How to Make a Dog Stop Biting (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-19 22:11

Often, dog bites are considered normal behavior. However, just because it's normal doesn't mean pet owners shouldn't pay attention to this behavior. It is important for you to learn why dogs bite and take certain steps to prevent and stop dogs from biting for the sake of protecting yourself and the dog itself.

Step

Part 1 of 4: Preventing Dog Bites

Step 1. Spay or neuter your dog

There are many good reasons to spay and neuter your dog. One reason is that dogs tend to bite less when spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutralizing can alter the level of hormones in a dog's body, resulting in a more benign behavior.

The dog's instinct to roam or fight with other dogs will also decrease.
Neutralizing a dog can lower testosterone levels, making male dogs less aggressive.

Step 2. Do not let the dog roam or go without a collar

Making sure your dog is in his yard is one of the hallmarks of a responsible pet owner. Keeping your dog in a safe and confined space can not only help look after your dog, but it can also take care of other pets and other people.

Do not let the dog roam freely.
Keeping your dog out of the way can lower the chances of meeting and fighting with other pets.
Keeping a dog can also lower the dog's chances of biting during the hunt.

Step 3. Avoid stressful situations

If you know or suspect that the dog may bite, avoid any stressful situations. Don't introduce him to new or crowded places. Watch your dog's behavior at all times for signs of stress and leave the area immediately if they start to manifest.

Don't introduce a lot of new people if that seems stressful for your dog.
Crowds can be stressful for dogs. Avoid crowds if it can make your dog nervous.
You can avoid situations that make him depressed. However, you also still need to teach the dog to stay relaxed when in a crowd.
Have a safe space where your dog can walk and relax.

Step 4. Take obedience training with your dog

Taking obedience training classes with your pet is one of the best ways to prevent dog bites. In these classes, you and your dog will be taught how to work together to avoid bites.

Your dog will socialize with other dogs and people.
Your dog will learn how to deal with his fears.
You will learn proper ways of rewarding and punishing behavior.
Have a desire to learn in you and your dog.
Ask your vet about recommended obedience training classes.

Part 2 of 4: Practice Stopping Biting, Mouthing, and Nipping

Step 1. Determine if your dog's mouthing is playful or aggressive

All dogs, except for certain puppies, have normal mouthing behavior. Learning the differences between the two can help you understand dog behavior. However, neither bite nor mouthing behavior is acceptable, so both must be stopped.

Playful mouthing won't hurt you. Your dog will also have a relaxed body language.
An aggressive bite will be accompanied by tense and stiff body language.
Aggressive bites are often faster, harder and more painful.

Step 2. Teach your dog to be gentle with his teeth and mouth

Dogs are animals who like to get together and learn from the games they played with other dogs when they were little. It's normal for puppies to bite as a form of play, but you need to start teaching them never to bite.

If you are bitten, make a high-pitched whine like a dog would.
Stop playing for a few seconds.
Praise your dog then get back to playing.
If the dog or puppy doesn't stop after you whine, leave and try again later.

Step 3. Use the time-out method to limit mouthing and nipping behavior

If your puppy or adult dog doesn't respond to whining and a brief refusal to play, try a time-out procedure. Ignoring your dog is a good way to let your dog know that his behavior is unacceptable.

Yell loudly when you are bitten.
Ignore the dog for 10 to 20 seconds.
You can also put your dog somewhere alone for 10 to 20 seconds.

Step 4. Reward regularly for good behavior

It's important to let your dog know that what he's doing is proper behavior. Be sure to always praise your pet for stopping biting, be it a pet or a snack.

Reward only the behavior you want.
Keep treats nearby so you can easily reward your dog while training him.
Don't overfeed the dog, just give him small treats.

Step 5. Continue teaching the dog to have gentle behavior

Your dog will begin to bite more gently. Keep on whining and stopping play, whenever your dog bites.

When your dog relieves pressure, respond by whining at a lighter bite.
Keep doing the above until your dog stops biting with pressure.

Step 6. Choose dog toys and games carefully

It's normal to want to wrestle with your dog or play tug of war. However, we can give a confusing message while doing so, and it can make it more difficult to limit the biting instinct.

