Dog biting and how to stop it
Why is my Dog Biting? Aggression, Fear, or something else?
All dogs are capable of biting, one way or another. Even the nicest dog you've ever seen can be triggered to bite if it's afraid. The question is what is causing a dog to bite and how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe around dogs that have this tendency. With proper training and responsibility, you can keep your dog from biting someone and causing more trouble.
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So what makes dogs resort to biting?
Dogs will usually bite if they are afraid and feel threatened. Most times dogs aren't just randomly biting people because they want to be mean for the heck of it. Biting is a survival instinct to protect themselves. Therefore it is important to understand what causes this biting behavior in the first place. Understanding the body language of a dog can tell a lot about what it's feeling. Check out my other page here to read more about understanding the body language of dogs.
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How can you stop your dog from biting?
It's your responsibility to keep your dog's biting in check at all times. If not, this could cause trouble if your dog bites other people, or even your loved ones. Here are some things you can do to help with your dog's biting situation.
1. Put your dog through training, and be consistent with the training even after it is done.
You can put your dog through basic training. We offer such a service as well. However it's also important to keep up what the trainer has taught your dog and you to prevent biting again.
2. Properly socialize your dog and expose them to different situations.
It's important for a dog to be socialized in its early stages to prevent aggression from unknown situations in the future, like meeting new people and other dogs. Let them interact with various people, even children and other dogs early on to socialize them well. Let them get used to unfamiliar noises or even loud noises so these sounds do not scare them later on and trigger fear in them, causing them to bite.
3. Don't use physical, violent, or aggressive punishment for your dog.
Never, ever discipline your dog in these ways! The best way to go would be to use positive reinforcement, which I talk about in another post. Granted, there are some trainers who use shock collars and other more intrusive methods for more stubborn dogs, but that should be a LAST resort after you have tried other things. Be aware of the impact these methods may have on your dog's relationship with you. It's easy to overuse shock collars for example because people feel it is very effective. However used in the wrong way, it could give your dog a negative association with things and even the owner. Dogs already naturally want to please people, so using a more positive approach is definitely more effective.
4. Always leash your dog or keep it in an enclosed area.
Only let your dog off leash if it is highly disciplined and trained in that area or if it is permitted in a certain area, like off leash dog parks. It's important to know your dog well first. If you know your dog doesn't get along with other dogs, it's better to keep it on a leash.
If your dog bites someone, first make sure your dog is safely out of reach then quickly help the person. It's important to disinfect the bite with soap and warm water, then seek medical attention.
It's your responsibility to keep your dog's biting in check at all times. If not, this could cause trouble if your dog bites other people, or even your loved ones. Here are some things you can do to help with your dog's biting situation.
1. Put your dog through training, and be consistent with the training even after it is done.
You can put your dog through basic training. We offer such a service as well. However it's also important to keep up what the trainer has taught your dog and you to prevent biting again.
2. Properly socialize your dog and expose them to different situations.
It's important for a dog to be socialized in its early stages to prevent aggression from unknown situations in the future, like meeting new people and other dogs. Let them interact with various people, even children and other dogs early on to socialize them well. Let them get used to unfamiliar noises or even loud noises so these sounds do not scare them later on and trigger fear in them, causing them to bite.
3. Don't use physical, violent, or aggressive punishment for your dog.
Never, ever discipline your dog in these ways! The best way to go would be to use positive reinforcement, which I talk about in another post. Granted, there are some trainers who use shock collars and other more intrusive methods for more stubborn dogs, but that should be a LAST resort after you have tried other things. Be aware of the impact these methods may have on your dog's relationship with you. It's easy to overuse shock collars for example because people feel it is very effective. However used in the wrong way, it could give your dog a negative association with things and even the owner. Dogs already naturally want to please people, so using a more positive approach is definitely more effective.
4. Always leash your dog or keep it in an enclosed area.
Only let your dog off leash if it is highly disciplined and trained in that area or if it is permitted in a certain area, like off leash dog parks. It's important to know your dog well first. If you know your dog doesn't get along with other dogs, it's better to keep it on a leash.
If your dog bites someone, first make sure your dog is safely out of reach then quickly help the person. It's important to disinfect the bite with soap and warm water, then seek medical attention.
Does your dog have biting tendencies? We can help with that. We're here to help you create the best dog and owner relationship possible. Just shoot us a message and we can get working on creating that perfect bond for you and your dog. |
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