might even want to just turnand walk away.
This signals to the puppy thatthey have done something, you
know, use their teeth, theirmouth, they've bitten too hard,
and they should reduce thepressure.
If they respond appropriately,reward them with praise and
continue to play with them.
Uh so if they back off or um,you know, walk away or they
(06:28):
re-engage with you, but nowthey're much softer with their
mouths.
That's that's good.
We want that.
Um, if they respondinappropriately, you might just
need to simply get up, like Imentioned, and walk away anytime
your puppy mouse you.
And we'll talk about this in alittle bit, but setting them up
for success using pens and gatesand tethers and things like that
so that you can get up and walkaway without them following you,
(06:49):
that creates this pattern thatthey quickly learn.
Oh, if I want Amy to stickaround and play with me, I can't
put my mouth on her.
Okay.
Next, we need to provideappropriate chew choice,
recognizing that a puppy needsto chew, right?
They are growing, you guys, twosets of teeth within six months
of life.
Now think about that.
So they're born without teeth.
(07:10):
The teeth start to grow, theygrow an entire puppy set of
teeth, which I know are verysharp and they hurt.
But they lose those teeth aroundfive to six months of age and
grow an entire adult set ofteeth.
That is a lot of changehappening inside a dog's mouth
in not very much time.
So your puppy does need to chew,right?
Their gums are probably oftensore and hurting.
(07:30):
And they have this naturaldesire or urge to chew.
So uh just remember that andrecognize that.
Let's give them appropriate chewtoys that help satisfy their
natural urge to chew, but alsoprevents them from using our
hands or belongings as chewtoys.
So we always want to make surethat we provide safe, durable,
and toys that are appealing toyour puppy, right?
If you are with your puppy andyou try to hand them this toy
(07:53):
that's maybe like a squeaky toy,right?
Or just like a tennis ball orsomething, and I let it go, that
toy becomes boring and lifeless,right?
It just lays on the floor.
Um, if you plan to stay next toyour puppy and want to interact
with them and they are wantingto mouth you, you might need to
make that toy engaging, make itmore exciting than you.
Wiggle it, squeak it, bounce it,throw it, toss it, right?
(08:15):
Keep offering them that toy likeyou would a child with a
pacifier who keeps spitting itout.
You just keep putting thepacifier back in, right?
Remember, you are always, youcan always walk away if they go
for you and not the toy.
So again, set them up forsuccess by playing with them in
a pen.
If they go for you, you simplystep outside the pen.
They can't follow you.
Or play with them in a roomwhere there's a baby gate.
(08:37):
So you can walk over the gate,step over the gate and get out
of that area and your puppycan't follow you.
You could also have your puppyon a leash and tether them to
say a door.
And that way you can play withthem right there with a toy and
interact and teach them toreally, this is how you play
with a human, right?
Is with a toy between us.
And then if they go for yourhand instead of the toy, you can
simply walk away and they'retethered.
(08:57):
They can't follow you.
So it's important that you'reable to teach them that pattern.
Oh, you mouth me, I walk away.
Right.
And as they get that over andover and over again, they start
to see that pattern, recognizeit doesn't happen in one time.
They have to develop thatpattern or learn that pattern
that I bite, she walks away.
I mouth her, she walks away.
And then the more consistent youare at that, the quicker your
(09:19):
puppy learns, oh, that doesn'twork.
I guess I should be more gentlewith Amy, right?
I shouldn't put my mouth on Amyif I want her to stick around
and play with me.
So along those lines, third isto be consistent.
And consistency is key whenaddressing puppy biting.
We need to make sure thateveryone in our household is
aware of the rules and followsthose same rules and techniques.
Mixed signals will definitelyconfuse our puppy and it just
(09:41):
impedes our progress.
Uh, remember also to avoid harshpunishments.
It's tempting, I know, if yourpuppy gets you to want to flick
them back, or um maybe that's anatural reaction of yours, but
try your best to avoid usingpunishment-based methods,
especially when it comes topuppy biting.
