Ouch! My puppy bit me!

        There are many different reasons why your new puppy may be nibbling on you and the family, and while it may seem cute now, it can become a BIG problem later on. Sometimes puppy biting stems from being taken away from the mother and littermates too soon. Playing with its siblings and mother is a very important part of your pups social development. By nipping and biting its furry family and being rebuked by them, your pup will learn not to nip its human family. Sometimes, though, a pup is taken from its litter too soon, maybe the breeder didn't know any better, maybe the mother rejected it or even passed away, or maybe it was found as a stray, whatever the reason, this pup is going to need some social training. Some puppies are just stubborn biters, and even though they were with their litter beyond the 8 week recommended period, they are still nipping. 

        Of my 3 current dogs, only one was a biter, my Bulldog Thrall. You would never know it if you met him now, but he was a terrible puppy. He nipped constantly, even though we got him just after the 8 week mark, and he had plenty of socialization. This article is going to document how we trained him to be a more polite dog. Just remember, everyone in the house has to be 100% committed to helping out, and you can't let your puppy get away with it, even once. There are many different levels of nipping, and I am focusing on an extreme case, all puppies nip and chew when they are teething, but can often be redirected to a toy presented to them, with a strong "No Bite!" There are many different ways to work with your dog to break this potentially dangerous habit, but I am going to detail what I personally did with my dog.

1. Your dog needs to know that when he nips you, it hurts. When he is playing with his siblings, and bites too hard, they will yelp in pain. So your first step is to yelp in pain every time he nips you. Just give a high pitched "Ouch!" and pull you hand, leg, foot, or any other body part away.

2. He also needs to know that when he nips you, all fun stops, so when you feel that pinch, and yelp, the next step is to make sure the game stops if you were playing, and give a forceful "No Bite!"

3. Your pup needs to know who is in charge, so the next step is to roll him onto his side, and hold him there firmly until he settles down, and stops struggling. this should be done gently, but with enough controlled force that he can't get away, you are the boss, and he does what you say. Once he settles down, you can let him up, give him a toy to chew on, and praise him when he chews on it instead of you.

These steps need to be one fluid chain of motion - he bites, you immediately yelp "Ouch!", game stops, "No Bite!" while simultaneously  rolling him on his side, he stops struggling, "Goodboy!" while handing him a toy. This needs to be done EVERY SINGLE TIME. You will soon notice that the biting happens less and less, and within about 2 weeks should be basically gone. I know that you feel bad now, because he just wants to play, but remember, this dog will hopefully be with you for over a decade, and in that time you may have kids, grandkids, elderly folks, or any number of other people visiting or living in your home, and a mouthy dog will most likely end up chained in the yard, or dropped off at the local shelter. So when you look into that tiny little face, jus imagine big grown up dog teeth sinking into your hand, and what that will mean for both of you. Teaching your dog manners means giving him a chance to be the loving family pet you imagined when you brought him home.

        Just a side note on what to do if your pup resists being put on his side. If he will not let you put him on his side easily, that means he does not see you as the alpha or leader. This bodes badly for a good relationship in the future and should be changed as early as possible. Here are some tips on how to accomplish this: Basically, it just takes practice. The first few times I put mine on their sides, they often resist, so I hold them firmly by the scruff of the neck, and with my other arm I gently sweep their feet out, and lay them on their side, the pup will fight it at first, flailing, and struggling to get free, but don't let him. When he eventually relaxes, praise him, and let him up. It only takes a couple times before they easily roll on their side. Laying on the back and the side are both signs of submission, the back is actually a more submissive posture, so don't be surprised if your dog begins rolling on its back when you push him on his side, this just means he trusts you and respects you as his alpha (leader).

        I hope this helps you start your pup on his way to good manners. Remember that this example is for extreme cases, an occasional nip can often be deterred with a stern command, and redirection to a toy. Never, and I repeat NEVER strike your puppy, violence and aggression will only lead to more violence and aggression. Be assertive, not aggressive, you want your dog to respect you as his leader, not fear you. A dog that is afraid is very unpredictable, and the stories you hear on the news where a dog attacks its owner, seemingly without warning, are often the result of months or years of aggression on the part of the owner. If the dog is taught that the way to get what it wants, or show its displeasure is violence, than that is what it will inevitably turn to. A fearful dog will eventually protect itself if pushed too far, a respectful dog knows its place, and will never need to defend itself against a leader it trusts.