Good Puppy Manners

Teaching Your Puppy to Play Gently

• Redirection: During play sessions always redirect your puppy’s nipping behaviors to a favorite toy. Keep a special toy away and in a secure place and present it to your puppy during each play session. Your puppy will begin to associate the “special toy” with play and focus his nipping and tugging to the toy, not to your hands or clothing!
• Stop the Play: If your puppy persists with nipping, communicate to him that nipping is not acceptable by stopping play whenever he nips. React immediately and loudly, saying "Ouch – that hurts!!!”, and end the play session. Only begin playing again when your puppy is calm.
• Introduce an Alternate Command: If your puppy is enrolled in a puppy class, begin to use his sit and down commands during play sessions. Use these regularly, not just in response to nipping. When your puppy becomes too excited and tries to use his mouth, command him to sit or lie down. Praise quietly when he responds correctly to these commands.
 
• Time-outs: A time-out can be used when your puppy persists with nipping despite the previous techniques. Stop the play session and put your puppy in an area that is "puppy-safe", such as his crate, the kitchen or a utility room. Do not interact with him for several minutes. Then, when he is calm, return and release him and begin playing again. (Take care not to overuse this technique because of the risk of your puppy forming a negative association with his crate).