A dog undergoing training with the experts at Dog Training Elite - get professional puppy biting training in Knoxville, TN and help your dog curb this bad habit.
Dog Training Elite

How to Stop Puppy Biting in Knoxville, TN

Request Free Assessment

Request Free Assessment

Our Biting Behavior Training Could Help:
Reduce fear-based biting
Address anxiety-related biting
Manage teething behaviors
Improve impulse control
Build confidence in social settings
Enhance trust with owner
Prevent aggression toward other animals
Ensure safe interactions with children and adults

Stop Puppy Biting with Dog Training Elite

Dog & Puppy Biting Training in Knoxville, TN

Biting is a natural response for dogs, especially puppies. It can come from anxiety, fear, past experiences, or simply a lack of training. While biting may seem harmless, if left unchecked, it can become dangerous for other animals and pose serious safety risks to children and adults. Addressing this behavior early is essential to having a well-behaved, calm dog.

At Dog Training Elite, we offer customized training plans designed to address the root causes of biting. Whether it’s due to teething, fear, or other underlying issues, our trainers work closely with you to develop a targeted approach for your dog’s specific needs.

With DTE, you get expert training backed by nearly 50 years of experience and a commitment to excellence. With a focus on balanced training, we ensure your pup feels safe and secure while providing effective and lasting results.

Call today to schedule your free consultation and stop biting behavior issues with our elite dog and puppy biting training in Knoxville, TN.

See Training Packages

Get Your Free Assessment

You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

A Dog Training Elite Knoxville owner smiling with his dog in Knoxville, TN.

Dog Training Elite Knoxville

How to Get a Puppy To Stop Biting? Teach them that Biting Hurts

Read More
Read Less

Getting a puppy to quit mouthing is actually very simple. You just have to teach your puppy that biting hurts.

How do you teach this? By helping your puppy learn “bite inhibition.” Bite inhibition is a puppy or a dog’s ability to control how hard they bite. Typically puppies learn bite inhibition from playing with other puppies. Biting or mouthing is a common play tactic between puppies and dogs, but occasionally a puppy will bite too hard. This causes their playmate to yelp with pain and stop playing.

The reaction of the bitten puppy helps the puppy who did the biting realize their mistake and learn not to bite so hard. Just like puppies learn how to be gentle with each other, they can learn the same lesson from humans. Even if your puppy has learned bite inhibition while playing with other puppies or dogs, they still need to be taught how sensitive human skin is.

Follow the example of your puppy’s playmates. Let your puppy mouth your hands during play. When they bite you too hard, yelp like a puppy and let your hand go limp to indicate that you have been hurt. This should stop your puppy from continuing to bite you or continuing to play. When they stop, or if they attempt to make you feel better by licking your hand, praise your puppy and resume play. You can also try “time-outs” for your puppy, where you stop playing for 20 seconds after being bitten.

The goal is to teach your puppy that if they bite, playing stops. If they are gentle, play continues. Make sure to reward your puppy with praise and possibly treats when they do a good job. At Dog Training Elite, we know positive reinforcement is the best and most effective way to train puppies.

An image of an adorable puppy - get expert puppy biting training in Knoxville, TN with Dog Training Elite.

Take it to the Next Level

Dog Training Elite Knoxville

Read More
Read Less

Once your puppy understands that they shouldn’t bite human skin hard, start working on teaching them not to bite human skin at all. Use the same techniques of yelping and stopping play. Over time, gradually reduce the amount of biting you allow until your puppy eventually learns not to bite at all.

Some other techniques for to stop mouthing include the distraction method. If your puppy tends to want to bite you when you pet them, distract them with treats so they'll get used to being touched without mouthing your hands or arms. Keep your puppy’s favorite toy with you, and if they starts mouthing your hands, give them the toy to bite instead.

Additional Behavioral Training

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Dog Socialization Classes in Knoxville, TN

Socialization

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Reactive Dog Training in Knoxville, TN. DTE

Fear & Reactiveness

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Destructive Chewing & Digging Training in Knoxville, TN

Destructive Chewing & Digging

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Separation Anxiety Training for Dogs in Knoxville, TN

Separation Anxiety

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Excessive Barking Training in Knoxville, TN. DTE

Excessive Barking

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Staying and Coming Training in Knoxville, TN. DTE

Staying & Coming

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Stealing Food, Clothing, or Other Objects

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Resource Guarding

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Food Guarding & Begging

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Mouthing, Nipping & Rough Play

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Anxiety & Submissive Urination

