How to Stop Dog Biting
When people think of a dog that bites, they often have images of a dog chomping down on something and causing a serious wound to happen. While this can sometimes be the case, it isn’t always that way and biting can be as simple as nipping at your hand or body for a variety of reasons.
The main thing to realize is that when a dog is biting, whether this is a full bite or a little nip, he is doing something that he shouldn’t be, he is putting his teeth on you. Many dogs learn that this is not an acceptable thing to do when they are puppies but if you did not enforce this with your puppy or you are rescuing an older dog, you may find that you have to stop dog biting even if you have a grown dog.
Before we look at how to stop dog biting, I find that it is always better to look at the reasons why your dog is biting. Believe it or not, there can be a number of reasons and they are not always connected with the simple act of biting. Before you try to stop dog biting, it is important to try to understand why the problem is there.
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Reasons why a dog may bite are:
Medical Reasons: If your dog is not feeling well, or he is in pain, he may bite simply because you touched the sore spot or he is feeling disoriented. In addition, I have seen dogs bite while they are still under the effects of a general anesthetic.
Improper Socialization: You know, as many times as I stress socialization, I am always surprised by the amount of dogs that are improperly socialized. A dog that hasn’t been socialized may become fearful in certain unknown situations and this can lead to the dog biting.
Improper Training: Hand in hand with socialization, a dog may bite simply because he is not properly trained. In addition, a dog that doesn’t have a strong owner, especially a strong breed, may bite simply because he can’t be controlled.
Aggression: A dog may bite because of aggression problems. If this is the case, I strongly recommend that you read several of our articles on aggression and understanding dog aggression.
Abuse or Neglect: Lastly, a dog may bite if he is being improperly treated or abused.
When you know why your dog is biting, it is much easier to learn how to deal with the problem and to find ways to prevent it.
First, if it is due to medical reasons, it is important to take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. Once you find out what is wrong with him, make sure you take the steps to ensure he is comfortable. Don’t let other people bother him if he is not feeling well and offer him his space. There is no reason why he can’t have some time to relax on his own.
If it is aggression, then this is more than just bad manners. Seek the advice of our many articles on aggression and speak with a trainer who specializes in dog aggression problems.
If a dog is biting because of abuse or neglect, it is important to establish trust before you try to stop dog biting. Let everyone know that there is some concern over biting and give the dog the space he needs to feel comfortable in his surroundings. In many cases, once you establish trust with your dog many negative behaviors such as biting, can disappear. Although it does not happen in every case.
Now that you know some reasons as to why your dog is biting, its time to take on the problem itself, read more in part two here: How to Stop Dog Biting – Part Two
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