The 6 Best Ways to Stop a Springer Spaniel Puppy from Biting

Springer Spaniels are known for their tendency to nip and nibble on hands, arms, toes, and any other body part that comes within reach.

While Springer Spaniel puppy biting might seem cute at first, it can quickly become annoying and even dangerous if your pup begins to bite you hard enough to break the skin.

Especially if you allow this habit to persist as your dog becomes an adult. This is where a little nip turns into something a bit more painful.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can stop a Springer Spaniel puppy from biting that won’t cause your little friend distress or make them feel unwanted.

Why do Springer Spaniel Puppies Bite?

Play biting is common in all dog breeds as puppies. When puppies are very young, they have puppy teeth. However, around the age of 12-14 weeks, your puppy starts teething because its adult teeth are coming in.

This problem can not only be a result of teething, but also a result of not getting enough exercise, lack of mental stimulation, and even an invitation for the dog owner to continue playing. The mouthing and puppy biting phase can be annoying, but rest assured is it a phase that will subside.

In the meantime, it's important to teach the puppy about bite inhibition (not biting too hard). Puppies often start to develop bite inhibition while they are still in the litter with their siblings and mother.

Young pups have terrible dog manners and playtime with litter mates ending because they bite too hard isn't what they want, so they adjust. While this experience has started the development of bite inhibition early it is important that you continue pushing it forward.

A little puppy training will go a long way when you follow the steps outlined in this article.

Use Short Command Words when Training your Springer

Springer Spaniels are known for their high intelligence and ability to learn quickly. This is a trait that can be used to your advantage when training your pup to stop biting. By using short and simple command words when handling your pup, you can prevent your dog from becoming too excited and biting by accident.

For example, when lifting your pup or picking up their feet for nail trims, you can use a command word like “easy” to tell your pup to be calm and relaxed so you can do what you need to without getting bitten.

You can give your dog a word to associate with being calm as well. Once your pup has learned their command word, they will be able to associate this word with being relaxed and calm. This can help prevent biting out of excitement.

It's also important that you remain calm when correcting your puppy. More excitement from you, good or bad, will only make the issue worse.

Don’t Cave to the Begging and Pleading

Springer Spaniel puppies are known for their cute puppy behaviour, and biting is no exception. The first few times your pup bites you, they will probably do so while looking up at you with big, sad puppy eyes that are hard to turn down. There are a couple of things you can do to avoid giving in to this plea for attention and affection.

When your pup bites, you can simply ignore them by turning your back and pretending you don’t notice. If your puppy persists, you may want to walk away from them for a few minutes so they understand that the biting is not working out in their favour.

It may even be advisable to establish a time-out area like you would with human babies.

When putting your puppy in time-out, this can be their crate or you can simply use a technique called tethering. This is when you attach a leash to a heavy object like a heavy dresser or couch and attach your puppy to the other end. Just like kids, puppies are going to rebel and not want to stay in time-out. This is where tethering helps you to restrain your pup and teaches the puppy a lesson; that you will remove them from your person and they won't get the attention they crave when they initiate biting.

Have Plenty of Chew Toys Available for your Springer Puppy

One of the best ways to prevent your Springer puppy from biting is to make sure they have plenty of appropriate chew toys to use. Dogs use their mouths for a number of reasons, including teething, anxiety, boredom, and just plain old fun. 

By giving your pup a chew toy to play with, you can distract them from biting you while they use their mouths in a more appropriate way. Teething rings and frozen treats also help soothe the inflammation in your puppy's gums. It’s also advisable to have a toy rotation at home so your puppy doesn’t tire of his toys too quickly.

Chewing also helps clean your pup’s teeth and groom their gums, so providing toys for this purpose can help prevent health issues like tooth decay and gum disease later on. Try to avoid giving your puppy a toy as a distraction as soon as they bite. If you do this, you will be reading the biting. First, correct your puppy, then offer the toy when your puppy is fairly calm.

Use a Calm and Firm Voice if your Springer Bites

Springer Spaniels are intelligent dogs, so they will quickly learn when they get in trouble for biting. However, they need to have this lesson reinforced by someone they trust and respect so they can truly understand why they are being scolded.

You can do this by following up each time your pup bites with a firm, “no” followed by an immediate scolding. By doing this, you are letting your pup know that the biting is not appropriate and needs to stop.

This is especially important if your pup bites you frequently or bites hard enough to break the skin. You want to let your puppy know that biting you is not okay so that they can avoid being corrected again in the future. When your puppy bites you and you scold them, you want to do so using a firm but calm voice. If you are too upset or loud when scolding your puppy, you might frighten them without actually teaching them anything.

Give your Puppy a Nap During the Day

Springer Spaniels are known for being highly intelligent and energetic dogs.

While this can make them great pets, it can also make it difficult to discipline them when they are younger. If your pup is between 8 and 14 weeks old and they are still nibbling and biting, you might want to consider confining them to a small area until they are no longer interested in biting.

While you don’t want to just shut your puppy in a room and leave them there all day, you can use a baby gate to confine your pup to a small room, such as a bathroom or small kitchen, or use their crate.

This will give your dog time to calm down while also giving them time to learn that biting is not an appropriate thing to do. Once your puppy has stopped acting in an obnoxious manner, you can release them from confinement.

Confining your puppy to a small area is also good for making sure they get adequate naps. Just like toddlers, puppies can be cranky and defiant when they aren't getting proper rest.

Make Sure Everyone is on the Same Page

The easiest way to undo any dog training is to have different people giving your Springer Spaniel different responses to the biting. Mixed signals confuse a dog and take the focus away from what they should be doing.

For example, if you have friends over at the weekend and they are acting like it is cute or your dog is just playing then a lot of your hard work will be undone and rectifying that behaviour will take far longer.

The key consideration here is to make sure that anyone in your household and anyone who will interact with your dog is up to speed on what you are trying to do and how they should respond if they dog acts in a certain way.

Conclusion

Springer Spaniels are sweet and affectionate dogs that make excellent pets. However, this does not mean that they won’t nip and bite without proper training. By following these tips, you can teach your Springer puppy to stop biting so you can enjoy their company without the worry of getting bitten.

This is behaviour that you will want to nip in the bud while they are still a puppy. If your Springer has not developed bite inhibition by the time those adult teeth come in then the next time they bite it will be far more serious.

In my experience, since Spaniels are really smart dogs they soon catch on with what is acceptable behaviour and what is not okay.

And if you are having a hard time with this you can always consult a professional dog trainer or behavioural specialist.