When bringing home a new puppy, the family may have many concerns about puppy obedience. House training, chewing, biting and teaching the puppy tricks are only a few. One of the most important things you can teach a puppy is to not bite family members or others who may come into contact. Training your puppy not to bite is easy with a few simple steps.
Proper Chew Toys
You should always make sure that your puppy has plenty of chew toys around. The puppy should have a few in each room where he is allowed to go. Make sure that when you visit the pet store, you purchase chew toys that are appropriate for puppies and not for fully grown dogs. You want to get chew toys that are the right size for a puppy's mouth and ones that will help your puppy to develop strong and healthy teeth. The packaging on the chew toy should state which age of dog it is for.
If your puppy has a tendency to nip at you each time he gets around you or sits by you, you should firmly say the puppy's name, followed by "no!". Then you should place a chew toy in the puppy's mouth.
Treats
One major tool that professional dog trainers use is positive reinforcement. The use of dog treats to reward your puppy will go a long way in teaching him appropriate behavior. Each time that your puppy stops doing an inappropriate behavior whenever you say "no", you should praise the dog verbally and give him a treat. This shows the puppy that he is doing something right.
Positive Use of Force
Often if a puppy is taken away from his mother and pack too soon, he has not had a chance to learn from other dogs which kinds of bites are playful and which ones actually hurt. If this is the case, your puppy may need to be trained a bit more forcefully. If no other puppy obedience methods are working when you are trying to teach your puppy not to bite, you should move on to the use of positive physical force.
If a puppy were to bite his mother too hard, she would pin him down at the chest area and make sure that he knew that was not appropriate behavior. If your puppy is getting out of hand, you should do the same. Hold the puppy down on the floor until he stops trying to bite you. This shows him that you are in control and that he will not be allowed to harm others. Do not harm or strike your puppy when you use force with him. Simply hold him to the floor until he stops trying to be aggressive.
These methods of puppy obedience have been used successfully by professional trainers for years. However, they are just as easy for you and your family to implement at home.
Jennifer Brister - I am a freelance writer currently located in Northeast Louisiana. My interests include music, love and theoretical physics. I have been ...
