Puppy nipping and mouthing
If your puppy nips your hands, your ankles or the hem of your trousers, take a breath: it's normal at his age, never aggression. His teeth ache, he's exploring and he's inviting you to play. Your job isn't to stop him mouthing, but to show him where to put his teeth.
Why your puppy nips
His teeth are hurting him
- Teething itches and hurts between three and six months.
- Chewing soothes him: it's a physiological need, not a whim.
He discovers the world with his mouth
- Like a baby who puts everything in his mouth, he tastes textures to make sense of them.
- Taking things in his mouth without clamping down is exploring, not attacking.
He's inviting you to play
- Between littermates, they nip one another to start a game.
- He's treating you like a littermate: a clumsy compliment.
He's overflowing with emotion
- Joy and excitement often come out through the mouth.
- The higher the pressure climbs, the quicker the teeth appear.
He's after a reaction from you
- A yelp, a flinch, a hand waving about: to him, you're playing.
- Without meaning to, we reward the very thing we want to stop.
You won't fix nipping by only ever talking about nipping. It's a symptom. Behind it, there's almost always a puppy who isn't getting out enough, isn't stimulated enough, or who has been handed too many rules all at once.
Exercise first, technique second
A puppy who has run, sniffed, chewed and played settles by himself: he nips far less. Mental tiredness counts just as much as physical, sometimes more. Before correcting a tooth that oversteps, ask yourself whether he's had his fill of exploring, play and chewing during the day. When redirecting doesn't work, the problem is almost always further upstream (AVSAB 2021).
Teaching him to gauge his bite
Bite inhibition, using the teeth without clamping down, is learnt through play, just as it is with the litter. It's what lets a grown dog hold back his jaw.
Play, and let him use his teeth as long as he doesn't clamp down
Mouthing without clamping is part of the game: don't tell him off.
Mark it with a sharp 'ow' the moment it's too hard
A short, calm marker word, not a shriek or a performance.
Stop the game and step away for a few seconds
You stand up, you leave. Above all, don't push him away with your hand: that just starts the game up again.
Pick things back up calmly, and praise him the moment he plays gently
He learns that teeth that are too hard lose him the game, while gentle teeth make it last.
Timing is everything: your reaction has to land within three seconds. After that, your puppy no longer knows what you're reacting to.
What to redirect the teeth towards
Offer him several materials to chew: depending on the part of his jaw, he needs something soft, something hard and something to pull on.
Go for these
Steer clear of
A safety rule of thumb: if you can't dent it with a fingernail or make it flex a little, it's too hard for his mouth.
Teething, up close
A handy marker: a puppy has 28 milk teeth, which he loses between three and six months; his 42 adult teeth are in place by around six to seven months (Merck Veterinary Manual). The peak of nipping often follows this eruption.
- AVSAB — Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (2021)
- Skinner — The Behavior of Organisms (1938)
- Dental Development of Dogs, Merck Veterinary Manual
- Niemiec et al. — Global Dental Guidelines, WSAVA (2020)
Frequently asked questions
Why does my dog nip me?
Most of the time he's inviting you to play, exploring with his mouth, or his teeth are itching if he's young. It's normal social behaviour, not aggression. Give him a toy to bite instead of your hand.
Why does my dog nip me when he's happy?
Because joy and excitement often spill out through the mouth: the more his pressure builds, the more the teeth come out. Offer an outlet (a rope, a toy) and take a calm break before it climbs too high.
At what age does a dog lose his milk teeth?
A puppy has 28 milk teeth which he loses between three and six months; his 42 adult teeth are in place by around six to seven months (Merck Veterinary Manual). This is often when he nips the most.
How do you teach a puppy not to bite?
By teaching him to gauge his bite during play: you carry on as long as he doesn't clamp down, you mark it with a sharp 'ow' when it's too hard, then you stop for a few seconds. Never any physical punishment, never rolling him onto his back.
At what age does a puppy stop nipping?
Often towards the end of teething, around six to seven months, provided you stay consistent day to day and his needs for exercise and chewing are met. Every puppy goes at his own pace.
My puppy bites my ankles and trousers, what should I do?
Don't move your leg: dangling fabric becomes a rope to tug. Redirect him to a toy and check first that he's been out enough and had a good play. It's common in herding puppies, it's instinct, not malice.
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