Why is My Puppy Nipping and Biting?

Nipping and play biting

Nipping - the playful biting and mouthing of your hands and clothes by your dog - is particularly common among puppies, but can also occur in older dogs that haven't been taught proper bite inhibition. It's natural for dogs to mouth and nip. They explore the world using their mouths - to a dog, his mouth is as important as eyes and hands are to us.

Nipping is very different from true aggression: it's a form of communication, interaction, exploration, and play. From birth, pups use their mouths to explore the den, their mother, and their littermates. From a few weeks old, they use their mouths to play with their siblings: puppies play by biting and mouthing each other. Some adult dogs - usually, those with owners who encourage rough play, or who were removed from the litter at too early an age - retain these same tendencies to nip during play and in moments of emotional duress.

Sibling play is actually how young pups learn a very important lesson, called bite inhibition. If a puppy bites another puppy too hard, the other pup yelps loudly in pain and stops playing with him. This teaches the biter that such a degree of bite force results in an undesirable outcome: social isolation. When other puppies bite him, that's how he learns what that pain feels like. (This is one of the reasons that puppies removed from the litter too early are often 'maladjusted' - they've missed out on some of the important lessons their mother and littermates have to teach).

Even pups that have learned basic bite inhibition from their siblings usually need to be reconditioned again upon entering their new home: humans are much more easily damaged than dogs, so it's necessary for us to intervene and refine the puppy's bite pressure even further. A dog without any concept of bite inhibition is both annoying and dangerous to have around: a harmless play session can rapidly turn into painful ordeal.

Puppies aren't capable of inflicting serious damage - although their little teeth are razor sharp, their jaws are too weak to do much more than elicit a trickle of blood - but an adult dog can do a great deal more than just scratch the surface, and it makes very little difference to a wounded human that the dog "didn't mean to do it"!

Here's what to do to teach your dog good bite inhibition

Note: this same technique is applicable to older dogs, although the same results may take a little longer to attain.

- When playing with your puppy or dog, you'll need to choose the level of mouthing that you're prepared to accept. Some owners are content for their dogs to touch their hands with their teeth, as long as no pressure is exerted; others (particularly those with large, strong-jawed dogs) prefer to get the message across that no tooth-contact is acceptable whatsoever.

- Whenever you reach your level of tolerance with your pup - he might give you a good nip, or he might just grab your fingers gently in his mouth - squeal shrilly and loudly in pain and immediately turn your entire body away from him. Get up and walk a few paces away from him, keeping your face and eyes averted. Don't speak to him, and don't touch him. The aim here is for the puppy to be completely socially isolated for the next 20 to 30 seconds - long enough for the lesson to sink in, but not long enough for him to forget what it was that elicited such a response and start playing with something else. (Note: if there are other people present, you'll need to ensure that they mimic your behavior here - don't allow them to start playing with or otherwise paying attention to the puppy or dog, or else all your good work will have been undone).

- Most young dogs, and some older ones, seem to have an innate need to chew something - anything! - whenever they're being played with or petted. To keep the focus off your hands, and prevent him from learning what a delightful chew toy your fingers make, supply him with a more appropriate chew: anything with a slight give to it should do the trick. Rawhide bones, pigs' ears, or squeezy rubber toys all go down a treat.

- If he should start snapping for your hands or face while playing, correct him quickly with a sharp, "No!", or "AH-ah-aaah!" He should stop, startled. As soon as he stops, praise him (you're praising the stopping, not the original behavior - don't be confused by their close proximity) and then quickly redirect his attention to an appropriate chew. When his jaws close around it, praise him again and give him a pat.

- Never use physical force to correct your dog for inappropriate chewing or mouthing. Not only is it mostly unnecessary, but in most cases it will actually encourage further nipping and biting. The cold-shoulder technique (as outlined above) is the most effective, and humane, manner of conveying your displeasure to your dog. He wants to please you: he just has to figure out how to do so. He has a much better chance of doing so if you refrain from corporal punishment and give him 30 seconds of isolation instead.

- If your dog's getting really revved up and is making repeated attempts to nip you, despite cold-shouldering him, he might need to cool down a bit. In this case, the 'time out' method is appropriate: take him to his crate, or to a small room by himself, and leave him there for five minutes to chill out a bit. When it's time to bring him back into the heart of the household, you can start playing again - just try to tone it down a notch or two until you're sure he can tolerate the play without further nipping.

