The appearance of a small pet in the house always causes affection, and its innocent amusements do not cause irritation at first. But the puppy is growing, and the habit of biting family members takes on new forms, less and less like a game and causing pain and humiliation.
To coexist with a dog was comfortable, you need from childhood to show her the limits of permitted actions, without showing at the same time cruelty, but leaving the right to dictate behavior.
To wean a puppy to bite the owner’s hands and feet, it is necessary to understand the nature of such acts.
Why puppy bites legs and arms
Small puppies do not intentionally hurt the owner. In their behavior, of course, there is a meaning that comes down to the instincts laid down by nature, socialization and some aspects of physiological development.
It is easy to understand why a puppy bites the legs and hands of its owners, if we consider the actions of the dog in terms of these instincts.
Natural instincts: learning, playing
Upon reaching a certain age, puppies begin to actively explore the world and literally "try it for a tooth." After all, the mouth is the only way to interact with surrounding objects, a tool of contact and protection. It makes no sense not to allow the puppy to explore the space, because such actions are dictated by instincts.
The period of growing up in the wild is characterized by active games with their own kind. In a pack, a puppy “tries its teeth” on the mother and members of the pack - this is how it enters a time of socialization when priorities are set: puppies in the game learn to solve conflict situations, to defend their right to exist. In such games, the character of the animal and the primary skills of hierarchical behavior are formed.
One of the most important aspects of attack and bites is the hunting instinct, the skills of which the puppies begin to work out at a very young age. The genetic need to track and kill game dictates aspects of behavior that are the same for both wild and pet animals.
Signs of dominance
Another factor that should alert the owner is low level aggression in the dog, in which she:
- Biting a leg or arm, makes a growl with notes of threat.
- He is trying not only to grasp the fabric of the sleeve or the leg, but also pulls it to himself, as if trying to appropriate to himself what is in his teeth.
In fact, these are signs of the same hunt, but with notes of dominance. Such games hurt and the situation can not be put off "on the brakes." Sensing a victory several times, the puppy may later begin to show signs of aggression if he does not get what he wants.
How to wean a puppy biting
From the moment when the baby appeared in the house, he must learn the rules of behavior of the community, which now became his "flock". The relationship between the owner and his pet is not fundamentally different from those that nature laid in prehistoric times. People began to treat dogs with great affection and consider them as members of their families, but any manifestations of improper behavior force them to reconsider the criteria of the initial relationship.
The dog should not share the main place in the house with the owner or dictate its own rules. In the games, which will later take on a completely different character, puppies seek leadership and take the place of the leader. This does not mean that the dog will necessarily bite when it grows up, but there are rather unpleasant everyday moments in which the dog does not have the right to vote, because the leader in its pack is the owner.
Without having received the early skills of socialization and not having learned the rules of prioritization in the house, a pet can become a big problem for the owner, his family members and all the people around him.
The fact that a person is more important than a dog does not demean her dignity. This is not just a status: it is the daily duty of ensuring all life processes, from feeding to ensuring safety. This is a great responsibility in which both love and tenderness to the pet are preserved. It is necessary to start raising a puppy as early as possible so that a dog can grow out of it, which will not cause any trouble to others.
We seek a neat game
You can not ban a puppy to play. There is nothing terrible in biting if the dog understands the permissible margin and the owner is not against such amusements. To achieve this understanding of the dog can, using the method of "carrot and stick". As a “carrot”, there is praise and caress, and ignorance behind the “whip” is disguised as the most unpleasant punishment for a dog.
If the puppy bit too hard on the skin, you must immediately stop playing, clap your hands and make a not-too-loud shout. Hands better to hide and wait until the baby calms down. If these actions are not enough, you need to get up and leave the room, taking up your own business. In a situation where the puppy still continues to try to grab the owner by the legs, he is locked in a cage for a couple of minutes, in the next room or tied on a leash so that he cannot reach the owner.
