The Goldendoodle is a mix of both a Golden Retriever and Poodle, resulting in an incredibly unique mixed dog breed.
They have great temperaments and are fantastic to have as a family pet, even if you have kids.
Despite this, Goldendoodles are prone to be a little nippy when they’re still in the puppy stage, but this is true with nearly any dog breed.
They’re experiencing a new life with tons of energy and enthusiasm, so we should expect nothing less.
However, if your Goldendoodle puppy has been nippier than you’d like, we’re here to save the day. In this listicle, we’re featuring ten ways to get your puppy to stop biting you so darn much.
If you’re reading this and do not yet own a Goldendoodle, here’s a warning: it may be difficult to avoid adopting one once you see how adorable they are!
Contents
Stop Your Goldendoodle Puppy From Biting You
1: Give Them a Toy
Puppies often bite out of pure energy or boredom, so transferring that energy to a toy instead of your hand can help big time.
Next time your puppy bites you, switch out your hand for a toy. The puppy will eventually learn what to bite and what not to bite.
Plus, chew toys can improve dental health and even help ease their boredom. You can also consider giving them a bone instead of a chew toy.
Just keep in mind to only give them raw bones, such as the few noted here. Never give your dog cooked bones, such as chicken or pork bone, which can become lodged in its intestines.
2: Tug-of-War
Tug-of-war is also a great way to help slow or stop biting with puppies. This exercise is a great way to build muscle, stamina and spend energy.
Tug-of-war is recommended by vets worldwide for this very reason.
The short term helps tire them very quickly, perfect for when your puppy just will not settle down for anything.
Tug-of-war is also a great way to improve dental health, depending on the type of toy used.
3: Socialize Them
A dog that is not socialized enough is bound to be bored, especially when it comes to puppies. Socializing a puppy is always recommended due to several reasons.
For starters, it makes them more likely to get along with others better when they’ve grown into adults.
To socialize them, introduce them to other humans, which will distract them onto other matters. What’s better, introduce them to dogs.
This can help to not only make sure your puppy is dog-friendly when they’re fully grown, but is also an excellent way to use up their extra energy and to learn bite control.
4: Don’t Be Too Nice
I get it; it’s difficult to say “NO!” or discipline a puppy that is being a little too nippy with everyone, but it must be done.
Disciplining them while they’re still young makes it easier to punish them when they’re older.
If you never take control and continue to let your puppy nip at you, the situation may only elevate and turn into snapping at older ages, which is harder to train and fix.
It does not take much; a halt of fun activities any time your puppy bites may be enough.
You may also consider rewarding your dog when they listen to any commands to stop biting by giving them a treat or vet-approved bone to chew on. Positive reinforcement is important.
5: Anchor Them
Many puppy owners are all too aware of their puppy being over-energized at the most inconvenient time, even though it’s so frickin’ cute.
To anchor them, simply attach a collar and tie them to a point, such as their opened cage, usually used as a bed, or perhaps a doorknob, anything works.
If you do this, give them something to do or play with (such as a chew toy) or another fun thing to do while they’re anchored.
This can help teach them to be a little more reserved and keep you from having your puppy towering over you while trying to sleep.
6: Teach Bite Control
Teaching bite control may be the only thing you need to do to prevent your puppy from biting you.
This can be done by simply saying “OW!” in a raised tone when it bites down a little too hard. To them, this is seen as a screech and may settle them down by telling them it’s painful.
This same tactic is used similarly by their canine mothers and fathers. It’s also seen in the feline world, especially with lions and tigers.
7: Reward Good Behavior
Dogs love positive vibes, so rewarding them is a great way to prevent biting.
To do this, each time you command your puppy to stop biting, and they listen, give them a small treat.
It may take some time to begin working, but the puppy will inevitably learn that not biting so hard (or not at all) means that they receive a tasty reward.
This tactic is used for many training purposes, such as with police dogs, and works great.
8: Biting Means Game Over
It can be hard to stop playing with a puppy, even if it’s nipped at you a few times. Even after you’ve commanded it to stop biting, continuing playtime is not a good way to approach this.
To have better results, when your puppy bites you, stop playing immediately.
After a few times, your puppy will learn that biting means playtime is over.
9: Play Dates Help
Let’s take a moment to look at our childhood; when we were overactive and hyper, what did our guardians do?
They paired us with others our age, which always led to a calmer afternoon as we spent all our energy having fun with our friends.
This same concept works wonders with puppies. If you do not know of any other puppy owners, look around on local Facebook groups for others also looking for playdates.
You may find someone who lives close by with a puppy of similar age. Playdates are a great way to socialize your puppy and spend all of that trapped energy.
10: Exercise Them More
Puppies are full of energy, with each new day an exciting adventure full of surprises and new things to smell.
Exercising your puppy can help reduce the nipping by using up some of that pent-up energy.
Try taking your puppy for a short walk each day, or better yet, play in your backyard if you have one by tossing a toy back and forth.
This not only uses up the energy but also helps make your puppy stronger and healthier. You can also exercise your puppy by training them.
Start by hiding treats in certain areas, and each time it finds a treat, tell them to find the next one. This will keep them busy while also using all of that positive energy.
Takeaway
Puppies are truly a work of nature. They can quickly bring a smile to anyone and are some of the most joyful beings on the planet.
Yet, when the biting starts, it can be challenging to find out how to stop it. Here, we have listed ten ways to stop your puppy from biting you.
Keep in mind, some may work better than others, so if one does not work, try another and give it time. Often, many puppies go through a nipping and biting phase that may stop on its own.
