How To Stop Dog Biting

Dogs and puppies 'nip' as a natural exploration and method of play. Whilst in their litter the puppy will learn the limits of when and how hard to bite or nip as his littler mates will squeal sharply if he bites too hard. He will then be ostracized for a short period. However, if the puppy is removed from the litter too early he may not learn this and it may be up to you to teach him. Teaching your puppy or dog to stop biting is important for both you and your dog. If you are out with your dog and he decides to 'nip' a stranger you may be subject to a fine or worse. Of course it could be even worse for your dog.

Understanding what dogs are doing when they are 'mouthing' or 'nipping' is fundamentally to understanding how to reduce it and make sure he does not continue in an inappropriate way.

Dogs use their mouths much as a human toddler. They explore their environment with their mouths. This is part of how they communicate. However your puppy needs to be trained to not continue with this behavior. You as the owner need to understand how to stop dog biting when it is inappropriate or too aggressive.

Depending on your dogs breed they may enjoy boisterous play and nip more frequently. Some owners will not accept any form of 'mouthing' from their dogs but it is up to you how much is acceptable in your household, especially if you have young children who may be rough with the puppy. In this case you must supervise the child and the puppy until both understand just how to treat each other. Of course your puppy has to learn his place in the pack which is below all the other humans in the house. If he does not then you may have some problems with your dog in later life. You can achieve this with positive reinforcement. Never use any form of punishment with your dog. This will often have a counter effect. Always praise good behavior and ignore bad.

This technique will work successfully with any age of dog but if your dog is older it may take a little longer. When your puppy or dog 'nips' you make a loud squeal like his litter mates would do. Turn away from your puppy for a bout 30 seconds or so, not too long or he will move on to play with something else. Then praise him for not continuing this 'nipping' behavior. Always praise good behavior. If your puppy is continuing to be overly excited and you are unable to control him, put him in his crate or a room on his own for a few minutes until he has calmed down. Then when he returns to you praise him again for not 'nipping'.

Being consistent is the key to all dog training. If you want to be successful and stop dog biting you must firstly understand why he is doing it and work with the dogs' natural instincts.

Ellie Bear is a dog lover and has owned and trained dogs for a number of years. For the best and most well behaved dog on the block go to http://www.stopmydogbiting.com where you will find the most up to date information on how to train your dog successfully. Don't let your dog be an embarrassment, all he needs is the proper training and you will be able to take him anywhere with confidence. Just follow the simple humane training advice at http://www.stopmydogbiting.com