Biting is an essential skill for dogs and is one of the major behaviors that puppies need to learn to do safely

Puppies bite to experiment with the strength of their jaws. This is known as bite inhibition

This is a huge part of learning how to interact with both humans and dogs safely using their mouth

This training should be done before 16 weeks of age

This Tick story will go over how to perform effective bite training sessions with your furry friend ❤️

In session: Give meaningful feedback. Say “Ouch” loudly when bitten. Reward your puppy once they themselves back away.

Keep your hand in place once bitten and do not jerk it away, as this triggers ‘chasing’ behavior

Your puppy needs to believe that humans are super sensitive. So say “Ouch” firmly and clearly for every painful nibble

Treat clothes, hair, accessories and skin exactly the same. This will reinforce good biting behavior

Play with toys as well, so that puppies can learn to adjust their bite strength.

Doggy play dates help reinforce acquired bite inhibition much better than humans can!

If your puppy is too excitable for a safe session, just walk away. Don’t scold or frighten your puppy.

Don’t replace biting sessions with alone chew toy time. This should be for quiet time training only

Sessions should be repeated regularly over a number of weeks and eventually progress onto reducing bite frequency

Best of luck! For more information and to try our full dog training courses head to the International Open Academy!