Stop Puppy Biting Now - Its Really Not That Hard

In order to stop puppy biting, always use the word ‘No’ as the command word for correction of any sort. Say ‘no’ when your puppy chews on things that he oughtn’t. A firm ‘no’ should deter him from biting. And ‘no’ should also keep him from jumping up on people.

Your puppy must learn the word no as early as possible. This is the best word to use for correction, and if you teach them at an early age, they will always listen to it. Again, if you see your puppy chewing on something they are not allowed to chew, a firm “no!” is called for. If the word alone fails to stop their behavior, then tap them under the chin while repeating “no!”.

If even this fails, stronger methods must be used to correct the behavior. Consider how pack animals (like dogs) interact with each other. Having no verbal means of communication, they deter by growling and posturing, along with bumping. They encourage good behavior with barks and by means of facial expressions. If an undesirable behavior is engaged in by a pack member and the usual methods of discouragement fail, then fighting is used as the last resort.

It is the pack behavior that goads them into observational learning. They synchronize their behavior to suit the requirements of the rest of the pack. In a pack if one creature does not toe the line, then the pack leader reprimands him about it!

Stay calm, cool & composed You must not lose your composure when trying to stop puppy biting or other bad behavior on the part of your puppy. No matter how angry you are at your puppy, DO NOT show it. Frightening your puppy will not work to correct their behavior. You want to teach them “don’t do what you are doing”, not make them afraid of you. Your puppy will learn, especially if you can keep your cool. Don’t intimidate your pet, just be firm and they will soon learn their place and which behaviors are expected of them.

Correct immediately You must correct your puppy’s bad behavior right away. A puppy does not have the best memory, meaning that if you wait to correct undesirable behavior, you will just confuse your pet. Correcting the behavior immediately will make the connection in your puppy’s mind between the behavior and the correction. Doing so otherwise will just leave you with a perplexed pup who will only repeat the behavior later. A puppy bites instinctively; they must however be taught what not to bite. This of course means humans. A puppy must be taught as early as possible that biting people is simply not acceptable. Even play bites must be corrected, you want to draw a clear line here.

The same principles of correction apply to other undesirable behaviors like jumping on people. While it may be cute to have a puppy jumping at you, this could become dangerous if left unchecked; just imagine a fully grown Great Dane thinking jumping is acceptable behavior! Say “No” and push your puppy gently away when they jump on you. If they listen and stop jumping, don’t forget to praise your puppy. This will reinforce the desirable behavior.

Getting the proper information will make this process of training your puppy easier and more pleasant. An e-book that has been getting rave reviews is SitStayFetch. It is written by professional dog trainer and lover, Daniel Stevens, who writes a 150 page e-book that covers every facet of puppy training. It provides sound advice on everything from how-to correct behavioral problems to the best way to teach your puppy a new trick. The delivery style is easy-going and reading it is engaging, interesting and informative.