How can I teach my conure to stop biting?

How do I teach my new puppy to stop biting peoples fingers while kissing them when petting her?

• I believe my new puppy might be teething and she's only 11 weeks old. I want to teach her how to not bite people so she wouldn't continue to do that when she gets older. I keep giving her her little bones, but every time I go around her when she kisses me and wants me around, she keeps butting my fingers and other peoples fingers too when she's getting petted. Is there any tips to teach a puppy how to stop doing that to people?

• Answer:

  Although often thought to be a teething behavior, nipping, mouthing and biting in your dogs is generally a form of social play. Teething is more likely to involve gnawing or chewing on household objects. Provide ample opportunity for play, without biting. Social play with people could involve chase and retrieve games, as well as long walks or jogging. Although wrestling and tug of was games can be fund they may lead to play that is too rough or rambunctious. Puppies need to learn bite inhibition. This is something they start to learn while with their littermates. This is one reason that puppies should not go to new homes until 7-8 weeks. They need to have time to practice social skills with other dogs or puppies in the home or in the neighborhood. Provided the dog is receiving adequate play, attention and exercise, you can turn the training to bite inhibition. One of the things that they need to learn is how much pressure from their jaws causes pain. Without this feedback, a puppy does not learn to inhibit the force of its bite. Because all dogs can and will bite at some time, this lesson is vital for human safety. When puppies play with each other, if puppy A bites puppy B too hard puppy B will yelp. If that does not work, puppy B will leave. This sends the message to puppy A that its bites were too hard and if it wishes to continue play, it needs to be gentle. The message people should send is that mouthing and chewing on hands is painful. To do this, often all that is necessary is for all family members to emit a sharp “yip” and cease all play and attention immediately. This send the message to the puppy that bites are painful and that biting will cause all play to be terminated. If the puppy persists, leaving the room can help teach the puppy that nipping leads to immediate inattention. If you cannot inhibit the puppy with a yelp, you should consider a shake can, electronic alarm, air horn or ultrasonic devise, as soon as the biting becomes excessive. To ensure that you are in control, be sure that each play session is initiated by you and not the puppy, and that you can end each session when you choose. An effective strategy when the play gets too rough is to immediately end the play session and leave. Social withdrawal can be a very powerful tool.