Why does my 7-week puppy prefer biting me and furniture over toys?

Question

Why does my 7 week old puppy bite everything but his toys. I know he's teething which is why he bites so much, but he had a wide variety of toys (a rope, multiple balls, teething bones, some plush toys) yet he'd rather bite us or a blanket or the side of the couch. Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 1 month and 25 days old

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

Play biting and being excessively "mouthy" is very common in puppies. I have not personally had luck with the techniques of saying "No!" or holding the muzzle. I that makes puppies more excited. My general rule for puppies is that you make a high pitched squeak (like a littermate puppy would do if they bit too hard), then walk away from the situation. More than anything, your puppy wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so they are less likely to do that behavior again. Depending on the puppy, the goal is to get them to look away from you or start doing something else before you engage in play again. I found that a long rope toy made a good toy to play with my puppy because there was lots of toy for him to bite at without touching my skin. I also found that allowing him to play with other dogs was a great way for him to learn what was appropriate play. I took my dog to doggy day care twice a week as a puppy which really helped with his energy level as well as appropriate play technique. And finally, start a puppy class. A basic obedience class is so important for a puppy. They want to behave, but don't know what to do with their energy. In order to deter Jasper from chewing on things that he is not supposed to, you may consider using Bitter Apple or another bitter tasting spray. I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Why does my 7-week puppy prefer biting me and furniture over toys?

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