Deprivation of the game and ignoring is carried out in several stages: first, for the strongest bites, after consolidating the skill for less tangible, and so on, until the degree of impact does not seem acceptable to the owner of the game.
Often for a puppy there is nothing more unpleasant than ignoring the host. Dogs are very smart and learn with pleasure: if you do everything right, the result will not keep you waiting.
Training for the simplest teams
A couple of simple commands that reinforce the ban on bites will help both in the situation of grasping hands and in later life, when the puppy begins to teach dog training courses.
Such teams are "Fu" and "It is impossible": these are actions of a full and partial ban. Commands are categorized in intonation and for a period of validity: “No” is a temporary ban on undesirable actions in this situation, which can be canceled afterwards. "Fu" - a categorical ban on the act, which in the behavior of the dog is undesirable in principle.
Depending on the importance of the moment or the mood of the owner (perhaps, he once and for all decided to ban the puppy to play with his hands) is given the command of the ban and the game stops. Switching a puppy to the Sit command helps a lot. This confuses the little bully, and he forgets about the mischief, including in the new game. This command is given immediately after "No".
Attention switching method
An overly agitated pet can be switched to another game by offering toys as an alternative. Puppies have a short memory and they quickly forget what they were doing five minutes ago, if in the future there is a more interesting thing.
The modern pet market offers a huge amount of fun for pets: from the simplest balls and rings to very interesting and ingenious inventions that will not only entertain the puppy, but also contribute to its mental development.
In addition to the goal (distraction from grabbing hands and feet), toys give the puppy an opportunity to learn to occupy himself independently, which is very important for his further socialization: the owner will not always be close to the pet, and the puppy will be less depressed alone if he understands that the owner will not entertain him every minute.
Plus from toys is also the fact that they help reduce the manifestation of teething, relieve itching, and leave the furniture in the apartment safe and sound.
Typical mistakes raising a puppy
Unfortunately, not always the owners of young dogs adjust the learning process properly and allow for errors, which often determine the psyche and health of the pet.
Typical mistakes made when raising:
- Lack of patience. Hot temper, aggression, breakdowns are unacceptable. The dog perfectly feels the mood of the owner: his behavior and obedience are directly dependent on his manners. Puppies learn best when they feel loved. A person must be patient, but immutable in his intentions.
- Inconsistent action. To finish the job you need to end. It is unacceptable to forbid the puppy to bite once, and immediately allow him to violate his order.
- Late punishment. It happens that the owners scold dogs for what they have done for a long time. Puppies do not remember old leprosy: punishment makes sense only at the first moment after the deed.
- Fear. This feeling may arise when working with teenage dogs, for which grasping the legs is no longer a game, but has absolutely precise intentions to set priorities. If it is not possible to correct the behavior in such a situation, it is recommended to immediately turn to an expert for help: the longer time passes, the harder it is to cope with the problem.
- Children. In the case when there are small children in the house and the problem of bites is not solved, it is impossible to leave them alone with the puppies.
- Kicking games. This is an additional provocation for a dog that does not understand what they want from it if the ban on grabbing the legs is followed by a game with a “coveted object of hunting”.
- Too frequent punishments: cause pets a sense of inferiority, leading to a reluctance to learn. Dog closes, becomes cowardly and uncommunicative.
- Too loud shout. There were cases in which a loud screaming led to the puppy becoming afraid of the master's hands.
Brute physical strength is absolutely unacceptable in relation to puppies. Love, patience and consistency of actions will give quick shoots, in contrast to the inability to keep yourself in hand, which is a recognition of their own helplessness and stupidity.
Causes of pet's misbehavior
To cope with an existing problem, you must first find out its causes. Bite - the reflex of dogs, laid by nature. As a rule, aggressiveness is manifested by the action of some kind of stimulus. This is an expression of the animal's emotions. But when it rushes at people, it can happen for several reasons.
Young age
For small puppies, grab your teeth with toys, other objects are considered normal. Especially when the teeth are cut, the dog wants to gnaw everything. With their peers, the puppy plays in this way. It is not surprising that he, too, begins to bite the owner, as if communicating with him. But you should not allow your pet to play with arms and legs, wean it.
