If you’re up late-night googling my puppy keeps biting me aggressively then you’re not the only one.
Puppies might bite for multiple reasons but if there’s one thing that certain is that it’s stressful, not to mention painful.
But here’s the thing…
All puppies bite to some extent. Whether it’s a playful nip or something more severe, there’s always going to be some degree of mouthing and nipping as it’s just how puppies explore new things.
The problem however is when this behavior goes into the realm of inflicting real damage (either to you or anyone else that comes within biting range), which is why it’s important to steer your pup away from this behavior before it escalates into something more serious.
Fortunately, dealing with your pup’s tendency to bite, can be relatively easy to solve with the right plan of action.
And this is why before you do anything else, I’d highly recommend taking a look at the short video below from Dan Abdelnoor (aka Doggy Dan) over at The Online Dog Trainer.
During the video, Dan reveals what to do, but more importantly, what NOT to do when it comes to calming the aggressive nature of your pup.
Not only will you find this video helpful if your pup exhibits challenging behaviors like aggression. It’s also a great resource for new puppy owners who need a bit of help through the early days.
Anyway, here’s the video link to take a look: Click Here To Discover How To Finally Stop Your Puppy’s Aggressive, Unwanted Biting Habit… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
(video will open in new window)
The Difference Between Playful & Aggressive Puppy Bites
Dogs are popularly known as man’s best friend
This is because they are not only loyal but are also present to pick you up whenever you are down.
Apart from keeping you active through play and exercise puppies also make you happier.
In addition, your dog will ensure your home’s security and you will have peace of mind.
It can, therefore, be very frustrating when you see your best pal developing aggressive behavior and even worse, aggressive biting.
I think we can all agree that biting and chewing are normal behaviors in a puppy.
However, there is the question of how much and how often a puppy bites incessantly.
This is why you need to know the difference between friendly biting and aggressive biting.
Play Biting
Puppies naturally bite.
They love to nip each other when playing which is usually fine as it’s all part of their development and socialization.
And when your puppy left his canine family to live with your family, he’ll naturally bring this nipping and biting behavior with him.
So it’s no surprise that your puppy will generally engage you in playful mouthing which is usually painless and far less serious.
However, this behavior may escalate which could leave you with a painful scratch from the so-called playful mouthing.
This is because as your puppy grows he will keep testing everything using his mouth and on occasion, may end up chewing on you.
This activity may be initially harmless but it may escalate.
Your playful puppy may look relaxed but if you look closer you may notice tension in his facial muscles.
If this is the case then you might find your puppy is on the track to becoming aggressive.
Aggressive Biting
This type of biting is harmful and more serious compared to mouthful play.
When your puppy becomes aggressive he will express her intention to bite you by lowering his head, growling, and staring at you.
Irrespective of what your puppy is doing, like guarding a toy, piece of meat, or even bread this is a sign of attempting to establish control.
When your puppy becomes aggressive you will notice some degree of stiffness in their body.
And in some circumstances, they will also pull back the lips to reveal their teeth in readiness for biting.
This act is usually quicker and more painful compared to playful mouthing.
Related Post: What To Do If Your Puppy Gets Aggressive When Tired
Why Does My Puppy Keep Biting Me Aggressively?
Every human being is unique and so are puppies.
So it shouldn’t come as a shock to discover that many puppies bite for different reasons.
However, there are some common reasons why puppies bite which include…
- Teething
- Pent up energy
- Fatigue
So let’s take a closer look at each of these in detail…
Teething
Puppies are mammals and just like human babies, they will undergo teething after some months.
They will have new teeth coming in and it surprising to realize that owners tend to forget this fact.
With the coming of new stronger teeth, your puppy will start to look for harder items like kitchen knobs, legs of a chair or even iron items to try the strength of the new teeth.
The only way you can help your puppy when teething is to provide hard play items.
A great way to work towards relieving their teething gum is by giving them frozen peanut butter or wet dog food.
You can also look out for company products that relieve teething gum.
Some work better than others but whatever it is that you decide to use, make sure that it is either cold or frozen.
Pent Up Energy
Obviously, in the early stages of development, your puppy will have a lot of energy.
If you do not give him an opportunity to drain this energy productively then unlikable behaviors such as chewing and biting will occur.
Activities such as taking your puppy out for a walk and having light playing session s with it are paramount.
In the process, you’ll also be bonding with your puppy, and offering simple obedience training will become easier.
