How to Stop Puppy Biting and Mouthing

By Tailwisp Editorial TeamUpdated October 17, 20263 min read

If your hands are covered in tiny scratches, you are not alone. Puppy biting is one of the most common complaints of new owners, and it can be painful. The good news is that it is normal, temporary and fixable with patience and consistency.

Why puppies bite

Puppies explore with their mouths, and they play by biting. They also bite when teething, overtired or overexcited. With littermates, they learn bite inhibition, meaning how hard they can bite before the game ends. Your puppy needs to learn that human skin is much more sensitive. See our guide to why puppies bite so much.

Goals

• Reduce the frequency of biting.
• Teach a soft mouth, so that if a dog ever does mouth a person, it is gentle.
• Eventually, no teeth on skin at all.

Step-by-step plan

1. Redirect to appropriate items

Always have a toy within reach. When your puppy mouths your hand, calmly offer a toy and praise when it chews it. Keep a variety of textures available. See our guide to the best chew toys for puppies.

2. Pause play when teeth touch skin

When you feel teeth, stop moving, say "oops" or "ouch" in a calm voice and withdraw your hand. Give your puppy a few seconds. If it settles, resume play. If it bites again, end the game for a short break. Be consistent so your puppy learns that biting makes fun stop.

3. Use short timeouts if needed

If your puppy is too wound up to calm, calmly place it in a safe, boring area, such as a pen, for a minute or two. This is not punishment, just a chance to settle. Release it when calm.

4. Reward gentle behavior

Praise and treat when your puppy plays or licks gently. Teach a "gentle" cue by offering a treat in a closed fist and rewarding soft mouthing.

5. Teach alternatives to biting

Teach your puppy to sit for attention, greet calmly and play with toys instead of hands. Use tug games with rules, such as stopping when teeth touch skin.

6. Meet needs

Overtired, hungry or under-exercised puppies bite more. Make sure your puppy gets:

• Enough sleep. Puppies need many naps.
• Regular meals.
• Exercise and mental stimulation.
• Plenty of chew time.

Dealing with common situations

• Biting clothes or leash: Stop moving, offer a toy or treat and reward when the puppy lets go. Give a chew toy to hold on walks.
• Biting at children: Supervise closely, teach children to stay calm and keep interactions short. Provide toys that children can offer safely.
• Evening biting: Provide a nap, a calm chew and a quiet environment.
• Biting during greetings: Greet calmly, and ask for a sit before attention.

What not to do

• Do not hit or shout. It can scare your puppy and increase biting.
• Do not hold the mouth shut or flick the nose. It can create fear and damage trust.
• Do not play rough games that encourage biting, such as wrestling with hands.
• Do not ignore the problem. Biting becomes harder to change as your puppy grows.

When to seek help

If your puppy's biting seems extreme, frightening or aggressive, or if it growls and bites when guarding items, contact a qualified trainer or behaviorist. Most puppy biting is normal, but guarding or fear-based biting needs expert help.

Timeline

You should see improvement within a couple of weeks of consistent effort. Teething may cause a flare-up around four to six months. By six months, most puppies have learned to be gentle. See our teething timeline.

The takeaway

Puppy biting is a phase, but how you handle it shapes your puppy's adult mouth. Redirect, reward gentle behavior, meet your puppy's needs and stay calm.