Stop Puppy Biting - What You Should and Shouldn't Do

By Anthony W Robinson

In the ongoing quest to stop puppy biting, it is important that you know not only what to do but what not to do to achieve the desired results. All puppies bite, it's just a fact of life. What you have to decide is when it is okay and when it is not. Too often, that owners teach their dogs that it is okay to bite under certain circumstances. What you must do is teach or dog that is never acceptable to bite skin. Many pet owners make this mistake by allowing their puppy to nip at them during play. This leads the dog to believe that it is acceptable always. Let's take a look at what you should and should not do to stop puppy biting.

First let's look at a couple of things you should do.

Start by getting a dog something that it is okay to chew on or bite. Invest in some chew toys that allow you to insert treats in them, as this will encourage the dog to play with that instead of your hand. Whenever your dog niche that you, immediately pull your hand away and replace it with his chew toy. This should also be accompanied by a verbal command, such as "NO BITE!".

another thing you can do is get a soda can and put about a dozen pennies in it. Tape off the opening of the can to seal it so that you can shake it when your dog nips at you. This should also be accompanied by a verbal command, such as "NO BITE!". The sound of the change rattling around in the can will startle him and send a clear message that biting is not acceptable.

Now for some things you should not do.

When teaching your dog to stop puppy biting, it is vital that you not engage in anything that would encourage this unwanted behavior. One major thing to avoid is tug of war. While this is really fun (I do it with my dogs) you are trying to stop puppy biting, not encourage it. Also, do not let your puppy bite or nip at your hands and feet. By not allowing this, you don't have to correct it later. Just remember that no matter which method you use, positive reinforcement is an absolute must when teaching your dog to stop puppy biting.

For further information on typical doggie behavior, including a fantastic resource for training how-to's and loads of detailed information on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors, check out http://www.squidoo.com/EasilyStopPuppyBiting