Dog biting is generally a behavioral problem and if you're committed to training your dog, your pet can become a well behaved and sociable animal. Most dogs start to bite people and other puppies in the litter when they're a few weeks old. It is at this stage that the behavior must be discouraged. Puppies generally learn that the bite causes pain when other puppies cry out when they're bitten. However, if your puppy has been separated from his parents and siblings at a very young age, you will have to teach your puppy to stop biting people.
Teaching Puppies to Stop Biting
Puppies start biting people when they start teething. Their gums become sensitive and most pets get aggravated due to the pain or discomfort felt during teething. To deal with the teething, they start biting objects like shoes, furniture, wires and even people. In order to train them to not bite, you need to buy a few toys that are suited to their breed. Flavored toys are better because the puppy is easily drawn to them. You should also command your pet to stop biting with a stern 'No' each time he tries to bite your hands or feet. It's important to correct bad behavior in puppies because it's quite difficult to undo bad behavior in adult dogs.
Socializing Your Dog
As your puppy starts to grow older, you need to make sure that you socialize him with both people and other dogs. Canines tend to bite people when they feel threatened or insecure. This is why you must familiarize your dog with different situations and invite people over to your home, so that he becomes friendlier. It is also a good idea to take your pet to a dog park so that he can interact with other dogs and also watch how other pets behave. Socializing pets is of utmost importance because it can prevent several behavioral issues from developing later in life.
Aggressive Pets
You need to alter your dog's behavior, particularly if he is an adult dog who bites strangers. In order to train your aggressive pet, you will have to train the dog to first listen to your commands. Expose your pet to new people so that he doesn't feel insecure in unfamiliar situations. If you can't get your aggressive pet to stop biting, you may have to also ask a professional dog trainer to help you out.
Teaching Your Dog to Listen to Commands:
- Avoid playing rough games with your dog
- Teach him to 'stay' and prevent him from climbing onto furniture
- Make your dog wait for his food
- Reinforce positive behavior
Training Older Pets
Some dogs may start biting people as they start to age. This biting is often associated with the pain or discomfort caused by an underlying illness. Moreover, if your pet is losing his sight, he may be taken by surprise when people suddenly appear in front of him. In such cases it's best to put up a sign on your door so that visitors are aware of your dog's condition. You should also tell your guests to avoid petting the dog because this may aggravate him.
Since biting is more of a behavior problem, it can be controlled if the pet is trained at a young age. You should make sure that you start reinforcing good behavior and discouraging bad behavior in pets that are just a few weeks old.