Puppy Biting Tips

Did you recently adopt a puppy? Congratulations! A new puppy is one of the few things that can bring so much joy and laughter into our lives. Fido will always be charming, but at this special stage, he’s almost impossibly adorable. However, that cuteness does come with a price. In order to help your pooch grow into a polite, friendly adult dog, you’ll need to do quite a bit of pet parenting during the toddler phase. And biting is one thing you’ll need to address. A local vet offers some advice on this below.

Offer Suitable Chews

One reason why puppies bite is to help them cope with teething pain. You’ll need to make sure that Fido always has plenty of suitable chew toys. Get him durable playthings that can withstand lots of abuse. Kong toys are also good for this.

Use Positive Reinforcement

When your furry friend misbehaves, never yell at or punish him. This may only make him scared of you! Say ‘No’ in a firm tone when your puppy does something wrong. Then ignore him for a while. A bit of a time out may help little Fido calm down.

Puppyproofing

Puppyproofing is more about safety than petiquette. Your new pup often uses his senses to explore his environment, and he may eat things as a way of trying to learn more about them. Secure or remove anything that could be dangerous, medicines, chemicals, toxic plants, plastic bags and ties, and any sharp or small objects. You’ll also need to keep clothing in drawers, closets, or hampers, and store personal items, like phones and purses, out of paws’ reach.

Be Consistent

Being consistent is always very important. Your canine pal won’t be able to tell the difference between similar objects.So don’t give your canine companion an old pair of sneakers, and assume he’ll leave your new ones alone. Use the same vocal commands each time when you need to tell Fido not to chew or bite something.

Taste Deterrent

If your four-legged buddy keeps trying to bite your hand, try using a taste deterrent. Sometimes, yelping—as a puppy would—can help him see the error of his ways.

Seek Help

Nothing works? Don’t be shy about enlisting a professional trainer. The cost of a few obedience sessions will pay off in the long run!

As your local veterinary clinic, we’re here to help! Call us anytime!