Puppy biting puppy?

🛠️ In 3 Steps

1. Step 1

   Step 1 — expectation vs. reality

   What people think: any biting between two puppies means a fight is starting or one is being a bully. The reality: it's the main way puppies learn bite inhibition. The yelp from the other puppy is the most effective 'too hard' feedback your pup will ever get, and you can't recreate it with a treat.

2. Step 2

   Step 2 — the common mistake

   Breaking up every single interaction the second teeth come out. When you constantly intervene, you rob your puppy of the natural feedback loop that teaches them how much pressure is too much. A puppy who never gets to play-bite with other puppies often grows into an adolescent with no off switch. The lesson only lands if you let it happen.

3. Step 3

   Step 3 — what actually works

   Watch for balance, not teeth. In healthy play, both puppies trade roles, pause, and check back in. Step in when you see a size mismatch, one puppy frozen or trying to escape, no breaks in the action, or a yelp that the other puppy ignores. Calmly separate them for a minute, then let them go back to it if both still want in.