Puppy biting and nipping are one of the most common areas a new (and sometimes seasoned) puppy owner is likely to struggle with. Virtually every owner of a puppy is faced with this problem at some time or another. In some cases, a puppy's biting and nipping behaviour can become hard and even aggressive if it isn't curtailed in the first few weeks. This has to be one of the most common complaints or problems that are presented to me as a puppy trainer. It is highly addressable but requires a consistent approach from all family members and puppy child interactions should be closely monitored by the adult or parent at all times.

As with the other videos in this series, I am looking at how to address puppy biting and nipping from the very beginning so as to prevent it from becoming a real problem to the point that you feel reluctant to engage with your puppy as you would like to during pleasant interactions.

The act of chewing is normal for dogs, but they do need to learn what is and what is not appropriate in terms of what they can place their teeth on!

In essence, the golden rule is no teeth on skin or clothing.

It's not uncommon to find yourself constantly interrupting this behaviour in the beginning and to then redirect the behaviour onto permissible items that can be found in the video.

At the time of making this video, we have had Ruby for two weeks and she has been constantly reminded to be polite and that mouthing or biting is not allowed. You can see in the video that she is still doing this to a small degree although for my liking at this time I feel she is on track with it. Ruby is a small, manageable dog that responds well to input and so this is also in our favour. Some dogs that may be bigger and stronger willed may need a more robust response...every dog is an individual and should be treated as such to get the right balance.

I demonstrate how not to play with your puppy, as this can in itself lead to the pup becoming too hyped up and then inevitably will come in at you with its jaws open and not thinking at all! Calm, controlled play in the home is the way forward and be sure to let off proper steam in the garden or fields, not the home.

Due to the frequency of me discussing this issue with new puppy owners, this will be one of the most important videos in this miniseries, so I hope it goes some way to helping those that need it.

Sorry for the harsh lighting at times, plus my camera framing is off a little too. I really need a camera assistant! I am however sporting new slippers, which make up for just about everything.

Dog Behaviourist | Dog Trainer | Dog Expert Witness | Nick Jones MA

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