Does your puppy start biting when excited? Is the situation getting worse day by day? Are you now looking for some tips and tricks to stop a puppy from biting when excited? We are aware of how challenging it is to raise such puppies.
So, we thought to help you out in training your pup to stop nipping when excited. Keep reading to get some really good tips.
A puppy biting your hands, limbs, or clothes is normal behavior and you might find it cute like many other dog owners. It can, however, put you in a lot of trouble. These tiny furballs have sharp teeth and may break your skin which is hurtful. Likewise, if you have children at home, your pup might hurt them too.
If left as such, when grown up, the dog would have behavioral issues that would be quite difficult to manage. At times, you will feel no control over your dog. That’s why you have to give your puppy proper training on ways to stop an excited puppy from biting.
Apart from that, training a puppy is easy compared to dogs. Why? It is because puppies are at the stage of learning. Teaching them what is good and bad is simple.
Making them develop good habits and breaking bad habits would take less effort as compared to training dogs as their habitats are more ingrained. But wait! You can’t train your pup properly without knowing all the signs and reasons for him getting so excited. Right. So here we go!
Before giving your four-pawed canine companion any kind of training, you have to do all the required homework. In this case, before learning how to control a puppy from biting in excitement, you need to know how to figure out whether a pup is excited or not. So here are some of the signs that would help you out!
1) Repeated bites on your fingers
2) Biting accompanied by snarling
3) If you have a toy in your hand, your puppy’s continuous barks and attempts to snatch the toy show he is excited.
4) Continuous wagging of the tail
5) Bumping into things and tearing what is coming across the way
6) Circling you and other things
If you see all these signs in your puppy that is under six months old, it means he is overexcited. And you have to look for some good management exercises to keep your puppy calm.
Why Puppies Become Excited?
There is a reason behind every emotion you express. Right! The same is the case in canines too. If your little four-pawed canine companion is overexcited, these can be the reasons.
1. Pup’s playtime
Puppies love playing with their owners. It makes the bond between the two stronger. While playing, puppies become excited and might start biting you. So be careful!
2. To welcome you
Puppies are quite loving and caring little creatures. If you have a puppy you might have noticed that when you return home from the office, the canine is always there to welcome you with full excitement. This excitement might have given you some painful bites as well.
3. Noticed something moving
Puppies can get triggered even by small things. If your pup notices a cockroach running on the floor, it can make him excited. And due to his investigative nature, your pup would bite everything coming in between him and the cockroach. It might look funny but actually, it is not!
4. The sight of food
Food, An excitement for all! Food not only triggers puppies but humans also. The difference is that humans know how to manage their excitement but pups don’t. Many times when puppies see their owners bringing food for them, they become overexcited and impatient. Hence, start biting the owner’s foot and it needs to be managed.
Ways to Stop a Puppy from Biting When Excited
Now that you have ample knowledge about excited puppies, let’s jump into the tips and exercises to manage overexcited behaviors in puppies.
1. Find enticing distractions for your pup
Suppose you have just arrived from the office and are tired. Seeing you, your pup has become excited and has started biting your shoe, and trousers, and is trying to reach even your sleeves. What will you do? Will you wait for a trainer to come and train your little pooch not to do this again?
Or will you want the pup to leave your trousers immediately? Of course, you would want an immediate release. Here is where food jumps in!
Keep puppy food in the table drawer near the entrance. Whenever you come across such a situation, take a handful of the food and toss it on the ground. Your pup will leave you and get busy consuming the treat. As it is spread all over, the pup will take time in eating which will help him in calming down.
Practicing it occasionally is good, but every time giving him treats might encourage this behavior. So you can also go with soft chews or stuffed toys.
Whenever your pup starts biting your hands or foot, give him a chew or a stuffed toy. For many puppies, they are good distractions. Moreover, it would help them in understanding that instead of biting their hands they have to bite the chew or toy.
2. Give your puppy commands
If you want a well-behaved dog, train your puppy right from the very beginning. Give him commands like stand, sit, leave it, go, run, etc. Whenever, the puppy obeys your command, offer him a treat.
It would help him in developing good habits like not biting in excitement and listening to what the owner says.
