How do I stop my adolescent dog from mouthing and biting people?

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 :)

It is possible your puppy is still play biting, but getting a little too excited. I would continue with training to not bite by redirecting the behavior to appropriate toys, yelping when things get too rough, and getting up/stopping play when Luna is too excited. If Luna is acting aggressive (IE, low growls, baring teeth before biting, stiff body, trying to get away from you,) then I highly recommend seeking out a trainer in person immediately as this is a serious concern at such a young age. I'm attaching some articles on general puppy biting and play that may help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-nipping-of-hands/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-when-does-it-stop/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/

Playful biting and mouthing are very normal at this age - Piper is still quite young, so she is still learning how to control herself when she gets excited. You are doing the right thing by redirecting her to a toy or some other object to chew on when she starts to bite. To increase the chances of this tactic working, make sure that you have a variety of different toys to use when you play with her - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. Experiment with different toys and different types of play to see what she likes, so that you know how to engage her effectively when she gets excited. You can also help by learning to recognize the signs that she is starting to get overly wound up, so that you can switch to a calmer activity (such as training, or giving a chew item like a bully stick or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter) before she starts to bite you. I do not recommend any kind of punishment for this behavior, as it often makes the dog more frustrated and worsens the problem over time. Instead, be patient and continue to redirect her to toys or other activities when she starts to get excited. She should grow out of this behavior as she gets older and more emotionally mature.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It would help to know Luna's age, but if she is a puppy she is probably still in her teething phase. Puppies are playful troublemakers, and everything to them is a toy - including us! The most important thing you can do is keep lots of acceptable toys around, and whenever Luna tries to play bite with you, try to redirect her to something she is allowed to bite. You may need to give her a stern "NO!" when she grabs at your hands, then offer her a fun toy. Never encourage her to play bite with your hands - always engage her to play with a toy. I know it's a challenge, and puppies can be relentless! If Luna isn't getting the message and keeps going after your hands, it is fine for you to put her in her kennel/crate for a brief "time out" to calm down a little (this isn't a punishment, but rather a chance for her to calm down and be removed from the situation where she was doing an unwanted behavior). Fortunately, this should be a phase, and as long as you are careful not to make it *fun* for her to attack your hands, she should eventually catch on to what the acceptable chew toys are. :-) I hope this helps!

Mouthing and nipping can be an issue in puppies, and at ten months of age she likely has some or all of her adult teeth in, which can hurt! There are a few things you can do: One is to loudly yelp "OUCH!" and immediately stop play and walk away/ignore your dog. This mimics when your dog was playing with littermates and played too roughly. Your dog will also learn that when she is too energetic and nips play stops and attention is gone, which is boring! If she is calm and not nipping, offer lots of praise and treats to encourage that behavior instead. Next is the "airplane" game. Place your dog in a sitting position and put a treat in your hand. Raise it above your dog's head and begin to slowly bring it down toward your dog. If she gets up out of the sitting position, stop, place her back in a sit, and then start again. Once she can calmly sit still for the treat coming to her, offer it and praise! This can help teach her to sit calmly rather than jumping or nipping. You can also work on taking treats gently/mouthing inhibition by placing a treat in your hand and closing your fist. At first, your dog may attempt to gnaw on or chew on your hand to get the treat. A small "ouch!" can help, but you will have to wait a few minutes until she settles down. Once she is calm and not chewing on the hand, offer her the treat with a "gentle" command. It will take a few tries (and a sore hand at first), but it will help teach her to wait for treats and toys from your hand without nipping and chewing on them! Trading your hands and other objects for toys that are appropriate to chew on can also help. Offer an appropriate chew toy instead, and be sure to praise any time she is found chewing on the right objects instead!

Mouthing behavior is very normal in 8 week old puppies - just like babies they learn and explore with their mouths. Mouthing is different from biting in intent. If she's generally chewing on your hands and happy, that's mouthing. If she's frightened, lunges and bites, and then retreats and hides or bites and leaves punctures, that is very abnormal for such a young puppy and Angel would need to see a veterinarian behaviorist (not a trainer) right away to work on strategies to keep her mentally healthy. I'm going to assume that she's mouthing. The best thing you can do is not reward her mouthing. Any time she puts her mouth on you, disengage from play, petting, or talking to her. Think of it like a light switch - if she mouths, you just turn off and become super boring. Don't punish or try to scare her, she's being a normal puppy and needs to learn how to interact socially. Also, look for a puppy class to enroll her in. Having other puppies to learn and play with is helpful because they learn that biting can hurt. Finally, check out this free ebook from Dr. Ian Dunbar about early puppy training. It's a gem. https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf Good luck to you and Angel! Let me know if this information was helpful and post another question or set up a consult if you'd like more advice.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. At 6 months of age, most puppies are finishing up teething. Teething stimulates puppies to bite and chew as their teeth are erupting. Hopefully, this behavior will decrease as she should have the majority of her adult teeth by now. When she bites you, do not engage her, but redirect her attention to something positive such as a toy. Do not play with her with your hands, not even tug-of-war type toys. If she still goes after your hands even after you have given her a toy, walk away. She needs to learn that that type of behavior is not acceptable and she will lose your attention. I hope this information helps!