Teaching your puppy not to bite

Teaching a puppy can be very different from teaching a dog in many ways. Puppies have a very limited viewpoint and need to be taught to discern right from wrong. We love to play with our puppies but a puppy wants to play with us as it will with other puppies.

The most prevalent ways to stop this behavior will be laid out in this article.

First and foremost is to let your puppy know that biting is not ok and will not achieve positive results. When the puppy bites you can yelp loudly and jerk your hand away.

Another way is to grab the puppies lower jaw under his tongue and with your pointer finger and hold for a few seconds. The puppy will pull back and then you let him go. Continue as necessary.

The third and final way is with positive reinforcement. You can place a toy between you and the puppy, which allows him a reward and something else to chew on. If he is teething use ice. You may also reward him in your treat training for not biting.

Depending on the customer or the puppy these are my usual methods. Except method two, it is rarely called for or needed. Thank you for your time and as always feel free to contact me with any questions.

  Adam Madore 
professional dog trainer with Artisan dog training
 Lexington / Nicholasville