How do I stop my excited puppy from biting my hands and legs?

Question

I have been having issues with my puppy biting and everything I have tried does not seem to work. She seems to do it when she's over excited or if she doesn't get her way. She tends to bite my legs and hands for the most part. I have tried time outs in her crate to calm down which doesn't help at all. I've also tried to redirect with a toy or something appropriate to chew on which sometimes helps but not always. I also have tried getting her focused on training which sometimes helps. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 9 months and 17 days old | 14.6 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Playful biting and mouthing are very normal at this age - Piper is still quite young, so she is still learning how to control herself when she gets excited. You are doing the right thing by redirecting her to a toy or some other object to chew on when she starts to bite. To increase the chances of this tactic working, make sure that you have a variety of different toys to use when you play with her - long floppy rope or fleece toys for tugging, plush toys for biting and carrying, and smaller toys or balls for chasing and fetching. Experiment with different toys and different types of play to see what she likes, so that you know how to engage her effectively when she gets excited. You can also help by learning to recognize the signs that she is starting to get overly wound up, so that you can switch to a calmer activity (such as training, or giving a chew item like a bully stick or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter) before she starts to bite you. I do not recommend any kind of punishment for this behavior, as it often makes the dog more frustrated and worsens the problem over time. Instead, be patient and continue to redirect her to toys or other activities when she starts to get excited. She should grow out of this behavior as she gets older and more emotionally mature.

How do I stop my excited puppy from biting my hands and legs?

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