| Biting Puppy's
Puppies often go through a phase
of biting , whilst this is not a problem in the majority
of cases it can develop into one if not controlled.
Dogs learn how to control the pressure of a bite during
puppy-hood, normally from their parents or peers,
however if the dog has been removed from its normal
pack environment then it the human replacement that
must educate the pup. As puppies become active then
they start to play physical games, this is part of
canine behaviour . The dog is learning rank, social
status, hunting skills etc.
In the pack
situation the adult dogs become increasingly tired
of the puppy's antics and sharp nips, the puppy is
educated accordingly. The involves scalding and a
cessation of play interaction, as the puppy grows
it learns how far it can push the game and how hard
it is allowed to bite. This process is normally learnt
by the age of eighteen weeks.
In a lot of
cases when the dog is introduced into a human family
this education continues, often the normal reaction
to a dogs nip of shouting "ouch" and telling
the dog to go away is sufficient to teach the dog
the rules of play. In that way inadvertently the human
family actually educates the dog and as I said at
the beginning the problem never really progresses
or causes too much of a concern. Of course there are
occasions when certain dogs just do not click as to
the rules and continue to push the limits, in this
case the human must take steps to rectify the problem.
The following
steps are worth a try in the first case:
-
If the
puppy's teeth make any contact with a human's
skin or even clothing then that person should
squeal, like an injured dog.
-
The person
must then turn from the dog, making no eye contact,
and totally ignore it.
-
As soon
as the puppy stops interacting with the person
it should be called back and praised calmly, with
deliberate strokes down the dog's back. If the
dog at any point makes contact with the teeth
then the process is repeated. Even turn your back
and walk away from the dog, then repeat the process.
You must ensure
that all humans take part in this process, so you
will need to brief all visitors to the house.
I use these
techniques and would expect the problem to be under
control within five days, even with the slowest of
learning dogs.
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This article
was written by Paul C Bunker, a professional dog trainer.
You can visit the website at www.Southwestk9services.com for more articles and
dog training resources. You may freely distribute
this article or save to any electronic media as long
as it is left intact, including this copyright box.
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