How to Stop a Puppy From Biting Clothes

When puppies first begin to get their teeth, the teething process leads them to chew on anything and everything they can get their mouths around. Teething puppies will chew on furniture, toys, shoes and even clothing or body parts. Chewing and biting is a natural behavior for puppies, but curbing it is necessary to prevent it from continuing into adulthood.

Instructions

    • 1

      Respond immediately each time the puppy bites clothing or a body part. Respond only when the puppy bites in a way that you want to discourage. Some friendly biting is acceptable, but biting clothes or biting the skin is not.

    • 2

      Respond firmly to the puppy every time it bites on you or your clothing. Tell the puppy "ouch" in a firm but neutral tone. Your tone should not be angry, high-pitched or loud.

    • 3

      Give the puppy a timeout period when it does not respond to your "ouch" response. Close the puppy off in the room where the chewing or biting occurred for 30 seconds to one minute. This action tells the puppy exactly which behavior it is being punished for, because you responded immediately.

    • 4

      Continue this process, briefly punishing the puppy every time it bites in a way that you want to discourage. Be diligent about continuing the "ouch" and brief timeout process, because breaking this routine can confuse the puppy and disrupt the training process.

    • 5

      Spray a bitter product on clothing the puppy continues to bite and chew. There are several commercially available products that use natural ingredients with bitter flavors to ward off biting and chewing dogs without causing harm to the clothing or other surfaces, or to the dog.

    • 6

      Seek professional help if all else fails. Professional dog trainers can impart training techniques and knowledge if you are having difficulty with a stubborn puppy. Puppy kindergarten classes, which are available through many pet stores and veterinary clinics, teach puppy training skills using pet-friendly and humane techniques.