3. Stop a puppy from biting when excited
Puppies don’t realize that their bite can hurt the owner. They bite because they want to play with you. So if your puppy bites you during the play, say “ouch”. Do not jerk your hand or push the pup away as it can make the puppy aggressive. Rather be calm.
A loud squeal would make your pup feel like you are playing with him. And he may bite you even harder. You just have to keep yourself calm and bored. If you would not show interest in playing, your little pooch will realize that he has done something wrong and after repeated practice, he would learn not to bite anyone while playing.
4. Detention might help too
Leaving your dog alone for some time to calm him down is also a good option to go with. If you have tried several ways to curb your puppy from biting in excitement and nothing worked out, try detention.
When your puppy nips on you either leave the room or put your puppy in a crate until he is no more excited. Practicing this every time he nips or bites you would make him learn that biting means becoming lonely which puppies do not want as separation from the owner pains them the most. In this way, detention will help in controlling an overexcited puppy.
5. Wear gloves that taste bad
If your puppy keeps on biting your hand, how about making your hands taste bad?
Yes! You can do so by wearing gloves coated with deterrents like a bitter apple. Whenever your dog will bite your hands, the taste and smell of the deterrent will disgust him. Repeated disgusting experiences will make him stop biting his hands. Taking advantage of this, you can easily train him to bite on toys or soft chews.
6. Exercise also aids in preventing overexcitement in puppies
Take your puppy for a walk and keep him busy with other exercises as well. In addition to keeping them healthy, it will assist them in effectively using their energy.
When all the energy will be channelized in one direction, puppies will not be hyperactive. As a result, they would not bite random things.
7. Allow your puppy to play with other puppies
Puppies learn a lot from one another. While playing if one puppy bites the other harder, you might have noticed it will yelp and will step out of the game. All other puppies will also stop playing and will try to bring the bitten puppy back.
These behaviors among puppies encourage “no biting when excited” behavior. Apart from that, it will also prevent you from their bites as you are not involved in the game. It will build the habit of not playing with humans in pups.
8. Play games that don’t require physical contact
If you want to play with your pet, go for the non-contact form of games like chasing the ball or a freebie. You can also play tug-of-war with your canine as they like it a lot. Such games save you from a puppy’s sharp teeth.
9. Leash your puppy before taking him out
Whenever you take your puppy for a walk, make sure he is leashed. It would be easy for you to control him when he gets excited after seeing people or any other thing. In this way, you would be saved from the embarrassment that one feels when his/her pet bites a random stranger in the park.
Things That You Should Avoid Doing While Stopping a Puppy from Biting When Excited
Calming a puppy when he is excited is not a difficult task. Simply be patient and continue to put the aforementioned advice into practice. There are a few things you should stay away from when you are teaching to stop your puppy from biting when excited. Learn more by reading on!
1. Never yell or hit your pup
Yelling or hitting your puppy can destroy his trust in you. He may feel unsafe. Even in some cases, out of the fear of being harmed, the pet might bite you even harder. Avoid this from happening by keeping yourself calm or if it hurts too much, leaves the room without scolding or punishing the pup.
2. Do not make jerky movements
Puppies interpret fast and jerky movements as the willingness to play more. It means more nipping and biting. Avoid it by keeping your movements smooth and slow.
3. Do not run when the pup is around
If your children are running while playing at home, it can entice your pup too. Teach your children not to run while playing if the pup is unleashed. Or else he can hurt your kids. If you don’t allow your children to play out due to any reason, leash your puppy and be there to supervise and calm the tiny pooch if he gets excited.
4. Spraying things that can scare the puppy
Many people want their puppies to behave instantly. That’s why they use different sprays like water spray, vinegar spray, etc. This method of stopping a dog from biting might be helpful at the moment but it has long-term drawbacks.
For instance, your puppy will start hiding from you. He’ll start to see you as a frightening individual. Therefore, it is best to refrain from using such sprays.
The Bottom Line
Puppy grooming is important and if you are a new owner, it might be difficult for you to deal with the pet’s behavioral issues. Undoubtedly, training a puppy not to bite when excited is a time taking task. Teaching your pet not to bite hands, limbs, or clothing will take a lot of patience.
