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My 6-month-old puppy's biting is out of control. What can I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 4 months and 24 days old | 25 lbs

Hi this is my little nova she is 6 months old ! I’ve been training her in many different ways , one problem I have with her is that she takes her play biting to a different level just need help on teaching her ways on how to stop biting when I say so, what should I do !!??

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2 Answers

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Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

Veterinarian

Published on April 3rd, 2018

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Nova is adorable! Play biting is very normal in puppy-hood, though at 6 months this should be significantly improved or resolved. Never use your hands to play with her or rile her up. Only offer toys. The minute she gets crazy and starts lunging for your hands, etc you need to make her sit or lay down. Always have treats on you to reward her when she listens. If she is too worked up and not listening, put her in a 5 minute time out. Try to have a leash on her at all times, I really like the muzzle gentle leader harnesses as it allows great head control. That way you can easily pull her off you. She should know how to look and leave it on command. If you are reaching a plateau with training I recommend hiring a trainer to focus on your areas of concern. Professionals can really help when we have exhausted what we can do alone. Exercise is also important: frequent walks and play time or consider doggie daycare a few times per week. I hope this helps and I think Nova will outgrow this stage very soon! https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-nipping-of-hands/

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 22nd, 2017

    Nova is play biting but those bites can certainly hurt. It is uncommon for a puppy to be aggressive at her age and that isn't what you are describing. You can give her toys to pull on and play with, put her in her crate when she gets overly excited and take her for lots of walks. Nova is at the 'teenage brat' stage so be patient and she should outgrow this behavior. Taking her to a group obedience class will help you train her and she'll get used to behaving around other dogs. Definitely keep her busy and tired every day, a tired dog is a happy dog. They have puppy training classes at PetCo. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Nova.

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