- For a dog that needs little encouragement to become overexcited and mouthy (high-energy herding breeds in particular are prone to this), choose non-contact play whenever feasible. Frisbee and fetch are great choices; even tug-of-war, provided your dog knows a reliable 'drop it' command, is suitable. Avoid rough play like slap-boxing (where you hit the sides of a dog's face gently with open palms) and full-on wrestling at all costs: these games encourage nipping, but also call a dog's instinctive aggression into the mix, which is something to be avoided. Keep games friendly and low-key instead.

For more information

For further information on typical doggie behavior, including a fantastic resource for training how-to's and loads of detailed information on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors, check out Secrets to Dog Training. Written by a professional dog-trainer, it's an absorbing guide that deals with all the subjects a responsible dog-owner could ever want to know about - well worth a look. To visit Secrets to Dog Training, just click on the link below:

Nipping and play biting

Leash Training: When Your Dog Pulls or Refuses to Walk

Leash Problems

Exercise is a major part of our dogs’ lives. Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer”, tells us that to maintain a healthy relationship with our beloved pooches, that relationship should consist of 50% physical exercise, 25% discipline, and 25% affection.

That’s a lot of exercise!

In order for us to be able to enjoy exercising our dogs as much as they need, it’s important for them to behave well both on the lead. Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there who are afraid of the leash itself – resulting in neurotic, fearful, submissive behavior whenever the lead comes out. In this newsletter, we’ll take a look at the most effective way to deal with fear of the leash.

Fear of the Leash

The majority of the time, the sight of the leash is enough to bring on a fit of joy – the dog knows that leash = walk, and reacts accordingly. For some dogs, though, the leash connotes fear and submissiveness more than anything else. Perhaps the leash was used in a negative way with a previous owner – as a tool for dragging the dog around. Perhaps it was used to confine the dog for long hours at a time. In some extreme cases, dogs have even been whipped with the leash as punishment. Or perhaps your dog is just very highly strung, and is prone to developing phobias seemingly arbitrarily.

Although fear of the leash can have a severely negative impact on your walks with your dog, the good news is that it’s easy to cure. You just need some patience and some basic equipment.

What you’ll need

- A leash, made of webbing or leather. Approximately 5 feet (1.25 meters) is a good length, as it enables control without risk of the dog getting tangled in the leash when out walking. Chain-link leashes aren’t recommended, as they’re hard on the hands – and also can flick the dog in the face, which isn’t something you’d want to inflict on any dog, let alone one that’s suffering from fear of the leash!

- A good-quality collar, again made of leather or nylon webbing. If you’re using one with a snap-lock, make sure it’s safety-approved and won’t come undone under pressure. Slip-chain collars (also known as ‘choke-chains’ or ‘check-chains’) should never be used on an unattended dog, as they’re a training tool, not a real collar.

- A little bit of time, and a little bit of patience.

What to Do

- Your aim here is to accustom your dog to the lead a little bit at a time, keeping him well within his comfort zone at each step of the way. Because he’s already got a fear of the leash, some discomfort in its presence is to be expected, but watch out for signs of extreme fear: hyperventilating, drooling, submissive urination, rolling eyes (often showing the whites). So step one: remember to take baby steps at all times!

- If he’s really afraid of the leash, you’ll need to accustom him to it very slowly indeed. Practice leaving it out in full view, preferably in ‘fun’ places: next to his food bowl, in preferred play areas, near his bed.

- Once he’s stopped reacting to the sight of it, introduce the leash to him in a more active manner. You can do this by wrapping it around your hand as you pet and groom him. Hold the leash in your hand as you prepare his food; sit by him and stroke him, with the leash wrapped around your hand, as he eats. Keep this up until he’s stopped showing any signs of discomfort – it may take some time, but remember that you’re aiming to accustom him comfortably to the leash. Any rushing is counterproductive.

- When he’s not showing any signs of nervousness with this level of progress, you can start attaching the leash to his collar. Put him in a sit-stay, using a firm, calm voice, and clip the leash on. Don’t make a big deal out of it: your dog will take his emotional and psychological cues from your behavior. If you act as though it’s not a big deal, he’ll follow your lead.

- Once the leash is on, give him some time to get used to the sensation of something hanging off his neck. He may get a little panicky at this stage, and start pawing at his neck and trying to rub the leash off along the ground. If he’s showing signs of nervousness, distract him with a game: a short game of tug-o’-war (providing he knows to drop the toy when you’ve had enough) is a good idea; if he can run without getting tangled in the leash, play a short game of fetch; or, if the two of you are outside in a safely enclosed area, you can go for a short walk. Don’t attempt to touch the leash at this stage, just let him walk around freely.

