It is not uncommon for puppies to bite, not only each other but you as well. This can happen shortly after you bring them home from the bull terrier breeders. While you know they aren’t biting to be malicious, it is still important to stop the habit as soon as possible. The habit of biting is more common when your puppy is teething, as they will naturally need something to chew on. Additionally, as puppies begin to explore the world around them, most prefer to use their mouth over their paws to manipulate objects.
Some might consider playful nipping cute and fun in the beginning, but a puppy’s teeth are sharp. Puppies are not aware of how hard they are biting, so don’t be too surprised if there isn’t at least one moment when their playful biting draws blood. Needless to say, teaching your puppy early on to stop biting is an important skill that will prevent them from carrying their bad habit into adulthood. Here are a few steps you can take to teach your puppy to stop biting.
Inhibit the Biting
When puppies play with other puppies, they use their mouth, which can turn into a bite. When playful mouthing turns into a bite, the other puppy will let out a loud yelp! This loud sound will startle the puppy that is doing the biting, causing them to quickly release their bite.
This same theory can be applied to teach your puppy not to bite and to learn how much is too much. When playing with your puppy and he starts to bite, let your hand or limb go limp and make a loud yelping sound. As soon as your puppy releases, proceed to ignore them for ten to twenty-seconds before resuming play with them.
It is important to remember when your puppy latches on to resist the urge to pull away. This can trigger your puppy’s chasing instinct, causing the problem to become worse. If you’d prefer not to make a yelping sound, you can use a loud “Ow” or another verbal command. It is also important to remember not to repeat this process more than three times within a fifteen-minute time frame. If your puppy continues to bite, take a time out from playing.
The ultimate goal is to teach your puppy that when they play gently, play continues. Rough play results in no more playing. Over time your puppy will learn that a hard bite is not okay and mouthing without biting is.
Redirect
Another way to teach your puppy not to bite is to not allow them to bite in the first place. When your puppy tries to put their mouth on you, pull your hand away, out of reach, waving a chew toy or a treat to distract them. Another way to distract your puppy and redirect their attention is to engage in no-contact games, such as tug-of-war or fetch.
Distraction
People are not the only thing that puppies will instinctively chew on, they will also chew on things they find in their environment out of curiosity. Find toys your puppy can’t destroy, such as rubber or hard plastic toys. “Hide the treat” toys are also a great way to distract your puppy from biting on people and things they shouldn’t be chewing on. Additionally, these toys provide your puppy with great mental stimulation, as they have to work hard to figure out how to get their reward.
Another great distraction is playtime with other puppies or adult dogs that are vaccinated. Not only does this provide your puppy with the opportunity to socialize with others, but they will also learn from the other puppies when their bite is too much.
These are just a few of the many different ways in which you can teach your new puppy to stop biting before it becomes a more serious problem. When you purchase a puppy from bull terrier breeders, you will be purchasing a sweet puppy who, with a little bit of training and attention, will be the best companion for years to come!
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