Biting is normal at this stage of a dog's development, and puppies generally receive feedback from members of their “pack”, including adult dogs, who teach them about their fear of biting. Allowing a puppy to bite without reprimanding him can cause problems when he grows up; a five-pound puppy whose initial bite is only small, later when the dog is an adult and becomes 40 kilograms can cause a serious bite. If you or a member of your family is physically in danger or is afraid of dogs, seek immediate help from an experienced certified dog trainer or person with experience dealing with animal behavior.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Understanding Biting Behavior in Dogs
Step 1. Learn how puppies learn not to bite
Puppies often don't realize how hard their bites are, so they play happily without knowing that it's hurting others. Puppies often find that they bite hard when playing with other puppies or adult dogs. Puppies bite each other playfully until a puppy or other adult dog bites so hard that it squeals loudly. The victim will stop playing, and the puppy that bit the victim will startle and stop playing for a while.
The next time the puppy plays, if he bites too hard and gets the same reaction, he will begin to realize that his bite is really hurting people and other puppies. The puppy uses this evidence to change his behavior
Step 2. Understand the dynamics within the dog group as the puppies get older
Adult dogs tolerate puppy behavior (which is sometimes naughty) quite well, but as the puppy gets older, the adult dog becomes less tolerant of him. It was as if the adult dog thought the puppy “should have known better”. Therefore, as the puppy gets older, the firm correction given by the adult dog changes from being a game to a rebuke of a growl or a bite.
- An extreme correction, for example, is that an adult dog will jump at the puppy and pin him on the back to teach him a serious lesson; Often times, things like this cannot be imitated by humans as dog owners, except under the direction and supervision of experienced trainers.
- Because of this natural development, puppies usually learn from adult dogs that biting is unacceptable until they are old enough and can hurt other dogs or people.
Step 3. Estimate carefully when training a puppy
When choosing a puppy training technique, keep in mind how much time you can spend training it and the training method that is appropriate for your situation.
If you have young children, your puppy needs to know that he shouldn't bite your child, but it's best not to involve your child in training
Method 2 of 4: Practice Not Biting
Step 1. Play with your puppy until he bites you
When he bites, squeal loudly, mimicking a dog's squeal. You should squeal loudly and loudly, like the sound of a dog. Stand up to stop playing with your dog to further emphasize that he shouldn't be behaving that way.
If you're training your puppy to use clicks, click as quickly as possible when he pulls his mouth out of your hand or loosens the pressure
Step 2. Relax your hand when your puppy bites you
If you jerk your sore arm, even though it's a natural response, it actually prompts your puppy to play harder and keep biting. When your hands move, you increase your puppy's urge to attack, so he'll want to keep biting you. On the other hand, weak hands are less fun to play with.
Step 3. Play again with your puppy
If he starts biting again, scream or rebuke him and withdraw from the game again. Repeat this step no more than 3 times in a 15 minute period.
Exhausting your puppy by trying to train him for too long won't convey a clear message. Your puppy will not learn to stop biting and he will continue to behave that way
Step 4. Reward positive interactions
Between biting incidents, if your puppy licks or tries to comfort you, praise him and/or reward him. He should be rewarded and encouraged to provide positive feedback that doesn't take the form of a bite.
Step 5. Increase your reaction time if screaming alone doesn't work
When your puppy bites you, squeal loudly and remove your hand as a sign to stop playing. Then ignore your dog for 20 seconds. Being physically removed from the pack sends a strong message to your puppy that he has misbehaved. If your puppy bites again, get up and leave him for 20 seconds.
After 20 seconds, come back and start playing with your puppy again. You need to convey that he can play nice, but not rough. Play with your puppy until the same thing happens again and repeat the steps to ignore/retreat from play
Step 6. Lower your tolerance if your puppy bites hard
If you begin to communicate that hard bites are not allowed, your pup may bite slowly. You need to continue to provide feedback that moderate bites are also not allowed. Keep reprimanding your puppy if he bites really hard again, and so on, until he can play with your hand gently and control the pressure of the bite.
Step 7. Be patient and don't stop
This process takes a long time, especially in puppies who have a strong urge to prey. This method can be effective, but you may get bitten a few times along the way.
