How To Stop Dog Biting And Nipping
Dog biting and nipping is a serious problem with dog owners. Because many owners can’t find a solution to stop dog biting and nipping, they often end up sending their pets to shelters.
Giving your dog away because of nipping and biting is unnecessary and easily remedied. Crucial to solving the dog biting problem is understanding why dogs bite and nip. Use these tips to stop your dog nipping and biting.
Tip #1 – Dominance and Authority
Dogs are social animals. One of the main ways a dog communicates is through its mouth. Dogs bite in order to establish leadership in the pack. Using their teeth, dogs quickly nip other dogs on the neck to give correction . Unfortunately, if a dog is not trained properly, he will use his teeth too forcefully on a human to communicate.
Nipping can mean he is being playful. If you want to prevent dog biting and nipping, determine if your dog is biting out of fear.
It’s up to you the owner, to recognize when your dog feels threatened or is playing. Then make him stop biting and/or nipping.
Tip #2 – Security and Protection
Dogs bite out of insecurity and the need to protect their space. Never wake a dog abruptly while sleeping. Never reach into a dog’s space while he’s eating – he’ll bite your hand off. Try coaxing your dog off the bed instead of shoving him or pushing him off.
Tip #3 – Lack of good positive training
Dogs tend to nip and bite because sometimes owners train them in a painful way. In order to stop dog biting and nipping, don’t use reinforcement that is really painful for the dog. Painful corrections make the dog angry and fearful.
Do research on the type of training you’d like to apply to your dog and then apply the training method carefully. Although the alpha is tough, he is also compassionate. His corrections are fair, short, and to the point. Remember, your dog sees you as the alpha, so treat him firmly, but fairly. Stop dog biting and nipping by giving him a stern, but fair correction such as growling, “No!”
Tip #4 -Fear Biting
Dogs are very much like humans. If you put a dog on the defensive, he will do anything to protect himself. When dogs bite out of fear, they usually direct this behavior to strangers. However, they can also feel threatened by family members. If a family member bends over the dog while he’s resting, the dog may bite you. If you try to hug the dog while sleeping he will bite you as well. Don’t allow children to playfully pull on a dog’s tail. Startling the dog when he’s asleep will make him lunge and bite you as well.
Tip # 5 – Physical Pain
If a dog is in extreme pain, he will bite you. Talk soothingly to the dog and gently approach him. If two dogs are fighting, one or both of them will be in physical pain. Either one will try to bite you. Never break up of dog during a fight. Spray water on them until they part.
Warning Signs
Here are some warning signs that will tip you off as to whether or not your dog potentially wants to bite:
- When his ears are pulled back against his head
- When his hackles are raised
- When he snarls with his teeth pulled back
- When he lowers his tail and wags it slowly
- When he’s cowering
For a detailed guide on how to get your dog to stop biting and nipping, check out Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.
