Stop Puppy Biting - How To Stop A Puppy From Biting

Owning a puppy is one of life's joys as they can be the sweetest of pets. One of its ways of playing or communicating is by biting which may be a problem as it may cause serious injury to the owner. It is important that this behavior be stopped before your biting puppies reach adulthood. Read on and learn some stop puppy biting tips.

Why Puppies Bite

It is a fact that puppies bite, especially in the early stages of their lives. As they grow, they start to explore their surroundings and they do this by using their nose and mouth. It is their way of learning to adapt to their environment. Understanding this behaviour would help you determine how to get your puppy to stop biting.

He wants to play. During the first 12 weeks, the litter play with one another or even with their mother by biting. Once a puppy is taken away from its biological family, and an owner takes its role, the puppy does not stop playing and biting. You may notice it biting at your heels or your pants while you walk. Its his way of asking for attention and telling you it's playtime.

He plays Alpha. Your little pet, especially if adopted with other litters, sometimes wants to play the Alpha role. He demonstrates dominance over the other puppies by biting. This behavior is evident in the wild where the pup learns from its parent as a member of the pack.

He wants to be fed. Since your puppy cannot talk, it barks and bite. This is his way of telling you that he is hungry and needs to be given something to eat.

He wants to explore. A puppy learns how to explore from his mother. The mother and litter play by biting each other gently. Just as when the puppy is taken away from the mother, it learns about his surroundings by biting materials around him such as shoes, toys, etc.

He is angry, scared or excited. A puppy shows dismay and anxiety by biting. Since its birth it has learned to protect itself by its mother's example of barking and biting to protect its litter.

He is herding. If you have a puppy from a herding breed, it is instinct for them to bite. These dogs are bred to chase cattle or sheep that they may manifest later on in life by biting their owners.

He may be teething. As puppies' teeth are still developing, he may show discomfort and pain by biting. There are ways to determine this and help stop puppy biting.

How To Stop Puppy From Biting

To get your puppy to stop biting, below are steps to follow:

1. Begin your puppy's training as early as 6 weeks old. The earlier it is taught to stop, the easier it is to teach him.

2. Let your puppy learn that biting is bad and may hurt. When it bites, give a firm "no!" or "stop!" to remind him that he gets too rough. If it still bites, repeat your responses or leave him in the room for a while. This will teach him that biting will leave him without a playmate.

3. Give your puppy a toy he could play and chew on. This way, you will train your puppy to be playful without causing damage to people.

4. To teach your puppy effectively, be consistent and persistent. As he improves, you will notice that his bites are becoming softer. Always remember to give him firm responses. Make him understand that even softer bites may be painful and are not acceptable.

5. To reinforce his good behavior, praise him every time he licks or plays nicely without biting. This will stop aggressive puppy biting as it will teach him that playing without using his teeth is a rewarding behavior.

6. Teach him the "off" command. Hold your puppy's dog food, then close your hand and give a firm "off!". When your puppy does not bite your hand, give the "take it" command and feed him the dry food you have in your hand. This will teach your puppy that "off" is equal to "do not touch!" and will stop puppy biting hands of its owner.

7. Have your puppy join an obedience class to get him used to other dogs as early as 6 months old. Having them interact will reinforce what you taught him and show him the difference between what is acceptable when they are with people. Eventually with these tips, you will help stop puppy biting and enjoy your pet more.

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