We encourage it for anybehavior, but especially with
puppy biting.
Physical punishment or harshverbal reprimands can lead to
(10:02):
fear or anxiety in your dog, andthey may even um make this
biting behavior worse.
So be careful getting angryabout it.
We simply just want to get upand walk away.
So focus on the positivereinforcement.
Now, positive reinforcementinvolves rewarding desired
behaviors to encourage theirrepetition.
Here are some positivereinforcement techniques that
(10:23):
you can use when addressingpuppy biting.
First, you can use treats andverbal praise.
So I like to reward my puppywith treats and enthusiastic
praise when they exhibit goodbehavior.
I promise if you watch for goodbehavior, you can find some.
As a parent, I know in raisingmy kids sometimes, the only
positive thing I could thinkmight be, I like the way you're
(10:43):
breathing, right?
Maybe some of you can relatewith me.
That might be the only good youfind in the moment, right?
No, my kids are awesome, andusually we find lots more better
things, right?
Um, that I can praise andreward.
With our dogs, it's the sameway.
You will find good behavior thatyou can reward if you watch for
it.
So look for the good behavior,pay them, reward them for that
(11:04):
good behavior, and that goodbehavior will increase.
So watch for that.
Again, they repeat whateverworks for them.
Now, next you could try clickertraining or using a verbal
marker, yes.
So, clicker training is aneffective positive reinforcement
technique.
We pair a distinct click soundwith a food reward that helps
the puppy associate the soundwith good behavior.
(11:24):
So use the clicker to markmoments when you find your puppy
refraining from biting, right?
Maybe they sit down and grab atoy, click treat.
I like to use the word yes as myclicker because I always have it
with me.
Next, you can practice timeouts.
If the biting becomes toointense during play, just
implement a short timeoutperiod.
Essentially, that's what we'redoing when we stand up and walk
(11:46):
away, right?
It's not like I'm punishing mypuppy or sending them to the
corner.
Um, you know, I'm literally justwalking away from them.
They might be in their pen.
In their pen, they have toys,they have things they can do and
entertain themselves with.
I'm simply just removing myselffrom the situation.
So it is okay to give your puppythese little timeouts.
It's also okay if you noticeyour puppy's just really bitey
(12:09):
mouthy, to recognize, ah, thispuppy is tired.
They need a nap.
How much sleep have they hadtoday?
It's very common that we findwith uh new puppy families that
they are just go, go, go all daylong and these puppies are tired
and they get to a point in theday where they're over
threshold.
We call it zone four here atBaxter and Bella, and they just
can't think.
They don't want to think, theyjust react because they're
(12:30):
tired.
So if your puppy might be inthis situation, recognize, oh,
are they tired?
Have they slept lately?
Maybe they just need a good nap.
And that is 100% okay to putthem in their crate or their pen
and give them some downtime.
So, puppy biting, you guys, is acommon behavior that can be
dressed, uh addressedeffectively with patience,
consistency, and definitelypositive reinforcement
(12:50):
techniques, like we talkedabout.
But I just think understandingwhy the puppies bite and then
employing these differentappropriate training methods
that we talked about today, youcan guide your puppy towards
becoming a well-mannered andenjoyable companion.
That's our entire goal here atBaxter and Bella is to help you
live life with your puppy,incorporate that dog into your
(13:10):
home and family and live lifewith them.
Now, do remember that everypuppy is unique.
So be attuned to theirindividual needs and you might
need to make adjustments alongthe way.
At Baxter ⁇ Bella, we are happyto coach you through any puppy
training problem that you areencountering, definitely
including puppy biting.
So reach out to us if needed.
But with dedication,consistency, positive
(13:33):
reinforcement, you can help yourdog grow into a happy and
well-behaved adult canine.
I know you can do this.
All right, you guys, have awonderful week.
Happy training.
Talk to you soon.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
(13:53):
Remember, with a little patienceand consistency, you can create
a loving bond and a well-behavedpup who's a joy to have in your
family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review, and share itwith fellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visit Baxterand Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com