Why Your Puppy Bites Everything (And When To Worry)

The single most-asked puppy question we get. Here's what's normal, what's not, and the protocol that works in 2 weeks.

What's Normal Puppy Biting

Puppies between 8 and 20 weeks bite for four reasons:

1. Teething — pain in the jaws, relief from chewing
2. Play — biting is dog social play, full stop
3. Exploring — mouth is the puppy's hands
4. Attention-seeking — biting gets a reaction

All of this is normal. None of it is "aggression." A 14-week-old Labrador chewing your ankles is not on the path to a bite history; it's on the path to needing structure.

What's Not Normal

• Puppy under 16 weeks freezing, growling, and snapping at family members
• Hard, repeated bites that draw blood at 12+ weeks
• Resource guarding food, toys, or sleeping spots from humans
• Targeting one specific family member (often a child)

These are real concerns. Book the $50 evaluation immediately. Early intervention dramatically improves the prognosis.

The 2-Week Redirect Protocol

Week 1: Manage and Redirect

Every time the puppy puts teeth on skin or clothes:

1. Yelp once, calm, no anger ("ouch!")
2. Stand up, walk away for 10 seconds
3. Return, redirect to a chew toy
4. If puppy bites toy → praise, play
5. If puppy bites you again → repeat

The puppy learns: teeth on skin = play stops; teeth on toy = play continues.

Do not:

• Yell. The puppy escalates.
• Hit, alpha-roll, or scruff. You build fear and create a real bite case at 18 months.
• Use bitter spray. Doesn't generalise; the puppy moves on to the next thing.

Week 2: Add the Cue

After 7 days of consistent redirection, add a cue word ("easy" or "gentle") right before the redirection. The puppy associates the word with "stop biting now or play ends."

By end of week 2, "easy" alone usually stops the behaviour mid-bite. By week 4, the puppy stops trying.

Tired Puppies Bite Less

A high percentage of "biting puppy" cases are tired puppies that didn't get proper rest. Puppies under 16 weeks need 16 to 20 hours of sleep daily. If your puppy is hyper-biting at 5 PM, the puppy is overtired, not under-stimulated.

The fix is more crate naps, not more park visits.

Mental Stimulation > Physical

A 30-minute walk burns less energy than 10 minutes of structured training. Snuffle mat feeding, frozen Kongs, basic obedience drills, and food puzzles all reduce biting behaviour faster than long walks.

The Toronto Reality

We see "biting puppy" calls from Markham, Mississauga, Vaughan, and across the GTA. The protocol works in every case where the family executes consistently. It fails when one parent enforces and the other "lets it slide."

Puppy training — from $1,750 →

$50 evaluation →. Call (647) 551-2633.