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My new puppy constantly bites my hands and arms. How can I stop it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 10 lbs

hi there! we just got an australian cattle dog mix that is about 9 weeks old and he is constantly biting/chewing on our hands, wrists and arms. we have tried a few things in the past few days since we adopted him but he keeps doing it, even if he stopped him moments before. any tips?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on May 17th, 2018

Congratulations on your new puppy! 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 find 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. Repetition is the key to this training process. 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 is 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. And an Aussie mix certainly has a lot of energy! I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on January 5th, 2018

    Congratulations on your new puppy! 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. In general, it sounds like you are doing things correctly. The other thing I will add 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, Jax wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so he is 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 is a great way for him to learn what is 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. I would also work on other ways to tired Jax out. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps him busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. There are also a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that am intrigued about it. clever.pet 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. So, I think including a variety of activities daily including a wide range of physical and mental stimulation should help decrease Jax's energy level and will also help you work on his biting. Be sure to be creative to tire him out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on January 14th, 2018

    I'm so sorry that you are having this problem with Jax and certainly undertand how frustrating having a puppy can be. 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, Jax wants to play with you. If you walk away, it is negative reinforcement, so he is 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 is 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. It sounds like Jax has a lot of energy, so you will need to be creative in finding ways to tire him out. You can consider treats that keep him busy for a longer period of time such as a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. To keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. There are also a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. clever.pet 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. I hope that was helpful! Good luck! Thanks for using PetCoach.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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