How I Stopped My Shih Tzu Puppy From Biting: What Actually Helped

When I first brought Alex home, I expected puppy teeth.

What I didn’t expect was just how often those tiny teeth would find my hands.

At first, I found it funny.

Alex would get excited during play, grab onto my fingers, and start chewing as if my hand was his favorite toy. His little face made it difficult to take him seriously.

But after a while, the cute puppy biting became something I needed to address.

I started wondering whether I was accidentally encouraging the behavior, whether I should tell him “no,” and what I could give him instead.

That’s when I realized something important about raising a puppy:

You don’t just want to stop the behavior. You want to teach the puppy what to do instead.

This is what helped me understand and manage Alex’s puppy biting, and what I would tell any first-time puppy owner going through the same stage.

Why Do Puppies Bite So Much?

Puppy biting is extremely common.

Puppies explore their environment with their mouths, and chewing can become especially noticeable during teething.

They’re also learning how to interact with people, dogs, toys, and their surroundings.

So when a puppy bites your hand, it doesn’t necessarily mean the puppy is aggressive.

Sometimes they’re playing.

Sometimes they’re excited.

Sometimes they’re tired.

Sometimes they’re teething.

And sometimes they simply haven’t learned yet that human hands aren’t chew toys.

Understanding the reason behind the behavior helped me respond to Alex more calmly.

The Difference Between Puppy Biting and Aggression

This is something I think every first-time owner should understand.

A playful puppy may:

• Bounce around during play
• Grab toys and hands
• Wag their tail
• Become excited
• Bite and immediately return to playing
• Chew objects around them

Aggressive behavior can look very different and may involve other concerning body-language signals.

If you’re genuinely worried about your puppy’s behavior, particularly if biting is intense, fearful, unpredictable, or accompanied by concerning body language, it’s worth speaking with a qualified veterinarian or behavior professional rather than trying to diagnose the problem yourself.

My First Mistake Was Treating Every Bite the Same

Initially, whenever Alex bit me, my instinct was to react immediately.

But I gradually realized that I needed to look at what happened before the bite.

Was he playing?

Was he overtired?

Had he been awake for too long?

Was he chewing because his gums were bothering him?

Was I moving my hands around and accidentally making them more exciting?

That changed how I approached the problem.

Instead of simply thinking:

“Alex is biting again.”

I started thinking:

“Why is Alex biting right now?”

That small change made training much more productive.

I Stopped Using My Hands as Toys

This was one of the simplest changes I made.

If you encourage a puppy to chase, grab, or chew your hands during play, it becomes difficult for the puppy to understand why biting hands is suddenly unacceptable at another time.

So I started making toys the focus of play.

Instead of wrestling with my hands, Alex could grab an appropriate toy.

Instead of encouraging him to chase my fingers, I redirected his attention toward something he was actually allowed to chew.

The message became much clearer:

Hands are for interaction. Toys are for chewing.

Redirection Worked Better Than Constantly Saying “No”

One of the biggest lessons I learned was that telling Alex “no” didn’t explain what I wanted him to do.

Imagine a puppy thinking:

“Okay, I’m not supposed to bite this. What am I supposed to bite?”

That’s where redirection became useful.

When Alex started biting during play, I could offer an appropriate toy instead.

Once he engaged with the toy, I could continue the interaction.

This gave him an alternative rather than simply stopping him without teaching another behavior.

I Learned to End Play When Biting Became Too Much

Sometimes puppies become more excited the longer you play.

I noticed that when Alex became overly excited, the biting could become more intense.

Instead of turning the situation into a battle, I learned to calmly end the game for a moment.

No yelling.

No chasing.

No dramatic reaction.

Just a quiet pause.

This helped me understand that play doesn’t have to continue when the behavior becomes inappropriate.

Puppy Biting Can Be Worse When They’re Tired

This surprised me.

I initially assumed that an energetic puppy needed more play whenever he became mouthy.

But sometimes the opposite was true.

A puppy who has been playing, exploring, training, and interacting for a long time may simply need to sleep.

If your puppy becomes unusually nippy, frantic, or difficult to settle, consider whether they’re overtired.

A calm rest period can sometimes be more helpful than another exciting game.

This is one reason crate training became useful for Alex as part of his overall daily routine. If you’re also introducing a crate, my Crate Training for Beginners guide explains how I approached making the crate a comfortable place rather than a punishment area.

What About Puppy Teething?

Teething can make puppies want to chew.

Providing appropriate puppy-safe chewing options can give them something acceptable to focus on.

I learned not to assume that every chew product is automatically safe, though.

Supervise your puppy with anything they are chewing, and choose products appropriate for their age and size.

If your puppy appears to be experiencing significant oral pain or you notice something unusual with their teeth or gums, speak with your veterinarian.

How I Redirected Alex During Play

My approach became quite simple.

When Alex started biting my hand:

1. Stop making my hand exciting.

2. Calmly redirect him to an appropriate toy.

3. Praise or continue the game when he interacted appropriately.

4. If he became excessively excited, pause the game.

5. Give him an opportunity to settle.

It wasn’t a magic trick.

It was repetition.

And repetition is something puppies need.

