How to Stop Puppy Biting: A Week-by-Week Plan From a Dog Trainer

Puppies investigate the world with their mouths. Blue Cross says they also played this way with their siblings, so they try it on us. Some working breed puppies play bite more or harder, probably because they’re more energetic.

Teething adds fuel. Blue Cross puts it at between three and seven months, and chewing eases sore gums. Battersea and Dogs Trust list the usual triggers: over-excitement, being tired and unable to settle, frustration when a game stops, people coming through the door, and being handled, groomed or having a lead put on.

Play biting isn’t aggression. Dogs Trust says playful mouthing comes with loose, relaxed, wiggly body language, while aggressive biting is harder, with a stiff, tense body and often lips pulled back and a growl.

My order, based on Dogs Trust’s steps and Blue Cross’s advice:

1. Stay still.

   Pulling your hand or foot away can turn it into a game, according to Dogs Trust.

2. Redirect.

   When there’s a brief pause, offer a toy or chew. Keep a few in different rooms.

3. Turn away.

   Cross your arms and look away. If you’re on the floor, stand up.

4. Create space.

   If they keep going, step out of the room or behind a stair gate for a few seconds.

5. Reward calm.

   When they settle, restart the game or scatter some treats, as Dogs Trust suggests.

Puppies come home at different ages, so think of these as your first four weeks of working on biting, not a puppy age.

Week 1: Set the house up so biting has nowhere to go

• Toys and chews in every room. Dogs Trust suggests three or four at a time, swapped every couple of days.
• A calm-down space. Blue Cross suggests a stair gate to separate a safe area, and says to avoid using the crate for this, so the crate stays a place to rest.
• Rest and meals. Blue Cross says puppies can become excitable when overtired and irritable when hungry, so schedule quiet time and feed the right amount for their age.
• A diary. Note when biting happens, so you can have a distraction ready (Blue Cross).

My new puppy checklist covers the rest of the set-up.

Week 2: Teach “teeth on toys, not on people”

• Play tug with big, soft toys. Blue Cross says your puppy is then less likely to grab your hands. Praise them when they pick a toy.
• Same rules for everyone. PDSA says everyone should give the same message.
• Reward fast. PDSA says to reward during the behaviour or within half a second. A treat pouch and clicker helps (check today’s price). The Royal Kennel Club says to take treats out of your puppy’s daily food.

Week 3: Work on the tricky moments

• Ankle biting. The AKC suggests holding a treat by your leg and rewarding your puppy for walking alongside. The Royal Kennel Club suggests scattering treats to break the pattern.
• Handling and grooming. The Royal Kennel Club says to keep sessions short, give your puppy something to occupy their mouth, such as a small stuffed toy, and groom just before a nap. A licking mat can do the same job (check today’s price). If biting happens only when the harness goes on, Dogs Trust says it could mean they’re unsure or in pain, so talk to your vet.
• Lead and harness. Blue Cross suggests a lightweight house line on the harness, so you can guide an overexcited puppy to a safe area. Never leave it on unsupervised. The Truelove link opens That Dog’s shop, not a single product page, so check the model and size (check today’s price). My guide to the best harness for dogs that pull covers how to fit one.

Week 4: Make calm a habit

• Wind down after excitement. Dogs Trust says to encourage sniffing, licking and chewing after exciting events, using a licking mat or long-lasting chew.
• A bed to settle on. A comfy bed gives them somewhere to go (check today’s price). Dogs Trust says to give a dog a quiet, cosy, safe space to rest.
• Check the diary. Look for fewer, softer bites. Blue Cross says puppies have good days and bad days, so keep sessions short, as PDSA says, and don’t be disheartened.

Once biting settles, my guides to stopping pulling on the lead and recall with a long line are the next skills I’d start.

• Don’t shout, smack or push your puppy down. PDSA says punishment causes anxiety and fear, and Dogs Trust says raised voices and pushing can make things worse.
• Don’t yelp or squeal. The ASPCA and AKC describe a high-pitched “ow”, though the AKC admits it winds some puppies up. Blue Cross advises against squealing because it tends to excite puppies. I go with calm and boring.
• Don’t play hand games or wrestle. Dogs Trust says encouraging mouthing, even playfully, shows a puppy it’s okay.
• Skip sprays and gadgets. In my view, teaching a puppy what to do instead works better than trying to put them off people.

Blue Cross says children shouldn’t be expected to manage play biting alone. Supervise closely, or keep them apart with stair gates or a crate. Battersea suggests teaching children to move calmly, offer toys instead of hands and step away if the puppy mouths.

Blue Cross says most puppies grow out of it at three to five months. Battersea says five to six months, but some larger breeds continue into their first year or longer. It should be reducing, not becoming more frequent or intense. Dogs Trust says there’s no magic age, but it usually eases once teething finishes around seven months.

The AKC’s chief vet says to consult an experienced trainer if the biting hasn’t improved by six months. Later chewing at seven to 12 months is a separate phase, says the APBC.

Most puppy mouthing is play. Get help if you see:

• A stiff, tense body, lips pulled back or growling (Dogs Trust)
• Biting that’s getting worse, more frequent or more intense (Battersea)
• A sudden change. Dogs Trust says sudden or increased biting can be linked to pain or illness, so talk to your vet

If your puppy seems frightened of people or other dogs, my page on reactive dog training explains how I work.

This is general advice. If your puppy seems in pain or unwell, or the biting changes suddenly, talk to your vet.