07/05/2026
Puppy Biting & Toy Redirection – Clearing Up a Common Myth
Over the years of dog training, we’ve had many people question our advice to redirect puppy biting onto toys. Some believe this will encourage biting – including my own granny! This simply isn’t the case.
Redirecting a puppy onto toys (including chaser toys and tug toys) teaches them that toys are how they interact and play with humans, not hands or clothing.
Puppy biting is completely natural behaviour. Why? Puppies explore the world through their mouths. They don’t have hands, so when they come across something new they’ll usually sniff it, lick it, and give it a wee nibble. This is all normal.
Where problems arise is during play with humans. Biting often starts off soft and can gradually get harder. In some breeds, this can even break the skin, which understandably worries people.
However, shouting, squealing, or flapping your arms when a puppy bites will often make things worse. This usually:
Excites the puppy more, leading to harder biting, or
Causes the puppy to shut down out of fear
A dog that is scared of you will not work for you. You can say a swift goodbye to a reliable recall – because why would a dog come back to someone they’re afraid of?
To keep arousal levels appropriate and ensure I’m always in control during toy play, I ask for small behaviours and reward with the toy (as shown with Blue in the video). This teaches the puppy that calm behaviour makes play happen.
Be mindful that puppies will often work their way up the toy towards your hands at first. Using a longer tug toy helps keep distance while they’re learning.
If your puppy is biting due to teething pain, offer appropriate relief such as:
Hard chews
Frozen vegetables
Frozen teething toys
The cooling sensation soothes sore gums and helps redirect chewing appropriately.
Anyone who’s raised children knows teething is painful – that blood-curdling scream at night isn’t pleasant! Human babies often get pain relief, teething gels, or powders. These aren’t routinely tested or used in puppies, so providing safe, appropriate chew options is the best way to support them. If you have any further worries about toy play or puppy biting please get in touch
