| Bowser! Don’t Bite! |
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Training a puppy not to bite is very important when training them. If biting is not corrected early on in the puppy’s life, it will only get worse. What seemed like harmless behavior in a puppy can quickly escalate to dangerous, destructive behavior in an adult dog. Young puppies as well as adult dogs bite when at play. Since humans also play with them, it is only natural that they extend this behavior to their human companions. While other puppies have thick skin, humans and most furniture and shoes do not. That is why it is important to teach them not to bite.Puppies should be taught to control their bite before they reach the age of four months. Puppies normally learn to inhibit their bite from their mothers and their littermates, but since they are taken away from their mothers so young, many never learn this important lesson. It is therefore up to the humans in the puppy’s life to teach this lesson. One great way to inhibit the biting reflex is to allow the puppy to play and socialize with other puppies and older, experienced dogs. Puppies love to tumble, roll and play with each other. When puppies play they bite each other constantly. If one puppy becomes too rough when playing, the rest of the group will punish him for inappropriate behavior. The puppy will learn to control his biting reflex this way. Proper socialization has other benefits as well, including teaching the dog to not be fearful of other dogs as well as working off their excess energy. Puppies that get less socialization can be more destructive, more hyperactive and exhibit other problematic behavior. Lack of socialization in both puppies and adult dogs causes aggressive personalities to develop. Dogs often react aggressively to new situations, especially if they are not properly socialized. Dogs need to be exposed to other people and environments. Knowing there is a big world out there will make him less territorial than if he were tied to a post his whole life. Dogs make a distinction between their owners and other people, and between children and adults. It is important, therefore, to introduce the puppy to both children and adults. Teaching your puppy to trust and respect you is a very effective way to prevent biting. Gaining the trust and respect of your dog is the basis for all dog training. Never hit or slap the puppy, either during training or any other time. Physical punishment is the surest way to erode the trust and respect that must form the basis of an effective training program. Reprimanding a dog will not stop him from biting. It will simply scare and confuse him. To read more articles by Tony Robinson, check out http://online-credit-repair-info.com |
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