How To Combat Extreme Puppy Biting, by Zak George on YouTube. 1 min.
- Video length
- 1 min
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Keep a tug toy or chew toy in your pocket or within reach whenever your puppy is out of its crate. You need to redirect fast.
Play calmly with your puppy. Watch for the moment its teeth touch your skin, even lightly.
The instant teeth touch skin, say a short sharp yelp or ouch and stop moving. Let your hand go still.
Pause for two or three seconds. If your puppy backs off, praise it calmly and offer the toy instead.
If your puppy keeps biting, stand up, fold your arms and turn away for 10 to 20 seconds. Remove all attention.
Return to play only when your puppy is calm. Repeat the yelp and pause every time teeth touch skin.
End the session after two or three bites in a row. Put your puppy in its crate or pen with a chew toy for a nap.
Give your puppy safe things to chew, like a frozen carrot or a rubber chew toy, several times a day.
Practice three to five short sessions a day, a few minutes each, so the lesson sticks.
Tips and common mistakes
Never hit, hold the muzzle shut or shout at your puppy, as this can make biting worse.
Puppies bite more when overtired, so a nap often fixes a wild biting spell.
Keep play gentle and avoid waving your hands near the puppy's face, which invites nipping.
Everyone in the house must react the same way, or the puppy gets mixed signals.
Questions
How long does it take to stop puppy biting?
Most puppies improve over several weeks of consistent redirection, and biting usually fades as they finish teething around 6 to 8 months. Short daily sessions work better than one long one.
Should I yelp when my puppy bites?
A short, sharp yelp can help because it mimics how littermates react. If your puppy gets more excited by the sound, stay quiet and simply pause and turn away instead.
When should I see a vet or trainer?
Ask a vet or qualified trainer if biting is hard enough to break skin, comes with growling and stiff body language, or does not improve after a few weeks of consistent training.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
