Bringing home a new puppy is full of joy—those big eyes, wagging tail, and endless energy. But for many new owners, there’s a sharp reality: those tiny, needle-like teeth sinking into your hands, arms, or pants. If your 3-month-old puppy seems to target you more than anyone else in the household, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common challenges new puppy parents face, and it’s completely normal.
The good news? This intense biting phase is temporary.
It’s a natural part of puppy development, driven by teething, play exploration, and surging energy. Even better, it’s often a sign of something positive: your puppy feels safest and most excited around you, so they “play hardest” with their favorite person.
Understanding Why Puppies Bite So Much
At around 8–16 weeks old, puppies are in a key developmental window. Their baby teeth are sharp, and they’re losing them as adult teeth come in (typically starting around 3–4 months). Chewing and mouthing provide relief during teething, much like how human babies gnaw on toys.
Mouthing and play-biting also stem from natural canine behavior. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, seek attention, and practice social play. In litters, puppies learn to soften their bites through feedback from siblings—if one bites too hard, the play stops. When separated early, they need gentle guidance from humans to build these skills further.
Overstimulation plays a big role too. Biting often spikes when puppies are overtired, hungry, or “zoomy” from too much excitement. It’s not about dominance or seeing you as a “littermate”—it’s simply a baby dog with zero impulse control yet, expressing normal needs in the clumsiest way possible.
This phase usually peaks around 3–4 months and starts fading with consistent management, as puppies gain better control around 5–6 months.
What Doesn’t Help (And Can Make It Worse)
It’s tempting to react strongly when those teeth hurt—yelling, pushing the puppy away roughly, or holding their mouth shut. However, these responses often increase arousal and frustration, leading to more biting. Puppies at this age don’t yet understand “don’t bite” as an abstract command; punishment-based approaches can confuse them or damage trust.
Instead, focus on clear, calm communication that teaches what to do rather than just stopping what you don’t want.
A Gentle, Effective Plan to Reduce Biting
The most reliable approach combines management (preventing unwanted behavior), redirection (offering better options), and brief removal of attention (teaching consequences naturally). Here’s a simple, step-by-step plan based on positive, force-free methods:
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Always Provide Legal Chew Options
Keep appropriate toys within easy reach whenever your puppy is awake and interacting. Soft ropes, stuffed Kongs (try freezing them for extra relief), or safe chews make better targets than your hands. Pro tip: Rotate toys to keep them exciting. I have many other toy recommendations if you want ideas. -
Redirect Calmly and Immediately
The moment teeth touch skin or clothing, say a neutral marker like “Oops” in a calm voice (it is hard to sound angry with an Oops, which is the point). Then, gently place a toy towards your puppy’s mouth and praise enthusiastically when they engage with it. This swaps the target without drama. -
Use Brief Walk-Aways for Persistent Biting
If redirection doesn’t work and biting continues, stand up and calmly walk away for 10–30 seconds (or step behind a baby gate if needed). No eye contact or talking—just remove the fun (you!). When you return, resume play with a toy. This clearly communicates: “Biting ends the good stuff.” Consistency here is key and often the breakthrough many owners miss. -
Prevent Overstimulation
Watch for signs of tiredness or overload (frantic zooming, ignoring toys, escalated biting). That’s your cue for a calm reset: a crate nap, quiet chew session, or enriched downtime. Naps (1–2 hours multiple times a day) prevent many biting episodes before they start. -
Build Gentle Habits as They Mature
Around 4–5 months, when impulse control improves, you can refine softer mouthing through continued redirection and praise for gentle interactions. -
Some Pups Are Hungry
I see lots of overly hungry pups being “bitey”. You’d be cranky and frustrated too if you were a hungry kid.
Most puppies respond quickly to this structure. Owners often report noticeable improvement within days to weeks when everyone in the household follows the same plan.
Seek Extra Support
While play-biting and mouthing are normal, some puppies may show unusually intense or frantic patterns. For complex cases involving potential health concerns, significant behavioral challenges, or if biting doesn’t improve with consistent management, owners are encouraged to consult a veterinarian (to rule out pain or medical issues) or… that’s what I’m here for. Usually puppy mouthing is not a medical issue, it is a developmental issue that will pass.
And by the way, part of the problem is that you have no communication built with your dog. That can only be solved by proper puppy obedience training, and the sooner you start your puppy, the better. The next level of issues you will face will not be solved by the above… you will need to train your dog.