10/29/2026
The most common question we get after a puppy has been adopted is what to do about the puppy biting. It's definitely a behavior that has to be stopped before it becomes an established habit. Often a puppy will even choose one family member to be the designated chew toy, and that family member suffers the brunt of the nips and chews. Here are some successful technics and tools to help you navigate those younger puppy months.
1. Neck scruff, swat, redirect. When a puppy has a hold of your clothing item, your arm, or anything you don't want their teeth on, grasp their neck scruff and pull back until they release, give a firm butt swat, and redirect with a toy in their mouth or a gentle petting.
2. Thumb under the tongue. You are sitting on the couch enjoying your sweet puppy, and all they want to do is chew on you. Put your thumb under their tongue while your fingers grasp under their jaw. Hold for a few seconds...with flexibility to let them move their head around because they will try to get away. Release in 3-4 seconds. Usually they will immediately start biting again, so repeat and release, this time 5-6 seconds. They may start biting again just to see if it keeps happening. Repeat and hold longer it needed, but always with flexibility to let them move their head around. When they stop biting, reward with a toy or gentle pets.
3. Spray bottle. Mix some vinegar with mostly water. And spray when needed. Don't aim directly for eyes of course, but it will not hurt them if some drops touch their eyes.
4. Vibrating collar. Some companies make training collars that only vibrate. There is no pain with this type of collar and is only for distracting and redirecting.
5. Shock training collars. There are a couple brands we have used, free spirit and sport dog. Both have their pros and cons. We only use the shock option with our adult dogs and only as a last resort, reserved for behaviors that we have had no success using other methods. We also use shock training to immediately stop dangerous behaviors such as chasing vehicles. We would rather employ a non conventional method that causes pain, than bury our dog.
Feel free to comment with other methods you have used successfully.
