Use These Tips To Stop Your Puppy From Biting Your Hands, by McCann Dog Training on YouTube. 15 min 55 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 55 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Decide the rule before you start: teeth never touch human skin. Every person in the house must follow the same rule every time, or the puppy gets mixed signals.
When teeth touch your skin, say a short sharp "ouch" and stop all play at once. Stand up, fold your arms and look away for a few seconds.
If the puppy keeps nipping, leave the room or put a baby gate between you for 30 to 60 seconds. The end of fun is the lesson, not a scolding.
Offer a legal outlet right after the pause. Hand the puppy a chew toy or rope toy and praise calm chewing so it learns what to bite instead.
Check your own habits. Waving fingers, rough hand play and pulling toys out of the mouth can teach the puppy that hands are toys.
Have one adult run the training sessions at first so the rules stay consistent. Other family members follow the same script once the puppy is responding.
Brief friends and family before they greet the puppy. Tell them to stand still with hands at their sides and let the puppy settle before petting.
Coach visitors out loud during greetings. If teeth touch skin, they say "ouch", pause and turn away, and you reward the puppy for four paws on the floor.
Practise the same pause-and-redirect response during walks, crate time and play so the no-biting rule carries into every exercise.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep sessions to 2 or 3 minutes and end while the puppy is still calm, since tired puppies bite more.
Never hold the puppy's mouth shut or tap its nose, as this can make nipping worse and damage trust.
Puppies bite more when teething or overtired, so offer a frozen chew and a nap before training.
Reward the behaviour you want with a treat the moment all four paws are on the floor and the mouth is closed.
Questions
How long does it take to stop puppy biting?
Most puppies improve within a few weeks of consistent responses, but mouthing can continue until adult teeth come in around 6 months. Keep the rule the same every day.
Should I yelp when my puppy bites?
A short, sharp "ouch" can work for some puppies, but high-pitched yelps excite others. If your puppy gets more wound up, use a calm pause and walk away instead.
Is it safe to let my puppy mouth my hand gently?
No. Allowing gentle mouthing teaches the puppy that teeth on skin are sometimes fine. Keep the rule simple: no teeth on human skin at any pressure.
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.
