Puppy Training - Teaching Your Pup to Stop Dog Biting

Puppy training can be divided into several different stages and for each of these stages, there is an ideal time for when it should be accomplished. For instance, the problem of nipping or dog biting should ideally have been completely eliminated by the time a puppy is 15 weeks old. However, there are some cases where this deadline would have been missed, like if you adopt a puppy that is a little bit older and had not yet undergone any kind of puppy training with its previous owner. In this case, it may be a little bit late but there are still steps you can take to solve the nipping issue.

The first step is to limit your puppy’s roughhousing activities as these are the times when he is most likely to nip or bite. Many owners let such bad dog behavior pass, thinking that it’s not that bad since the puppy is only doing it in play. However, by not addressing the problem early, the habit of dog biting and nipping can stick to your dog until he grows up and by then it won’t be just annoying but it can also be dangerous as well.

Being Tolerant In Your Puppy Training

With very young puppies, however, a little bit of nipping can be forgivable. After all, it is one of the natural things that dogs do to show their affection and playfulness. But once your puppy reaches 15 weeks, all kinds of nipping and dog biting should not longer be tolerated and you should get serious in your puppy training and in commanding him to stop this unpleasant habit.

Some dogs can be quite stubborn and won’t succumb to regular puppy training techniques when it comes to nipping, In this case, you may want to consider applying some kind of shock treatment or punishment to reinforce the lesson much more strongly. Of course, we are not referring to animal cruelty in any way. Using a water gun or simply ignoring the dog whenever he nips or bites is usually enough to deliver the message across.

Finally, it is essential that you stick to your guns no matter how cute and adorable your puppy may look at you. He should learn that no means no. However, you should also know how to say no in a determined tone without sounding angry or threatening because this will probably scare your puppy. Also, you should not stare him down because he will see this as a threat and consequently, he will be considerably less cooperative in the puppy training process.

How to Deal with Dog Biting Problems

Few people realize it but the problem of dog biting can actually be more serious than we think. A lot of us would assume that when a dog seems nice and friendly, then they probably won’t bite. The operative word here is probably, which means that even the most mellow dog, in fact even a dog that has been kept as a housetrained pet for years, may still resort to biting under certain circumstances.

Dogs seldom bite for no reason. Usually, they do it because they are provoked or are left with no other option. A lot of dog biting incidents can actually be prevented if you just avoid putting yourself in situations where it might happen.

Exposure to Spoiled Dogs

Spoiled dogs are those who are given complete freedom to do whatever they want in the house. Such dogs have a tendency to bite indiscriminately and without warning. For example, you may just be taking a stroll around the block and all of a sudden a neighbor’s dog charges towards you and bites.

It would be very hard to protect yourself in these situations but the good thing is that these types of dog biting cases are very rare. Most people who own such spoiled dogs are aware of their pet’s misbehavior and do take measures to keep them away from unsuspecting people.

Biting out of Fear

Some dogs can be very nervous and jumpy around people, particularly strangers. This behavior may have been brought about by the lack of socialization as a puppy or trauma from maltreatment. It could also be an inherited behavior. For these dogs, even the smallest triggers can easily lead to biting.

This is very similar to biting out of pain. When a dog has been injured or is in some kind of pain, you should take extra heed when approaching him, even if he is your own pet. Dogs in these situations may think that you are the one that caused the pain or the injury and may take their aggression out on you.

Biting as a Form of Self-Defense

When animals are threatened, they all use some kind of self-defense mechanism in order to protect themselves. For some dogs, this would be biting. This type of dog biting happens to all breeds but it has been found to be more frequent in the working breeds. Dogs that bite in this manner do so in order to protect someone or something other than themselves. Usually it would be their master or their offspring. If whatever they are protecting seems to be in danger, even the most docile dog can be viciously protective.