Tips for an inexperienced owner: how to stop a puppy from biting. The puppy bites: what to do and how to wean it off
When a person gets a dog, he must understand that he is now responsible for this animal, for its well-being and behavior. And if the owner wants obedience from the dog, then it is necessary to educate and train it. And you should start training your pet while it is still a puppy, because it is more difficult to retrain an adult dog and wean it from bad habits. This is especially true for the habit of biting.
There are many opinions and ways to stop a dog from biting, but first of all, you need to find out the reason why it bites.
Why do puppies bite?
Very often, people are faced with the fact that, while still a puppy, their dog bites. But this does not mean that the dog will grow up angry and then attack people. Puppies aged 3–8 months bite for two reasons:
In the first case, the reason is a change of teeth. Therefore, puppies chew on everything they come across and can bite. Thus, they massage the gums and relieve discomfort in the mouth. All dogs' teeth change differently. Typically, this begins at 3-4 months of age and continues until the puppy is 7-8 months old. Therefore, in order to avoid biting your hands and feet, as well as tearing apart your shoes and furniture, during this period it is necessary to purchase toys for the puppy that he can chew.
In the second case, the puppy uses its teeth, just like a person uses his hands, to explore the world around him. By biting, the puppy tries to understand what he can or cannot do. For example, during play, puppies may bite each other in excitement. But as soon as the bites become painful, the injured puppy immediately begins to whine and leaves the offender. At the reflex level, the puppy remembers that if he bites hard, then no one will play with him later. Next time, this puppy will try to bite easier during play or not bite at all.
But if a pet bites a person while playing, and the owner does not stop this action on the part of the animal, then in the future the puppy may think that he can bite and no one will punish him for this. Lack of punishment is one of the most common mistakes people make when raising a dog. Therefore, the first rule that the owner of the animal needs to remember is that the dog must be punished for bad behavior, and especially for biting.
How to properly punish a dog
Proper training of a dog always includes punishment. Even when a dog bites because it is teething. But this does not mean that a person should be cruel to an animal that has done wrong. If you start behaving cruelly, especially at a young age for a puppy, this can greatly disturb his psyche - he may begin to experience severe fear and panic. Then the animal’s actions during the next punishment may become unpredictable. Such an animal will suffer rather than learn.
In order not to overdo it with punishments, you need to follow simple rules:
- You can punish a puppy no earlier than he is 3-4 months old. It is at this age that the dog best begins to remember everything that is taught to it;
- never refuse your punishment. If you decide to punish an animal, do exactly that, you don’t need to play with it after 2 minutes as if nothing had happened, otherwise the puppy will not understand that it was a punishment;
- be restrained and strict, then the dog will see you as a leader and will obey, while he should not be afraid of you, but know his place;
- punish the dog immediately, at the moment when it bites you or someone else, otherwise it will forget about this act and will not understand why it was punished;
- During the educational process, look your pet straight in the eyes, then at the level of instincts he will understand that you are not afraid of him.
You can spank a dog only when ignoring it and lowering your voice does not help. In this case, you need to give the dog a stopper and slap it lightly on the rump with your palm. Do not use foreign objects, such as slippers, otherwise the dog will get angry at such objects, and you risk being left barefoot later. If necessary, increase the spanking so that it is unpleasant, but not too painful for the dog.
If you have a hard time punishing your little four-legged friend, then try to think that this is not so much punishment as education. Because if you raise your dog correctly and establish your dominance over it, you will not have to resort to severe punishment in the future.
With older dogs the situation is much more complicated. If the dog was not raised while it was still a puppy, then this dog can allow itself a lot, even not listening to the owner at all or snapping and growling when the owner punishes it. In such cases, you should not use punishment in the form of a spanking, but you can, for example, lock the dog in an enclosure. Such a dog is difficult to live with in close contact and can pose a threat to the entire family and guests. If an animal is difficult to train or does not want to train at all, you are better off seeking help from professional trainers.
Dog training
Along with education, it is also necessary to train the dog. It should be noted that education and training are different actions. By raising, you shape the character of the dog, its behavior at home and on the street. It is upbringing that determines whether the dog will obey you. And by training, you teach her to perform a specific action on your command. For example, when you punish a dog, you should give it stopping commands.
There are various training methods and a wide variety of commands for dogs. And the owner himself chooses which commands to teach his pet. All these commands are used when raising a dog, which makes this process much easier for the owner and the dog.
