Bite Inhibition Guide: Teaching Your Puppy to Be Gentle

Stop Puppy Biting in 5 Simple Steps

1️Teach Soft Biting (Bite Inhibition)

 Stop playing and ignore them for a few seconds.
 If they bite gently, continue play and reward calm behaviour.
 Be consistent—repeat this every time!

2️Redirect to a Toy or Chew

 Puppies explore the world with their mouths—give them a better option!
Offer safe chew toys like:

• Kong toys

• Frozen carrots

• Rope toys (with supervision)

• Yak bars or antlers give your puppy something interesting to chew

3️Avoid Rough Play & Hands as Toys

 Never encourage play-biting with your hands.
 Use tug toys instead of wrestling.
 If your puppy gets overexcited, pause play until they calm down.

4️ Reward Good Behaviour

 Praise and treat your puppy when they:
 Play without biting.
 Chew a toy instead of your hands.
 Respond well to training!

5️ Use Time-Outs for Persistent Biting

 If biting continues, stop interacting and walk away for 30-60 seconds.
 Return only when they are calm.
 Repeat until your puppy learns that biting = no fun!

Time outs should be longer, if your puppy is very bity they probably need to sleep and are over tired or over stimulated.

Your puppy may also be hungry, make sure they get 3-4 meals a day of good quality filling food.

 What NOT to Do:

 Don’t yell or physically punish your puppy.
 Don’t jerk your hand away quickly—it encourages chasing.
 Don’t give mixed signals (e.g., playing with hands one moment, scolding the next).

Bonus Tip: Keep Your Puppy Active & Engaged!

 Regular play, training, and mental stimulation reduce boredom and biting.