Bad Education
If the habit of biting remained in the adult, it is the error of education or lack of training. This is how dogs that have a lack of communication can behave, they spend a lot of time in an aviary or on a chain. You can not let the situation take its course. And an adult dog with the right approach can be weaned from a bad habit.
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Genetic predisposition
Some breeds of dogs have aggressive behavior that can manifest itself in different ways. It is better to train such pets from experienced dog handlers. Service and hunting dogs can bite - Dobermans, Huskies, Rottweilers, breeds with a high degree of excitability - Dachshunds, Russel.
With some breeds such difficulties arise extremely rarely due to their good temper:
Behavior rules
You can not give the animal to play with their hands. If he tries to bite them, it is necessary to utter “it is impossible” or “fu” in a commanding voice. You can slap lightly on the face of the newspaper. But it is fraught with the fact that in the future the dog will be afraid of any wavedings.
If the puppy runs after his legs, trying to bite on the slippers, no need to scold him for it. It is better to distract him with some kind of toy or old rag. The opinion that the dog will then lie all things in a row is erroneous. He knows where his toys are.
If the puppy bites his hand, you need to unclench his jaws and slip the ball. Hand pet pet. He must understand that the owner's hands are needed for affection, you cannot bite them.
But if he still does not leave his habit, you need to stop playing with him, go to another room, ignore the puppy. He must remember that after the bite the owner will always stop playing with him. If the puppy does not obey, you can gently take him by the scruff of his neck and press him to the floor.
Teaching a puppy to human domination
From childhood, the dog must get used to the fact that the owner of the house is in charge, and she is a friend, subject to his will. The owner can show his dominance during meals. First, the owner eats, then the puppy. You can pick up a piece of food from a pet bowl. He can growl, show aggression. But he must learn that it is the master who feeds him, and he is the leader.
How to wean a biting adult dog
It will be more difficult to cope with an adult dog. If he bites even while playing, this is a serious problem. Rehabilitate an already formed dog can only partially. He, as a man in adulthood, hardly changes his habits. Psychological characteristics in dogs are laid up to a year.
You need to start getting rid of bad habits with basic dressing. Aggression of the dog in response to some action speaks of its dominant behavior. It takes a lot of effort to become an authority for the animal. It is better to seek help from a dog handler. But if this is not possible, it is necessary to change the style of communication with the dog. She must understand that the house is not her. She should have her own place to rest and this is not the owner's bed. The dog is a gregarious animal. And it is important for her to understand who is the leader in this pack.
It is better to avoid games in which the animal can bite, even by accident. If this happens, you just need to gently open the mouth, release your hand or foot. Pretend to cry, scream, that is, to designate what has become painful. Then go to another room. The pet will understand that it has caused trouble to the owner.
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Prohibited actions
Any dog obedience should be encouraged with a favorite delicacy. Also important is verbal praise. As for punishments, during the educational process it is impossible:
- beat the animal in the face, it becomes intimidated or even more aggressive,
- deprive the dog of food and water
- close in dark rooms
- scream loudly.
You can hit the animal only lightly with the palm of your hand. You can not be afraid to punish the dog, but it must be done correctly. Using the allowed methods of encouragement and punishment you can wean the pet to bite the hands and feet of the owner.
How to wean a puppy and an adult dog biting? More helpful recommendations in the following video:
Why puppy bites and grabs the legs and arms
The desire to bite for a dog is completely natural.
The appearance of a puppy in the house is always a joy and a holiday. The owners are touched by a fluffy tiny creature and forgive him cute pranks - trying to grab an arm or a leg. As a rule, this happens by chance and not out of malice. The puppy just started playing and accidentally snatched the man by the finger. If he does this on purpose, it is exclusively out of the best of intentions: in this way, the beast demonstrates his sympathy to the person and invites him to join in a fun and exciting game.
