Hello guys…
Just adopted a playful 4-month-old puppy, and while he’s generally well-behaved, I’ve noticed that he tends to bite during playtime. I know it’s normal for puppies to nip, but I want to make sure he learns not to bite as he gets older.
Does anyone have any tips or methods for training a dog not to bite? What has worked for you? Any advice on dealing with this behavior would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance…
Yelp. As soon as they bite or do anything with greater power than you wish, you can hear them yap like a small dog, except higher pitched and sharper. It should divert their attention for long enough for you to offer the order to “NO,” “LEAVE,” etc. when they finally stop. Disrupt the undesirable behavior, refocus the dog’s attention on you, repeat commands, and reward acceptable behavior in order to get them to stop.
I prioritise teaching them how to “bite” before teaching them not to bite.
From the very beginning, I made sure to teach all of my dogs the importance of having gentle control over their mouths. Indeed, puppy teeth can be quite sharp.
I find this to be effective. I personally understand that not everyone would agree with me, but I believe that some people might view any contact between the mouth and the skin as a behaviour that should be approached with caution. Depending on my personal comfort level, experience, and understanding of dog behaviour, this practice might not work for me.
Congrats on your new pup. Puppies do love to nibble, but you can teach him gentle play. When he bites, stop playing immediately (no ouch needed) and redirect him to a chew toy. Repeat, repeat, repeat! He’ll soon learn that biting means playtime ends
Can you make setups with less dangerous objects, such as a hairbrush and high-value treats? Like, my dog is expected to grab any sock he comes across. Could you set up a shelf or cabinet in a training session and “accidentally” allow him to grab something and then trade it for something he thinks is awesome? Like a whole hotdog or a large piece of steak.
That is my only idea! And monitoring access until he moves on to something new lol.