Puppies explore the world with their mouths, but those sharp little teeth can hurt!
If you have a puppy, you likely already know that puppies spend a lot of time mouthing and nipping, or chewing. Nearly all puppies mouth and nip at people at some point, and some seem to do so all the time! Why do puppies mouth and nip? Puppies like to explore the world with their mouths, which makes everything, including your hands, skin, and clothing, a potential target. While puppy mouthing is normal, it is important to teach puppies where to put their teeth and where not to, as this normal puppy behavior can become a problem if carried into adulthood.
Understand your puppy’s need to chew
Before you decide what to do about your puppy’s habit of nipping or mouthing you or your things, it’s important to know just how crucial exploring with their mouths is for young puppies. This is a period of life when your puppy is discovering the world through her senses, and since she doesn’t have hands, her mouth is her primary way of engaging with new textures, tastes, and objects. Frankly, even human babies with hands use their mouths to explore: it's developmentally normal, and not something you will want to stop completely. That’s because puppyhood explorations are an important part of puppy socialization, and puppy socialization is the foundation for a happy, confident adult dog. So, instead of thinking about stopping your puppy from putting her mouth on things, think about teaching her what things to chew. Satisfy her developmental need to chew and mouth in “legal” ways, such as with her own toys or puppy-safe consumable chews, and you'll be creating a healthy foundation going forward.
Just as important is teaching your puppy that human skin and clothing are off limits for mouthy exploration. And you have a special chance here to help your puppy develop a lifelong habit of finding enrichment in chewing (a great skill for when you cannot actively entertain your dog), while creating pleasant and safe habits for her future interactions with people.
Prevent mouthing before it starts
Have you noticed that your puppy sometimes seems content to play with her toys, but then in the next moment becomes a little piranha? If you have, you’re well on the way to making a plan to help your puppy learn what to chew and what not to chew. Puppies mouth more when they are tired, hungry, or have unmet needs (like needing to go to the bathroom). Anticipating these needs: for sleep, for developmentally appropriate frequent meals, and bathroom breaks can eliminate the vast majority of inappropriate mouthing before it starts. So learn your puppy’s rhythm, and get out ahead of the tired, cranky, hungry mouthing.
Teach your puppy how to respond to hands
Hands are the most frequent target for puppy mouthing, because puppies are trying to play and interact using their limited skills. In order to curb this mouthing, the puppy must learn what to do instead. So, teach your puppy how to ask for play in other ways, and how to respond to hands and petting without teeth.
Play skills
Teaching your puppy safe mutually enjoyable games early in her life isn’t just frivolous fun, it's the foundation of all other training you will do with your pup. So, don’t skip this step! To begin, start by doing a “play interview.” What does your puppy respond to? Many puppies love to chase and pounce, others like to dig into soft surfaces, still others love to make sounds such as squeaking a squeaky toy. Gather a few toys and try the following:
- Play Prey: Drag a long soft toy (like a fleece tug or stuffed toy) along the ground away from your puppy. The more you move the toy like a mouse or a squirrel, the more fun it is for most puppies! Have it “run away,” “hide,” “leap,” etc. Make sure the toy is long enough that you can keep your hands out of the action. This teaches your puppy to see your hands and yet put his mouth on the toy only. If he clumsily or accidentally touches your hand with his teeth, become entirely still and stop the fun. Once his mouth is off your hand, immediately resume the game.
- Digging for treasure: Use a soft blanket, dog bed, or other pliable surface. Tuck several chew items or soft toys into the nooks and crannies. Use your hands to point out, wiggle, or squeak the toys and let your puppy dig them out. This teaches your puppy to play using his paws and mouth with your hands nearby, without putting his teeth on them. If he misses and bites hands, say nothing and become immediately still, temporarily ending the fun. After a few seconds, begin again.
- Choose your own adventure! Every puppy comes with play preferences, and taking time to learn how to tap into these is the best investment you can make. Notice what your puppy chooses to do in play. Once you find it, play the game with him!
No matter what game you choose, teach your puppy that the game continues as long as teeth stay off skin, and you will be both teaching foundation puppy training skills and teaching him to avoid mouthing delicate human skin. Keep games short (1-3 minutes is plenty for most puppies) and choose to play when your puppy has had all his needs for sleep, food, and bathroom breaks met.
Petting and Handling Skills
Most humans find puppies irresistible, we just want to cuddle and pet these little guys! But not all puppies want to be touched by all people, and even puppies that enjoy touch might not know how to keep their mouths to themselves during petting.
Teach your puppy to say “yes” or “not now” to petting
Instead of reaching for your puppy no matter what she wants, you can teach her to tell you if she’d like to be pet.
- Start by showing her both hands for a few seconds, then reach in and pet her in a spot you think she likes. Pet for 3-5 seconds, then withdraw your hands.
- Wait, then make the same hand gesture again. After repeating this procedure in several sessions, your puppy will learn exactly what that hand gesture means – petting.
- Now, notice what she does after you show her your petting gesture. Does she move closer to you? Move or turn away? When you stop petting, does she lean into your hands or wander off?
It might seem strange to ask your dog if she wants to be pet, but by teaching her this gesture, you're establishing a very useful communication loop for later greetings, handling, and veterinary care.
Teach your puppy to enjoy human touch
If your puppy currently squirms, bites, or moves away when you “ask” her if she’d like petting, you can change that! By pairing your petting and handling his body with things he already loves, he can learn to love petting, too.
- Start by choosing some small, soft treats your puppy loves, and a chew or toy he has shown interest in.
- Offer him the chew or toy and, once he begins mouthing it, reach in with one hand and offer him a treat. He should drop the chew or toy, and eat the treat. Once he does, interest him in the chew or toy again.
- After a few repetitions, reach for your puppy with your non-treat hand, and gently pet him on his neck and shoulders for one second. Right after your petting, offer him the treat.
- Repeat, moving to other parts of his body, like back, chin, chest, belly and legs.
What to do when your puppy mouths or bites you
Teaching a puppy to solicit play, affection, attention and to ask for other needs to be met without biting or nipping is a process. Inevitably, your puppy will mouth you along the way. So, what should you do when this happens?
- Avoid playing roughly with her or in situations in which mouthing happens often. Encouraging mouthing and roughhousing at a young age will quickly leave you with an adult dog with a major mouthing problem.
- Try your best to not reinforce mouthing. Yelling, squealing, wiggling, or shouting all reinforce mouthing, even when we don’t mean them to; the puppy is still getting attention. Even negative attention is rewarding to dogs and puppies and will not successfully discourage the mouthing. Get very still, or get up and walk away instead.
- Manage your puppy’s interactions with young children. Children understandably find it hard not to reinforce a puppy’s mouthy behavior, those little teeth hurt and this can lead to squealing, wiggling or fast movement, all of which are fun to most puppies. Use barriers, appropriate chews and appropriate games (see the ones above) to encourage safe interactions between your puppy and children, and always end the game before anyone gets too tired, hungry or cranky.
Puppy mouthing is normal and developmentally appropriate, but it's also your opportunity to teach your puppy where he can put his mouth and where he shouldn’t. How long you spend in the puppy mouthing phase depends on your individual puppy, and in large part on how consistent you are teaching him new skills. This stage won’t last forever, even when it seems like it! An extra dose of patience, persistence, and deliberate teaching of calm behavior will carry you through puppyhood with fewer battle scars!
