Puppies are Gonna Puppy

"Dogs are gonna dog" is a phrase I've said a lot over the years to explain a dog's behavior (and, sometimes, it really is that simple). It's a bit cheeky of a phrase, but I mean that dogs, at the end of the day, are not stuffed animals; they aren't humans (and don't navigate the world like us humans do); they're not toddlers (so they don't have a lot of the skills a three-, four-, five-year-old child has under they're belts); and they come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, coats, breeds, and so on. The big commonality that they all have, though, is that they're - you guessed it - dogs!

And dogs do a lot of very dog things that we humans don't do (I hope a lot of us don't do these things, that is):

• Dogs chase things.

• They lick their butts.

• Dogs bark.

• They eat random things they find (whether or not it's actually food).

• They chew on things.

• The list truly goes on and on!

Dogs have a lot of natural behaviors that don't always jive with what is "socially acceptable" in the human world or are often labeled as "bad" or "naughty" behaviors. The reality is that dogs are going to dog! And, with that in mind, I encourage you and my clients to think critically about whether or not the "naughty" behavior is something that needs to be "stopped"....or is it a behavior you would be better off diverting down a more appropriate path?

A really big example I've seen playing out with clients over the past few months is puppies and the mouthing/nipping/biting they do a lot! This behavior has been the chief complaint from most puppy pawrents since (probably) the beginning of time; and it is so, so, so tempting to ask something along the lines of, "How do I stop the mouthing and nipping?" Puppy pawrents are covered in tiny cuts and bruises from sharp puppy teeth and their clothes have little (or even big) tears from a tooth caught here and a sharp, puppy nail scratching there. I totally get it - and have the tiny scars and patched up clothes to prove my experience with the behavior!

However, when we really think about it and look at the behavior, there's a variety of good reasons for why a puppy might be biting, nipping, and mouthing:

• Puppies explore the world with their mouths (the same way we expect a human baby to put things in their mouths and grab things with their little paws, er, hands).

• They're just playing (even if that's rougher than we humans might like).

• In some cases, they might be trying to find out what is edible (also whether we like that or not)!

• They're expressing things in a way puppies can without the language we have - boredom, a surge in energy, overtiredness, displeasure with that harness/collar, the need to poop, etc.!

In short, puppies are gonna puppy! And, instead of, "How do we stop this?", the better question is, "What CAN the puppy be mouthing and nipping instead of me and my clothing?" This question puts the focus on providing appropriate outlets for the totally normal, natural behavior - instead of trying to defy nature!

Taking the time to understand your puppy's behavior and "ticking the boxes" to rule out the different solutions you can apply to address it can go a really long way to preserving your peace of mind, your skin, your clothes, and your things! And, if you need some help, feel free to reach out! Below is a tiny look into Leann's puppy, Wedge, and how puppy he can puppy!