There are three main reasons why kids love to bite so much. A “tooth test” for them is:
- way of knowing the world,
- form of communication with relatives and man
- The first manifestations of the hunter's instinct, which is in every dog.
The desire to let go of teeth in the course laid in the dog by nature. After all, even the kindest sofa dog in fact is a predator and a hunter.
If you stretch your pet open palm, the first and natural impulse of the beast will be the desire to immediately bite his fingers with his teeth. That is how puppies welcome other canine cubs. This is associated with ancient times, when the best friend of man lived in the wild and got food himself. However, in the case of kids, this is not just a test - it is a test of one’s own strength, the dog’s desire to find out what it can do for him.
Some breeds are more prone to flogging. And this fact should be taken into account when choosing a pet, so as not to suffer, trying to instill good manners in the dog.
If you watch a pack of puppies, you will notice that the games in the course of which they bite are among the most beloved ones of the little ones. They do it in different ways: sometimes gently and gently, and often sharply and with all their strength. Так они выпускают пар, расстаются с накопившейся энергией (её у маленьких созданий много), а ещё облегчают процесс роста и формирования зубов.
Щенячьи игры постоянно сопровождаются укусами
Как и детям человека, новорожденным собакам необходимо подобие игрушки-прорезывателя, который бы помог чешущимся дёснам.
Увы, иногда зубы вырастают, щенок становится большим и сильным псом, а привычка хватать всё своими клыками у него никуда не девается. “A puppy, playing, bites ... How to wean?” Is a question that can be found quite often on specialized forums on the Internet.
How to wean a dog biting
Before a dog turns three months old, its bites are completely harmless. But to begin to wean a pet from a bad habit is necessary already at this stage. After all, everything that is not done on time, then necessarily turn into a problem.
To eradicate the habit of snatching on the legs and the hands of the owner must be very delicate. It is important that the dog understands: you are her friend and do not want to harm her. The dog should not feel any danger. Therefore, communication with the four-legged owner should not be limited exclusively to the training and education. It’s enough just to spend a little more time with a dog to achieve its location, trust and respect, which is very useful in the future. The dog must understand that its owner is the main one in the house, “the leader of the pack”, and therefore it is necessary to follow his orders clearly and not even try to establish own orders in the apartment.
The bites of babies are harmless, but it is necessary to teach a dog to good behavior since childhood.
In the method of teaching the dog to the rules of good tone there are several effective techniques. Each of them should be used exclusively in specific situations, taking into account the characteristics of the breed. Here is what dog handlers advise pet owners:
- After the next bite, the person should fold his arms and turn to the side. Preferably for a few minutes. The dog will read this position of the body: “I don’t want to play with you THAT”.
- Think in advance about the future game with the animal. During the period of training "kusaki" it is important to avoid spontaneous fun, during which the dog can grab his hands with his teeth.
- Do not let the dog vomit and bite the things of the master (they have a human smell, which is clearly associated in the beast with people living in this apartment).
- During games, pay attention to the behavior of the dog - as a quadruped, it is often clear that a furry friend is about to grab a person by the leg. Special signs of such behavior: grin, ears pressed to the head.
- Do not use your hands in the game.
- Do not walk with bare legs around the apartment (it is noticed that if there are no sneakers on the owner's feet, they cause much more interest in dogs).
- Distinguish between situations when the dog bites from fear, and when as a defense (if the cause is fear, it is necessary to calm it gently).
- Always show the animal that its bite caused discomfort. You can do it differently: scream, shout loudly “Ay!” Or even pretend to cry (it’s important not to overplay, because for some breeds, such as husky, this may seem funny and they will want to continue).
- Gently demonstrate your power and domination over the dog: if the puppy is grinning, bend his head to the floor so that you remember well who the master is. A close rigorous look into the eyes of the puppy at this point will strengthen the educational effect.
- To raise a naughty dog for withers - just like mom does to calm the puppies. Having lost support under their feet, the dog temporarily loses confidence in itself and its actions, and, in addition, euphoria from a sense of primacy.
