We've had this cute little guy (who won't be little long) for just over a week. What tips do you have to get him to stop biting when he plays with us? He's about 8-9 weeks old.

While he’s playing, here are your options:

✅ Use a tug and pull-like toy if you think the biting is his way of wanting to do a physical game (for his age it shouldn’t last longer than 8-10 minutes straight)

✅ Try randomly and/or if you think his biting is due to being overstimulated or bored of physical play, to present to his nose a scent of food or a treat of his. This will help shift his mindset and wind down, while also letting you know if he’d prefer to switch to a more mentally stimulating game rather than a physical one.

✅ If you think he’s tired from engaging (which should be the case about 25-30 minutes it engaging activities), bring out a stuffed Kong that he fan chew on and soothe in an area like a playpen. Once he is ready to sleep, you can then place him in his crate for resting time. :)

Those are my Dos, and here are my Don’ts:

❌ Don’t yelp, squeal or maky sounds to try to discourage the biting. The less of a reaction, the better. If it hurts, wear gloves or thicker clothing to minimuze a reaction. A reaction can often act as a reinforcer of the behaviour, as most puppies won’t understand that they hurt you.

❌ Don’t scold, punish or correct the behaviour. This is mainly because you want to make sure that your interactions represent guidance and support, not confrontation or confusion. Your best solution is to guide/redirect and prevent as much as possible.

❌ Don’t do timeouts. You want time apart to represent relaxation and rest, not confusion or frustration. Use time apart when your pup is ready to rest, in order to create that association.