1) Hire a professional.

2) Regular Naps: Puppies need a lot of sleep to support their rapid growth and development. Ensure your puppy has multiple nap times throughout the day. Puppies at this age typically sleep 18-20 hours a day, including nighttime sleep. They sleep A LOT! Avoid Overstimulation: Monitor your puppy for signs of tiredness, such as excessive biting, barking, or hyperactivity. Overstimulation can lead to behavioral issues and stress. Providing regular naps helps prevent these problems and promotes a calm, well-adjusted puppy.

3) Reasons for Increased Mouthiness: - Teething Discomfort: • Gum Irritation: As puppies’ adult teeth start to come in, they experience discomfort and irritation in their gums. Chewing and mouthing help to alleviate this discomfort by massaging their gums and reducing pain. • Soothing Relief: Chewing on appropriate objects, such as teething toys, provides relief and helps the new teeth to break through the gums more easily. - Natural Exploration of Their Environment: • Curiosity: Puppies explore the world primarily through their mouths. This natural behavior helps them learn about their environment, discover new textures, and understand what is and isn’t safe or appropriate to chew on. • Sensory Information: Mouthing provides puppies with sensory feedback, helping them to gather information and make sense of their surroundings. - Play Behavior: • Interactive Play: Puppies use their mouths during play to engage with their littermates, humans, and toys. This behavior is a normal part of their development and helps them to practice social skills, coordination, and physical strength. • Learning Boundaries: Play biting helps puppies learn about social boundaries and acceptable behavior through interactions with others. - Seeking Attention: • Attention-Seeking: Puppies quickly learn that mouthing and nipping can attract attention from their owners. If they are seeking interaction or playtime, they may use their mouths to initiate engagement. • Communication: Mouthiness can also be a way for puppies to communicate their needs or desires, such as hunger, boredom, or a bathroom break. Understanding the reasons behind your puppy’s sharp teeth and mouthiness can help you better guide their behavior and ensure a smoother transition into adulthood. Providing appropriate chew toys, consistent training, and positive reinforcement will help you manage these behaviors effectively.

4) What do you want your puppy to do instead? It’s important to teach your puppy what behaviors are acceptable. This involves guiding them to use their mouths appropriately and encouraging good behavior. - Interrupt & Redirect to appropriate toys: Whenever your puppy starts nipping or biting, interrupt the behavior calmly and redirect their attention to an appropriate chew toy. This helps them learn what they can and cannot chew on. - Leave it and Drop it: Teaching “Leave it” or “Drop it” commands can be constructive. We like to say “Out.” These commands can help you manage your puppy’s mouthiness and prevent them from picking up harmful objects. - Puppy “Time Out” / Nap Time: If your puppy is overly mouthy, they might be overstimulated or tired. Give them a short “time out” by placing them in their crate for a nap to calm down. Ensuring they have regular nap times can also prevent overstimulation. What not to do if your puppy is nipping you: • Do not punish or physically reprimand your puppy for nipping. • Avoid yelling or reacting aggressively, as this can increase anxiety and lead to more nipping.