You’ve gotten past the hurdle of housetraining, and then….your sleepy, sweet puppy starts nipping. HARD! Sometimes they might nip you so hard they draw blood. Take a deep breath. Your puppy isn’t an aggressive monster. Nipping and mouthing is extremely normal developmental behavior. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and they use nipping to play, communicate, and relieve pain from teething.

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Meet Their Chewing Needs Daily

Puppies and dogs need to chew! Provide your pup with appropriate outlets to meet that need, ideally prior to them nipping you.

1. Play tug of war with rules. Tug is great for relationship-building, and also tires out your puppy. I like to play with a 2-3ft long braided fleece toy, or an old bath towel, which makes sure there is plenty of room between their mouth and my hands. Play stops if teeth make contact with skin – drop the toy, walk out of the room or step over the baby gate. Return after 30 seconds, and if puppy doesn’t start nipping, game starts again.
2. Give them bones and other age-appropriate chew toys. I like hooves, yak chews, antlers, stuffed kongs and toppls. Bonus points if you put their meals inside some of the hard rubber chews.
3. Safe deconstruction. Cardboard boxes and empty paper towel rolls are great, because the cardboard is pliable enough for young puppies to really chew on, and if they swallow a tiny piece, it’s easily digestible. Watch your puppy carefully to ensure they aren’t ripping off large pieces and swallowing with intent.

Reinforce The Behaviors You Like

1. Want your puppy to lie calmly as your kids or friends hang out nearby? You have to work on this! When you can’t work on it, manage them via gates and crates. This stage won’t last forever, if you manage them during times when you can’t train.
2. Play the sit to say please game to reinforce walking nicely as you move around (here’s a video of how to work on this with children).

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What NOT To Do

Do not punish your puppy with scolding, smacking them, holding their mouth shut, or pinning them down (the “alpha roll”). These methods can make them fearful of you, erode trust, and may escalate their behavior into real aggression.

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Managing “Tantrums”

Sometimes, a puppy gets overstimulated during playtime or when coming in from outside, resulting in zoomies and intense, frantic biting. When this happens, stay calm and avoid yelping, as it might make them more excited. Instead, guide them into a quiet area (like a crate or playpen) for a nap, or simply remove yourself until they calm down. You can also offer a tug toy while you stand behind a gate.

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When Will It End?

For most puppies, this phase passes around 5 to 7 months, once they have finished teething. Sometimes we see a resurgence in mouthing around 7-8 months when molars break through. Be patient and consistent, and reward them for playing appropriately. You will get through this!