Secrets to Dog Training Weekly Newsletter

Puppy teeth - getting the training right

Daniel replies:

Firstly, nibbling is perfectly normal puppy behavior and it does not necessarily mean that your dog will become a “biter”. It would be wise, however, to start gently teaching your puppy that biting is not good behavior. There are a number of ideas that I can recommend that will help you do this.

It is natural for pups to use their mouths to explore and play, and common for them to mouth or nip their owner’s hands, because puppies are taught bite inhibition by their mother and siblings. Ideally, one should leave a puppy with his canine family until he is 8 weeks old so that the puppies can learn to socialize with dogs as well as humans.

When bringing home a new puppy, the most important thing is to set yourself up as the alpha dog early on in his life, so that he can grow up with a firmly established place in your pack, with all the humans in the household ranked higher than the dog. Using the Alpha techniques described in the bonus book “Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog” would be a great place to start. Some handy tips include always insisting that you walk through doorways before your dog and finishing your dinner before feeding him. When you come home don’t rush to greet your dog, instead wait until you have said hello to everyone else first.

Playing games is a good way of improving your relationship with your dog and getting to know him better, but make sure you are always reinforcing your status as leader of the pack at the same time. You should choose what toy you are going to play with and when the game will end, taking the toy away with you to signify the finish of play-time. If he comes up to you asking for attention, ignore him and walk away so that he learns that you decide when to pay attention to him. Lastly, when walking on a leash, your dog should be following your lead and walking quietly beside you. Although these things may appear trivial to you, they are very important in your dog’s eyes for determining their position in the hierarchy of the pack.

Once you have established what things are of value to your puppy, such as treats, toys or attention, you can use these to teach him commands. Therefore his food and toys should not be located where he can access them whenever he wishes. Make sure you assert your alpha position by ignoring them when they misbehave, but conversely rewarding them lavishly when they are good, so that they have something to strive towards. Although puppies can be relentless, and initial training may seem painstaking, persistent efforts will be rewarded in the long term! Having him obey commands before he is given what he wants will make your puppy learn that good behavior has its rewards.

At mealtimes put your puppy into a Sit-Stay for at least 10 seconds before allowing him to eat. After 10 minutes remove his bowl and put it away, whether he has finished or not, so that that he realizes that you decide his schedule. He will soon learn not to dawdle when he eats, which will build in him a healthy attitude of diligence.

As mentioned before, treats should only be given to your puppy when he behaves himself. If your pup tries to grab them, take your hand away. Turn away and ignore him completely, avoiding all eye contact, until he calms down. Then tell him to sit, saying “Be Gentle” as you hand him the treat. Only give it to him if he takes it ‘politely’ from your hand. Similarly, he should not snatch toys from you during games.

If your pup bites you when you are playing with him, yelp loudly, imitating the behavior of his litter mates. Ignore him for 5 minutes or until he has calmed down. Repeat this every time he nips you. Eventually, he will realize that biting you brings an end to the fun. However, if he refuses to stop, use the ‘time-out’ method. Take him to a pre-determined ‘time-out’ zone without speaking to him or making eye contact, and leave him there for 5-10 minutes. Only allow him out when he is in a much calmer mood. Don’t forget to reward him when he is sitting quietly even if it is for a few seconds!

Try not to play rough games such as tug-of-war with your puppy as this will encourage more pushy and aggressive behavior. Playing these games then reprimanding him for being rough will only serve to confuse him more.

Don’t forget your puppy is only a baby so may struggle to take in too much in one go.

Your puppy needs a good balance of daily exercise and rest to keep him happy and healthy. Daily obedience lessons are a great way to use excess energy and will allow you to further develop a positive relationship with your puppy.

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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