Cases of death due to rabies, mainly caused by dogs, in Indonesia are said to have reached more than 84 thousand people (Kemenkes data in 2012). While a dog biting lightly or biting hard may not seem like a serious problem, it can still be a dangerous creature. If you have a dog that bites you, you can be held financially responsible for any injuries that the dog causes. You may also be criminally charged if your dog kills someone. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to train your dog to stop biting and become a good citizen of the canine community. Training will take a lot of time and patience, but a well-trained dog will bring joy to your family and make a great family member.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing Why Your Dog Bites
Step 1. Distinguish between aggressive bites and just joking
Most dogs and puppies display normal behaviors such as mouthing, nipping or biting for fun. If so, a dog that is joking will exhibit a relaxed body that is neither tense nor aggressive. When biting lightly or just jokingly, the puppy or adult dog will not show his teeth or bite hard (deep enough). However, if your dog bites aggressively, his body will stiffen, and the dog will show his teeth and bite quickly and hard.
In addition to his body language, pay attention to your dog's behavior. The hope is that you will be ready with a good idea, such as an unhappy dog pretending to be, or if the dog is just playing
Step 2. Decide what caused your dog to bite
A dog does not bite suddenly. On the other hand, dogs bite as a reaction to certain situations or feelings. You will need to observe your dog's body language in order to imagine why the dog is biting. It's important to decide on the reason because you'll need to compromise in different ways depending on whether the bite was a joke or an assault. Your dog may bite because:
- Hungry
- Fear or feeling threatened
- Defend yourself or your territory
- Sick or feeling sick
- Too excited at playtime
Step 3. Observe your dog's mood
You can visualize your dog's mood by watching his body language. Knowing how your dog is feeling will help you respond appropriately and prevent your dog from biting. Look to check if your dog is biting and:
- Relaxed: Your dog will have a calm stance and relaxed facial muscles with his mouth open. The ears will be in a natural position (upright or drooping depending on the breed) or slightly forward as a warning sign. The dog may wag its tail or hold it naturally and the fur along its back will fall flat.
- Aggressive: Your dog's ears and tail will stand up straight (while the tail may sway from side to side slowly). His muscles will tighten/harden while the hairs along his back stand up. The dog will show his teeth and stare straight at you or whatever is bothering him. Note that you don't have to look him in the eye, back off slowly, and place an obstacle (such as a chair, door, or backpack) between you and the dog.
- Fear: Your dog will tremble in fear with his ears turned back, his body tense, and his tail tucked between his legs. The dog may bite because it feels that it cannot escape the frightening situation.
Part 2 of 3: Stopping Aggressive Bites
Step 1. Control and supervise your dog
If your dog is aggressive (tends to attack) or even bites for no apparent reason, you need to get him under control immediately. To prevent your dog from biting again, wear a harness, muzzle, or head dumbbell (a type of harness consisting of a leash to wrap around the muzzle and another to wrap around the neck behind the ears, and secure with a ring under the chin.). Do not let your dog out of the house without a leash and unless the dog is accompanied by a responsible adult holding it.
You should never leave a potentially biting dog alone with a small child. In fact, your dog should not be around children outside of the family until the biting habit is stopped
Step 2. Take your dog for a vet check
As soon as you get your dog under control, you will need to take him to the vet for a check-up and consultation regarding his behavior. The vet may find that your dog is suffering from a medical condition (such as brain dysfunction due to a stroke or old age) or is in pain (due to arthritis or injury). If you find the cause of the stinging and biting, your vet may recommend a treatment that can stop the bite.
If there is no medical explanation for the bite, ask the vet to determine if the dog may be acting out of fear or out of defense
Step 3. Find a professional trainer for your dog
Your veterinarian may recommend an animal behavior specialist. The specialist can work with your dog to make sure it is properly trained. Working with a professional trainer is especially important if someone has been injured, as you will almost certainly not be able to improve your dog's biting habits.
