Lily, who owns seven dogs, says the most common puppy training mistake is training for too long. She shared what happened after a ten-minute session with her puppy, Goose, to show why overtraining leads to biting and bad behaviour.
The Dog's Trust notes that early socialisation and basic puppy training help puppies become well-adjusted adults, but a session that goes on too long can have the opposite effect.
The warning signs
Before training, Goose had been "chilling" and running around the house. Afterwards, Lily described the puppy as "very bitey" and "not listening." In a video, she said: "Now, as you can see, what we have right now is a very bitey puppy, a very annoying puppy, a puppy who is being very irritating, who is not listening, who is launching at me, biting at me, will not leave me alone," as the pup continued to bite her arm and hand.
Lily explained that the puppy was overtired. "People make the mistake of overly training with their dogs," she said. Because a young puppy cannot be left to roam freely without chewing on furniture or people, she suggests the better option is to let the puppy nap.
How to fix it
"Because this is a girly who is tired, who's used her brain lots. And now we have a dog who's having a temper tantrum and needs to go in for a sleep," Lily said.
The Dog's Trust says biting during or after training often happens because the puppy is overstimulated, tired, or confusing training treats with play. To fix this, owners should stop the interaction immediately, redirect the puppy to a proper chew toy, and ensure they get enforced naps.
