Puppy Biting: How to Teach Your Pup Gentle Mouths

Liz Clough
Sep 13
2 min read

Puppy biting is one of the most common challenges new dog owners face. While it can be frustrating, or even painful, it’s actually a normal part of your puppy’s development. The good news? With the right guidance, your puppy can learn to play gently and grow into a well-mannered adult dog.

Why Puppies Bite

Puppies explore the world with their mouths. Biting and mouthing is how they:

Play with littermates: Learning bite inhibition in the process.
Explore objects: Investigating textures, toys, and even your hands.
Relieve teething discomfort: Chewing eases soreness as new teeth come in.
Communicate emotions: Excitement or overstimulation often triggers mouthing.

Understanding why your puppy bites is the first step to teaching them appropriate behaviour.

How to Teach Bite Inhibition

Bite inhibition is your puppy’s ability to control the force of their mouth. Here’s a modern, positive-reinforcement approach to teaching it:

Redirect to Appropriate Chew Items Offer a toy or chew item whenever your puppy begins to bite. This teaches them what is okay to chew and what isn’t.
Implement Time-Outs If your puppy continues to bite, calmly end the play session and step away for a brief moment. This shows them that biting stops the fun.
Consistency and Patience Reinforce gentle play regularly. Everyone in the household should follow the same rules to help your puppy learn appropriate behaviour over time.
Encourage Gentle Play Reward soft mouthing with treats and affection. Practicing handling exercises- like gently touching paws, ears, and mouth- also builds tolerance and cooperation.

Managing Biting in Everyday Situations

During Play: Swap hands for toys or teething chews. Avoid using your body as a toy.
Excitement Overload: Step back and let your puppy calm down if they get too excited.
Visitors: Teach calm greetings and reward soft behaviour with treats.

Take Control of Puppy Biting

Most puppies outgrow biting with consistent guidance, but many owners struggle with knowing exactly how and when to respond. That’s where our step-by-step Puppy Biting Guide e-book comes in.

Packed with practical tips, printable training trackers, and easy-to-follow exercises, the e-book helps you: