Puppy nipping and gnawing?

Question

A 12 week old puppy of mine is starting to nip/ gnaw on you finger. I don't know if I should punish her for this because it seems as she is just playing?

How do I tell if she is being ''mean'' or playing around? What is a suitable punishment for her biting? I do NOT want her to be a biter when grown. She is a female schnauzer/ yorkshire mutt.

Answer 1

Get the puppy a chew toy or a part of an old towel and tie knots in it. This puppy needs to cut all it teeth and find out how to use them.  Don't hit as this dog is just a baby and you would not punish a child for biting. Just a firm NO! should do it...Hope you stay friends forever...

Answer 2

All dogs go through a biting stage. You do need to punish her though. Take a newspaper and roll it up. Eventually they will see the paper and stop.  Say no and get a chew toy for her to chew instead of fingers.

Answer 3

My 6 week old puppy does this too.

I give her a little nip back as if she was still with her litter.

Your puppy will grow out of this in time.

:p

Answer 4

this is just what they do when they are puppies.

a light tap on her nose and a high pitched noise which stays the same evry light tap should work, also little spray of water from that thing you get in garden centres to water plants. hope this helps

Answer 5

used music my pet cd, worked perfectly. enough said.

Answer 6

READ!!!

I know what to do!

When she bites, she is teething. So when she gnaws at a human, YELP! Because she knows what it means.

If she doesnt get it, take newspaper and lightly smack her nose when she does it and shove a toy at her! ;P

No humans or posessions are allowed!

Answer 7

Didn't we cover this earlier?

She's a *TEETHING* PUPPY. She'll grow out of it. She's just 12 weeks old.

Cut her a break!

Answer 8

http://www.crickethollowfarm.com/biteinh...

Answer 9

You HAVE to correct her! Now, when she even touches a tooth on your skin, yelp like a dog and turn away from her like you think she's ugly (which she's not!).

Answer 10

do not punish your puppy because they are just learning! there little!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 11

i would say shes just playing thats what all puppies do when they are young but when your dog gets older dont let her/him keep doing it beacuse when its all grown it will think that its good to do that! hope this answer helps! please help with my questions if you can! thanks!

Answer 12

Tap her on the nose and firmly say "no bite." Every time she bites... don't let her. She could be getting ready to lose her baby teeth. Give her something to chew on, but people and your possessions aren't allowed. :)

Answer 13

She is probably teething and playing.  don't play this "biting " game with her, turn your back on her if she bite you.  If she seems to want to chew, give her some suitable alternatives to your flesh like chew toys, raw hides and bones.  My pup adored frozen beef marrow bones, cut into 1-2 inch slices by the butcher.

Answer 14

When you smack or thump a puppies nose, they only think you are playing back and they go for it more.  The loud NO only works once they start to understand things (about one year old).  

My puppy is a Yorkie/Shih Tzu and was doing that so I would curl my fingers up into a fist and let her link my closed hand, then I would put a puppy teething toy in his mouth and he'd forget about my hand and chew on his toy for hours.

You don't have to be mean for forceful, just Teach him by showing him what to do or not to do.  I just got my pup a rubber puppy teething ring and he has not nipped at me once since.  Now he just curls his chin under my neck (aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww).

The rope in knots is good, the small thin towel or clean cloth in knots is good but they really need something firm to chew on.  I gave my pup a nylon spoon (not wood but hard nylon) until I could get the teething ring.  He gave the spoon he**!

Be kind to your puppy, don't let him do something now and expect him not to do it as he gets older.  Show him alternatives over and over.  It's called Training.

Answer 15

While this is a stage that all pup go through it is best to get it under control now.  You can make a loud noise when she does this to scare her so she will stop like screaming ouch! or shake a can with pennies in it. or you can use a spray bottle with water.