Provide toys or bones to chew instead of letting the puppy bite your fingers or hands.
Avoid fighting games, which can make your dog overexcited or confused.
Think again if you want to play tug of war. This can lead to dominance problems.
Be sure to talk to your vet or trainer about how to teach your dog to play tug of war.

Part 3 of 4: Responding to Serious Biting Behavior

Step 1. Eliminate playful bites

Playful bites can be removed by doing simple exercises that you can do at home. However, if your dog shows signs of aggression, it is a more serious problem.

Aggressive bites can hurt us more than playful bites.
Your dog will have tense, stiff body language.

Step 2. Get help from a veterinarian

If your dog shows signs of aggression, you should seek professional help immediately. Your vet can help you find the cause of your dog's aggressive biting behavior.

A veterinarian can help treat any disease that can cause biting behavior.
Your vet can teach you how to reward or punish certain behaviors.
Try talking to a qualified veterinary behaviorist to understand how to better train your dog.

Step 3. Keep your dog vaccinated

With proper training, it is hoped that the dog will never bite you or anyone else again. However, the possibility of biting still remains. Therefore, it is very important to keep vaccinations and records up-to-date if someone is bitten.

Getting vaccinated regularly can help keep bite victims from getting sick.
You will also be less likely to get sick if your dog's vaccinations are kept up to date.
Keep dogs safe, as many areas exterminate unvaccinated biting dogs.
Practice being a responsible pet owner. Never allow your dog to roam in public areas. Use a muzzle guard when in public if your dog is prone to biting.

Part 4 of 4: Understanding Why Dogs Bite

Step 1. Distinguish the types of biting behavior

Puppies and adult dogs use their mouths to play and understand the world around them. In general, we can distinguish between mouthing, nipping, playful bites and more serious aggressive bites.

Puppies will often do mouthing or nipping playfully. While this is common behavior, it is still unacceptable.
Adult dogs can also do mouthing or nipping if not trained.
No matter how old the dog is, teach him that biting someone is unacceptable behavior.
Aggressive bites, be it on a young or adult dog, need to be treated immediately.

Step 2. Watch for signs of possessiveness in your dog

Dogs have the property of protecting their possessions. He has extensive knowledge of his possessions. If your dog senses an object in his possession is being disturbed, he will bite in retaliation.

Dogs can view toys, food, territory or even people as belonging.
Watch your dog when you are in the area with these objects to see what triggers the biting behavior.

Step 3. Watch for signs of fear in dogs

Another cause of biting behavior in dogs is fear. If your dog is frightened, try to think of a cause, such as new people or places. Watch for the following signs in your dog that could indicate fear:

Shaky.
Tail tucked in.
Down posture.
Hiding.
Run.

Step 4. Determine if your puppy or dog is injured

If your dog bites, and it doesn't seem playful, he may be hurting. Even the calmest and friendliest dogs can bite when they are injured. Take him to the vet immediately if you think your dog is injured. Watch for signs of an injured dog below:

Whine.
Changes in eating or drinking.
Yelling.
Moaning.
Nervous.
Difficulty moving.
lame.

Step 5. Understand that the new mother dog can bite

If your female dog needs to pee or give birth, be aware of possible bites. The maternal instinct is strong even in a loyal and calm dog. So you need to be careful not to encourage biting behavior.

Provide a safe and secluded space for your dog.
Approach the mother dog and puppies with care.
Teach other family members to approach mother and puppies with care.

Step 6. Determine if the dog is biting due to predatory behavior

The predatory instinct of most dogs is very strong. If the dog is bothered by its "hunt," it may bite. If you think that a dog bite is the result of that predatory instinct, you need to deal with it for everyone's safety. Dogs can mistake the following for prey:

Wildlife, such as rabbits or squirrels.
Car
joggers
cyclist

Step 7. Recognize the danger signs of an impending bite

If you've determined that there's no chance your puppies and adult dogs will playfully mouthing or nipping, you should be dealing with a more aggressive behavior problem. Aggressive behavior is considered dangerous to handle. Learn the signs of aggression in dogs below.

Ears pulled back.
Standing feathers along the back.
You can see the white part of the ear.
The dog shows its teeth.

Step 8. Know how to handle a dog that is about to bite

There are some basic techniques that can help guard against biting dogs that are showing signs of aggression. Follow the basic steps below to help keep you protected from dog bites: