Ouch! No Bite - Important Tips on How to Train Your Adult Dog Or New Puppy to Stop Biting

How do I train a new puppy or dog to stop biting? That is the last thing on the minds of new pet owners after bringing a new pet home. After all, a new pet is an exciting fun-filled experience for both family and pet. Puppies are little four-legged bundles of energy. It is a job just to keep up with them.

Of course, when that lovable little puppy starts nipping, biting, and chewing we should understand why this behavior is happening. Puppies instinctively love to bite and chew on almost everything, including people, other pets, your best furniture, and the neighbor's cat.

Though puppies don't usually feel pain when biting each other, we humans, however, have thin skin. We feel those sharp needle-like teeth. So, it's important for us, as new pet owners, to train our puppies not to bite. How to teach a puppy to stop biting begins when they're still puppies.

Dogs learn best as young puppies...

It's important that your dog learns proper behavior (especially not biting) during its first months of life. Because most puppies are taken away from their mothers too soon, it's your duty as a new pet owner to act as the puppy's new mother.

Your most important goal in how to train a puppy to stop biting, is to reduce its instinctive biting and chewing reflex. Normally puppies learn to stop biting from their mothers. So let's learn from a mother wolf. Let's observe her natural training techniques. They're simple but very effective.

Have you ever seen a nature program on TV where the mother wolf disciplines a young pup with only a threatening growl, a baring of her teeth, and fierce stare. In the natural world this technique works. So why not use a form of this technique in your early training of your puppy.

No! No bite!

When a puppy bites, shout "No. No bite!" in a loud firm voice while looking the puppy sternly in the eye. Say "No" loud enough to shock your puppy, but don't yell so loud as to scare him/her. Your goal is to have the puppy associate the loud "No," and your stern gaze with his biting.

Most puppies will quickly associate the loud "No" and the stern gaze with the biting behavior. Imagine yourself as being a mother dog teaching a pup a lesson. Yes, you still love them, but they will definitely get the message. After the lesson, show the puppy you love him/her with a loving hug, a warm friendly smile, and a soothing voice.

Learning To Socialize...

One of the most important ways to teach a dog or pup not to bite is through proper socialization training. In other words, a puppy must learn to socialize in a friendly way with other dogs and especially other people. Successful dogs know how to be good neighbors with other dogs and especially people. Dogs can quickly become afraid of other dogs and people if they cannot adjust and socialize in an acceptable manner.

And when dogs and puppies are afraid, they exhibit unacceptable behaviors, such as biting. Biting might be cute in puppies, but in adult older dogs biting can be dangerous and destructive for both dog and person.

Never Resort To Physical Abuse Of Your Pet...

Whether you have a new puppy or an older dog, your pet should learn to respect you and your family members. Never physically abuse a new puppy or older dog. Physical abuse can lead to a pet fearing you. Physical abuse causes a dog or puppy to lose trust in you, to fear you, and to avoid you.

After all, you are the most important person in the world to your pet. Their world, their existence, and their happiness revolves around you--their owner. Treat your dog or puppy the way you would like to be treated-with respect and love. Dogs are truly man's best friends. They will love you unconditionally, faithfully, and loyally, whether you're a pauper or a millionaire.