Basic commands that a dog should know:
- "Ugh" or "No". Both of these commands are used to prevent the dog from doing something and are always used before punishment. The dog remembers the command and the tone of voice with which you say it, and understands that it needs to stop. To enhance the effect of this command, use a slap with the palm or the free edge of the leash, or lightly pull the dog by the leash or collar. Remember that this must be done with great care, without causing severe pain to the dog;
- "To me". More often used when walking a dog when it is far away and the owner wants it to come to him;
- "Near". Close in meaning to the command “Come to me,” but more often used to pull the dog away, because it should not run in front or stay behind, but walk calmly next to the owner;
- "Give". Usually this is the first command that a puppy begins to teach at the age of 3 months. You can use dog toys or other light objects for training. If the dog knows the command give, then you will not have problems taking the toy from its mouth during play;
- “Sit”, “Lie down”, “Stand”. At first glance they seem unimportant. But, for example, if you went into a store and left your dog outside, then you can be sure that with these commands your dog will show his manners at the best level. They also serve as a basis for training the dog’s endurance;
- "Excerpt"- This is an indicator of the dog's obedience. For example, you gave the command “Sit”, began to move to the side and the dog stood up, which means that it could not cope with endurance. And if you can calmly move 100 meters away from an unattached dog and it will continue to follow your command, then this is an excellent indicator of endurance;
- "Place". The dog should have its own, clearly defined place in the house, where, if necessary, you can send it so that it does not disturb you, especially when you receive guests;
- "Face". This is a command in which the dog must attack whatever the owner points at. You can proceed to teaching this command only when you are 100% sure that the pet obeys you, and this indicator is most often the dog’s level of endurance.
When training your pet, be sure to praise it and treat it with treats for its success. This will increase the effectiveness of the training and the pace of his learning, will make him understand that as long as he follows the commands correctly, he will get something tasty, and this, in turn, will motivate the dog to obey much more.
For some people who decide to get a puppy, it is a complete surprise that their pet begins to bite. But there is nothing surprising in this. Look at small children: a six-month-old baby reaches out with his hands to various objects that fall into his mouth, and when he reaches out, he often pulls them into his mouth. A child uses his fingers as a tool for understanding the world around him, but in dogs, only the jaws perform the function of hands. And add to this the fact that small puppies have itchy gums - and the picture is clear. There is only one thing left to do: carefully hide shoes and various objects that he can chew from the puppy, raise the wire to a height unattainable for the dog and wait for the teething period to end. But how do you stop a puppy from really biting when he not only chews your clothes and shoes, but also attacks you?
There is nothing wrong with this behavior if the puppy is less than six months old. But you shouldn’t let him bite you either. The puppy bites in play, not having anything against the fact that you bite him lightly. Such are these dog games. But you are not a dog, and you cannot bite him. Therefore, if you continue to play with him when he uses his teeth, he will have a strong opinion that this is possible. But think about it: your dog is growing, and so is the muscle strength of his jaws. The day will come when the bite will no longer be as harmless as the light nipping of a puppy's teeth. Therefore, you need to think ahead of time about how to wean your puppy from biting.
First of all, understand that the puppy does not bite out of malice. Therefore, it makes no sense to scold a puppy for biting. He simply won’t understand you: one moment it was so fun and good, and a second later he is being reprimanded for something. It's a shame! You can discover the answer to the question of how to stop a puppy from biting by watching young dogs playing. They run after each other, tumble, pull some rag in different directions and, of course, bite each other on different parts of the body. But what does a dog do when some playmate bites him painfully? She squeals and moves away from the offender, letting him know that they don’t play with someone like that. The bitten one sits there, puzzled, for a while, but then comes to a conclusion: the force of the jaws must be restrained. In general, dogs have extremely sensitive jaws. An adult dog feels the difference between lightly holding an object, barely perceptible biting and gnawing on a brain bone, but a puppy does not yet see this difference. He must understand her, and his playmates let him know that he has gone too far. Next time he will be more careful. Do as puppies do: scream loudly (even if it doesn't hurt you at all), stop playing immediately and move away from the dog. After some time, you can return to the game.
It happens that this method does not give much, and the playful puppy continues to jump up and dig into your arms and legs. How to stop a puppy from biting in this case? Take an example from adult dogs. They allow little puppies a lot, but do not tolerate it when they bite them. If a small puppy bites its mother's ear, she will first yelp loudly, letting her know that she is in pain. If this has no effect and the puppy continues to bite, she grabs him by the scruff of the neck with her teeth, shakes him vigorously several times, growling, and leaves him. Or lightly squeezes his nose with his teeth. Moreover, the puppy does not have the slightest wound. If your pet does not understand at first that biting is not good, lift him by the scruff of the neck and, shaking him slightly, repeat several times in a low and stern voice (which sounds like a growl to the puppy): NO BITING!
