The Pack Theory of Dog Biting

The Pack Theory of Dog Biting

I once owned a sweet natured Beagle. One day when he was about 9 years old, I saw he was chewing on something that was dangerous for him to have. When he saw me approach him, he started to run under a bed.

I made the mistake of trying to grab what he was chewing. He swung his head around and bit me for the first time ever. He tried to stop himself when he realized his action, so his teeth did not go deep. He looked at me with those big brown apologetic Beagle eyes and cowered.

I was not angry with him, but I started thinking about why does a dog bite anyone, especially the human that has cared for him for almost a decade. In this case my Beagle knew he had broken a rule. But what about those news stories where dogs do bite people with no remorse? Did no one teach those dogs the rules?

PUPPY BITING

If a puppy under six months old, the biting is very correctable. Puppies this young usually don't break the skin when they bite and people think they are just playing. The puppy is biting to try and determine his status in his new pack (your family). Refrain from this toothy playfulness or your new puppy may start to think he is the leader of the pack. Train your pup that biting is not acceptable. There is no reason to allow puppies to playfully use their teeth on human skin.

Older Puppies

By this stage, the biting no longer looks like a cute puppy game. Even if the dog is not breaking the skin, the problem is becoming serious. Now the dog is letting the owner know he think the owner is stepping out of line. It is now time for obedience training to end the biting. A dog that has been taught to respond to human commands starts to understand that the human is in charge.

Adult Dogs (about one year old)

The news story headline "dog turned on his master" catches our attention. Actually, the owner was never the master. The dog that is allowed to continue his biting behavior becomes to think of himself as the leader of the pack. The house is his and the humans are subordinate pack members. Dogs who achieve pack leadership will bite a human that they perceive to be out of line because the alpha dog protects the pack. These are the dogs that can be dangerous. Often they end up euthanized or given away to an unsuspecting new owner. But even now, this behavior can be corrected if the owner finds a qualified obedience trainer.

Dogs bite for dog reasons. A responsible pet owner must understand that a dog will instinctively follow the rules of the pack, even if he is the only dog in the house. His humans become his pack. But no matter how much we love our animal, we still must retain pack leadership.

Dog are our companions and friends. However, we must remember that they can be faster and stronger than we are, not mention their awesome set of teeth. Part of loving our animal is to teach him the rules that will help him survive in a world full of humans. If not, the consequences can be disastrous for our pet.

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I am an animal welfare supporter. I believe that it is important to care for those who count on us to do so. I look for products and services that promote the welfare of the animals that live with me. Take a look at what I have found by visiting http://www.Care4MyDog.com.