All puppies will display some form of biting during their puppy hood. Some biting will only occur during play, whereas other biting may be accompanied by growling and may be more intense. Play biting in puppy hood is a normal behavior, but it needs to be modified so the puppy does not harm members of the family and so that he/she can be a welcome member of the family.

Techniques to manage biting in puppies:

Avoid aggressive play (wrestling, tug of war).

When the puppy is biting, redirect him/her to appropriate toys (Kong toy, gumma bone).

Keep your fingers curled when playing with the puppy.

Supervise play between children and puppies (so puppy does not learn to dominate the child).

When the puppy bites, make a high pitched sound (yip, ouch). This is similar to the sound puppies use when they are bitten by a litter mate.

Use time out (only for 10-15 minutes).

Use gentle leader head collar (we will be happy to provide you with more information on this training technique).

We do not recommend bitter apple spray to control biting. It can increase anxiety, cause head shyness, and can lead to a negative experience.