Puppies are “mouthy” and they like to chew. And kids love puppies and are loud and rambunctious and encourage rough play.

Here are some things you can do to stop your puppy from chewing on small children:

1. Toys. Make sure your puppy has plenty of toys of their own. Encourage your children to give the puppy a toy every time the puppy gets too rough.
2. Games. Encourage good games. Games of catch or puppy ping-pong are good. Games of tug and chase me encourage rough play.
3. Pecking order. Make sure your kid is higher in the pecking order than your puppy. Let them feed the puppy. Pay more attention to your kid in front of your puppy. Let them sit next to you. Have them make the puppy do puppy pushups.
4. Leash. Leave a leash attached to your puppy so you can quickly stop them from lunging at a child. Or quickly pull them back off a child.
5. Affection. Show your child how to pet the puppy’s body or chest instead of the head. Limit hugs. (Dogs find hugs very stressful.) Have them rub the puppy’s ears instead.
6. Time out. You should also have time when the puppy watches the kids playing and doesn’t get to join in. Keep your puppy on a leash while the kids play a loud game outside. Work with the puppy to stay calm until it’s the puppy’s turn to play. This will teach them to stay calm around the kids even when the kids aren’t calm.

Let us know what worked for you!