Tried And True Methods For Training Your Dog Not To Bite
Article Source : positivedogtrainingtechniques.com
By Lee Dobbins
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that more than 4.7 million people a year are bitten by dogs. These high incidents of dog bites result to various medical bills, law suits, and sometimes euthanasia for the dog. These cases might be avoidable if dog owners take safety precautions such as training their dogs not to bite.
There are common techniques that have been proven to be effective in suppressing biting behavior of dogs. However, the degree of difficulty of dog training varies with the breed of dog, age and individual temperament.
The younger the dog, the easier the training will be. Because mouthing, nibbling, and nipping come naturally to a puppy, an owner must be firm to stop this behavior when it starts. Even though it may begin as a cute nuisance, it can turn into a bad habit if not contained from the get-go.
You can start giving verbal commands to your dog when he is four weeks and older. When the puppy tries to bite, a gentle but firm “No!’ followed by a slight squeeze of the muzzle will train him not to bite anymore.
Be careful that you don’t squeeze in a way that causes the dog to bite its tongue. Also be careful not to squeeze hard or too high up on the muzzle. Sensitive and delicate odor receptors of the dog are situated high up inside the nose.
Squeezine your dogs muzzle will help him associate the verbal command with the discomfort of the squeeze. Since most dogs are uncomfortable with having their muzzles squeezed, this will help him think twice about biting.
Another dog training technique that might help eliminate biting is to socialize your dog since dogs that are not used to people or other dogs do tend to bite. You want to socialize your dog eat an early age to develop his calmness and confidence. Your dog will be more friendly to your guests, other animals and even strangers if socialized properly.
While still young, socialize your dog with other dogs preferably those that are non-aggressive. Being exposed to other dog breeds will help him cope up with territorial behavior.
While it is natural for a dog to nip and bite, the know enough not to do this too hard to their littermates. They will nip each other while playing, but they learn early on not to press too hard. This natural instinct can be used in training dogs not to bite by teaching them to extend the scope of the pack to include family members, frequent visitors and other pets.
When introducing your pet to an animal from outside the home, be sure to keep both animals at a distance from each other. Allow the animals to approach one other at a slow pace while they take in their smells and act out other normal behavior.
Put your dog at ease by having the dog sit and stroke its back. Check your dog for signs of aggression like body tension, snarling, and erect ears. After stroking your dog touch the other animal to convey the smell of your pet to that animal. After checking to make sure there are no signs of aggression and the other dog got a scent of your dog then allow them to interact.
Many dogs can be trained to curb thier urge to bite by the time they are four and a half months old, but it may take your dog longer than that. It varies by breed, and each individual dog within a breed is different. And you know that saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? It’s not exactly true, but training an older dog to stop biting is much more difficult than it is to teach a puppy.
While most dogs can be trained not to bite, there are some that still bite despite being trained. Pet owners should also be trained how to handle their dogs properly. If your dog still bites, make sure it cannot interact with other people or be expose to other animals.
Persistent long term use of these dog training techniques will likely result in a more stable and fun pet, not to mention that it could prevent an unwanted situation where your dog could get hurt or hurt someone else.
Tags: behavior problems, dog bites