If your new puppy is treating your hands, feet and sleeves like chew toys, you're not doing anything wrong. Nearly every puppy goes through a bitey stage, and those sharp little teeth really hurt. It's normal, it's temporary, and there's a lot you can do to make it easier.
Why puppies bite
- Play. Puppies play with their mouths. With littermates, that's how they learn how hard is too hard.
- Teething. Adult teeth come through from around three to six months, and chewing helps.
- Tiredness. Overtired puppies get bitey, like toddlers. Young puppies need a lot of sleep, often 18 hours or more a day.
- Excitement and attention. Biting at feet or clothes gets a big reaction, which is fun.
What helps
- Redirect to a toy. Keep soft tug toys and chews within reach. When teeth land on skin, swap in a toy and praise them for biting that instead.
- End the game calmly if biting carries on. Stand up, turn away or step over a baby gate for a few seconds, then come back and try again more gently.
- Build in naps. If biting ramps up in the evening (the “zoomies”), your puppy is probably overtired. Pop them in a quiet pen or crate with a chew to settle.
- Give safe things to chew. A variety of textures helps through teething. Ask your vet which chews are safe for your puppy's age and size.
- Reward calm. Quietly drop a treat when your puppy is lying calmly near you. Calm behaviour that gets noticed happens more.
- Play with toys, not hands. Use long toys for tug so fingers stay out of the way.
What to avoid
- Tapping the nose, holding the mouth shut, or pinning a puppy down. These can make puppies afraid of hands.
- Shouting or chasing, which often turns biting into a game.
- Rough play with hands, especially from children.
Puppies and children
Always supervise puppies and children together, and separate them with a gate or pen when you can't watch. Teach children to stay still and quiet (“be a tree”) if the puppy gets bitey, and to leave the puppy alone when it's eating, sleeping or in its bed.
When to get help
Puppy classes with an Animal Training Instructor are a great place to get practical help with biting, as well as with socialisation. See when to start puppy classes.
Speak to your vet if your puppy:
- bites hard and doesn't ease off as they get older
- goes stiff, stares or growls before biting
- bites when handled, when resting, or near food or toys
- seems frightened, or is biting more after a change in health
Your vet can check for pain and refer you to a Clinical Animal Behaviourist, Veterinary Behaviourist or Accredited Animal Behaviourist, who only see clients on veterinary referral (ABTC). Early help is much easier than changing a habit later. Our guide to who can help with a new puppy explains the roles.