There is a common census among dog owners these days to stop puppy biting, chewing and mouthing, etc. After reading this article you’ll hopefully learn that the training is not done through our eyes, but the puppies. It all comes down to understanding them and how their little minds work. I’ve seen it too often, puppies mouthing fingers but all this teaches is that it’s okay to bite, chew and mouth.
“Really” you’re thinking…
People are actually teaching their puppies to do the very thing we don’t want them do!
Weird blunders dog owners make!
In essence, we’re telling them it’s okay to mouth our fingers, but they grow a little, which means their bite is going to be harder.
What happens? We don’t like it, so we start saying ‘NO’. This form of teaching is absurd; yep, it’s the worst technique ever!
It’s really not that complicated to stop puppy biting. You’ve heard of the saying ‘start as you mean to go on’; well, the principle is the same for anything and everything, including puppies.
Puppies grow up; they need to learn boundaries. Trust me, if they’re taught correctly they’ll naturally appreciate it so long as the rules never change as they grow.
Simplified steps to stop puppy biting
Here are some simple steps:
- Never let your puppy chew or nibble your fingers, toes, clothes and furniture, etc.
- Provide your puppy with toys to nibble and chew.
- Should your puppy start mouthing, use a diversion such as suggesting a toy.
- If diversions don’t work and they continue to bite or mouth, then yelp to let the pup know it hurt you.
- If they still don’t stop, then give your puppy time out in a crate or somewhere safe for a minute or two.
Never smack an animal into submission. Calm leadership is the better option, but if you’re uncertain about the types of training techniques, then check out:
This approach is far easier; it avoids you saying ‘NO’, which can be negative. Redirecting is always a better choice.
Other things to remember to stop puppy biting
A young puppy should be given chances, but once they mature – let’s say 5 months, then mouthing, chewing and biting shouldn’t be tolerated.
Puppies need to chew, so when you call your pup, you need to have something in your hand for him to mouth. Even when you’re cuddling him offer a toy to chew. If you don’t do this, you’re setting your new pup up to fail.
But, what if you pup doesn’t like the toy and prefers your fingers? Avoid saying ‘NO’ and never shout at your pup. To stop puppy biting, mouthing or chewing simply put him on the floor calmly.
Take time to understand your puppy, it will help you bond with him and enhance your relationship.
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