My puppy growls and nips when I touch his new toys. Is it normal?

This is indeed common in puppies (and some adult dogs). When Julius gets riled up or too excited, stop all play until he calms down. If he bites, a stern "No" or "No bite" should get him to stop. Praise and reward him when he complies. Be firm and be consistent.

Toy guarding and resource guarding can be a scary experience. There are a few things you can try, such as removing the toy completely so that it isn't guarded, or trying the "trade game" The trade game involves using Nala's favorite treat and "trading" the toy for the treat. Every time she drops the toy, give her a treat, and then give her the toy again to help her learn it is a GOOD thing to give up the toy, and not scary. If the behavior continues or she does actively try to bite you, then talking with a veterinary behaviorist in your area is best as aggression toward people can be difficult to treat and requires professional supervision.

It is possible that your puppy is just excited while playing with his toys, and so makes happy or whiny sounds. Some dogs and puppies will "play growl" as they play tug of war or other games and just do it due to excitement. This is a very normal behavior unless you are seeing signs of stress or pain during the play session. If you'd like your puppy to whine less when trying to get to a toy, you can try an activity of having him sit and wait, and then give the toy once he is calm. (This may take a few minutes for very excited puppies!) This will help to teach him that sitting and being calm will get him toys, while being too excited will not.

This is very normal puppy behavior, but it’s important to discourage this ‘mouthiness’ so you don’t have an adult dog who tends to by mouthy or nip. This website has some great training tips in general, and this article addresses this problem specifically: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/puppy_play_leads_to_nip_marks_on_hands_and_arms/

Yes, this is normal puppy play. Try not to get him riled up to the point where he is biting and growling. If he starts, stop play until he settles down. It is up to you to teach him what is appropriate behavior and what is not. If he bites hard, a stern "No!" Shouls stop/distract him. Offer an appropriate item to chew. Praise and reward rewatd him when he complies. If he doesn't, stop all interaction until he settles down. Be firm and be consistent.

Yes, it's very normal for a 5-month-old puppy to try and grab whatever he can with his mouth - this is how puppies explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. I would recommend getting some nice long, floppy rope or fleece toys that you can carry with you for him to grab when he gets excited, rather that biting your clothes. This is a better option than scolding him, which tends to just make the pup more excited and often makes things worse. If you need some hands-on guidance to help you with this, you can search for a qualified reward-based trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

Biting and mouthing during play and at other times including when you pet her, when you are walking, etc. is completely normal behavior for a puppy this age - this is how puppies explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play. I do not recommend scolding her for this or telling her "no!", as this often makes dogs more frustrated and worked up, and tends to make the problem worse. Instead, redirect her to one of her toys and encourage her to bite the toy instead. Make sure that she has a variety of different toys available to provide an appropriate outlet for this behavior - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. She also needs lots of different things to chew on - bully sticks, rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter are all good options you can try. This behavior normally resolves on its own as puppies get older, so there is no need to attempt to punish her for it - just redirect her to something more appropriate, and be patient while she learns :)