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How to stop a puppy from biting and chewing hands during play?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | 9 months and 8 days old | 30 lbs

I was wondering why when i play with my dog he likes to chew on my hand n something's bite i know he means no harm but its how he plays n i need to get him out of it while he is a puppy but i have family n kids that come over and ass hole Neighbors

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on May 20th, 2018

Yes, you are correct that it is important to teach Cujo not to put his teeth on humans even when he is playing. Play biting and being excessively "mouthy" is very common in puppies and a normal behavior. I have not personally had luck with the techniques of saying "No!" or holding the muzzle. I find that makes puppies more excited. My general rule for puppies is that you make a high pitched squeak (like a littermate puppy would do if they bit too hard), then walk away from the situation. More than anything, Cujo wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so he is less likely to do that behavior again. Depending on the puppy, the goal is to get them to look away from you or start doing something else before you engage in play again. I found that a long rope toy made a good toy to play with my puppy because there was lots of toy for him to bite at without touching my skin. I also found that allowing him to play with other dogs was a great way for him to learn what is appropriate play. I took my dog to doggy day care twice a week as a puppy which really helped with his energy level as well as appropriate play technique. And finally, start a puppy class. A basic obedience class is so important for a puppy. They want to behave, but don't know what to do with their energy.
I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on August 4th, 2017

    A stern "No" consistently is recommended. If he persists, cease all play and activity until he settles down and complies. Repeat as often as necessary. It will take patience since Deuce is a puppy but he will learn eventually. Avoid any play that gets him riled up.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on September 22nd, 2017

    Congratulations on your new puppy! Play biting and being excessively "mouthy" is very common in puppies. I have not personally had luck with the techniques of saying "No!" or holding the muzzle. I that makes puppies more excited. My general rule for puppies is that you make a high pitches squeak (like a littermate puppy would do if they bit too hard), then walk away from the situation. More than anything, your puppies wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so they are less likely to do that behavior again. Depending on the puppy, the goal is to get them to look away from you or start doing something else before you engage in play again. I found that a long rope toy made a good toy to play with my puppy because there was lots of toy for him to bite at without touching my skin. I also found that allowing him to play with other dogs is a great way for him to learn what is appropriate play. I took my dog to doggy day care twice a week as a puppy which really helped with his energy level as well as appropriate play technique. And finally, start a puppy class. A basic obedience class is so important for a puppy. They want to behave, but don't know what to do with their energy.
    I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Training & Behavior
Why does my 8-month-old puppy bite so hard, and how do I stop it?
Is Chuckie actually aggressive or is he biting you too hard when you play? I will presume that he is just biting you too hard when you play. Play biting and being excessively "mouthy" is very common in puppies. I have not personally had luck with the techniques of saying "No!" or holding the muzzle. I that makes puppies more excited. My general rule for puppies is that you make a high pitched squeak (like a littermate puppy would do if they bit too hard), then walk away from the situation. More than anything, Chuckie wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so he is less likely to do that behavior again. Depending on the puppy, the goal is to get them to look away from you or start doing something else before you engage in play again. I found that a long rope toy made a good toy to play with my puppy because there was lots of toy for him to bite at without touching my skin. I also found that allowing him to play with other dogs is a great way for him to learn what is appropriate play. I took my dog to doggy day care twice a week as a puppy which really helped with his energy level as well as appropriate play technique. And finally, start a puppy class. A basic obedience class is so important for a puppy. They want to behave, but don't know what to do with their energy. I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
Why does my 9-month-old puppy bite my hands? How can I stop it?
Play biting and being excessively "mouthy" is very common in puppies. (And at 9 months old, Floyd is certainly still a puppy.) I have not personally had luck with the techniques of saying "No!" or holding the muzzle. I that makes puppies more excited. My general rule for puppies is that you make a high pitched squeak (like a littermate puppy would do if they bit too hard), then walk away from the situation. More than anything, your puppy wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so they are less likely to do that behavior again. Depending on the puppy, the goal is to get them to look away from you or start doing something else before you engage in play again. I found that a long rope toy made a good toy to play with my puppy because there was lots of toy for him to bite at without touching my skin. Especially if Floyd is biting down, it is vital that he NEVER puts his teeth on a person. If he does, then you need to walk away and the play session is over. It will take a while, but he will get it. I also found that allowing my puppy to play with other dogs was a great way for him to learn what is appropriate play. I took my dog to doggy day care twice a week as a puppy which really helped with his energy level as well as appropriate play technique. And finally, start a puppy class. A basic obedience class is so important for a puppy. They want to behave, but don't know what to do with their energy. And Floyd is a herding breed dog, so he is smart with a lot of energy, so he needs a good outlet for his energy. I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How do I stop my hyper puppy from biting me when she's excited?
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!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How do I stop my 2-month-old puppy from biting my hands so much?
No, please do not cut your puppy's teeth - this would be very painful for him, and could also cause infection and other serious problems. Biting and mouthing during play is very normal behavior for puppies, and will resolve on its own with age. In the meantime, make sure that Pocholo has a variety of different toys 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 for chasing and fetching. It can also be helpful to provide lots of different items to chew on - things like bully sticks, cow or pig ears, rawhide chews, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. If you are playing with him and he bites you, just redirect him to one of his toys and use that to play with him instead. If he bites your hands when you pet him, calmly stop petting and ignore him until he calms down. You may only be able to pet him when he is sleepy right now, which is fine - just be patient and consistent with him as he grows, and the mouthing will stop on its own.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
My 2-month-old puppy bites constantly. How can I get him to stop?
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kuku. Biting and chewing are normal puppy behaviors. However, he needs to learn to do so without harming you. If he were to bite another puppy too hard in play that puppy would squeal. You can mimic this behavior by saying "no!" in a high pitched voice. If this does not help, then you can redirect him to something positive to play with such as a toy. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
My 6-month-old puppy's biting is out of control. What can I do?
Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Nova is adorable! Play biting is very normal in puppy-hood, though at 6 months this should be significantly improved or resolved. Never use your hands to play with her or rile her up. Only offer toys. The minute she gets crazy and starts lunging for your hands, etc you need to make her sit or lay down. Always have treats on you to reward her when she listens. If she is too worked up and not listening, put her in a 5 minute time out. Try to have a leash on her at all times, I really like the muzzle gentle leader harnesses as it allows great head control. That way you can easily pull her off you. She should know how to look and leave it on command. If you are reaching a plateau with training I recommend hiring a trainer to focus on your areas of concern. Professionals can really help when we have exhausted what we can do alone. Exercise is also important: frequent walks and play time or consider doggie daycare a few times per week. I hope this helps and I think Nova will outgrow this stage very soon! https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-nipping-of-hands/
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
How to stop my 10-month-old puppy from biting and nipping?
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!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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