Method 3 of 4: Teaching Good Habits
Step 1. Encourage your puppy to play with puppies and other dogs that are tame
Playing with other vaccinated dogs is normal in your puppy's childhood. And just like when you were a kid, it's time to explore and learn. Regularly playing with other well-behaved dogs, who don't need to be taught not to bite, will encourage your puppy to play sweetly with other dogs and you.
Consider enrolling your puppy in a training class, where your dog can learn important skills while having fun
Step 2. Give her favorite bone or toy to nibble on instead of your skin every time she bites you
Give it a toy or bone and let your puppy bite it. This will teach him that his teeth should only bite on toys or bones, not your skin.
Step 3. Do another form of the game
It's great fun to use your hands to play rough with your dog, but it can lead your puppy to assume the wrong way. Play other forms of play that don't encourage your puppy to bite your fingers, hands, heels, and toes.
- Play catch and throw with your dog. Use the same rules every time you play.
- Play tug of war with your dog. Use the same rule to prevent your puppy from biting whenever he gets close to your hand.
- Provide new and exciting playthings to keep your puppy interested. A bored dog likes to get your attention by biting. Change up your toys so your dog doesn't get bored.
Step 4. Use an unpleasant-tasting substance or material to prevent your dog from biting
Before you start playing with your dog, rub the substance or material on your body and clothes that your dog often targets. When your dog starts biting you, stop all movement and wait for him to feel the substance. Praise him and continue playing when he releases a bite.
- Some choices of substances or ingredients that taste bad are bitter apple, balm, tea tree oil, or vinegar. Alternatively, you can spray your dog's mouth-freshing spray to give it a taste and make a sound he doesn't like when he bites you.
- Spray the substance or material that tastes bad to the body and clothes (if the substance is safe for fabrics) for at least two weeks. After two weeks, your pup will likely no longer like your hands and heels.
Step 5. Make sure your puppy gets plenty of exercise
Puppies who exercise a lot (exercise until they are tired) will not be rude when they play with you. This can especially help prevent bad habits from forming. Tired puppies are often well-behaved puppies.
Step 6. Don't retaliate by being rude
Sometimes you may be tempted to punish your puppy by slapping, hitting, or waving your fingers in front of him. The problem is, this kind of response can result in one of two things: your puppy continues to play violently, or your puppy actually attacks in earnest. Avoid corporal punishment that could frighten or intimidate your puppy.
If you're thinking about doing something like that, it's a good idea to call and ask for help from a professional dog trainer or person with experience dealing with animal behavior
Step 7. Don't give up hope to keep playing
You may not like being bitten every time you play with your pup, but you really need to build a close relationship with your dog, and play is one way to build that relationship. Don't give up playing with him just because your puppy doesn't know how to play friendly. Teaching your puppy the difference between right and wrong, not stopping playing altogether, is great for both of you.
Method 4 of 4: Avoiding Playful Bites
Step 1. Take your dog for a daily walk
Check your puppy's vaccination status before taking your puppy for a walk in a public area that other dogs also visit. Do not let your puppy's leash fall off for his own safety.
Step 2. Replace your hand with a toy for him to bite into
Give your pup a chance to nibble on toys that are specifically for biting. Praise him if he picks up and plays with the toy.
If your pup doesn't know the toy is specifically for biting, try putting tuna juice or peanut butter on the toy to make it more interesting
Step 3. Give it a break if your puppy gets rough while playing
If your dog starts to play rough, give him a short "break" from playing, before he even has a chance to bite.
Tips
- Seek professional help if these methods fail and do not produce any changes.
- Adult teeth begin to appear around the age of 4 months. It's a good idea to train your dog before this age, as adult dog teeth can hurt more than puppy teeth.
- Small breed dogs can also cause painful bites; don't neglect to train a puppy of a small breed just because he will always be small.
- Let a well-behaved adult dog correct the puppy's behavior. Although corrections from adult dogs may seem harsh to the human eye, adult dogs are quite skilled at teaching puppies to behave properly.
- Playtime in a well-supervised puppy “preschool” is a great opportunity to deal with biting behavior in dogs in controlled situations.
Related wikiHows
- How to make a dog stop biting
- How to Stop Dog Fights
- How to Stop Aggressive Behavior in Your Dog
- How to Stop Chewing Indiscriminately in Dogs
