What to do when your puppy bites everything in your home
Did you know that the puppy's way of exploring the world is through its mouth? That's why it bites and tastes everything. Their mouth can be likened to human hands, if the puppy wants to grab or hold something it uses its mouth. It's perfectly normal for your puppy to bite or chew on everything around them at this age - your puppy is simply curious about the world around them!
Do this for the puppy that bites
Something you need to do to prepare for puppy chewing is to puppy-proof your home, remove anything you are afraid of and anything that could be dangerous for your dog to chew or taste. Puppy proofing your home is the key to preventing your puppy from getting hurt. For example, think about cords, curtains, potted plants, rugs and toys. Anything you don't want your puppy to chew on should be out of your puppy's reach.
Another thing you can do to prepare for puppy chewing is to make sure your puppy has an exciting selection of toys. Take out a few toys at a time, replacing them with other toys so that the toys are always perceived as new and fun for the dog. For a dog that likes to chew, chew bones are also good. Buy chews that are adapted to your puppy's size and that have the right amount of chewing resistance.
What not to do when your puppy chews
Chewing is a phase that should pass. When your puppy is chewing on something, be careful not to distract the dog's behaviour by offering something extra fun like a toy or treat, this can create a problem as the dog may accidentally learn that if it bites on things in the home, you will come and offer a fun game or treat. You should also not punish the behaviour, if you get angry and raise your voice or grab the neck skin you risk scaring the puppy. You don't teach a dog what it can and can't chew by getting angry.
If the puppy does find something less suitable to chew on, it's important to stay calm. Walk slowly towards the dog while talking to the puppy and bring a normal toy to focus on. When the puppy becomes curious about what you are doing and lets go of the unauthorised item, say "thank you" and in reward give the dog the toy you brought. In this way you show the dog what is okay to chew on. It is important that the toy you bring is something that is always available, not a treat.
