It is always fun to have a dog companion because of their endearing qualities but no matter how cute and lovely they are, dogs still have inappropriate behaviors that can put pet owners to a lot of humiliation and biting is one of those bad behaviors most dogs have. Biting is a common behavior of dogs when playing with each other, to protect themselves when they are agitated by other animals or people around them and to secure their position as the leader of the pack. While dogs have thick skin and biting each other may not be harmful to them, it is different for humans as we don't have thick skin and can get hurt from their sharp teeth. Whether they just want to play, protect themselves or profess their position as leader of the pack in your home, they need to know what is appropriate and not appropriate when it comes to using their sharp teeth. It is important to stop the biting behavior of your dog to prevent him from causing harm to people around him. Dog bites are a serious problem and require medical attention.
The best time to stop the biting behavior of your dog is when he is still young or still in his formative years which is usually when a dog is still below six months old. Some pet owners usually take their puppy's biting habit as something he does because he is just playing or teething and so the bad habit is not taken seriously and not corrected. Whatever the reason for his biting habit, as a dog owner it is your duty to stop the biting behavior of your canine friend as early as possible to teach him the appropriate behavior and to let him know that you are in control and the leader. Biting is a bad habit that every dog must be taught not to do as early as possible.
Teaching your dog to socialize with other dogs and getting him familiar with other people is one of the best ways to teach your dog with the proper behavior and stop inappropriate habits like biting. Dogs are social animals and they should not be left alone. A poorly socialized dog have a greater chance of developing bad habits and may become aggressive or dangerous. It can be great if there are kindergarten classes and playtime for dogs in your community that your dog can join to make him more familiar and socialize with other dogs and humans as well. Gradually exposing your canine friend to a variety of social situations can help stop the biting behavior of your dog. Exposure to social situations must be under controlled circumstances and continue the exposure until your dog get used to social situations.
Provide your dog with appropriate things to play, chew and bite with. This is to help him with his teething problem and to teach him which things are appropriate to bite and chew. This will also help your dog beat boredom. Bored dogs have a high chance of developing unfavorable behaviors. If he is busy with a lot of things and not bored, he has no time to develop unfavorable habits like biting. To stop the biting behavior of your dog, keep him busy.
Be consistent in teaching your dog not to bite. Consistency is the key when teaching your canine friend with proper behavior. Your family and friends visiting your house should be well-informed that they are not allowed to tolerate your dog's biting habit. If one person allows your dog to chew or bite even if it is just some sort of playing with him while everyone else does not will only get him confused. If he starts to bite or chew on something inappropriate, teach him to bite the proper toys. Praise or reward him for biting the correct items.
Avoid punishing your dog. Punishing your dog may push your him to be more aggressive out of fear. Yelling and hitting your dog as a punishment for bad behavior is not good if you want to teach him not to bite because he may get more agitated and it may result to more aggressive behaviors. Instead, stop playing with him, withdraw all the attention and remove all the things that he likes most when he starts using his mouth or starts biting to give him the idea that his behavior is not acceptable.
Keep your dog healthy. Make sure to have your dog vaccinated against rabies and other diseases. He must be free from fleas and ticks to reduce the risk of getting skin and other diseases. Feed him with a nutritious diet to keep him healthy. The health of your dog affects the way he behaves. A dog not feeling well may get irritated easily and may bite as an outlet. If you want to stop the biting behavior of your dog, make sure he will not use his bad health as an excuse to bite.
Do not encourage your dog to put his mouth on you. The majority of people bitten by dogs are not bitten by stray dogs but bitten by their own dogs or dogs they know. Although biting is a normal dog behavior, knowing how to stop the biting behavior of your dog can reduce the risk of dog bites. Let him know that playing with you or getting your attention using his mouth or sharp teeth is not acceptable.
If you find it hard to stop the biting behavior of your dog on your own, you may need professional help.
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