Is it possible to do without bites at all? No. Dogs use their teeth as a tool for exploring the world around them. They don't have hands, so they can't touch everything with their fingers. Therefore, the puppy pulls everything into its mouth and bites during the game, bites its hands. And we just have to accept this fact, be patient and try to make this biting period not so scary.
Many owners try to forbid the puppy from biting or punish him, but this does not help. And only spoil the relationship and destroys the credibility of you. Yes, he may stop biting out of fear, but this will definitely not play in your favor in the future.
What to do if a puppy bites?
Effective ways to wean a puppy from biting really just give the puppy an idea of how hard he can clench his jaw so as not to hurt us. After biting too hard, the playmate (the other puppy in the litter, now you) may not want to continue the fun. The right toys are a great way to save your hands from abrasions and give your puppy plenty of bites. Several parameters make any toy correct: size, material and texture, proper control.
The size should be such as to give the puppy enough room for bloodthirsty bites, and you had at least another 10 centimeters in reserve for a comfortable and safe grip with your hand. There are no universal formulas. Perhaps a 30 cm rabbit will be enough for your puppy, or you may need to tie this hare to a rope 1.5 meters long in order to avoid injury for sure. It all depends on the size of the little monster and the degree of its bloodlust.
The material and texture should be reminiscent of "loot" to generate interest. For babies who are teething, different toys may be needed at different times: soft ones, where you can stick teeth-needles, springy and harder ones to scratch their gums. Experiment by offering different options and look at the reaction of the "user".
And if you recently got a dog, we recommend that you look at our training courses:
- Course for puppies;
- Course "Not selection";
- Course "Stop, don't delay";
- Call course.
How to play with a puppy so that he bites the toy and not you is a super-important moment. As long as the toy lies on the floor, it remains just a toy. When she starts to move, "run away" and escape from her paws, she turns into prey! And prey is already more interesting than any toy. The puppy does not care about the cost or brand, he wants to track, catch up, grab, pull and wag. Therefore, your task, as the owner, is to revive the toy, and make your arms, legs and clothes uninteresting.
But if the puppy turns into a velociraptor and gets into a passion too often, this is an occasion to analyze the situation as a whole. Perhaps the active game is too long and the puppy's nervous system is so excited that he can no longer slow down.
In the meantime, you are trying to establish a regimen and select suitable toys, it is worth eliminating self-reinforcement during attacks on your legs. After all, every time the puppy hung on them, he praised himself for a successful hunt. Such victories are inspiring, so he will try to do it again and again. After all, it's fun, a person squeaks and twitches so fervently, just like a real prey. And even if at this moment you curse the day when you decided to get a puppy and him at the same time, the beast reads only your movements and the timbre of your voice. And all this is very much like a game, so why should he stop?
Do not let the animal take pleasure in the fact that the puppy attacks the legs. Be an immovable rock. And since this is impossible without additional protection (because you are unlikely to be able to stand still while the milk teeth of the dog are biting into your legs), it is worth taking advantage of the opportunity to control. This may be a short leash, to which the puppy is already accustomed. At the moments of the attack, simply fix the puppy with a leash at a distance from you, preventing it from reaching the cherished trousers. When the puppy calms down a bit, continue to play, rewarding a more relaxed attitude.
If the young dog is not yet accustomed to the occasion, or at times when ammunition is not at hand, use any shield to protect yourself from puppy bites. This could be a thick log, plywood board, or any other barrier between you and the puppy. Just barricade access to yourself. The idea is to make undesirable behavior impossible without shouting and punishment. Then the bad habit will not be fixed over and over again.