Curb your little nipper

This is completely natural behavior, so you should not be too concerned if your puppy mouths you initially. However, the sooner you begin teaching him that nipping is not appropriate behavior the better, before he becomes an irritation to adults and a danger to young children.

Nipping isn’t actually real aggression, as it is based on instinct and communication, therefore isn’t a desire to inflict harm or scare people away. So do keep in mind that your dog doesn’t actually mean to hurt you.

Be consistent with your training! You should never encourage him if he nips at you, instead you must show him that this behavior will not be tolerated. You can do this by stopping the game and walking away, avoiding eye contact and completely ignoring him. From this, he will realize that if he bites, all fun and attention stops.

If your dog is biting you whilst you are giving a command that he doesn’t want to comply with, he is being disobedient and this must be corrected. As the leader of the pack, the alpha dog always expects to be obeyed immediately and by biting you, your dog who is the subordinate is showing disrespect and little regard for you. You should reprimand your dog by using a guttural growl (described later), as well as insisting you are obeyed straightaway, because this will demonstrate that you are the one in control.

Train your dog not to nip

In the initial steps of training, clip a short leash onto your dog’s collar or harness so that you can grab it quickly should you need to. If your puppy nips you too hard, yelp loudly, imitating the reaction of his littermates. Then immediately take him by the leash, making no eye or physical contact, to a ‘time-out’ area where he can stay without being disturbed for 5-10 minutes. This will communicate to your dog that in the language that he understands that you are not going to play or pay attention to him if he nips. By putting your puppy into a quiet place, you are also giving him a chance to calm down and think clearly, as often puppies can get so excited when they are playing that they forget how to behave properly.

Another method that can be used to prevent your puppy from nipping at your hands, is distracting him so that his attention is focused on something other than your hands. Puppies use their mouths a lot when playing, so giving him a chew, such as a rawhide bone, to occupy his mouth while you're petting or playing with him is very effective. If you give him the chew toy each time he is about to nip you, and then praise him when he chews on that instead, this will give him an incentive to work towards in order to obtain your approval.

When training your dog, most rewards come when there is consistency. Everyone who plays with your pup should follow your rules. If everyone gives him the cold shoulder when he nips them, the message will come across loud and clear, and he'll learn his lesson faster.

When reprimanding your dog, never use violence as a form of punishment. If you hit, shake, or slap your puppy for nipping, you actually encourage more nipping because your pup sees it as further play. If you growl and then hit him, you will simply confuse you puppy as he struggles to tell the difference between playing and misbehaving. As he gets older, he may even see this as a challenge, especially if he is the alpha dog. This will cause him to become more aggressive and he may even become a danger to you.

It is a good idea to make sure that your puppy accepts his place at the bottom of the pack hierarchy early on, so that he doesn’t try to push for a higher place or challenge you for the leadership position by biting when he gets older. You can do this by continually refreshing the tips found in the bonus book ‘Secrets to Becoming Alpha Dog’. These techniques will give you a much more compliant and receptive companion.

An ounce of prevention

If your dog is easily excited by fast-moving play you may need to establish a ‘Never play rough’ rule to the household. Games like ‘tug-of-war’ encourage the aggressive or competitive side of your dog’s nature and are best to be avoided if your dog struggles to differentiate between playing and biting.

As mentioned before, an excited dog tends to forget his training and respond only to his instincts. This situation can be negated by ensuring that your dog always remains calm and you avoid situations that you know will excite him to that degree. By doing this, it will allow your dog to be more responsive and follow the rules that keep the relationship between dog and man harmonious and enjoyable.

All the best,

Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/

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