So that he doesn’t have the habit of biting at all, and it doesn’t even hurt at all? Buy him special toys at the veterinarian's store and show him that he can bite them, but under no circumstances his hands, feet or clothes.
But what to do if your puppy is already more than six months old, and he still bites? This is no longer a game, this is a claim to dominance. How to stop a dog from biting and show who's boss? Behave like a pack leader: do not let your dog sleep next to you; feed her only after you have eaten yourself; let her earn her food by following some command. The sooner you put your dog in its place, the easier it will be to build relationships with it in the future. As a last resort, invite a professional training instructor.
Any dog owner wonders how to stop their puppy from biting? After all, a small pet does not allow you to take a single step without grabbing you or the child by the leg. This is normal for a baby - this is how he gets to know the world by trying everything out. This is what human children do in infancy. For dogs, this is the norm of behavior among themselves throughout their lives. Your task is to show the puppy that he is now a member of your family and wean him from this bad habit.
There is no need to be very strict with your pet, because a dog is a naturally predatory animal. Its teeth are designed for biting and grabbing. While still very small, littermate puppies bite each other during play. This picture can often be seen in films: a bunch of cute puppies rush at each other with a squeal, biting their ears and paws.
Many puppies bite their owners' legs while playing.
If you think that by biting, the puppy is showing aggression towards you, then do not despair. Puppies, absolutely all of them, often joyfully bite the legs and hands of the owner who has returned from work; they do not growl, but squeal.
This is a manifestation of intense delight at your return. After all, in a pack of dogs, puppies greet brothers this way. But a person is not a dog, and it is important to teach the puppy different behavior in his new “pack”.
Puppy bites while playing
Sometimes the puppy may suddenly attack his legs from around the corner. This is already a manifestation of active play and the dog does not understand why you are unhappy, because it is so much fun. In such a situation, it is especially important to know how to wean a puppy from grabbing its legs, because over time the dog will grow up, its teeth will become sharper, and in the process of such play the pet will easily injure its owner or child.
This is especially important for large breeds, for example, Alabai or Labrador puppies. When the animal grows to the size of an adult dog, it will be extremely difficult to overcome such a dangerous habit.
Changing teeth
Remember that puppies also change teeth. The period when a puppy's baby teeth fall out and permanent teeth grow is accompanied by itching and unpleasant sensations in the pet's mouth, which he will try to eliminate on his owner's feet and hands.
During the period when the puppy's teeth change, he begins to bite everything, trying to get rid of the itching in the gums. This time falls between 3 and 6 months of age for the dog. Do not forget that changing teeth is an even more difficult time for a puppy than for the owner. The pet is suffering and needs help in the form of soft rubber toys.
Important! When choosing a toy for a small puppy, give preference to small figures. The baby should be pleased to take it in his teeth and be able to bring it to the owner when he wants to play. The rubber of the toy was pleasant enough to not hurt the puppy’s sensitive gums.
It is not difficult to train a small puppy to stop biting. But what matters is the age at which the knowledge of “etiquette” is instilled in a small dog. The sooner the pet understands how to behave, the better. After all, a large adult dog is more difficult to control; it is already aware of its strength and shows more disobedience.
And in raising a small puppy, it is only important to follow a few certain principles:
The puppy must have toys. After all, he is still a child, even though he is a dog and requires entertainment. Not finding anything to bite around, he will choose his master's feet, or hands, or shoes. Without allowing leg biting, give the puppy an alternative: rubber toys, balls.
This is especially important during the period of teeth change - when unbearable gum teeth force the baby to chew everything. Offer him a few soft rubber toys and the pet will calm down.
Don't provoke the puppy
Oddly enough, some dog owners themselves start playing with their puppy with their feet and hands. While the pet is small, people find it funny. But when the teeth become sharp and the puppy rushes to his feet growling, the owners begin to sound the alarm.
Many owners themselves encourage puppies to bite their legs, which is absolutely not allowed. But they themselves taught the pet such a game. Never tease your puppy, even as a joke, with your hands and feet.
Important! If there are children in the house, explain to them the rules of behavior with the puppy. Tell us what and how you can play with your pet. Show the techniques of the game and make sure that the dog and the child become friends.
Spend time with your puppy
If the puppy is given minimal attention, then there will come a time when the pet gets bored. And it’s not far from boredom to throwing you on your feet in order to attract your attention. This is especially true for the most active breeds, for example, huskies.
