Puppy Training to Stop Biting
Most puppies will easily develop a habit of nipping and biting if they are not trained not to bite. It’s their nature to explore the world with their mouths and they have a natural instinct to bite and chew. When puppies play with one another that is how they play. Like many other puppy behaviors, if puppy training to eliminate biting is not done, it can develop into a real problem as the puppy grows into a full grown dog.
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Effecting puppy training to stop biting should be done early through consistent methods for best results. It is never appropriate to hit or physically punish a dog for poor behavior. Fortunately there are excellent methods for eliminating negative behavior that revolve around positive reinforcement. Puppies and dogs of all ages enjoy the positive attention of their owner and they love to eat. Using these two positive tools for puppy training to stop biting is very effective.
The best way to stop a negative behavior is to prevent the behavior from occurring at all. Biting can be minimized by avoiding rough play with your puppy. It is fun for both pet and owner and therefore we often do it before realizing the negative consequences. Playing rough with a puppy teaches them aggressive behavior. So does playing tug of war or chasing each other. Puppy training to prevent biting by avoiding this type of interaction will correct the problem. Instead engage in more structured play such as fetch. If a dog is allowed to be aggressive in play it can quickly lead to a serious problem once they are older.
Training a puppy not to bite can start early. When they nip at you as puppies don’t be afraid to say “ouch” loudly and stop playing with the puppy. Do not make eye contact with them. In this way you are letting them know that they hurt you and that you do not want to play with them when they do that. This is a very effective method to teach children when puppy training to stop biting.
Once the puppy has settled down and has stopped biting and nipping, sit down beside him quietly. Give him all the attention he wants. Remember to always reinforce good behavior and ignore bad behavior. Reward your puppy with attention and praise and puppy treats for special occasions.
Puppy training to prevent biting should be done promptly when the puppy bites down hard on the hand. One method you can use in this instance is to place one finger under your dog’s tongue and one under his jaw. Press the two fingers together to keep the puppy from moving away for a short period of time. The puppy cannot bite down when he is held this way and he doesn’t like the feeling. This is case when negative reinforcement may be useful.
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