Biting or nipping is natural puppy behavior. You must, however, establish boundaries early as this can get worse. When your puppy wants to play with you, it will commonly bite. Puppies learn to play with and nip their siblings at an early age, and they learn their boundaries based on how their siblings and mother react.
When a puppy is separated from his litter before the age of 8 weeks, it may not have entirely grasped those limits, thus it is your responsibility to teach him.
Puppy Biting: The Do’s and Don’ts
DO: When your dog starts biting you, ignore him and/or go limp. Give a sharp "Ouch" and this will probably stop your puppy. Then reward him when it stops.
DO: Give your dog a toy to chew on instead of you, and reward him when he does so.
DO: If your dog continues to bite, stop all interactions and walk away.
DO: Work on teaching your puppy to use his mouth carefully. If he attempts to nip, wave your closed fist in front of his face and pull it away. Try it again, and if he doesn't nip, reward him with a treat. Check that the goodie is in the opposite hand from which you are offering it. Experiment with different items, such as your open hand, your finger, and lastly a toy, and eventually give him the toy before he nips. Increase the amount of time he must wait patiently before giving him the reward and/or toy to play with. You are teaching him that he must wait for permission to play/nip.
DO: Make use of a command, such as "NO!" If your dog is playing and getting nippy, get up, take your hands away and say, "NO". As a treat for positive behaviour, give him a treat while he is sitting calmly. Using the "NO!" command with your dog will come in helpful in many situations; it simply means to stop doing what he is doing.
DO: If you have a child, keep an eye on him when he is playing with your puppy.
DO: maintain consistency in your praise and rewards, especially in the beginning.
DON'T: Do not shout at your puppy, tap him on the nose, or close his mouth when he bites.
When you play, you are just confusing your puppy and teaching him not to trust you.
DON'T: irritate your puppy in order to get him to bite for training or any other reason.
DON'T let your child's face come in contact with your puppy's face while working on bite training.
DON'T give up on your puppy with the expectation that he will learn on his own.
Every time you play with your puppy, he has to know his boundaries for you and him to have consistent outcomes and mutual understanding.
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