Help! My puppy won't stop biting me!
The big day finally arrived, and you brought home your sweet little bundle of puppy joy. He's so cute and cuddly! But then the alligator teeth come out and your sweet little baby is treating your hands like chew toys!
The first thing that you should know is that this is a completely normal puppy behavior. It might seem like you have a little monster on your hands when he is thrashing around in your arms biting you or following you around chewing on your feet, but remember that this is how they interacted with their litter mates! Puppies explore the world through their mouths. You have nothing to worry about, and with a few simple steps, you can teach him to put away his piranha teeth for good!
1) Give him something else to chew on. A Nylabone, a bully stick, a toy, or a ball. As soon as his teeth hit your hand, switch it out for something yummy.
2) Don't play with him when he's nipping. If he is chasing you and nipping at your feet or chewing on your hands during snuggle time, put him in a safe place like his crate with something else to chew on until he calms down.
3) Make sure he's getting plenty of sleep! Puppies are a lot like toddlers - skip a nap and it's like a whole different creature came out to play. Try putting him in his crate with a soft toy and a bed.
4) Take him out to go potty. Sometimes puppies act a little crazy when they need to go potty because they haven't quite figured out how to ask to go out, but they know they aren't supposed to go in the house.
Try the above steps, but most importantly be patient! This is a phase and will pass as your puppy grows up.
For more information and tricks on how to keep your pup from biting, check out our mini online classes at www.PuppyPhd.com