How to Stop Puppy Biting

By Amber Jester, Certified Behavior Specialist — The Good Dog Academy

Building Bonds That Last in Newark, TX, Fort Worth, the Greater DFW Area and remotely

If you’re feeling like your adorable new puppy has transformed into a tiny land shark, you’re not alone.

Puppy biting is one of the most common concerns dog owners bring to The Good Dog Academy here in Newark, TX (serving Fort Worth and the greater DFW area) — and one of the most misunderstood.

Online articles tell you, “It’s normal,” but that doesn’t help much when your ankles are covered in little bruises and you’re saying, “No,” for the fiftieth time.

So let’s slow down and look at the real truth behind puppy mouthing—the part most blogs miss, and the part that will help you actually fix it.

The Anchor Insight: Puppy Biting Isn’t Misbehavior — It’s Exploration

Here’s the lens that changes everything:

Puppy biting isn’t disobedience. It’s exploration. It’s how puppies test boundaries and learn what this strange human world expects of them. They’re not giving you a hard time — they’re asking for guidance.

Think about it this way:

Your puppy has spent their entire life in a world designed for dogs—a world where mouthing is communication, where siblings have tough skin, and where playtime involves teeth, paws, and wrestling.

And then suddenly, they’re dropped into our world:

• soft human skin

• rules they don’t know

• boundaries they can’t guess

• expectations no dog is born understanding

  
  

To them, we are the aliens.This is the foreign land.And biting is their way of asking:

“How do I be successful here?”

Once you see biting as a communication mismatch—not a discipline problem—everything becomes clearer, calmer, and more teachable.

Why Puppies Bite: The Deeper Explanation Most Trainers Skip

Yes, puppies explore with their mouths. Yes, teething makes them uncomfortable- their gums ache, and chewing helps relieve that pressure. But the real reasons go deeper.

1. They’re learning how the world works.

Puppies mouth everything because they’re gathering information.It’s their version of asking questions.

2. They have to test boundaries to understand them.

Not in a manipulative or dominant way—in a curious, puppy-like way.

“What happens if I do this?”

“Is this allowed?”

“What’s the rule here?”

3. They’re trying to connect with you the only way they know how.

Mouthing is play. Play = bonding.They think they’re including you.

4. They don’t understand human fragility.

Puppy skin is like leather compared to ours. What feels gentle to them feels like needles to us.

5. Their nervous systems are still developing.

Overstimulation, frustration, excitement, or fatigue can all cause sudden spikes in mouthing.

This is why the solution isn’t “get tougher” — it’s teach better.

A Real-Life Example: Trident the Giraffe

When my own puppy entered her shark phase, redirecting her was a full-time job. Every few minutes, I was calmly offering something else to chew.

“Chew on this.”

“Here, chew on this.”

“No, sweet girl — chew on this.”

We said it so often that one day her favorite giraffe toy simply became Trident - named after the old Trident gum slogan, "chew on this."

So we named him Trident — after the old Trident gum slogan: “Chew on this.”

It was silly, and it made us laugh, but it also became a moment of clarity:

Redirecting isn’t nagging. It’s teaching. It’s giving your puppy the correct outlet for a completely normal need.

And with repetition, consistency, and clarity… the biting faded.

Your puppy truly can learn—when you teach in a language they understand.

Free Puppy Biting Survival Guide (Download)-Coming SOON

If you’re in the thick of puppyhood and want something you can print, stick on the fridge, and reference on hard days, I created a simple, practical resource for you.

The Puppy Biting Survival Guide includes:

• a quick checklist for what to do in the moment

• common triggers that make biting worse

• a reminder of what’s normal vs. when to seek help

• space to jot down patterns you notice with your own puppy

Common Myth: “They’ll Grow Out of It.”

Let me be very clear:

Puppies do NOT naturally grow out of biting.

They grow out of baby teeth.But they do not magically grow out of behaviors they are allowed to practice.

Unaddressed puppy biting turns into:

• adolescent biting

• adult mouthing

• boundary-testing with kids

• frustration-based snapping

• poor bite inhibition

Dogs don’t grow out of things.They grow into them.

What they practice becomes who they become.

Which is why they need you—a calm, consistent guide—to teach what is allowed and what isn’t.

The Good Dog Method: How to Stop Puppy Biting the Right Way

Here’s the framework I use with clients, board & trains, and my own puppies across Newark, Fort Worth, the DFW area and remotely.

This isn’t a list of generic tips—it’s a relationship-based method built around timing, consistency, and motivation, emotional regulation, and clear communication.

1. Teach what TO do

Instead of fighting the biting, channel it.

Offer a toy or chew the moment the teeth come out:

• rope

• frozen Kong

• long plush toy

• rubber teether

When your puppy chooses the toy?

Mark it warmly:

“Good girl!”or“Good boy!”

This communicates:“That choice moves you closer to me.”

2. Give clear, calm feedback when teeth touch skin

Your cue is simple and steady:

“No.”

Not angry.Not emotional.Just clear.

Then pause:

• stop moving

• stop playing

• stop engaging

  
  

Play stops because teeth touched skin.

Puppies understand this instantly. It’s how their siblings respond. You’re just translating it into a human version.

3. Manage your puppy’s arousal

Overstimulation = biting.Overtired = biting.Frustrated = biting.Teething aches = biting.

They don’t need discipline. They need regulation.

Try:

• a short crate nap

• a quiet chew

• a sniffing activity

• a structured play rhythm

• predictable rest times

A calm puppy has a soft mouth.

4. Reinforce bite inhibition constantly

Soft mouths are a life skill.

Reward:

• gentle treat-taking

• gentle toy play

• soft interaction

Every time your puppy chooses gentleness, capture it:

“Good girl, gentle.”

This is how dogs learn self-control.

5. Redirect emotions, not just behavior

A puppy who’s overstimulated doesn’t need more excitement—they need a reset.

This is the part most blogs skip.This is the part most trainers don’t teach.

But this is the part that actually changes your dog’s future.

When Puppy Biting Is More Than “Normal”

If your puppy shows:

• stiff body

• freezing

• growling

• escalating intensity

• biting that causes bruising

• biting around resources (food, toys, people)

…this isn’t typical puppy mouthing.

This is a communication rooted in fear, stress, or insecurity.

You shouldn’t guess. You shouldn’t Google. And you definitely shouldn’t punish.

This is where a Certified Behavior Specialist helps you decode what’s really happening.

If you’re in Newark, Fort Worth, or the surrounding DFW area, I’d be honored to help with that.

If You Want a Puppy Who Grows Into a Calm, Gentle Adult…

Your puppy isn’t biting to be bad. They’re biting because they’re trying to understand you.

And with the right guidance, they absolutely can learn:

• soft mouths

• emotional control

• clear boundaries

• appropriate play

• calmness in the home

• gentle interaction with kids

• confidence

• connection

  
  

This is what we build together at The Good Dog Academy.

If you’re reading this and thinking,“This is exactly what my puppy is doing,”I’d love to walk alongside you.

Book your Behavior Blueprint (insert your booking link here) and don’t forget to download your free Puppy Biting Survival Guide so you have support at your fingertips between sessions.

Let’s build the foundation for your future Good Dog—with clarity, compassion, and confidence.