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Does Biting Mean My Puppy Doesn't Like Me?

Q: I got a maltipoo and he's 9 weeks. He likes biting me and sometimes it really hurts. I feel like he is not friendly to me. How can I show him that biting me is wrong and does he really hate me?

A: Biting is a normal expression of play behavior for puppies. Just watch any puppies playing with each other and see how much time is spent biting or threatening to bite. This behavior is completely moldable meaning you can train it away if you are firm and consistent. I have had several people comment that there puppy got the message if they responded with a firm "no" and an exaggerated crying episode.