Training Dogs Not to Bite

As a former dog owner, I happen to know the importance of obedience training for dogs very well indeed. Not only is it essential in teaching your pet dog how to behave at home and outdoors, but it also goes a long way in establishing a unique communication channel between the dog and his owner. Contrary to what a few people think, dog training is not all about just training them not to bite. It involves quite a few other things such as teaching basic commands, house training, toilet training, etc. In this article, we will focus on training dogs to stop biting as part of dog behavior training.

Training a Dog: An Overview

It is important that you focus on this aspect of dog behavior training as early as you can. Puppies have a tendency of biting for a number of reasons and if not kept in check, this habit may continue even after the dog has fully grown. Puppies tend to bite the most in the following two situations:

1. as part of play
2. during their teething period.

Puppies and even grown up dogs for that matter, always tend to bite when playing with fellow dogs and puppies. This is completely normal and this type of biting is more of playful biting and certainly not 'vicious biting'. Constant biting during the teething period is also absolutely normal. This is a common behavioral characteristic that we commonly see in babies as well. It is a stage where the puppy treats nearly each and every object in sight as something to sink its jaws in. I myself have witnessed this wherein my fingers, wrists, arms, legs and toes had all been at the receiving end of hundreds of such puppy bites from Whiskey!
Anyway, the point that I wish to make is, biting is inevitable during this period. It cannot be stopped, but it can definitely be lessened. It is extremely important that all dog owners understand this point.

How to Stop a Dog From Biting

Here are some dog obedience training methods and tips that you can make use of to stop your dog from biting:

• Use plastic toys and chewies. This concept is quite similar to what we do during the teething periods of babies. You can make use of specially designed puppy toys and chewies for this purpose. They are easily available and will keep your pup engrossed for some time at least (after which it will be back to nipping at your ankles!)
• This tip is from my personal experience. Hold your left hand out in an 'inviting' way i.e., somewhat like a bait in front of your puppy. Your puppy will dart towards you and will open its jaws in an attempt to bite your hand. At that precise moment, you should slap your left hand (and NOT the puppy) hard with your right hand. The suddenness of this action along with the slapping sound catches the pup off guard and scares it a bit. Repeat this every time the pup attempts to bite your hand. It will slowly start taking effect and your pup will get the message that biting will not be tolerated.
• Another very important thing you should do is to make sure that your puppy mixes with young children and other puppies of its age. Investing some time in this type of 'social activity' is beneficial because it helps your puppy to learn to behave properly with humans and other dogs, thereby reducing the chances of a dog fight. This also helps your dog to get rid of any fear and in the process, become comfortable with other human beings. This can go a long way in preventing dog bites.
• Last but not the least, be gentle but firm. There is a difference between being firm and being abusive. Hitting, kicking, slapping your dog is of NO USE whatsoever and it will only ruin the trust and the respect that the dog has for you. If you are not confident about training your dog yourself, you should always take the help of a professional dog trainer.

Training dogs to never bite others is very important, and this should be done when the dog is young. Well-trained puppies will, undoubtedly, grow into well-behaved and obedient dogs.