‘Ouch,’ does your puppy also bite you whenever you try to play or pet him? I know you want to make your puppy stop biting, but you must first understand why puppies bite.
Biting or nipping is a very natural behavior of a puppy as they explore the world around them with their mouth’s help. They pick up things in their mouth, feel, smell, and taste things, which is their natural behavior. This fighting or even biting is a very natural process that helps develop when they’re young and their teeth have just started to grow.
Generally, when a young puppy bites another puppy too hard while playing, the shout of pain made by another puppy makes them realize that this behavior is not okay. This is how they acquire the skill of adjusting the force of bite pressure in various situations. Thus it is undoubtedly essential to train your puppy young before they are fully grown up.
This behavior is quite similar to human babies. Both try to chew on objects that come in handy during the teething stage to reduce any discomfort.
Though puppy biting may initially feel cute, the bite becomes more painful as the pup grows. Their teeth become very sharp, and the puppy will not realize how hard they are biting.
This is not the behavior we would like to continue and result in a bite that would draw blood. So here are a few steps that would stop the puppy from nipping.
Contents
Inhibit The Biting
As discussed, it is quite natural for puppies to mouth the other puppies while playing. In the process, they may bite the other puppy, and on receiving a yelping sound, they realize that this behavior was not right.
Similarly, while playing with your puppy, if it is nipping on your hand or finger, make a loud sound warning the puppy that this action hurts. You may also reward the dog with some goodies or a pat if he does well. The goal is to teach that ‘rough play is no play.’ If they do not respond well to the cry, you can isolate yourself for some time, which would give a signal that the playtime has ended.
This gives a message that only gentle play is encouraged, and bad behavior will be discouraged.
Redirect The Urge Of Biting
You must satisfy the urge to nip on something by providing the pup a chewy toy or fetch a ball to bite. This would give the puppy an instruction that biting on human skin is not acceptable. They will become more playful with each passing day and will crave this playtime.
Ankle Biters
Many dogs also become attracted to people’s feet while they walk or pass by. To avoid this and teach the puppy not to do so, you may keep a favorite toy in your pocket, and whenever the pup bites at the heels, you must stop moving immediately and distract their attention by waving the toy and playing with them with the help of the toys.
Puppies Too Need A ‘Me-Time’
You may put them in their space to rest and calm down for a while. This will help maintain a routine, and once they come down, you can let them move around again.
Energy Breakout
Even after a lot of effort and offering chewable toys to the puppy, they still want to keep biting. This may be because they might want to burn up some physical energy. So you may take them out for a run or a walk.
Consistency Is The Key
You have to reinforce the right behavior to the pup each day till they imbibe on it. You may use keywords like ‘no’ or ‘good’ repeatedly to make them realize the right and wrong behavior.
Dog Trainers
You may also enroll your pup in a training class. Many trainers and programs available would help the pup groom and socialize with other dogs.
Punishment Is A Strict No
It would be best if you never hit or physically punish your dog. They, too, are like small babies that you need to handle with love, care, and patience. Yelling, screaming, and throwing a temper will frighten the dog. Always speak to them in a calm voice, even if they just tore your favorite pair of jeans. Yelling or punishing will only have lasting damage on the dog’s mind.
Train Them Each Day
Dogs crave attention and love. Since they are in a constant learning mode, you must keep them employed with new tips and tricks to play. Small obedience exercises play a vital role.
Love Them Unconditionally And See The Results
Taking these few simple steps will help prevent their undesired behavior and build a lovely relationship between you and the pup. Enjoy every moment with them, and with patience, you will slowly and gradually see the difference. To have a happy and stress-free partnership with your puppy, all you need is trust, mutual respect, lots of love, patience, and basic training.
Conclusion
With the steps mentioned above, you will not only see that the dogs stop nipping but also you will find a new spark in their eyes. They will smile, wag, rub onto you and be very playful. Dogs want, need, and love rules. You might feel that the above rules are a little strict, but the dogs understand these rules. They realize and know about their boundaries, and by following these instructions, you set up happy conditions for dogs.