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Jumping Up & Hyperactivity

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Excessive Licking

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Leashing

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Escaping

Dog Training Elite Knoxville -

Heeling

Dog Training Elite Knoxville - Dog & Puppy Potty Training in Knoxville, TN. DTE

Potty Training

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Cristine Summers
    Oct. 31, 2025
    First training with Kenna went great! Our little Poppy loved it. We’re so excited to start this journey!
  • SHERMAN NETTLES
    Oct. 29, 2025
    Great
  • patricia bruce
    Nov. 6, 2025
    Very friendly and kind .
  • Marianne Waters
    Nov. 6, 2025
    Julia doesn’t overwhem the owner (or the dog) with training. She makes it common sense.
  • Mark S
    Nov. 6, 2025
    First day of training and already seeing improvments
  • Patricia Harris
    Aug. 5, 2025
    Julia did a great job. My dog learned a lot & so did I. My dog loved her.
  • Donna Hall
    Oct. 14, 2025
    Lulu had training with Julia today. Julia is so good with her and I feel like she is progressing. My husband and I are very impressed with Julia’s knowledge and especially her patience with our sweet baby. Looking forward to next week’s lesson!
  • Laura Vinson
    Nov. 3, 2025
    Montana came for a consultation for training. She was very thorough and answered all of our questions. I highly recommend, we are so excited to start our training for our dog.
  • Ashley Martinez
    Oct. 31, 2025
    Graci was amazing! Answered all my questions ☀️
  • laurene holcomb
    Oct. 27, 2025
    Wonderful experience today with Montana from Elite..communicates clearly, knowledgable, and she is a friendly, kind person. The training is best price I have found for in home and classes. They offer service and obedience. She works individually with the dogs abilities. I am excited to have my first training.
  • Adam Jarvis
    Oct. 24, 2025
    Great first training session! She was patient and knowledgeable. We are off to a good start.
  • Sam Rapp
    Feb. 6, 2025
    Parker, Montana and team are reliable, consistent, extremely competent, and professional. They mix all of these traits with a level of empathy and caring that make them very effective. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my thumbless child. It’s just too bad y’all don’t have a ten-star rating, because I would give him 11.
  • Leandra Edringer
    Oct. 14, 2025
    Renia, is who I have been working with so far and she is amazing. Also the company worked with me on a payment plan, due to the Government shutdown and I have never been more grateful. I highly recommend them for any training needs, from basic obedience, to a service animal.
  • Beth Mouse
    Sep. 13, 2025
    Carol did a great job and my dog is starting to improve some of his difficult behaviors. I am anxious to see more improvement in the future.
  • Melissa Childress
    Oct. 9, 2025
    Carol did a great job with presentation, and was very friendly to me and my pet.
  • Renee Marks
    Oct. 9, 2025
    Montana with Dog Training Elite is fantastic to work with. We dog parents love her and her style of training; now our baby pup, Rado, well….he would appreciate her not visiting his home 🤣😇
  • Gail
    Oct. 8, 2025
    Carol is easily one of the finest trainers I have met. I would trust her completely to work with my dog and me. I cannot afford training at this time, however. I appreciate her time and skill.
  • Wendy Etheridge
    Oct. 4, 2025
    Montana is a lovely young lady and Lydia took to her right away! This is in Nashville, by the way. She explained everything about the training program very well. She listened to the things I would like to do with Lydia and what I would like Lydia to be able to do. I appreciated her spending the amount of time she did and I felt well informed about the program. Thank you Montana, for throwing that BALL!!
  • George Weber
    Aug. 13, 2025
    Met with Parker for assessment of our dog. He was professional and helpful. Had 2nd lesson with Kenna made great strides in our dog's training Thank you Montana trained today. Great job explained all the steps and reasons for them Thank you Kenna has been training us and we couldn't be happier. Our dog has made huge improvement in obedience and makes life much more enjoyable Thank you
  • Cathy Austin
    Oct. 3, 2025
    Gracie was sweet and very personable. She explained the program in detail ans provided a estimate for the service.

What to Avoid

Dog Training Elite Knoxville

There are some behaviors we humans tend to engage in when we want to play with puppies that actually encourage them to bite. If you’re at a loss for how to stop a puppy from biting, make sure to avoid these habits:

Wiggling your fingers or toes in your puppy’s face can encourage biting behavior, making it harder to teach proper play.
Jerking your hands away can trigger your puppy to lunge and bite harder—stay calm and redirect their focus.

Hitting or slapping a puppy for biting is cruel and counterproductive. It can lead to fear or increased aggression in your dog.

At Dog Training Elite, we never use physical punishment to train puppies and dogs. We focus on rewarding desired behaviors. This method of training helps build a strong, loving bond between puppies and their owners.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite Knoxville.
Dog Training Elite Knoxville light star icon.

Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

Two golden retreivers at a show demo with Dog Training Elite Knoxville.

Dog Training Elite

Contact Us Today and Stop Puppy Biting in Knoxville, TN

Read More
Read Less

Teaching your pup not to bite is a huge accomplishment. But puppies have so much more to learn, and even the thought of having to train a puppy can be overwhelming. If you’re struggling with your puppy’s destructive behavior or looking for help with general training, call Dog Training Elite Knoxville. We have a tried and true training method that really works for dogs of any age, including puppies. Dog Training Elite offers both individual in–home training and obedience classes for puppies.

In–home training is the perfect way to help you and your puppy bond while working with one of our professional trainers. Our trainers will adapt training to your environment and needs and empower you to continue training on your own. Obedience classes are also a great way to help your puppy learn by exposing them to other dogs and people and new sights and sounds. Combining in–home training with obedience classes ensures a well–behaved puppy who learns quickly.

Contact Dog Training Elite today for a free in–home consultation or schedule a free training demo to see what your puppy can become.