Dogs
By Linda Cole
Most puppies gnaw, chew and bite everything in sight, including our fingers, hands and toes. They have an unlimited supply of energy when they are awake, with a playful spirit that only adds to their cuteness. Puppy biting may seem innocent enough, but if it isn't addressed early, a bigger and more aggressive adult dog could accidentally hurt a family member during play. It's up to us as the pack leader to set rules and limitations for our dogs, and it’s important to stop puppy biting before it becomes a problem. Luckily, there's a simple solution that's safe and harmless for the pup, and easy to learn.
The first step in stopping the behavior is to understand why puppies bite. Each dog has to learn their place in the social order of the pack. Puppies play fight and bite their litter mates in order to determine where they fit in. A more aggressive biter is showing he is more dominant which could make it harder to stop your puppy from biting.
As the pack leader, it's up to us to teach a dog what our pack rules are as soon as possible. Nipping and grabbing hands or noses during play may seem cute until someone gets hurt. It's best to correct now what will be unacceptable behavior when the pup grows up. Consistency, patience, staying calm and never hitting the dog is the key to training a puppy or an older dog. We may have a dog's unconditional love, but we also want his respect and trust. If you lose your dog's respect and trust, it will be a constant battle every time you try to teach him anything.
It may take some time to teach your puppy not to bite. Normally, this can be accomplished in two weeks up to a couple of months, so don't give up. The first thing to remember is not to scare the puppy. You want to correct a behavioral problem, not make him afraid of you. Every time your puppy bites or attempts to bite your hand, look directly at him and say “Hey” or “No” in a stern voice. Don't use your hands to push him away. He thinks your hands are paws and you are still playing. Break eye contact with him and turn your side to him or simply get up and walk away. By ignoring him and leaving the puppy with no one to play with, you are teaching him that biting is unacceptable. This is how he learns what you expect and what behavior is acceptable. When he plays nicely and doesn't bite, be sure to praise him for good behavior.
For most puppies, walking away from them works well. If you have a more stubborn pup, you may need to be more assertive to stop them from biting. If after a couple of weeks he still bites, continue with the stern “No” or “Hey” and if he doesn't stop, use a spray bottle filled with water and squirt him on the nose. It won't hurt him and the sudden spray should get his attention. If he continues to bite, give him another squirt and then get up and leave or turn away from him. He will learn that if he wants to continue playing, he can't bite. Of course you need to remember that a dog at any age will use his mouth or bite to communicate with other members of his pack and we are considered part of the pack. Sometimes a nip is meant to tell us something important we need to pay attention to.
Any puppy or dog training needs to be done while you are calm and patient. If you get excited, so will the puppy. Just like kids, dogs need direction so they can understand what is expected from them. Consistent and calm repetition is the best way for your puppy to learn. Make sure everyone in the family uses the same method to stop your puppy from biting.
A puppy has sharp little teeth and can do a lot of damage, especially if they chomp down on a child's hand. The sooner you stop a puppy from biting, the better. Never yell at or hit your pup because this can lead to other behavior problems as they grow into adults, and you risk losing their trust and respect. He's only behaving like a normal puppy should. It's our job to teach him that although we love him, there are things we, as his pack leader, won't accept and biting is one of them. Most puppy biting will cease naturally as they get older. But if it doesn't, you need to stop it before it becomes a problem.
Read more articles by Linda Cole
- How To Get My Bichon Puppy To Stop Chewing On Us
Most puppies bite and chew when they are playing, in a teething phase or if they want attention. The key is to stop this behavior as soon as possible. If your Bichon has a biting problem as a puppy, you do not want this behavior to remain through adulthood....
- How To Teach A Puppy To Stop Biting And Rebelling
When puppies get carried away and treat you like a chew-toy, there is a right way and a wrong way to let them know it hurts. Yelling, getting mad or slapping often turns it into a game and gets your puppy more excited. By consistently asserting yourself...
- How To Teach My Puppy To Stop Biting?
Puppies commonly bite and nip at the hands as a way to play and experience things. A dog's mouth is like our hands are to us, and it uses its mouth to pick up objects and learn about them. Regardless, biting is not a habit dog-owners want their pets...
- Why Is My Siberian Husky Puppy Biting & Nipping?
With those striking eyes and fluffy coat, your puppy might tempt you to play with it without bothering to train it to be obedient even when it nips at your fingers and toes. Although nipping and biting are perfectly normal for teething puppies (as it...
- At What Age Should You Begin Puppy Training?
By Linda Cole It's easy to put off starting a training program for a new pup until after he's older. An eight week old puppy may still be a "baby," but he’s already learned a lot from his mom and siblings. His education needs to continue in...