These dogs need long active games from childhood. Walk with your puppy as much as possible, run, play frisbee and balls. Take your children and toys for walks and teach them to spend time together. Exhaust your puppy as much as possible while walking, pay him attention, and then the pet will have neither the strength nor the desire to bite you.
You cannot physically punish a puppy - severe pain will only instill aggression in the dog in the future.
Indifference to the puppy's pranks and attacks on his legs will also lead to undesirable consequences: when the puppy grows up, he will consider himself in charge. Always react to the bites of a little fidget, correct the puppy’s behavior immediately, while he is still small.
Do not humiliate or beat the puppy during the training process; with these methods you will not be able to achieve the desired result. Don’t demand things from your puppy that he can’t do: don’t expect your pet to remember all the rules of behavior the first time. It is small and will need to be repeated many times.
You should not humiliate the puppy - constant screaming, raising your voice and being rude will raise a downtrodden dog with a problematic psyche. This especially affects dogs that require special attention: large dogs of fighting breeds.
If the puppy is to become a guard in the future, it is not advisable to allow him to communicate and play with strangers. The future defender should have an impression from childhood: who is his family and who is not.
We invite you to watch a video in which the owner of the puppy talks about his experience of weaning his puppy from biting its legs and arms.
In order for a dog to listen to its owner, it should be trained from childhood. Beloved pets can bite and cause pain. Therefore, it is important to wean the puppy from this unpleasant habit in time, using different methods of education.
How to stop a puppy from biting his legs
While the puppy has baby teeth, he tries to learn to regulate the force with which he bites. Therefore, it can hurt to bite without meaning to. But it can also bite on purpose. To prevent this from developing into a habit in the future, you should exercise your dog.
How to behave correctly:
Don't panic. Many dog lovers face this problem. This is not a tragedy, since everything is easy to fix. It is enough to choose the right work tactics. Otherwise there will be no result;
The punishment must be appropriate. If the puppy bit intentionally, for example, because he wanted to pet him, you need to use the “Fu” command. You cannot physically punish your pet for up to three months. If the baby is too playful, you need to distract him with the help of games;
Ignoring tactics. When a puppy bites accidentally during play and there is no malicious intent, there will be no point in punishment. It is recommended that you stop playing with him for a while until he calms down. If the dog is very excited, you can sit it down and hold it in this position for about ten seconds;
Find time for education and training. If the question arises about how to wean a puppy from biting hands, the above recommendations are often sufficient. But if the owner does not have the time and desire to raise the animal, such inaction will produce results. Only thorough work will help make the dog the way its owner wants to see it.
The main reasons for disobedience
If the owner cannot cope with the problem of how to stop a puppy from biting his legs, he only has himself to blame. While the dog is small, it is easy to exercise and teach or unlearn something. Two reasons for disobedience are age and complete lack of education.
At a young age, all puppies love to bite arms, legs, and anything they can reach with their teeth. It's not critical. Whether to allow it or not is the choice of the animal owner. If there is no training, the dog may behave aggressively. Thus, she tries to find out what her position is in the pack, or she has already decided that she is in charge and is trying to manage, considering herself a leader.
How to stop a puppy from biting its legs and arms: training methods
You can train your pet through games for up to four months. It is more difficult to train dogs that have a strong character.
The following game training methods exist:
- if the puppy bites during play, you need to invite him to bite the toy, and not his hand;
- when you see that the dog is about to bite, you need to hide your hands behind your back. And when the dog closes his mouth, you should snap your fingers and give him something tasty. This needs to be repeated several times. Next, before putting your hands behind your back, say “Close your mouth”;
- when the pet is in a calm state, place your fist to its muzzle. If the puppy doesn't bite right away, snap your fingers and reward with tasty food. Swipe your hand in front of your nose several times. If the dog does not bite, you should reward it. And if he tries to bite, you will have to hide your hands and say the command “No”. Such training should be repeated every day. It is advisable to move your hand at different distances from the muzzle.
Even an adult dog can easily bite a dog owner's hand or leg. This is how the pet wants to show that he has a desire to play. There is no need to punish the dog. But if an animal bites painfully and with aggression, it must be weaned off. Bites should never be tolerated. The main responsibility of a puppy is to become a loyal friend.
Prevention measures
When trying to solve the problem of how to wean a puppy from biting hands, you can use the rules presented. They will be a good preventative measure for your beloved pet.
Firstly, you should not let the puppy play with the owner’s personal items. If during play the dog bites your sleeve or pant leg, you will have to stop the activity and get out of sight. For breeds with good intelligence, such a gesture will be enough. You just need to freeze. The dog will get bored and calm down.
