https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:43:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-532092 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:56:17 +0000 Happygal 532092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bunnylove08--this is so true! Our dog liked the taste of the Bitter Lime gel. The human society recommends that you spray the bitter apple on a cotton ball and then wipe it in the dog's mouth, withholding water for about 15 minutes. The idea is that they will then already have a negative association and the spray can act like a deterrent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-532068 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:51:22 +0000 bunnylove08 532068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer up its natural and totally safe to spray in their mouth. I wouldnt hold their mouth open and spray but it worked for out pup when he was teething and chewing on people and furniture. FYI There are some dogs that liked the taste of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-532061 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:48:22 +0000 Charm54 532061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always did the high-pitched yelp when he nipped. He learned really quickly and would become startled. We also taught him "let go" for his toys which helped a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-532054 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:45:22 +0000 nana87 532054@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>one thing we've done with our pup when she nips at our hands is to gently stick your finger down her throat and say "no." also, we praise her when she licks our hands ("good lick!") and then say "no bite" when she starts gnawing on them </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-532038 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:39:05 +0000 Happygal 532038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man, I so feel your pain. German Shepherds (what we have) are called land sharks for a reason! Do know that they will stop. Promise. Like @Sammyfab, they are doing something totally normal. They also have incredible control over the jaws. If his teeth touch your skin, it wasn't be accident.</p> <p>Please don't bite him back. That's confusing, and it might also back fire where he thinks you're playing, too. My pup loves rough play and would just get more excited by something like that. Dominance in the dog training world is a much debated topic and I won't get going on that, but you can be a leader by being fair and consistent in other ways. </p> <p>I would be careful with the water bottle and grabbing his snout. Yipping might startle them in the beginning, but it can often get them really excited or they just ignore it. The best thing to do is redirect with an appropriate chew toy, and if they keep at it, leave for a few minutes. Totally ignore him with back turned or exit the room. Start working on the command "leave it" and that can be used for your hands and feet and pants and whatever he latches onto to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531220 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:33:14 +0000 Sammyfab 531220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: the bitter apple is more for things you don't want him to gnaw/chew. We used it on our couch, baseboards and wall corners. I don't think it would work if he's constantly biting on your hands. </p> <p>I agree with @Thehistoryofus re: consistency! You need to establish your alpha status! I trained our pup on my own because DH was working out of the country. 3 years later I am still the disciplinarian and DH is the playmate :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531195 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:26:00 +0000 T.H.O.U. 531195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The biggest thing is to be consistent. Never let him put your skin in his mouth. </p> <p>I have heard the bite them back theory (on the ear is best). It does work I guess to show some dominance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531194 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:25:41 +0000 MrsBrewer 531194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bunnylove08: So you can use the bitter apple like in their mouth? I mean obviously it would be a very rare occasion, but my DH and I were wondering that because sometimes he's just a little out of control and bites at everything! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531183 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:22:49 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 531183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: We would grab the snout tightly right after or right before was about to nip and say "No!". Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Like @Sammyfab said, puppies explore everything with their mouth (kind of like babies), so they are bound to test everything out. Also, when they are puppies, they play with each other by biting and wrestling. The only way they learn not to do something is usually when they hear the other puppy (or mom) yelp (or when another puppy makes them yelp), which is usually why saying "OUCH!" like a yelp works the best. </p> <p>It's not a fun phase, but hopefully it passes quickly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531158 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:17:02 +0000 bunnylove08 531158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Spray bitter apple on your hands and furniture the taste will deter them. Also spraying it directly in their mouth when they are going to nip/play bite. </p> <p>When you say no walk away and ignore your puppy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531147 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:15:12 +0000 MrsBrewer 531147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sammyfab: I know that dogs sniff a lot, but I didn't know that they use their mouths to explore also! Very interesting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531146 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:15:07 +0000 sslm 531146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did the high pitched ouch thing, and at 3 years old Leroy still responds to that! It worked for us, but it takes some time. It's normal for puppies to nip bc they don't know any better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531139 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:13:51 +0000 Sammyfab 531139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Puppy teeth are so sharp!</p> <p>Keep in mind that puppies/dogs use their mouths to explore their environment (it's their sense of touch), so it's important to let him explore. If he's biting a little too hard, then we always yelped loudly to startle our dog and it worked well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531124 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:10:44 +0000 MrsBrewer 531124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyBoecksMom: When you say grab the snout, like grab it once his mouth is shut? I have been trying to do that and I think it's helping a little because it really startles him!</p> <p>Also I've heard of the yelling Ouch loudly before too, but I haven't tried that yet. I heard that you should do it basically in as high pitched voice as you can, so you try and mimick a dog yelping.</p> <p>I will have to try all of these! Thanks for the suggestion! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531097 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:55:18 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 531097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes!! Puppy biting hurts!! </p> <p>It's been such a long time since I've dealt with that, but these are some things I remember reading about. </p> <p>- Try spraying them with a squirt bottle,<br /> - grab their snout and tell them "no" in a firm voice<br /> - redirect with a chew toy so they know to chew on that and not you (ropes and cow femurs worked great)<br /> - yell "Ouch" when they do it to startle them (similar to what a his mom would do)<br /> - make sure he has lots of exercise during the day to wear him out. </p> <p>good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/puppy-is-bitingnipping-how-to-fix-this#post-531066 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:39:53 +0000 MrsBrewer 531066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As some of you have probably seen from my other post, we got a puppy last Friday!! Yay!!!</p> <p>Well....we have one big issue that we are dealing with that is really bugging me the most. He bites/nips a lot. I mean it's never out of aggression, so I'm not concerned about that, but he has a strong jaw, and even when he is playing he has his mouth wide open a lot of times. Most of the time he will just nibble on your fingers (we always give him a toy to chew when he does this) but other times, he will like gear up and charge at you and just want to kind of wrestle (like a normal puppy would!) buuutt, the biting hurts! He actaully got my neck yesterday, and now I have a huge red mark.</p> <p>What are some ways we can curb his biting/nipping? </p>