A Pawfun Blog reader says: My puppy is six months and has become aggressive! I cannot afford an expensive trainer, but she has been biting me and has stopped listening to the things she was trained on, such as “go in the cage”.
HELP! Please! Is a trainer the only thing I can do?!
Pawfun’s holistic dog trainer, Anna Bettina Johnson, says: I am so sorry to hear that your puppy has started biting and seems to have a hard time listening. There are a number of reasons that your puppy could be acting out.
Puppies, in general, tend to be mouthy & if they are no re-directed or handled correctly, this behavior can get worse instead of better.
If your puppy is biting *hard*, meaning: breaking the skin, drawing blood or not letting go when she bites, it is best to call in a professional.
If your puppy is doing the normal, mouthy, puppy play-bite behavior, here are some tips to help you re-direct it.
Bite This – Not That
Anytime your puppy starts to get mouthy, pick up one of her chews or toys & place that in front of her so she goes for it, instead of you. Praise her for putting her mouth on the correct object! I like to keep a whole basket full of toys for puppies, keeping only a few out at a time & rotating them to keep puppy interested.
Biting = No Fun
Puppies use their mouths to play, investigate, communicate & more. Unfortunately, they often end up chomping down on us in a gesture of play.
It is very important that your puppy is never punished for this! Instead, teach your puppy that biting you means they lose you & your attention.
Anytime your puppy bites down on you, use a cue to tell her that she did something inappropriate – at my house, I use “bummer”. As soon as your puppy bites down, say “Bummer” and immediately stand up. Turn your back to your puppy and ignore her for a few seconds. Then go right back to what you were doing previously, don’t draw anymore attention to the situation.
If, when you stand up to ignore her, she starts biting your feet/pants, walk into a different room & shut the door behind you. Same as before, ignore for a few seconds, then return with no hub-bub. You must practice this consistently with her.
So remember, never punish her or yell at her for biting. Help her learn what’s appropriate to chew & what’s not – and remember to keep lots of fun chews around to help her exercise her gums & keep her attention!
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