Make sure the professional trainer you choose is certified to handle aggressive animals. Find a certified animal behaviorist, behavioral veterinarian, or certified professional dog trainer in your city
Part 3 of 3: Stop Bite Joking Or Out Of Fear
Step 1. Get rid of your dog's fear
You can expose/show your dog whatever scares him in a less intense version. Gradually increase the intensity of the situation to make your dog feel comfortable with the object he fears. Make sure you start small, with a short exposure time before increasing it. Your dog should be comfortable with each new exposure.
For example, if your dog is afraid of people in hats, let the dog see a person with a hat in the yard through a window or glass door (you may need to get help from a friend). The person should do a lot of simple things, such as sitting or reading. Do this trick for several days in a row, and as time goes on, bring the person in the hat closer to your dog
Step 2. Let your dog face his fears
As much as you want to help your dog get past his fear, you need to let him try it himself. Do not approach or calm your dog during the allaying stage of the fear. You can stay around to give him food as a reward for his good habits. It's a good idea to keep him on a leash just in case the dog reacts badly and you need to control him.
For example, if your dog is afraid of people in hats but doesn't run away when they see someone in hats, let the person gently toss some food at him. This way, your dog knows that the person is not a threat. In the end, your dog can accept the person until they can be in the same room. Furthermore, the person in the hat can feed your dog directly from his hand
Step 3. Train your dog to refrain from biting
If your puppy or adult dog begins to smack his mouth, bite lightly, or bite hard while playing, shout in a high pitched voice. At the same time, relax your hands and stop the game. This will startle your dog and should stop him from biting your hand. Give a reward immediately if the dog backs off and then go back to playing. Repeat this step each time your dog starts biting lightly or biting hard to get the dog to associate the bite with inattention.
Most dogs learn to refrain from biting like puppies when playing with their parent/playmates. If a puppy bites another puppy too hard, the bitten puppy will make a loud screeching sound, startling the biting puppy. It teaches puppies about good canine citizens
Step 4. Control your dog by teaching basic commands
You can curb your dog's biting habit by teaching commands like "sit," "down," "stay," and "come here." Train your dog daily until he masters all of these commands. Divide the training session into two periods of 10 minutes each and do it only when your dog is relaxed. Next, you can use these commands as a control if the dog isn't on the leash and starts acting up.
- Be consistent when teaching the commandments and use positive reinforcement such as praise or gifts. Never punish or hit your dog as this will provide negative reinforcement and make him fear you.
- Train the dog in a quiet environment (such as a fenced yard or quiet room in the house) and be patient. If you find you can't train, enroll your dog for obedience classes.
Step 5. Give your dog plenty of exercise and stimulation
Try to walk your dog three or four times a day. These activities will take your dog outside and give him a chance to burn off energy and energy. You can also stimulate him, especially if you're away all day, by giving him something fun made of a sturdy rubber or a toy that can be filled with kibble/biscuits or peanut butter. Your dog will spend time nibbling on the toy for food which can also help release his energy.
If you can't take your dog for a walk during the day, consider hiring someone to walk him or take him to the daycare. Walking or being in a daycare will also stimulate the dog mentally with lots of new sights, smells, and sounds
Step 6. Distract your dog
Redirecting attention is a useful habit for dogs to learn to prevent unwanted habits. When you see your dog start to chew or bite, turn his attention to something more desirable such as a toy, something delicious (food), or another activity. For example, if your dog starts sticking his mouth shut, play a game like tug-of-war. Or, get rid of his mind to bite by playing catch and throw.
Don't try to distract an aggressive biting dog. Such actions only lead to unpredictable and dangerous redirect attacks
Tips
- If you can't tell if your dog is biting because it's offensive or just kidding, consult a professional dog trainer or a dog behaviorist.
- If your puppy or dog is provoked with excessive distractions or threats of potential harm (in self-defense), you can train them yourself-as long as no one gets hurt.
- You can reward your dog with small tasty treats, such as small pieces of cheese or boiled chicken.
Warning
- Never leave a small child alone with a puppy or adult dog. Children always have a higher risk of being bitten, especially on the face and these bites can cause large scars.
- Never allow children or adults to harass the dog. Teasing a dog may result in a bite if the dog feels the need to defend itself.
