Puppy biting is one of the toughest times for puppies and their owners.
Puppies are often referred to as land sharks and they nearly all end up going through the witching hour phase where they see red and this is when they start getting really bitey.
After the initial settling in period of the first week or two with your lovely cute gorgeous sweet puppy their teeth then start bothering them and they turn into not so sweet land sharks.
Their teeth are like needles and if you don’t deal with the biting stage in the right way your skin can become shredded and puncture and those teeth hurt.
The important thing to remember with the biting is it is just a phase but it can last for what seems like forever. In actual fact it doesn’t last long and it tends to be whilst your puppy is teething.
By the time your puppy gets to 6 months all of their teeth should be through.
It is essential to redirect the biting onto other things that are safe for your puppy to chew. All puppies have a preference.
Puppy biting is one of the toughest times for puppies and their owners.
Puppies are often referred to as land sharks. Oh how true this is.
After the initial settling in period of the first week or two with your lovely cute gorgeous sweet puppy. their teeth then start bothering them and they turn into not so sweet land sharks.
Their teeth are like needles and if you don’t deal with the biting stage in the right way your skin can become shredded and puncture and those teeth hurt.
The important thing to remember with the biting is it is just a phase but it can last for what seems like forever. In actual fact it doesn’t last long and it tends to be whilst your puppy is teething.
By the time your puppy gets to 6 months all of their teeth should be through.
It is essential to redirect the biting onto other things that are safe for your puppy to chew. All puppies have a preference.
Pumpkin loves rope toys and teddies. I also give her a good selection of dehydrated chews.
A client of mine recently recommended a fantastic online shop for puppy chews to make it easier for understanding which chews are safe for young pups Natural Dog Treats, Chews and Food from Dragonfly Products. They do a fantastic selection. My pup loves the furry rabbit ears, lamb muscle meat and the pizzles.
We ensure that she is given these frequently throughout the day.
Other things that can help is reducing your puppy’s arousal level.
Used filled frozen kongs or lickimats with lovely smelly and tasty things filling them or spread on them. Salmon pate, chicken pate. You can find all of these available from good petshops or on the internet. I like the JR Pet Product Pates’ JR Pet Products – Suppliers of the healthiest single source protein dog treat
Scent work – scatter some treats in the garden or hide them in cardboard boxes and allow them to sniff to find the treats. This will lower their heightened state of arousal and will give them a job to do to distract them and make them tired.
Work on calm behaviours. My favourite is the settle. Its essential to teach your pup to switch off and relax.
See my other blog post about freework.
The important thing is not to react negatively. Keep calm. You can always use your crate or playpen for your puppy to help calm them and keep them safe,
The final thing to think about is how much sleep is your puppy having. They need around 18 hours a day. If they aren’t sleeping to much they will be over-aroused and can become more bitey.