A puppy is a small creature that does not yet know its instincts, but actively learns them. And a bite is a means of communication with the outside world.
New puppy owners believe that this habit will pass, or perceive biting as games. These are erroneous opinions.
Leaving the habit with a dog in the future will become a serious problem for the owners and people around them.
Dog handlers explain why babies bite, how to wean them off it, and what techniques are strictly prohibited.
Causes of bites
Puppies of all breeds bite without exception. And they have a number of reasons for this:
- emotionality, which can be positive and negative, conveyed by the baby to people;
- changing baby teeth, discomfort and itching, during which the dog can begin to gnaw not only people’s legs and arms, but also all things in the house;
- hunting, which is especially characteristic of hunting breeds;
- knowledge of the world, where one can draw an analogy with children who put everything in their mouths, studying the environment;
- protection, because the puppy does not yet know how to read human emotions and this is how he shows stress from what is happening;
- awareness of one's abilities, including strength and the permissibility of demonstrating it, an attempt to take a dominant position in the home.
Ways to break the habit of biting
Game
Puppies spend most of their time playing, so you need to use it to your advantage. As soon as the baby starts biting your hand, you need to put one behind your back, clicking or clapping the other at the same time.
This will distract him from the pursuit. When he calms down and closes his mouth, you need to treat him with a treat. The method works up to 4-5 months.
Pressing to the floor
The technique can be used from 5-6 months. A method in which the owner shows his dominance.
If the puppy has bitten, you need to remove your hand with a loud slap and quickly press its muzzle to the floor so that the animal does not feel pain. If the technique is painful, then an aggressive dog will grow up as a result.
Switching attention
The easiest way: When trying to bite, replace your hand with a toy or a bone.
The puppy gradually realizes that he can only bite what he is allowed to.
Weasel
During particularly active games, when fun begins to turn into aggression, the puppy needs to be picked up and petted, calmed down, and the emotional load reduced. The pet needs to be taken to another room, where it is quiet and calm, and given the opportunity to lie in your arms.
However, you shouldn’t do this too often, otherwise he will perceive affection as encouragement for his games that go beyond the bounds of what is permitted.
Prohibited Techniques
Cynologists highlight a number of techniques that are strictly prohibited in training a small dog:
- reusing a technique that doesn't work on a dog;
- shouting and swearing;
- ignoring the breed and its character traits during training;
- physical punishment.
The methods described above must be worked out daily and the most suitable one for the puppy's breed must be found.
If nothing helps, you can't just leave everything as is. Consultation with a dog trainer will definitely improve the situation for the better.
Earlier we wrote about how to properly train a kitten to use a litter box.
