Santino is doing great but, he has a biting problem right now. With strangers in the park or other people he doesn’t bite at all. But with me, he incessantly bites my hands and arms. I understand that he’s teething and I try to have him bite on his toy. But he prefers biting my hands. Any advice?

It’s not only that he’s teething, but that’s how puppies play with their littermates. He only bites you because you are a member of his pack. If Santino was with his mom and littermates, he would do the same to them, but the mom would put a stop to it. The way she would do it is to growl and bark at him, she may grab him by the scruff of his neck and give him a rough shake. You could mimic that by shouting a sharp “ouch” when he bites you, then grab his neck and give him a little shake, then lay him down on his side until he calms down. Another thing you can try is to tap him on the bridge of his nose with your finger. It shouldn’t be a blow to him, but it should be done with a little force so he knows you mean business. Again, you should lay him down on his side, and hold him down with your hand until he calms down. You have to be consistent and do this for several days, he’ll learn to leave you alone soon enough.

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Tags: Biting