Last Updated on November 20, 2021 by Marco
If there is one thing to be said about puppies (apart from general cuteness), they have sharp little teeth and they love to chew – even if it happens to be on your hand. Read on to find out how to stop a husky from biting.
General Information About Husky Puppy Biting
It is natural and normal for a puppy to bite, chew, and nip. They do this as a form of play, but also when they are teething. When puppies lose their baby teeth, just like humans this can hurt. So if this is the case, they need a safe and healthy outlet – chew toys. We will provide more information about this later on in this article.
Normal Puppy Play
If you are ever in a position where you can observe puppies playing with their littermates then you will observe lots of mouth play. If you see puppies playing with their mother, and they nip too hard, she will correct them. She is teaching them, even this early on.
So when you get a puppy home, you have to take over the work she started. All puppies need to play. It is essential for their physical, mental, and emotional development. So you should allow them to mouth play up to a certain point. But if they get too out of control, to the point that they hurt you, then they need to be corrected. When it gets to the point that they are chewing on your hand just for fun, then it needs to stop.
Learn more about: How To Care For A Husky Puppy
How Do I Correct A Biting Puppy?
You do not want mouthing to develop into a bad habit – it is one thing to have a puppy mouthing an adult’s hand, but quite another to have an adult dog thinking this is ok to do it to anyone. The key to puppy play is always making sure they never forget that you are the boss.
Tip #1: Stop Playing With Them
The first way to disarm a chewing pup is to move away from them. If you give them attention when they bite you (even if it is negative attention like shouting), they are still getting a reaction. The best thing to do is to stand up and walk away. All they really want is your time and attention. So by walking away you are sending a clear message that if they bite you then you will deprive them of your time and attention.
Now this is not to say that you should go on ignoring your puppy after this. Go back to playing with them after a few minutes of ‘time out’.
Tip #2: Add A Verbal “No” Command
If they keep nipping and biting then a firm and clear “no” command, accompanied by you removing your hand, will help to teach them right from wrong.
Tip #3: Using Praise
The key to this is persistence and patience – never yell or smack them. Reward them when they do the right thing – if they play nicely with no biting, reward them vigorously with praise (i.e. say “Good Boy!/Good Girl!” plus their name.)
Tip #4: Try Something Different
Now, this is a little unusual but it works – if your dog is really nippy and just generally lost in the moment, try encircling your fingers firmly but gently around their mouth so that they cannot open their mouth. Then quickly blow a short and sharp breath of air on their noses and then release them. This does not hurt the dog but they sure do not like it either! So this action acts as a reinforcer – the message being “if you bite me, then this happens.”
When Do Huskies Stop Biting? It Might Be Teething…
Puppies lose their baby teeth from 3 to 6 months of age. Once they have all of their adult teeth, then the chewing behavior should lessen.
You can look out for these signs of your puppy teething:
- Chewing on everything
- Drooling
- Red and/or swollen gums
- Whining
- You find a tooth that has fallen out
If this is the case then you need to provide your puppy with some comfort. Here’s how.
How To Help A Teething Puppy
- Offer puppy chew toys, specially designed for the teething stage. You can put some rubber toys, like a Kong, in the freezer first. We love this one in the shape of a Binkie
- Give them a cloth to chew on that has been dipped in water, wrung out, and frozen
- Do not give ice cubes as these can chip baby teeth
- Instead give a cold carrot (no more than once per day due to the high amount of fiber in carrots), or frozen banana or strawberries
- Do not give any medication for pain relief unless prescribed by your veterinarian
Why Does My Husky Bite Me? The Takeaway:
Husky puppies (and all puppies for that matter) mouth and chew and nip and bite. This is totally normal. If you watch a pup with its littermates and its mother, you will see that this is a natural part of their learning and socialization. But their mom won’t let them get away with too much!
When your puppy bites you, they are either playing or teething.
If they are playing, and this becomes too rough, you can correct them by disengaging and stopping playing for a few minutes until they settle down before you recommence play. They want your attention and they will quickly learn that if they want it then they have to go about it politely.
You can use verbal reinforcement such as a firm “No” command.
You can also use positive reinforcement such as vigorous praise (using their name) when they play politely without biting your hand.
Finally, if your dog is teething then you can tell because not only are they chewing everything, they are drooling, have red and swollen gums, and maybe whiney.
If teething is the cause of your puppy biting, then give them safe alternatives that can bring some relief such as a frozen soft rubber chew toy, a wet, wrung-out frozen cloth, or some frozen banana or strawberry. Only give pain relief medication prescribed by your vet.
Be patient, and try to remember that your puppy will be passed the teething stage by the time they are around 6 months old.
