Most people who adopt puppies aren't thinking about dealing with biting when they taken their new furry friend home. However, nearly every adopter of a puppy will have to deal with biting to some extent. Nearly all puppies go through a biting phase, caused by lack of manners and teething. While puppy biting is as normal as the "Terrible Twos" in toddlers, it's important to teach your puppy her manners now and not wait until the biting becomes a real problem.

Teething

If your puppy's biting is caused by the discomfort of teething, do what you can to ease his discomfort and provide him with plenty of appropriate items on which to chew. Not only can this help keep your puppy from biting you, it may keep your puppy from chewing up your possessions. Rawhide chews, hard plastic bones and toys will help your puppy during teething. If your puppy seems to prefer your hands or your shoes to chewing on his own toys, smear a bit of peanut butter on the toys to get his interest. Massaging his gums with your fingers or a dog toothbrush will ease some of the discomfort and get your puppy used to having his mouth handled.

Playtime

Let your dog play with other puppies and dogs once the puppy is fully vaccinated. The rough and tumble play in which dogs engage teaches puppies manners. Your puppy wants to play with the other dogs, but dogs respond to the puppy's biting in two ways--they either respond with some aggression to warn the puppy she is out of line or they refuse to play with the puppy. Both forms of response get your puppy's attention and let her know she has done something wrong. She quickly learns that it's biting that has gotten her in trouble. When you play with your puppy, don't engage in games that encourage her to bite, such as tug-of-war and wrestling.

Punishment

Punishment doesn't work in dog training of any sort, and it certainly doesn't work in teaching a puppy not to bite. Hitting your puppy is only likely to make the biting worse and make your puppy afraid of you. In training a puppy, or an adult dog, the best method is to reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior. Your puppy's greatest desire is to have your attention. If you refuse to play with him when he bites you, he'll quickly learn that you are ignoring him because of his biting behavior. If your puppy is very young, simply say no when he bites you and give him a toy or chew bone to redirect his behavior.

Source:

Dog-Obedience-Training-Review.com: Complete Guide to Responsible Dog Ownership

Perfect Paws: Training Your Puppy About Biting

Vet Info: Puppy Teething--How to Ease the Pain