Steps to take to prevent biting and nipping
Its important that you start teaching your puppy the correct way to behave from day one. What's cute for an 8 week old puppy can be very different in a fully grown adult Chow Chow and they will not understand why something was allowed one day and bad the next.
Written below are some helpful tips and pointers to help you if not prevent, then reduce the occurrence of mouthing, nipping, chewing or biting. These are all normal behaviours in growing puppies but they need to be given the appropriate outlet and also to know what level of strength they can use.
Written below are some helpful tips and pointers to help you if not prevent, then reduce the occurrence of mouthing, nipping, chewing or biting. These are all normal behaviours in growing puppies but they need to be given the appropriate outlet and also to know what level of strength they can use.
- Provide lots of toys and chews for your puppy.
- While your puppy is still small, do not encourage mouthing or wrestling type play with people. It may be cute whilst they are young, but it is not so fun when they are adults and they will not understand why it is no longer acceptable behaviour.
- If they do exhibit mouthing, nipping or biting behaviours, don’t shout or admonish them. Stop playing with them.
- Puppies enjoy repeating behaviours that get them a fun reaction; the louder you yelp or shout when nipped or the faster you pull your hand/ arm/ leg away from them the more exciting the game is. They do not correlate this reaction with causing you pain. They are much more likely to stop behaviours that end their play time with you.
- If the biting continues after you have stopped playing, cross your arms, turn around. Walk away if this is not affective.
- Make sure they have had lots of mental and physical stimulation. Biting, mouthing and nipping may be a by-product of being bored. Exercise and toys can help with this.
- Provide a place where they can go that they are left alone in. Biting, chewing and mouthing can be stress related if they are not able to rest. This is common in homes with young children that do not understand when the puppy doesn’t wish to play.
- Your clothing may also influence their urge to bite or mouth. Does it have hanging pieces, flaps, toggles etc. Think carefully if there is a specific outfit or clothing that gets more unwanted reactions.
- If you see them chewing something that is not appropriate or biting lots do not give them treats or a chew. This will be understood as a reward to them. Move them to a different room or area or move outside. Providing treats whilst chewing reinforces bad habits as they then see yummy treats as the outcome of doing the unwanted action.
- Mouthing and chewing is very common when they are losing their baby teeth. Just like with human children when their baby teeth are beginning to erupt in their mouths it is uncomfortable, and mouthing helps alleviate this so make sure you provide plenty of chews and toys and try to remove or reduce the availability of possessions you don’t want chewed.