The power over the dog will consolidate and such an exercise: a man takes a biting dog by the face and gently holds it for some time. This procedure, despite its simplicity, has a very strong educational effect. She repeats the behavior in a dog pack, where the leader could bite the face of a dog that is lower in status. When performing the exercise, it is important to ensure that the dog breathes easily. And it will be necessary to release her as soon as she starts to get nervous and growl.
Owners who do not doubt their dog's authority can, after another bite, order the dog to take its place as a punishment - on the mat for a four-legged friend or in a special house. Let him lie down and think over his behavior. But this is effective and acceptable when the dog recognizes the owner as the main one. In other cases, the team may, on the contrary, exacerbate the conflict and increase the desire of the dog to do the opposite. The dog will refuse to go to the corner and continue with the excitement to pounce on the person.
Educational measures should not hurt your pet.
So that upbringing does not produce a similar effect, it is important to take into account a number of other points in the training of a four-legged:
- You should never let your dog feel weak in the behavior of the owner. The beast sensitively notices everything. When starting a lesson, the educator should be collected and focused solely on this process.
- We must be prepared for the fact that the process of teaching a dog to etiquette will take a lot of time (especially hard in cases where the dog suddenly decided to establish itself in the house as a leader).
- It is important to educate the dog comprehensively, not limited to the fight against bites. She must know that life consists of prohibitions. That she only sleeps in the space provided (and never on the bed with the owner), eats only from her bowl (and never claims the products from the table), goes into the apartment after the owner (because he is in charge), always fulfills the owner's commands.
It is important that the fight against bites does not lead to the fact that the dog will no longer use the teeth for its protection. Circumstances are different, and it is unacceptable that after training the dog was defenseless in situations when it will be necessary to show a fighting spirit to those who offend him or the owner.
What to do if the puppy gnaws everything
Those who live at home dog-nipper, it is important not to forget about the fact that the pet must have its own toys. About them, a four-legged can sharpen their teeth. It is possible that the toy bone will appeal to the baby, and he will forever forget about the master's heels.
The dog needs to chew on something, therefore it is recommended to purchase several toys.
In pet stores "dog teeth" products are presented in the range:
- Rubber balls and bones, which have become classics for a long time.
- Toys in which you can put a treat.
- Floating toys for dogs showing increased interest in puddles.
- For growing teeth - pacifiers, toy sneakers and shoes (which the dog can tear without fear of shouting from the owner).
- Also interesting animals are chicken, rings and horseshoes from thermoplastic rubber that is pleasant for dog teeth.
- Rope-knots (they can take a baby for a long time trying to untangle this piece of rope).
When choosing toys, owners of large breed dogs should pay attention to balls and bones with a rope - it is more convenient to get them from the mouth of the animal during the game.
Toys are needed not only by the youngest four-legged pets, but also by the already deserved veteran dogs. After all, they not only help reduce pain when teething, but also clean the teeth from plaque, and also pleasantly massage the gums.
You can either buy the toy or do it yourself. It is enough to take a rag, wet it, twist it in a knot, and then send it for a while in the refrigerator. When the fabric freezes, it can be given to the dog. The four-legged friend will try to untangle the rag and at the same time receive a pleasant cooling massage of the gums.
If there are few or no toys in the house, then in the evening, when the owner returns from work, the following picture may await him: damaged furniture, tattered wallpaper, torn shoes, torn books. A pogrom in most cases is the result of the same growth and replacement of teeth with indigenous ones. Other reasons why a puppy gnaws everything can be boredom, lack of human attention and walks in the fresh air.
Think about how to occupy a dog, if it stays alone for a long time, otherwise it can spoil things.
To cope with the problem, the owner needs to hide (sometimes for a very long time) away everything that can be spoiled by a four-legged friend:
- put a stack of books and magazines higher in the closet
- close the corners and legs of the furniture with a thick cloth
- keep track of where the TV remote control or mobile phone remains.