Puppies with so much pent-up energy will always be mischievous and you have to chip in to help them drain this energy in a likable manner.
Fatigue And Exhaustion
Your puppy needs enough sleep.
And just like us humans if they don’t sleep enough they are likely to be overtired leading to undesirable behavior.
This could include chewing, biting and failure to listen to instructions.
To ensure that your puppy gets adequate sleep, organize to have them sleep a safe and comfortable place.
It is common to find many puppy owners letting their puppies sleep in a crate which is an excellent idea.
Got Puppy Problems? Click Here To Discover How To Finally Stop Your Puppy’s Aggressive, Unwanted Biting Habit… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
Possible Causes Of Aggression In Puppies
As your puppy continues to grow, he’ll usually start to establish a certain level of dominance which can escalate into aggression.
Now, there are many times when a puppy’s behavior will be misinterpreted obviously because human communication is different from canine communication.
As such when your puppy is guarding its toys or food it may express its desire to have its place in the family and this may be seen as aggression.
This can worsen with time when you continue to threaten your puppies place in the family or punish them for showing aggressive behavior.
However, there are a number of factors that are generally accepted as the possible causes of aggression in puppies.
These include…
Hormones
Just like humans, most dogs conduct is controlled by hormones.
Testosterone is a hormone that is present in high levels particularly when your male puppy reaches adolescence.
This hormone triggers quick and intense reactions in your puppy and the reactions are likely to last longer.
On a positive note, this behavior is usually temporary and as your puppy approaches adulthood, testosterone levels go down reducing the frequency of these reactions.
At this point, you may consider neutering males since this can cool them.
On the other hand, you may realize that even your female puppy is getting aggressive especially when sprayed.
The best solution for an aggressive female puppy is to seek the consultation of a vet.
Disagreements
This may happen after play gets out of control and your puppy feels threatened.
Ideally, your puppy will see snarls as a way of chasing away threats and will interpret this as a defense.
The bad news is that in the future, this can cause your puppy to develop instinctive aggression whenever he feels threatened.
Once this behavior escalates, you are likely to find the puppy initiating the aggression so as to ensure their own safety.
Idiopathic Aggression
It is sometimes hard to establish the cause of a puppy’s aggression.
At times it may seem like they’re happy one minute and causing trouble the next.
Even when showing signs of submission your puppy could still continue to demonstrate aggressive behavior even when there is no threat present.
However, some triggers, even something as simple as clipping your pup’s nails may be the primary causes of these unpredicted reactions.
How To Stop Aggressive Biting
So before we look at how to stop aggressive puppy biting it is important to first understand that setting boundaries for your puppy is paramount.
Here you should make your puppy understand that getting his teeth on someone is wrong whether it’s during play or not.
So as the owner it is important to stop any play that is negative and set rules so they know when it’s time for play biting and when they should not bite.
Here are some of the things you can do to stop aggressive biting in puppies…
Use Bitter Apple
This spray product discourages puppies from chewing and biting items.
It can be sprayed on the furniture, your hands, carpets, and rags.
The moment a puppy’s tongue touches the flavor of this product, it will immediately withdraw.
During training apply bitter apple on your hands and this will discourage the puppy from getting his teeth on your hands.
With continued use, your puppy will eventually get the idea and be less inclined to bite.
Never Be Physical
You may be tempted to smack your puppy when he bites you.
Let me make this absolutely clear…
This does not make it right and it does NOT stop aggressive behavior.
Actually hitting your puppy feeds into its aggression and it will trigger an instinctive need to defend itself resulting in more aggression.
Therefore when your puppy bites, withdraw your hand or send a firm ‘no’ message to discourage the behavior.
Encourage Interactive Behavior
Here you have to replace teasing and rough play with bonding behavior like going for a walk and basking in the sun together.
This will make your puppy more friendly than violent.
Just like children, your puppy will feed off of your positive behavior and be less likely to bite or act aggressively.
Puppy Biting Too Hard? Click Here To Discover How To Finally Stop Your Puppy’s Aggressive, Unwanted Biting Habit… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
Wrapping Things Up
Finally, it is important to set boundaries and encourage positive behavior in your puppy.
When you interact with gentle communication you will be surprised at how friendly your puppy will become as he grows.
Otherwise rough play, numerous disagreements, threats, and teasing should be avoided at high costs since they tend to promote aggression in puppies.
