People often want to stop puppy biting without realizing it’s an essential part of their dog’s development. If your puppy doesn’t bite, he can never learn bite inhibition and may develop behavior problems as an adult. Biting shouldn’t be stopped, but it can be controlled with some simple techniques to teach your puppy how and when to bite.

Practice play biting

The first step in learning how to stop a puppy from biting is to practice play biting. The idea is to give your puppy feedback when he bites so he knows when it’s too hard. Then you can work to eliminate bite pressure altogether. The stages of feedback are:

Stage 1: Teaching Bite Pressure

Begin to play with your pup and allow him to bite your hands. When you feel he has bitten you too hard, say “Ouch!” to stop the biting. If he continues to bite too hard, say “Ouch!” again, leave the room abruptly, and shut the door behind you. Allow your puppy a minute or two to reflect on what he did. Then return to the room and begin playing. Before your puppy reaches three months of age he should be aware of how sensitive people are to puppy biting.

Stage 2: Eliminating Bite Pressure

Begin to play with your puppy as before. His bites shouldn’t hurt at this point, so wait for one that seems harder than the rest and say “Ouch!” as if it really did hurt. Repeat this until your puppy’s bite pressure is completely eliminated. He should reach this point by the time he’s four to five months old.

Stop puppy biting on command

Once your pup knows how to bite softly, you can stop him from biting using the Off command.

Hand-feed to teach Off and Take It

Feed your puppy meals by giving him a few pieces of food at a time from your hand. After he eats several pieces, hold one firmly between your fingers and thumb so he’s unable to get it away. When he sniffs and licks at the food say “Off!”. Your puppy will eventually give up trying to get the food, but the moment he pulls away say “Take It” and offer the piece by letting it fall into your open palm. Repeat this several times. Once your puppy understands the commands, wait longer before offering the piece of food and give him praise while he waits. Hand-feeding your puppy this way will keep his mouth soft when biting and teach him the meaning of Off.

Use Off to stop biting

Once he learns the meaning of Off, you can stop him from biting by using this command. Let your puppy start to bite you and then say “Off!”. Offer him a treat if he stops biting. If he doesn’t, angrily leave the room and shut the door. Wait a few minutes before coming back, but don’t resume the training when you return. Give your puppy a chew toy instead and try again later. It’s best to practice the Off command several times in short sessions. Once your pup has the idea, try the command without offering a treat as a reward.

Tips and advice

Keep the following in mind when trying to control or stop puppy biting:

Don’t let your puppy bite your clothes

If he bites your pants, shirt, or shoes, you can’t tell when your puppy’s biting too hard. Only allow him to bite your hands.

Allow biting only during play biting sessions

Practice play biting regularly as described above. Allow your pup to bite or mouth you only during these sessions and make sure he stops when you ask.

Punishment doesn’t stop a puppy from biting

Your puppy will only stop biting the person who punished him and directs his behavior at someone who’s more tolerant.

Even though it’s an important habit for your puppy to develop, biting can seem bothersome at times. But, by practicing play biting and teaching the Off command, you can bring it under control and allow it on your own terms.

Dog bite prevention

Dog bites are the second leading cause of injuries in children and over 75% of bite cases involve dogs that belong to the victim’s family or a friend. If you bring home a puppy or dog, take the necessary steps to protect your kids with dog bite prevention: supervise them when they play with the dog, teach them dog etiquette to keep the family pet from biting unexpectedly and show them what to do if they come across a stray dog.

Never Leave Kids Alone With A Dog

Even if you think your pet is the sweetest animal in the world, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog. Kids can be curious and may pull the dog’s ears or poke at him if you’re not around. Having your children and the dog in sight is not enough. Always be in a position to intervene immediately if anything happens, for the safety of your kids and the dog.

Teach Dog Etiquette

After supervision, the most important step in dog bite prevention is to teach your kids how to behave around a puppy or dog. Have your children follow the rules below to keep a dog from biting unexpectedly:

Never grab an object away from a dog

Dogs can be protective of their toys and may bite if you try to take them. If you want the toy, use an obedience command or treat to distract the dog. It’s better to outsmart him than to provoke an unnecessary dog bite.

Never bother a dog when he’s sleeping or eating

Give a dog plenty of space when he’s napping and leave the food dish alone while the dog eats.

Never sneak up on a dog

Always let your puppy or dog know that you’re nearby before you pet him. Let the dog smell your open hand and then slowly reach out to him.

Never bark or growl at a dog or stare into his eyes

These are aggressive behaviors to a dog and could cause him to bite.

Tell an adult if a dog shows any signs of aggression

This includes growling, nipping, or biting.

If your kids warn you of aggressive tendencies in your dog, don’t ignore the situation. The longer you wait to deal with the behavior, the more dangerous your dog will become. The American Family Physician website has information on treating a dog bite in their article Prevention and Treatment of Dog Bites if your child does get bitten.

Stray Dogs

Once your kids understand the rules of dog etiquette for the family pet, they should learn to protect themselves from stray dogs. The simplest means of dog bite prevention in these cases is to advise your children to avoid dogs they don’t know. If they’re approached by a strange dog, they should never make sudden movements, scream, or try to run away. Tell them to do the following instead:

If you’re standing

Keep your hands at your sides and avoid eye contact with the dog. Slowly back away until there’s a safe distance between you and the dog.

If you’re on the ground

Curl into a ball with your knees pulled close to your chest and hold your hands over your ears. Lie still and be quiet until the dog leaves.

With supervision and knowledge of dog bite prevention, your kids should be safe in the company of almost any dog.