Puppy biting at night: how to calm the witching hour

Why evenings are the worst

Most evening biting comes from tiredness, not energy. A puppy that has been awake for too long can't settle on its own, so it keeps itself going: running, grabbing and biting whatever moves.

Your evening makes it worse too. Everyone is home, the house is noisy, and hands and feet are everywhere. For an overtired puppy, that's a lot to handle.

A calm evening routine

• Nap before the storm. Plan a nap in a quiet crate or pen about an hour before the usual meltdown time.
• Swap play for chewing. Offer a chew or frozen lick mat instead of tug or chase games after dinner. Licking and chewing help puppies calm down.
• Leave calmly when the teeth come out. If biting starts, stop quietly, give the chew and if needed take a short break behind a gate. No yelling, no scolding.
• Keep it the same every night. The same order of things every evening tells your puppy what comes next, and that is calming in itself.

When it isn't just tiredness

Sore gums from teething, an empty bladder or simply not enough sniffing and exploring during the day can all add to evening biting. Think about what the day looked like, not just the last ten minutes.

Common questions

More on puppy biting

• When do puppies stop biting? A timeline
• Puppy biting your ankles and feet
• Is my puppy playing or aggressive?
• Puppy biting the leash on walks