Your puppy isn’t aggressive — they just haven’t learned the rules yet
Your kid runs across the living room and the puppy launches at their ankles like a furry land shark. There’s crying, there’s blood, and you’re wondering if you made a terrible mistake getting a puppy. You didn’t. This is normal puppy behavior — but it needs to be redirected before it becomes a habit. Bubbas gives your whole family a plan to teach bite inhibition and make playtime safe.
Most puppies show a significant reduction in ankle biting within 2–3 weeks when the whole household follows the same plan.
TL;DR
- Puppy ankle biting is normal play and herding behavior — not aggression — but it needs consistent redirection.
- Train the puppy AND the kids: children need to learn "be a tree" and stop running past the puppy during training.
- Bubbas gives your whole household one plan to follow, with progress tracking and age-appropriate expectations.
Best for
- ✓Families with kids whose puppy bites ankles, nips at feet, or draws blood during play
- ✓Herding breed puppies (Corgis, Aussies, Border Collies) with strong ankle-nipping instincts
- ✓Households where different family members respond to biting differently
- ✓Puppy owners between 8-20 weeks who want to get ahead of the behavior
Not for
- ✗Adult dogs with established biting habits (requires a different behavior modification plan)
- ✗Puppies showing stiff body language, hard stares, or resource guarding (see a certified behaviorist)
- ✗Dogs who only mouth gently and never break skin (this may resolve on its own with maturity)
“My 8-year-old was scared to walk past the puppy because she’d grab his ankles every time. We did the Bubbas plan together as a family and now my son is the one doing the training sessions. He’s so proud of himself — and the puppy.”
Why puppies bite ankles (and why it’s not aggression)
Puppies explore the world with their mouths. They nip at littermates, chew on everything, and learn social rules through play-biting. When they come home with you, they try the same thing on your family — especially fast-moving kids whose ankles are right at mouth level.
This is herding instinct in some breeds, prey drive in others, and plain old puppy play in the rest. It’s not a sign of a dangerous dog. But it does need to be addressed, because a 12-week-old puppy nip is cute; a 6-month-old puppy nip draws blood.
Teaching bite inhibition the right way
Bite inhibition is the single most important thing your puppy needs to learn. It’s not about stopping all mouthing immediately — it’s about teaching your puppy to control the pressure of their bite, and then gradually reducing mouthing altogether.
- When your puppy bites too hard, let out a brief "ouch" and stop play for 10–15 seconds. Don’t yell — just disengage.
- Redirect to an appropriate chew toy immediately after the pause. Praise them for biting the toy instead.
- If the puppy escalates after the pause, calmly remove yourself behind a baby gate for 30 seconds. The message: biting ends the fun.
- Never use physical corrections (holding the mouth shut, pinning, alpha rolls). These increase fear and make biting worse.
- Practice regularly — bite inhibition isn’t learned in one session. It’s built over weeks of consistent responses.
Teaching kids how to respond (this is the game-changer)
Here’s the truth most puppy guides skip: training the puppy is only half the job. You also need to train the kids. Children naturally do everything that triggers puppy biting — running, squealing, waving hands, jerky movements. The puppy isn’t targeting your kids; your kids are accidentally being the most exciting thing in the room.
- Teach kids to "be a tree" when the puppy nips: stop moving, fold arms, look away. Movement stops, puppy loses interest.
- No running past the puppy during the training period. Walk calmly, or play running games in a separate room.
- Kids can participate in training sessions — it builds confidence for both the child and the puppy
- Supervise all puppy-kid interactions. Always. No exceptions during the biting phase.
- Give kids a role: they can be the one who rewards the puppy for calm behavior. It shifts them from victim to trainer.
What Bubbas gives you that YouTube videos don’t
You can find bite inhibition tips anywhere. What you can’t find is a structured plan that tells you what to do on day 1, day 5, and day 14 — and adapts when your puppy isn’t progressing as expected.
- Day-by-day training plan specific to puppy biting and mouthing
- Household mode so every family member follows the same protocol
- Progress tracking that shows you the biting is actually decreasing (even when it doesn’t feel like it)
- AI coach to answer questions like "my puppy bit my kid’s face today — is this normal?"
- Age-appropriate expectations so you’re not demanding adult-dog behavior from a 12-week-old
Setting up for success: management strategies
Training takes time. While your puppy is learning, you need management strategies to keep everyone safe and prevent practice of the wrong behaviors.
- Use baby gates to give kids a puppy-free zone when needed
- Rotate chew toys to keep them novel and interesting
- Enforce nap times — an overtired puppy bites more (see our guide on overstimulation biting)
- Keep play sessions short: 5–10 minutes, then a calm break
- Have a "puppy pouch" of treats so anyone in the family can reward good behavior on the spot
Frequently asked questions
At what age do puppies stop biting?+
Most puppies significantly reduce mouthing by 5–6 months, and it’s mostly gone by the time adult teeth are fully in (around 7 months). But without training, some dogs carry mouthing habits into adulthood. Starting a structured bite inhibition plan early means you won’t be dealing with it at 9 months.
Is my puppy being aggressive or just playing?+
Puppy play-biting is loose, wiggly, and comes with play bows and bouncy body language. Aggression looks stiff, involves hard staring, growling with a closed mouth, and doesn’t respond to redirection. If you’re seeing stiffness and genuine guarding behavior, talk to a certified behaviorist. For the vast majority of puppies, it’s play that needs channeling — not aggression.
My kid is scared of the puppy now. How do I fix that?+
This is more common than you’d think. Start by giving your child control: let them be the one to give treats for calm behavior, from behind a baby gate if needed. Short, positive interactions rebuild confidence. Bubbas’ household mode lets your child participate in training at their comfort level.
Should I use a spray bottle or bitter apple to stop biting?+
Spray bottles and aversives can stop the behavior in the moment but damage your puppy’s trust and often make them more anxious (which means more biting). Redirection, disengagement, and consistent training are slower but actually fix the problem instead of suppressing it.
Get your family and your puppy on the same page
Download Bubbas and start a training plan the whole household can follow — kids included.
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