How to Deal With a Biting Puppy

Puppies are a joy to have, and our new puppy has brought laughter at his antics. But one thing that does not make us laugh is his near constant need to bite! Follow these tips to deal with a biting puppy. Hopefully, one or a combination will stop your puppy from biting for good.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. All of the many books I've been reading about training puppies since we adopted ours say that you have to create a pack in your family. Wolves have a strict hierarchy in the wild, and a dog's genetics make them look for this hierarchy in your home. You want to be Alpha dog, which is the dog in charge. Don't let your puppy think he is Alpha! Always keep a firm attitude, even when the dog is driving you crazy - it must feel that you are in charge. Otherwise, he won't obey. He will also feel more secure in the long run because he doesn't really want to be in charge, even though he'll try to be.

2. There are a couple different methods to training a puppy not to bite. What has worked the best for me is that I taught him how to sit first thing. I used a hot dog cut up into very small pieces to train him with treats. Once he learned how to sit, now I say "sit" before I give him any attention. He has learned that he won't get me to pet him unless he sits and waits at my feet. Then, when I bend to pet him, if he opens his mouth to get my hand, I pull it back and say "no". I won't continue to pet him unless he keeps his mouth closed. If he isn't getting it, I walk away or ignore him. If he does refrain from biting, he gets lots and lots of praise and a nice body rub!

3. Dogs are very much like toddlers - they will keep doing unpleasant things (in toddlers, this might be temper tantrums) if it gets them what they want. If you are interacting with your dog when he is jumping on you, biting you, or pulling at your clothing, he thinks it's a fun game because he is getting your attention. My kids have learned that when they dog bites at their ankles or jumps up to bite their hands, they must stand absolutely still. The dog will almost instantly tire of a game that you are not participating in. As soon as the dog stops, give him lots of petting and praise - he will learn that the good behavior will get the attention. If you dog is constantly behaving badly - perhaps he needs more good attention so he won't be trying to get your attention by being bad. Take him for walks, play fetch, praise him or train him.

4. One book I have recommended a sharp rap on the nose when the dog bites - but I don't like this method. Another method that seems to work even better is to let out a loud, sharp yelp when he bites. This is communicating to him in his own language that biting is going too far. My kids have felt silly doing this - and it has to be a startling, loud noise - but it does stop the puppy.

5. Dogs, puppies in particular, need to chew! We've got some safe chew toys and large flat pieces of rawhide for the dog to get his chewing need taken care of without biting one of us!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't buy the thin pencil type rawhide - our dog got very sick when he swallowed a sharp piece of that.

[djackman]

on 4/10/2009 good advice on the biting puppy