There are a number of other recommendations that will be effective in dealing with puppies biting everything:
- A dog should be well aware of two words: "No!" And "Well done!". They should be used only when the dog does something wrong, or, on the contrary, demonstrates good behavior.
- It makes sense, leaving for work, to leave the dog turned on the radio. The young dog will assume that the owners are somewhere nearby, and will not destroy everything.
- It is important to remember: the smaller the dog, the more time he must spend with his master. The principle here is exactly the same as when communicating with a child. Leaving him alone for long is sometimes even dangerous.
- The dog needs as many different loads as possible (for example, games on the street) so that she has as little strength as possible for “undesirable” activity, including the bites of the feet and hands of the owner.
The dog needs physical exertion, walks in the fresh air, so that there is no strength left to attack the owner’s arms and legs
Prohibited Techniques
Before you start raising a dog, it is important to remember which methods are absolutely unacceptable. Dog can not:
- punish with hunger
- stop walking outside
- lock up after pranks in an empty room or put on a leash,
- to punish for occasional bites (after all, the dog loves its owner and does not really want to hurt him).
Rule number one - on the "kusaku" in no case should not scream. You can not wipe hands, throw in the dog turned out to hand things. Raising a voice to an animal or trying to knock it, a person will only provoke a pet, and as a result, he will again rush into battle - already with great excitement, and maybe with rage. The use of force in response to a dog bite in communication with the baby will not give a positive effect.
Even to unclench the jaw of a dog, which firmly grasped a man’s leg, must be done carefully, so as not to cause a reciprocal pain to the four-legged and not to provoke a surge of aggression in him.
Resentment or anger will only provoke aggression, and the animal will not learn anything.
You can calm the lover of biting like this: after another bite, stop the game abruptly or leave the room immediately. Thus, the pet will be given a signal - instead of such games, it is necessary to invent others. For representatives of most breeds, such tactics may prove to be convincing.
It is important to take into account the age of the dogs. If the puppy is still quite small, it is necessary to stop the game only after the strongest bites. A little later, when the animal grows up - after the medium. And then - and after light bites.
Another one of the forbidden techniques is an attempt to switch a dog from bites to another game. For the owner, this is fraught with some consequences. First, the dog will assume that the owner can be invited to the game by properly grabbing his side. Secondly, such a solution to the problem will be only momentary, while a long-term educational effect is necessary.
How to disaccustom a dog to jump on the owner
First you need to pay attention to how the dog behaves before jumping. It should be remembered what position it takes, from which side it rises, and so on. The next time you notice that the dog wants to jump, turn your back to it. Then sit down, turn your face to the pet and stroke it. You should not be angry, because this behavior in most cases indicates the joy of meeting with the owner or respect for him. Aggression only introduces the animal into a stupor.
The reasons why the baby can bite on the legs
This is the main reason that puppies of different ages bite the owners by the legs. For the most part, the sole of the slippers is made of durable rubber, about which the pet can scratch the gums, getting rid of unpleasant sensations.
If you will not raise a puppy, he will never stop biting, nibbling everything around.
Reasons for jumping on the host
Among the reasons for jumping to the owner are:
- The joy of meeting after a long parting.
- The desire to play or go for a walk.
- Respect for the person, the perception of the owner as an equal.
- Lack of timely mating in unsterilized pets.
If, before that, dogs were encouraged to host, then this behavior became a habit. In this case, the reason will be the pet's desire to receive praise.
What to do if the pet is not reformed
When a pet tries to grab a person with his teeth, you need 2-3 times to splash in the face with ordinary water. With regular repetition, the animal will understand that this can not be done.
Puppy to teach a lot easier than an adult dog
With jumps on the owner to cope harder. If the reason for this behavior is a manifestation of joy or respect, you need to gently pull the leash or collar. Jumps with prolonged absence of sexual contacts can be prevented by sterilization or viscous.
Over time, the wrong behavior is fixed, so you have to spend more energy on raising pets. However, with the right approach, you can even affect an adult dog.
