Puppy nipping and biting

The games puppies play with litter-mates consist mainly of tussles involving biting one another around the head and neck. Of course, when they leave their litter and we become their playmates, they attempt to play in the same way! Puppy needs to learn that the way to play with us, is through toys.

Watching a litter of puppies play, you might observe that occasionally one puppy bites his sibling too hard. The injured party yelps and there is at least a momentary, if not semi-permanent, interruption to the game. The sharp yelp interrupts the biter’s behaviour and the consequent pause or end of play, encourages the biter to inhibit his bite in future in order to avoid such interference with his games.

Puppies will lose these needle-sharp baby teeth around five to six months of age. You will need to ensure that you gain the designed benefit before that time. The puppy must have learnt to inhibit his bite before he has big adult teeth and a strong adult jaw to match.

Imitating the puppy litter scenario will assist your puppy to further inhibit his bite on you. As soon as you feel teeth on your skin, whether it is causing pain or not, emit a puppy-like yelp or the human equivalent, a sharp “yow”. Stand up and walk away from the game. This type of bite inhibition learning is for long-term effect. It may not always help you in the instant that the nipping or biting is occurring, particularly if young children are involved. The Control Exercise or Time-Out (see below) can be utilised for over-excitable puppies.

When playing or interacting with your puppy, ensure that a favourite toy is handy, that you can use as a substitute for your hands or limbs. Encourage the puppy to bite the toy. It may prove difficult at first, as the puppy continues to pursue your hands. Simply manoeuvre your hands and the toy so that teeth connect with toy, more often than hands. Puppy needs to learn that playing with humans involves toys instead of nipping and biting flesh. When the game is over, put the toy up out of puppy’s reach. Next time you want to play, puppy will be keen to play with your toy. However, leave plenty of chew toys lying around.

A common problem spot for ankle biting is walking up and down stairs or along a hallway. It is commonly the movement that excites the puppy in these scenarios. Keep a spray container of water at each end. When the puppy launches himself for ankles or pants legs, stop your movement and squirt (jet spray, not mist). Alternatively, stop movement and apply the control exercise.

The Control Exercise
The control position (or heel position) is the puppy sitting, parallel to the owner’s left side and facing the same direction. By taking the lead in the right hand, short down near the clip or by pushing two fingers of the right hand through the front of the actual collar, your left hand remains free to swing the puppy’s bottom into the correct sitting position. You have control of the puppy at both ends – he no longer has choices.

The very moment the puppy’s bottom arrives in the correct position, the tension must be taken out of the lead or grip on the collar, even if that means the puppy immediately attempts to launch-off again. The owner must be “spring-loaded”, ready to block the puppy from achieving any success. Restraining the puppy on a tight lead or with a constantly tight grip is not going to achieve our required outcome of having the puppy give the control over to the owner. Food rewards can be used, though as a general rule, I find the exercise more meaningful as an out and out control exercise.

The puppy will only regain his freedom, when he has given up any fighting or struggling and has handed control over to you, for at least ten seconds.

The control exercise is rather dull to an active puppy. Once experience shows them just which behaviours result in the boring old control exercise, they will actively avoid those behaviours.

Time-Out
When the puppy has really lost control and the excitement of biting and nipping is just too much, a time-out may assist. Parents can implement this exercise when interacting puppies and young children. It is usually too difficult for the child to utilise for themselves.

Always use the yelping response to any biting or nipping whether it is helping or not. When the puppy will not settle, a time-out can be applied either in the control position or by removing the puppy to the laundry or outside the back door (wherever he is familiar). On the first occasion, the puppy will be allowed to rejoin the game after ten seconds of good behaviour. If on his return to the game, he breaks the same rule, he will be removed for 20 seconds of good behaviour, before being allowed to return. Next time will be 40 seconds, then 60 seconds and so on.

Teething
Puppies will lose those needle-sharp teeth around five to six months of age. Ensure that you are providing plenty of chewing material to help loosen the teeth and to soothe the puppy. Soft, spongy toys are usually preferred by the puppies at this age. Use the harder type chews when they have their adult teeth and a strong jaw to match. Including bones in the puppy’s diet may also help in providing something more appropriate to chew on.

Copyright Steve Austin/Vicki Bourke