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My puppy bites me hard when I try to stop her chewing. What to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 9 months and 20 days old | 38 lbs

So I am getting so frustrated that my dog doesn't listen to me.I try rewarding her for the good things she does.When I tell her no and take away what she's not supposed to chew she bites me as hard as she can I tell her firmly no and try giving her something else to chew on but she just keeps biting me harder.What can I do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on August 24th, 2017

I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Darby. I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal puppy behaviour. Puppies learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. The biting behaviour will diminish with age. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Darby or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Darby bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with her for a few moments. This over time will teach her that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing her as she starts to play in a good way by not biting, and give her a small training treat. If Darby does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, consider puppy socialisation classes or potentially a few sessions with a behaviourist. Distraction, increased exercise, and redirection will also help. Other games which may be fun with Darby are hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide her toys and she has to find them. Or classic fetch. This resource should help! https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ I hope this was helpful!

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3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 3rd, 2017

    I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Darby. I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal puppy behaviour. Puppies learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. Puppies can also bite more while teething. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Darby or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Darby bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with her for a few moments. This over time will teach her that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing her as she starts to play in a good way by not biting, and giver her a small training treat. If Darby does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, consider puppy socialisation classes or potentially a few sessions with a behaviourist. Other games which may be fun with Darby are hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide her toys and she has to find them. Or classic fetch. I hope this was helpful!

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    4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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