Secondly, it is important to understand that a puppy is like a small child. He needs toys that will help protect the owner and the furniture around him from bites. When he starts to bite, you should open your mouth and point to the toy. This gesture will let your pet know that only his toys can be chewed.
Thirdly, a special place in the corridor or hall must be allocated for the dog. The pet must clearly understand that it has its own place. Even if it's just a bedding in the corner. For large animals living in a house on the ground, you will need to purchase a booth or enclosure.
Such measures are not a panacea. Everything is individual depending on the breed of dog. For example, fighting breeds require a tough approach. In the absence of good upbringing, beloved animals can be dangerous for the owner and people around.
You need to start raising a pet from childhood. It takes a lot of effort to be an authority in the eyes of an animal. The issue of dominance is the main one. If the owner is not an authority for the dog, it will behave unpredictably. It must be remembered that only forms of education in the form of games are suitable for a small puppy. You cannot hit the dog or show aggression, so as not to disturb the pet’s psyche. It is useful to reward good behavior with delicious food. And if you need to punish, you can take the face and look menacingly into the eyes, then not pay any attention for some time.
If an adult dog likes to bite during play, then things are more serious. You will have to avoid such games. Pets, as a rule, love their owner and his family. If your dog grabs your arm or leg, you can show him that you are in pain. You can scream and pretend to cry, get up and walk away from the dog. The method is suitable for re-education. The dog will understand that it has hurt its authority. If there are problems with leadership, the issue of dominance will need to be addressed.
Your beloved puppy should grow up to be a loyal friend and companion. If no methods help stop your pet from biting, you can contact a dog trainer who will recommend the most appropriate training method.
Up to 4-4, from birth. Until this time, the puppy perceives biting as a game and, when playing with the owner, it is quite natural for him to use his teeth. By brushing it off, the owner creates the illusion of continuing the game, so in this case (if the game is really going on) it is worth doing what another puppy would do in the place of the one who was attacked: he would squeal loudly and dissatisfied. This sound, as well as stopping the game by leaving the pet for 15-20 minutes and leaving him alone, should act on the puppy as a signal that he has finished such entertainment as the game with his bite. After several such repetitions, the puppy develops a reflex that it is forbidden to bite the owner.
But if the puppy is already more than 4.5 months old and continues to do so, then you should treat him as you would an adult biting dog. It is necessary to lower the position of the pet in the hierarchical ladder built by him. In order to show that the leader is the owner and not the dog, after the bite you should take it by the withers and press it to the floor, forcing it to lie down and immobilize it. These actions should be accompanied by the words “fu” and “impossible.” Keep the animal this way until it calms down. After that, give her some command and praise her for following it.
If the dog is enough, then the best way would be to lift it above the floor, depriving it of support and shake it, then also press it to the floor and let it calm down, then give a command and praise it after it has been completed. With these actions, the owner shows his dominant position in relation to the pet, who must obey.
If the dog is small, then another way to make it stop biting is the same as a stronger strong leader would do in relation to a member of his pack: you need to close the dog’s mouth, leaving it the opportunity to breathe (the leader also closes the jaws of anyone who below him in rank). After the animal calms down, release it.
To establish a dominant position and thus avoid bites, the owner must show the dog his superiority over it: feed the pet only after the family eats (the leader eats first), and he follows the command given to him; The owner should go through the door and go up first, and the dog should follow him, but not vice versa.
The dog must obey all your commands completely, to the end. A command that is not fully executed leads to the dog’s incorrect perception of the obligation to carry them out, and therefore to self-will. And it’s not far from the bites.
note
The situation cannot be left to chance, as soon the owners will be forced to be afraid of their own pet and walk around with traces of its bites.
Helpful advice
If a dog gives its owner the opportunity to roll itself over onto its back and stroke its belly, this is a sign that it is ready to obey.
So, a funny yapping creature has settled in your home. But here’s the problem - the dog tries to bite hands to everyone who wants to show her their friendliness. How to deal with this?
Instructions
Do not hit your pet under any circumstances! And don't even raise your voice to him. Dogs are great at hearing intonations and understanding the mood of their owner. Your voice should sound firm and confident, but not angry.
Command no-biting and shake your pet by grabbing it by the scruff of the neck. In a similar way, a mother raises her offspring. Therefore, your gesture will be interpreted correctly. Wait ten minutes. Make sure that the animal obeys you, and only then continue petting. Otherwise, the puppy may decide that your actions are just part of the game.