Dogs
How to Stop Puppy Biting Before It's a Problem
By Linda Cole
Most puppies gnaw, chew and bite everything in sight, including our fingers, hands and toes. They have an unlimited supply of energy when they are awake, with a playful spirit that only adds to their cuteness. Puppy biting may seem innocent enough, but if it isn't addressed early, a bigger and more aggressive adult dog could accidentally hurt a family member during play. It's up to us as the pack leader to set rules and limitations for our dogs, and it’s important to stop puppy biting before it becomes a problem. Luckily, there's a simple solution that's safe and harmless for the pup, and easy to learn.
The first step in stopping the behavior is to understand why puppies bite. Each dog has to learn their place in the social order of the pack. Puppies play fight and bite their litter mates in order to determine where they fit in. A more aggressive biter is showing he is more dominant which could make it harder to stop your puppy from biting.
As the pack leader, it's up to us to teach a dog what our pack rules are as soon as possible. Nipping and grabbing hands or noses during play may seem cute until someone gets hurt. It's best to correct now what will be unacceptable behavior when the pup grows up. Consistency, patience, staying calm and never hitting the dog is the key to training a puppy or an older dog. We may have a dog's unconditional love, but we also want his respect and trust. If you lose your dog's respect and trust, it will be a constant battle every time you try to teach him anything.
It may take some time to teach your puppy not to bite. Normally, this can be accomplished in two weeks up to a couple of months, so don't give up. The first thing to remember is not to scare the puppy. You want to correct a behavioral problem, not make him afraid of you. Every time your puppy bites or attempts to bite your hand, look directly at him and say “Hey” or “No” in a stern voice. Don't use your hands to push him away. He thinks your hands are paws and you are still playing. Break eye contact with him and turn your side to him or simply get up and walk away. By ignoring him and leaving the puppy with no one to play with, you are teaching him that biting is unacceptable. This is how he learns what you expect and what behavior is acceptable. When he plays nicely and doesn't bite, be sure to praise him for good behavior.
For most puppies, walking away from them works well. If you have a more stubborn pup, you may need to be more assertive to stop them from biting. If after a couple of weeks he still bites, continue with the stern “No” or “Hey” and if he doesn't stop, use a spray bottle filled with water and squirt him on the nose. It won't hurt him and the sudden spray should get his attention. If he continues to bite, give him another squirt and then get up and leave or turn away from him. He will learn that if he wants to continue playing, he can't bite. Of course you need to remember that a dog at any age will use his mouth or bite to communicate with other members of his pack and we are considered part of the pack. Sometimes a nip is meant to tell us something important we need to pay attention to.
Any puppy or dog training needs to be done while you are calm and patient. If you get excited, so will the puppy. Just like kids, dogs need direction so they can understand what is expected from them. Consistent and calm repetition is the best way for your puppy to learn. Make sure everyone in the family uses the same method to stop your puppy from biting.
A puppy has sharp little teeth and can do a lot of damage, especially if they chomp down on a child's hand. The sooner you stop a puppy from biting, the better. Never yell at or hit your pup because this can lead to other behavior problems as they grow into adults, and you risk losing their trust and respect. He's only behaving like a normal puppy should. It's our job to teach him that although we love him, there are things we, as his pack leader, won't accept and biting is one of them. Most puppy biting will cease naturally as they get older. But if it doesn't, you need to stop it before it becomes a problem.
Read more articles by Linda Cole
- How To Get My Bichon Puppy To Stop Chewing On Us
Most puppies bite and chew when they are playing, in a teething phase or if they want attention. The key is to stop this behavior as soon as possible. If your Bichon has a biting problem as a puppy, you do not want this behavior to remain through adulthood....
- How To Teach A Puppy To Stop Biting And Rebelling
When puppies get carried away and treat you like a chew-toy, there is a right way and a wrong way to let them know it hurts. Yelling, getting mad or slapping often turns it into a game and gets your puppy more excited. By consistently asserting yourself...
- How To Teach My Puppy To Stop Biting?
Puppies commonly bite and nip at the hands as a way to play and experience things. A dog's mouth is like our hands are to us, and it uses its mouth to pick up objects and learn about them. Regardless, biting is not a habit dog-owners want their pets...
- Why Is My Siberian Husky Puppy Biting & Nipping?
With those striking eyes and fluffy coat, your puppy might tempt you to play with it without bothering to train it to be obedient even when it nips at your fingers and toes. Although nipping and biting are perfectly normal for teething puppies (as it...
- At What Age Should You Begin Puppy Training?
By Linda Cole It's easy to put off starting a training program for a new pup until after he's older. An eight week old puppy may still be a "baby," but he’s already learned a lot from his mom and siblings. His education needs to continue in...