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Dog Biting: 4 Tips to Stop Your Dog From Biting

To their credit, most dogs give warning signals before they actually bite. During play, they will get more and more physical until they actually clamp down. Bites typically occur when a dog is tired of playing. they will show their reluctance to continue the activity by obviously looking away from the person is trying to interact with them. Or they might turn away, show you their back, maybe lay down on the floor, and just generally ignore what is going on. Anyone who does not take notice of these hints is likely to get bitten.

Dogs also bite when they dont like how playtime is going. Some people like to pull their ears or to roll them over and pin them down during wrestling. Some dogs will put up with this all day, but others will not permit it at all. Dogs are smart enough to figure out that biting is a quick and easy way to stop games that are not enjoyable. And once they find a strategy that works, they stick with it.

Now that you know WHY your dog or puppy might be biting, try the following ideas to reduce or prevent biting:

1. Be an Authority Figure:

Since dogs tend to bite when behaving childishly, you can often stop them by being firm and adult, which means making a forceful Grrrrrrrrrr sound in a low tone. Dogs hear this sound a lot as young puppies, especially while nursing when their teeth start coming in (ouch!). They take Mom's threats seriously, and memories of those warnings are ingrained. Instinctively, growls get noticed and make them think twice about biting again.

2. Turn your Back:

If you want to show your dog that you are not willing to accept the way he plays, stop moving, remove what he has in his mouth, and turn your back on him. The cold shoulder routine tells them clearly that you are not happy and will not play unless your dog learns that teeth and biting are not part of the game.

3. Use an Inanimate Object:

Rather than letting dogs play directly with your hands, it is much safer and more practical to use toys, towels, or ropes as targets. Anything that puts distance between your hands and their mouths will work better than hand in mouth activities.

4. Play at your Level:

Dogs love it when people get down on all fours and wrestle, head butt, and generally roughhouse with them. Physical games are fun, but some dogs have a natural tendency to be dominant. Seeing a person on all fours indicates that they are dealing with another dog, which means that biting is a normalpart of the behavior between dogs. Dogs have a natural respect for size and height. Keeping your head and shoulders above your dog will demonstrate that he needs to respect you and not allowed to bite you.