When the excitement increases, some dogs become hyperactive, and they may start jumping on people, barking loudly, and some dogs even get mouthy, which leads to biting. This can stem from a dog's instinctive need to keep their mouths busy and self-soothe as its arousal levels increase, as a pacifier does with babies.
Instead of giving your puppy time-outs for hard biting, start to give him time-outs every time you feel his teeth touch your skin. The instant you feel your puppy's teeth touch you, give a high-pitched yelp. Then immediately walk away from him. Ignore him for 30 to 60 seconds.
The nipping and biting is simply an extension of their over excitement. The good news is that jumping is easy to change. In my experience some techniques do not work. Pushing a dog down and yelling will actually make a dog more excited as they think you have started a game.
When she is loose and attacking your clothes and legs, stop moving and ask her for another behavior that you will reward. If this doesn't work, calmly put her in her crate with a small treat for a puppy timeout. The crate time is not punishment, it's nap time.
Provide Enough Downtime. Many puppies tend to bite more and more roughly when they are overly aroused and overstimulated. Rougher biting is often just a sign of higher arousal. This can happen when they are allowed prolonged free time in an overstimulating environment (too many exciting things going on, prolonged play) ...
Puppies primarily bite to get our attention; they want us to interact with them. So we need to make sure that we aren't inadvertently rewarding nipping. If attention is the goal, then your attention is the reward.
The good news: in the vast majority of cases, puppy biting and mouthing is EXTREMELY normal, for several reasons: Puppies explore the world with their mouths. They go through an uncomfortable teething process that lasts for 2-3 months.
Will my hands ever NOT look like they've been mauled by a tiny shark? Luckily, the answer is yes. Puppies should naturally slow down and stop biting around 7 months of age, when all of their adult teeth are in, and they've learned to play with toys and appropriate chews.
Stop playing immediately.
This, or any behavior that is NOT biting, should be rewarded with continued attention. But if you get another nip, move away from your puppy altogether. Let her know "that biting doesn't get my attention, it makes me go away." This is not something that your puppy is going to learn right away.
Puppies are easily overexcited, but things tend to get better as they mature. If you are dealing with a puppy who bites when excited, consider that your puppy may be getting too overstimulated and cranky. Puppies need a lot of sleep and they also need to learn how to regulate their emotions.
You should NOT punish a dog for biting. This method may also teach the dog not to give a warning prior to the bite. It certainly doesn't do anything to minimize the dog's stressors.
As you can likely see, teaching your pup a really solid 'leave it' will help them quit the puppy biting. If your pup starts biting into your skin, give the leave it command, and reward when they stop. Practice makes perfect!
For a dog who is acting out of fear or frustration (for example, a dog who is barking and lunging on leash), using the word 'no' to stop the behavior without helping to alleviate their fear or frustration will often lead to an escalation in behavior, such as growling, air snapping, or biting.
They mouth or nip during play, or out of excitement or impatience: Some dogs may mouth your hand or nip at your heels while playing with you, especially when they're excited or being chased. Herding breeds and those with a higher prey drive may also nip or bite as a natural instinct.
Generally, most puppies will start to settle between 6 - 12 months, but as mentioned above there are a few other factors that can impact puppy energy levels. Some might say that female dogs are calmer dogs due to the fact they mature quicker than males, however a more impactful factor to consider would be their breed.
Puppy Teething
Adult teeth start to come in around 12-16 weeks of age, and during this time, you may see an increase in chewing on objects or on you. Your puppy's gums may be a bit sore as they lose puppy teeth and adult teeth come in.
Mouthing and play biting is a common phase for most pups and I often reassure owners that their pet will almost always grow out of it when they're around three to five months old. Biting is also part of the natural teething process – this normally lasts until your pup is around seven months of age.
Once they're calm you'll once again place your open hand at their eye level about 6 inches away from their mouth. Once they go for it you'll once again quickly close your hand into a fist while saying the word “No.” Repeat this process 5 times then stop for 5 minutes. The 5 times/5 min break is a session.
There are a few common reasons dogs jump and bite at your sleeves when excited. One possibility is that they may simply be trying to communicate with you. Dogs use their mouths as a way to communicate, and when they're overstimulated, they may start nipping in order to get your attention.
Be consistent. Puppies crave consistency in their daily routine and in puppy training. Correct bad dog behavior immediately and firmly every time it happens with a firm voice, a loud noise like a hand clap, or through redirection, like offering them a chew toy when they exhibit biting behavior.
Lunging and mouthing are typical ways for dogs to play with each other. This play behavior is especially common in puppyhood, but can continue into adulthood.
The truth is that it takes time, work and the active participation of everyone in the household to produce a friendly, well-mannered and hassle-free adult dog. Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age.
Lunging and biting are typical puppy behaviors that can happen due to excitement, boredom, frustration or even because the puppy is tired and needs a nap. It is most often just playful, affectionate, attention-seeking behavior, which means the pup has no malicious intent. That said, it can still be annoying or painful.
Taking them for a nice, long walk can help them get rid of some of that energy—and get their FRAPs under control. For an extreme case of the zoomies, try a run. Don't engage. If you want your dog to calm down, you need to give them the signal that it's not play time.