I Became More Careful About What Alex Could Reach

Puppies don’t understand the difference between an expensive pair of shoes and a puppy toy.

To them, both can be interesting things to chew.

So I started thinking more about the environment.

I kept tempting objects out of reach and made appropriate toys easier to access.

This reduced the number of opportunities Alex had to practice unwanted chewing.

And honestly, prevention was much easier than constantly chasing after him.

What If a Puppy Bites Your Hands?

If your puppy repeatedly targets your hands, try to avoid turning your hands into part of an exciting game.

Instead:

• Stop moving your hands around.
• Stay calm.
• Redirect to an appropriate toy.
• Reward appropriate interaction.
• Give the puppy a break if they become overly excited.
• Make sure they’re getting enough sleep and appropriate activity.

The goal is to make the desired behavior easier and more rewarding.

Don’t Punish Your Puppy for Normal Exploration

It’s easy to become frustrated when you’ve been bitten several times in one day.

I understand that feeling.

But punishing a puppy doesn’t teach them what you actually want.

A better approach is to manage the environment, redirect the behavior, reward appropriate choices, and remain consistent.

Your puppy is still learning how to behave in a human household.

That takes time.

How Potty Training and Bite Training Were Surprisingly Similar

Something I noticed while raising Alex was that different puppy-training problems often came down to the same basic principles.

With potty training, I had to:

• Watch closely
• Recognize signals
• Prevent mistakes
• Reward success
• Stay consistent

Puppy biting required many of the same skills.

I had to observe what triggered the biting, redirect him before the behavior escalated, and reinforce the behavior I actually wanted.

If you’re currently working on potty training too, my Dog Potty Training guide covers the routine I use for housebreaking and establishing predictable potty breaks.

My Puppy Biting Routine

I didn’t follow a complicated training program.

Our routine was based around normal daily life.

During Play

Use toys rather than hands.

When Biting Starts

Stop the exciting interaction and redirect.

When Alex Uses the Toy

Continue the positive interaction.

When He Becomes Overly Excited

Pause and allow him to settle.

During Rest

Give him time to sleep rather than constantly stimulating him.

That consistency mattered more than having a perfect training session.

What I Wish I Had Known About Puppy Biting

If I could go back to the beginning, I would tell myself not to panic.

Those tiny teeth can make puppy biting feel like a much bigger problem than it actually is.

I would also remind myself that the puppy doesn’t understand the household rules yet.

I’m the one who needs to teach them.

That means being consistent about what is allowed, providing appropriate alternatives, and recognizing when my puppy needs rest rather than more excitement.

Most importantly, I wouldn’t expect the behavior to disappear overnight.

Training is a process.

When Should You Get Professional Help?

Not every biting problem should be handled with basic puppy-training techniques.

Speak with your veterinarian or a qualified behavior professional if:

• Biting appears aggressive or unpredictable
• Your puppy regularly causes significant injuries
• The behavior seems connected to fear
• Your puppy guards food or objects aggressively
• You are struggling to safely manage the behavior
• The behavior suddenly changes

Getting help isn’t a failure.

It’s responsible dog ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is puppy biting normal?

Puppy biting and mouthing are common behaviors, particularly during play and teething. Puppies still need to learn appropriate ways to interact with people and objects.

How do I stop my puppy from biting my hands?

Avoid making hands part of exciting play, calmly redirect your puppy toward an appropriate toy, and reinforce appropriate interaction. Consistency is important.

Should I yell at my puppy when they bite?

I wouldn’t recommend yelling or frightening your puppy. Instead, calmly interrupt the interaction and redirect them toward something appropriate.

Does teething make puppies bite more?

Teething can increase a puppy’s desire to chew. Providing appropriate chew options and supervising your puppy can help give them acceptable outlets.

Why does my puppy bite more when playing?

Excitement can increase mouthing and biting during play. If your puppy becomes overly stimulated, a calm pause or rest period may help.

Will my puppy eventually stop biting?

Many puppies become much better at controlling their mouths as they mature and learn appropriate behavior. Consistent training and management can help the process.

Final Thoughts

Looking back at Alex’s puppy stage, I realize that puppy biting taught me something bigger than how to protect my hands.

It taught me how to communicate with a dog.

Alex couldn’t understand a long explanation about why biting wasn’t appropriate.

He needed me to show him.

If he wanted to chew, I gave him something appropriate.

If play became too intense, I paused it.

If he made a good choice, I reinforced it.

And if he struggled, I tried to understand what was causing the behavior instead of simply getting frustrated.

That’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve taken from being a first-time dog owner:

Training isn’t about making your puppy behave perfectly. It’s about patiently teaching them how to live successfully alongside you.

Alex didn’t become a well-behaved dog in a day.

Neither will yours.

But those small, repeated lessons eventually become habits.

And one day, you’ll look back at those tiny teeth attacking your fingers and realize how quickly that puppy stage passed.

Raju

Pet Care & Dog Training Expert – PetInfoGuide Pet care writer sharing expert dog training tips, puppy guides, cat care advice, and practical pet health information for responsible pet owners.

PetInfoGuide Editorial Team provides well-researched and practical pet care advice based on trusted sources and real-world experience. Our goal is to help pet owners make informed decisions about their pets’ health, nutrition, and daily care.