Skip to content
HassleFix
KitchenCleaningLaundryBathroomBedroom & SleepAir & TemperatureSmall Spaces & StorageHome Office & CablesPetsOutdoor & Garage
How we pick About

Puppy Biting Everything? Teething Chews That Save Your Hands

Puppy biting is normal play and teething, not bad behavior. Redirect to a chew, pause play when teeth touch skin and keep safe chews within reach.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Time
A few minutes each day
Cost
Under $20
Difficulty
Medium
A living room rug with a chewed slipper, a soft rubber chew toy and a rolled washcloth
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. Is this chew safe? Three quick checks
  9. Kids and a biting puppy
  10. What to skip
  11. FAQ
  12. Related problems

Quick answer

How to stop puppy biting: it is normal play and teething, so you teach the puppy what is allowed to bite instead of punishing it. Swap your hand for a chew toy, pause play for a few seconds when teeth touch skin, and make sure your puppy gets plenty of naps. Safe teething chews give sore gums a better target than your hands.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · A few minutes at each play session

Redirect, pause and rest

  • Hold a chew ready and trade it for your hand
  • Stand up and pause play for 10 to 20 seconds when teeth touch skin
  • Stop hand wrestling and use toys for play
  • Give naps after every hour or two of activity

How long it lasts: Most puppies improve over a few weeks if the whole household is consistent. Mouthing eases as the adult teeth settle in.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
Illustration

Soft rubber teething chew toys

Sore gums are a big reason puppies bite. A textured chew of the right size soothes them and gives the puppy a clear thing it is allowed to chew, so every swap teaches the same lesson.

What to get: Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys

How long it lasts: A toy lasts weeks to months, and the habit it builds lasts longer.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • Small treats

    Reward the puppy for taking a chew and for gentle mouths

    You have it

  • Frozen washcloth

    Wet a clean cloth, twist it and freeze it. Supervise and toss it when it frays

    Free
  • Our pick
    Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
    Illustration

    Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys

    Size them so they cannot be swallowed

    Check price
  • Freezable puppy teething toy (illustration)
    Illustration

    Freezable puppy teething toy

    Cold relief for sore gums

    Check price
  • Exercise pen or baby gate (illustration)
    Illustration

    Exercise pen or baby gate

    For short calm-down breaks, not for punishment

    Check price

Why it happens

1

Teething

Puppies lose their baby teeth and grow adult teeth over the first several months. Their gums are sore, and chewing and biting feel good.

2

Exploring and play

Puppies learn about the world with their mouths and play with each other by mouthing. They do not know your skin is delicate, so you have to teach them.

3

Overtired and overexcited

Young puppies need a lot of sleep, often most of the day. A tired puppy gets wild, and the nipping gets worse in the evening.

4

Hands that turn into toys

Flapping hands, squealing and pulling away look like a game to a puppy. They make the puppy bite harder and more often.

5

No better outlet

A puppy with nothing good to chew will pick shoes, furniture and fingers. Chews, play and short training sessions give biting somewhere else to go.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. Keep a chew within reach

    Tool used: Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys

    Carry a chew toy when you play. When teeth go toward your hand, lower it calmly, offer the chew and praise the puppy when it takes it.

    Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys · Size them so they cannot be swallowed

    Check price on Amazon

  2. Pause play when teeth touch skin

    Say one calm 'ouch', stand up and turn away for 10 to 20 seconds. Come back and play again when the puppy settles. Do not shout, and do not pull your hand away fast.

  3. Play with toys, not hands

    Tool used: Small treats

    Use fetch and tug toys so hands stay out of the game. End the game when the puppy gets too wild to listen.

  4. Schedule naps and calm breaks

    Tool used: Exercise pen or baby gate

    After an hour or two of activity, set the puppy down for a nap in a crate or pen with a chew. A rested puppy bites less.

    Exercise pen or baby gate (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Exercise pen or baby gate · For short calm-down breaks, not for punishment

    Check price on Amazon

  5. Cool sore gums

    Tool used: Frozen washcloth

    Offer a frozen twisted washcloth for a few minutes. Watch the puppy and take the cloth away once it starts to fray.

When free fixes aren't enough

A chew will not fix biting by itself, because the redirecting and pausing is the training and the chew just makes it easier. If bites often break the skin, the puppy growls, stiffens or snaps when you take things away, or the biting gets worse after 6 months, ask your vet or a certified trainer for help. A vet should also check the mouth if the puppy seems to be in pain or if baby teeth are not falling out.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Our picks compared
PickProductFixesWho it's forBuy
Best pick
Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
Illustration
Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys
biting caused by sore gums and nothing good to chew Puppies in the teething stage that bite hands, shoes and furniture. Check price
Upgrade pick
Freezable puppy teething toy (illustration)
Illustration
Freezable puppy teething toy
red, sore gums during peak teething Puppies who chew harder when the gums are sore, or who like cold things. Check price
Best pick
Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
Illustration

Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys

Fixes: biting caused by sore gums and nothing good to chew

Look for: Made for puppies, and big enough that it cannot be swallowed; Firm with some give, so you can dent it with a thumbnail; Textured for the gums, with no small parts that pull off.

Who it's for
Puppies in the teething stage that bite hands, shoes and furniture.
Honest downside
The toy is cracked or chewed down to small pieces. Throw it away and never leave a new chew unsupervised.
Check price on Amazon
Upgrade pick
Freezable puppy teething toy (illustration)
Illustration

Freezable puppy teething toy

Fixes: red, sore gums during peak teething

Look for: Labeled as safe for freezing; Soft enough for sore gums; Easy for a puppy to hold and carry.

Who it's for
Puppies who chew harder when the gums are sore, or who like cold things.
Honest downside
The toy is hard when frozen. Test it by pressing, and do not give a toy that is as hard as a rock.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on veterinary and trainer guidance on puppy teething and mouthing, chew toy safety advice and the problems and fixes people report in owner reviews. We do not test products by hand.

Is this chew safe? Three quick checks

  • Size: it should be too large to swallow whole, and big enough that the puppy cannot fit it all the way in the mouth.
  • Hardness: press a thumbnail into it. If it will not dent, it may be too hard for young teeth.
  • Condition: throw away chews that crack or break into small pieces, and watch your puppy with any new one.

Kids and a biting puppy

Squealing and running make puppies bite more. Have children sit on the floor, keep play calm, offer a toy instead of a hand and take a break when the puppy gets too excited. Always supervise a puppy with young children.

What to skip

Hard bones, antlers, shouting and holding the muzzle shut

Very hard chews can crack a puppy's teeth. Yelling, tapping the nose or holding the mouth shut can make a puppy scared of hands, and it often makes the biting worse. Redirect and pause instead.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my puppy keep biting me?
Puppies explore and play with their mouths, and teething makes their gums sore. They also bite more when tired. Redirect to a chew and add naps, and the biting usually fades over weeks.
Puppy keeps biting even after I say ouch. What else works?
Stand up and pause play for 10 to 20 seconds, and give a chew when the puppy settles. If it is worse in the evening, the puppy may be overtired, so schedule a nap.
How to stop puppy nipping at my ankles and feet?
Stand still and let the puppy settle instead of moving, then toss a chew or toy away from your feet. Keep a toy in your pocket on walks around the house.
How to stop puppy from biting hands during play?
Do not use your hands as toys. Play with a tug or fetch toy, stop when teeth touch skin and restart once the puppy calms down. Everyone in the house needs to use the same rules.
When does puppy biting stop?
Most puppies grow out of it with training by about 6 to 7 months, when the adult teeth are in. Consistent redirecting speeds that up.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: Soft rubber puppy teething chew toys

Check price