SHARK! Or Five Tips For Managing Puppy Biting.
Introducing Elle and her puppy, Kind, who is the newest member of the Bark-ology family.
Elle studied animal sciences at The University of Lincoln; she established a successful dog & horse care business over ten years ago, working as a freelance groom, dog walker & pet sitter while also working in a busy veterinary practice.
Over the last eight years, Elle has focused more on working with dogs and their people.
These are her top tips for managing puppy biting.
SHARK! Or five tips to manage puppy biting
Puppies explore the world with their mouths; it’s a natural and essential part of their development. But it can be hard when you are on the bitey end of those needle-sharp teeth.
So what can you do to safely navigate the land shark stage?
These are my 5 top tips 😊
1. Redirection - Think about what things are legal and illegal for your puppy to bite. This may include things like hands, feet, slippers, and remote controls on the illegal side, and toys, carrots, and root chews on the legal side. When your puppy bites an illegal item, quickly replace it with a legal one.
Remember, your puppy wants to play and interact with you, so just swapping to a static toy probably won’t be enough if they are focused on savaging your moving feet. You need to engage them with the toy. Play games of tiny tug with them. Make the toy more exciting than your feet.
2. Management - This is particularly important if there are children involved. Think about what your puppy likes to bite: hands, feet, dressing gown cords, slippers. Keep these things out of your puppy’s reach.
Baby gates and puppy pens are ideal for keeping small children away from biting puppies. It is not the puppy’s fault if he chews your new shoes because they were accessible on the floor. He won’t know they are an illegal item.
3. Routine - We all know how fractious children (and adults) can be when tired or hungry: it is the same with puppies.
They become easily irritable and over-excited when they are worn out. Ensure your puppy has a comfortable, safe space to rest, and regularly encourage them to spend time in it during the day to sleep and unwind. You want your puppy to learn that their safe space is their space. Over time they’ll understand they can retreat here when they want a time-out.
Regular meals are also essential to ensure your puppy isn’t over or under-fed, as both can lead to mouthing. Gentle exercise (mental & physical) will also help your puppy build a proper routine where his body and mind are enriched and tired and ready for sleep as the household winds down for the day.
4. Teething - Humans take up to 21 years to get their adult teeth, whereas dogs make around 6-7 months! This means there are a lot of sore gums for puppies which can lead to mouthing and chewing.
Frozen carrots, yak chews, and things like dog-safe wooden root chews can help with teething and are something for you to redirect your puppy to if they are desperate for something to ease their aching gums.
5. Time - If a puppy’s biting isn’t reinforced by squealing and excitement from the bitten, most puppies will grow out of biting as they mature.
Remember, If you rough play with your puppy, it can be confusing for them when biting is and isn’t permitted. Think carefully about the games you play, where you play them, and where your hands and face are when you play with your puppy.
The biting stage is challenging, but they grow up so quickly - enjoy them as puppies while you can!
If you have a puppy and are looking for classes, our new term starts on 7 September 2021; to book, follow this link:
If you are struggling, we can help; get in touch, info@bark-ology.co.uk
Elle, Karen and the Bark-ology team.
