How to Curb Your Puppy’s Biting
As sweet as your little four-legged friend is, the cute little teeth will eventually turn into strong, adult teeth. There is no other time when your puppy learns as much and as intensely as in the first months of life. This means for you: As soon as your little treasure sets its paw in your home for the first time, a →consistent puppy training is required from you. Find out here why your puppy is constantly biting and how you can train this behavior out of him.
Bite Inhibition: Why Do Puppies Bite and When Do They Stop?
It is normal for puppies to bite during their early days, and not unusual. But why do puppies bite at all, and sometimes even aggressively? They are born without the so-called bite inhibition, which they must learn. While puppies use their sharp teeth everywhere possible during their first weeks of life, they quickly learn from their mother that they can only use their teeth in a limited way. When playing with their siblings, puppies already discipline each other and signal that they cannot bite freely.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Dass Welpen nicht alles anknabbern dürfen, signalisieren bereits Muttertier und Geschwister. Im Eigenheim angekommen stellt dein Welpe dich jedoch auf die Probe und nutzt seine Zähnchen gut und gerne.
Depending on how you build on this foundation, your puppy will eventually stop biting. It is important that you train the bite inhibition consistently and convey to your four-legged friend that he must not bite. The more intensively you train this, the sooner your puppy will stop biting. Because from the fourth month of life, depending on the breed, the teething begins - and where the little milk teeth were not particularly strong, the second teeth of your dog can cause real injuries.
Training a Biting Puppy: How to Train Your Dog
Deep bite marks adorn your hands for weeks? Diagnosis: →teething puppy. It is completely normal for your darling to want to chew and gnaw a lot during this time to cope with the itchy and sometimes painful tooth growth. During this time, you can help your darling endure the pain with special chew toys.
Leckere Belohnungen für fleißige Welpen
Are you wondering which treats and chew snacks are optimal for your puppy? When selecting, pay attention to a grain- and sugar-free recipe. Meat should make up a large part, and artificial additives like flavors and colorings are taboo when it comes to healthy treats. We at Pets Deli want the best taste for your puppy, a →long chewing experience, and of course, all of it healthy!
But eventually, your four-legged friend may no longer be interested in chewing, and he might still gnaw continuously on everything? Then this will likely lead to an unpleasant habit, as eventually, your four-legged friend’s teeth will be fully developed. If he is still nibbling on your hands and you do not counteract this, you might soon have 2-10 fingers less. Here, it is important to train the bite inhibition, even if your furry friend is experiencing pain in his teeth.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Manches Verhalten deinerseits kann das Beißen deines Hundes bestärken. Wenn du ihm beispielsweise im Spiel mit einem Zerrspielzeug erlaubst, zuzuschnappen, merkt er sich das schnell.
The use of →consistent training tools is only effective if they occur directly in connection with unwanted behavior, in this case, the constant biting beyond teething. However, with these tips, you can also start at an early age to generally prevent snapping at hands and legs:
1. A loud, firm "No" without shouting and screaming works as a corrective measure for some four-legged friends. Puppies know such sounds from their siblings, who signal through yelping that the bite causes pain. Also, keep valuables safe, place shoes outside the door, or store them in the closet if you do not want them to fall victim to your furry friend's young teeth (of course, you cannot hide the sofa in the closet when you are out).
2. Games that end in hand nibbling should be stopped immediately. Here, the punishment occurs by taking away from the puppy what brings him joy: fun and play with his favorite person. Take a break from play and leave the situation. Your puppy will recognize that his biting leads to the end of the game.
3. Tugging and pulling games suggest to your puppy a scenario where he has to fight for something. Your puppy learns that he can take something if he tries hard enough and is strong enough, and this often transfers to other toys, food, and treats, which is why you should avoid such games until your puppy has securely learned bite inhibition.
4. Puppies demonstrably show empathy when their caregivers feel pain. Show him through a painful "Ouch!", a half-loud yelp, and clearly massaging the bitten area that he has hurt you.
5. If your puppy is constantly looking for something to chew on, offer him a puppy chew toy. If he wants to grab your shoe to enjoy chewing on it, take the shoe away and give him the chew toy instead. Praise him when he leaves his teeth on it.
When to Go to Dog School if Puppies Bite?
When you reach the point where you realize that the situation is simply overwhelming, a →visit to a dog school can help. So before you stick your head in the dog poop on the carpet and close your eyes to a shoeless future, a trainer can help you and your darling get on the right track.
Even if you wish for support from experts from the very beginning, you can visit the dog school at any time. Beforehand, you should thoroughly research various training methods and views and consider which methods you can reconcile with your own attitude.
Methods based on violence, aggression, and fear should be fundamentally excluded, as they can never provide a good foundation for training your darling. Empathetic behavior, patience, and a →consistent communication make it easier for your puppy to adopt the behavior you hope for from him.
