Training a Puppy Not to Bite People
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Teaching Bite Inhibition
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According to dog breeder, trainer and author Liz Palika, the mother dog and the littermates teach a puppy not to bite so hard. They encourage the puppy to practice bit inhibiting this behavior by yelping. Humans can mimic this by yelping every time hands or other body parts are mouthed at or nibbled by a puppy.
Substituting Good Things To Chew
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After yelping, you should have the puppy's attention. Make him stay still for a split second and then give him something good to chew on like a toy. Make sure there is that interval of stillness so the puppy equates being still with getting the reward as opposed to nipping you to get the reward.
Other Tips
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You can discourage a puppy from biting hands by spraying your hands with training spray, also known as bitter apple. If the biting is happening during play, immediately stop all play and walk out of the yard or room for a minute to both calm down. This lets the puppy know that biting equates with no fun.
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- Photo Credit Image of vicious puppy from Wikimedia Commons.
