One of the most exciting things you can do is make the decision to adopt a puppy. When you visit the puppy and see its adorable little face staring up at you, you are very likely to simply melt from all the cuteness. The desire to take home every puppy you see will be quite strong, and you will have to make the choice of which little fuzzy pup will be the new addition to your home.
Once you get your new puppy home and settled in, it will be time to begin dog training. Everything from learning basic commands such as sit and stay to learning potty training will be a part of your new pup’s education. In addition to these kinds of positive behaviors, you may also notice that your puppy does some completely normal but often annoying actions. One of these is biting.
When a puppy does it, the action may be annoying but not painful. The biting can become very painful and frightening to those who meet your dog as an adult dog. Pet parents need to eliminate this habit from their puppy’s behaviors to not grow into adult dogs that are still biting.
At Ridgeside K9 Winchester, our best dog trainers are here to help you learn how to curb these bad behaviors and teach your puppy the good habits of basic obedience and becoming a good canine citizen. For all of your puppy or dog training needs, contact our exceptional dog trainers for information on private lessons or group classes.
Why Do Puppies Bite?
It is completely normal for a puppy to bite in this early stage of his life. It can be equated to a human baby’s need to chew on objects during the teething phase since it reduces discomfort and pain. Dogs also use their mouths to handle objects, so, normally, a puppy will begin these behaviors very early.
However, this biting behavior needs to be stopped so that your puppy does not hurt you, your family, or another dog in the future. When dogs, especially puppies, play, they will mouth one another. Sometimes, this mouthing can get more aggressive and turn into playful bites. If the other dog yelps, that is the sign for your dog to let go. Using this behavioral information, dog owners can prevent their puppies from learning about and continuing to bite through their dog training.
Ways to Stop Your Puppy from Biting
During your puppy training, it is essential that you teach your pup about good behaviors and try to stop any bad ones like biting.
When it comes to learning the difference between mouthing and biting, it is a subtle distinction. If you are playing with your puppy, give positive reinforcement for the good behaviors like mouthing or latching onto a chew toy. If your furry friend uses his puppy teeth, allow your hand to go limp and imitate another dog’s yelping sound (or say “ouch!”) until he releases you. Then ignore your dog for 10-20 seconds before resuming play. This lets your dog know that you did not like the biting, and being ignored was the result.
It is important that you do not pull your hand away (though your instinct will tell you to do just that) because that could trigger your dog’s chasing instincts. If the behavior continues, it may be time for a brief time-out.
Another good teaching method for biting is redirection. To let your dog know that contact with your skin is unacceptable, replace your hand with a chew toy. This shows your dog that he still has objects to chew on, but your hand is not one of them. Be sure to reward the good play behavior.
Finally, if your dog likes to nip at your heels or ankles, that behavior needs to be eliminated very early in their dog training. As the dog trainer for your pet, you need to work with him to stop the biting. When he tries to do that, stop moving and wait until he stops biting. When he does, reward him with a treat. At the puppy stage, rewarding good behavior to get the puppy to stop biting, will always be more beneficial to the dog’s training than punishing.
Can Dog Obedience Training in Winchester, VA, Help?
Yes! Many pet owners in Winchester, VA, get very frustrated when the lessons they are trying to impart to their dogs do not seem to be sinking in. We have to be mindful that they are, after all, puppies. To become a good older dog, they have to go through dog training to learn good and bad behaviors. If you are getting frustrated, it may be time to bring your pup into a professional dog training class.
At Ridgeside K9 Winchester, our dog training classes will teach you and your dog how to have a long and healthy life together with lots of fun times. We can help you overcome the frustration and learn the best methods to prevent bad behaviors like biting.
Contact Our Winchester, VA, Dog Trainers to Schedule Dog Training Classes
Contact Ridgeside K9 Winchester to learn more about all of our different dog obedience training classes. We are here to help you build a better relationship with your dog, grow a strong bond, and teach your pup what actions are acceptable.
From basic obedience training to off-leash walking and more, our expert dog trainers are here to show you the best and most up-to-date dog training methods so that you no longer have to struggle or get frustrated as you attempt to train your pets. We offer private lessons and group classes, so you can choose which option will most benefit you and your pup.
Call our Winchester, VA, dog training specialists to learn more and schedule your first obedience training class.