- Take the leash off after five minutes or so, and praise him lavishly for being such a good boy. Give him a couple of small, tasty treats, and lots of petting.

- Repeat these last three steps several more times before progressing to the next level: you want to give him plenty of opportunities to get used to the sensation of the leash itself before you start using it to control his walking. The more positive associations he forms with the leash (which he will do through the games, walks, and treats while wearing it), the better for his progress.

- Next, it’s time for a short obedience-training session while he’s wearing the leash. Five minutes is plenty: practice a sit-stay and the recall command (“come”) while he’s wearing the leash. This will reinforce your authority and leadership, and remind him that he’s still expected to obey you while wearing the leash.

- When he’s readily obeying your commands with the leash on, you can take him for a short walk while he’s wearing it. If he’s jumpy, do not reinforce his nervousness by rewarding him with attention. Simply ignore him and carry on walking. Remember, he takes his cues from you, so keep calm and wait for it to pass.

- If, at any point, you feel that he’s simply too nervous to proceed (for example, if he’s still panicking after three or four minutes of walking on the leash), go back to the level at which he was last 100% comfortable. Wait a few days at this stage before attempting to proceed.

Things to Remember

- Remember to be patient! Don’t attempt to rush your dog’s progress: using force is counterproductive to your end goal. You’re teaching him to relax and be calm around the leash – if you get stressed or frustrated with his lack of progress, he’ll be able to tell, and his anxiety levels will increase, not decrease.

- Remember not to indulge his nervousness or coddle him if he plays up or gets nervous. If you react to his crying and trembling with petting and cooing, you are telling him that it’s OK to feel like that. If he’s nervous, either ignore it and carry on, or distract him with a game or short walk. If he’s still panic-stricken after three or four minutes, revert to the previous step and give it more time.

- This should go without saying, but never correct or punish him for skittishness or nervous behavior – again, it’s counterproductive in the extreme.

For Further Information

For more information on a variety of leash-related problems, as well as a detailed look at the whole spectrum of common canine behavioral problems, you may want to check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a comprehensive training compendium for the responsible owner, and covers just about every topic you could ever need for building and maintaining a happy, healthy relationship with your dog. You can check out the Secrets to Dog Training site by clicking on the link below:

How do I get my dog to stop jumping on the couch?

 Jumping on the furniture

Deciding whether or not your dog is permitted access to the furniture is a pretty big deal. If you have a big dog, it’s an even bigger deal. Furniture access is a matter of some importance for two reasons: firstly, because it’s mighty inconvenient to have to fight for space on your own couch; and secondly, because it strongly relates to the matter of dominance, which is of the utmost importance as far as a harmonious dog/owner relationship goes.

Your dog knows that the furniture – in particular, your bed - is your turf. If he’s allowed up onto your personal, private territory as a matter of course and whenever he feels like it, that’s conceding a pretty big point to him; especially since it’s rarely a two-way issue (when was the last time you invaded your dog’s own turf and snuggled down for a nap in his bed?). It’s best to be aware of these things before making a final decision on furniture access for your dog.

If you do decide to allow him unimpeded access, you’ll need to make sure that you’re extra-stringent with the other facets of alpha-dominance to prevent him from getting an over-inflated sense of self-importance.

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to forbid your dog access to the furniture outright, until he’s at least five or six months old. When a puppy’s growing up, he’s forming the basis of his conceptions as to what constitutes appropriate behavior, and he’s figuring out his own ranking in the social hierarchy of the household.

If he’s allowed to leap onto beds, couches, and armchairs (the three most-prized pieces of furniture in the house for any dog) at will and from day one, he’ll have a skewed view of his own ranking. He won’t see it as the privilege that it is: he’ll see it as his God-given right, and something to be taken for granted. This does a lot towards equalizing your dog’s rank with your own, which – as far as your role as the owner goes – is decidedly not a good thing. To maintain a good relationship with your dog, not only do you need to be the boss, but he needs to know that you are.

To prevent attitude problems from developing in adolescence, it’s generally best to keep your puppy as humble as possible – which means that he needs to appreciate being allowed up ‘on your level’. Rule number one, as far as this issue goes, is consistency. You must be consistent! Once you’ve made your decision as to whether or not he’s to be allowed up on the furniture, you will have to stick with that decision, or else – whatever that decision was - you won’t have a hope of enforcing it.

So, if he’s to be allowed up on the couch but not the bed, for example, he must never be allowed up on that bed – not even for a moment. If you decide not to allow him up on any furniture at all, you must ensure that nobody counteracts your decision and invites him up there.

Changing the rules according to human whims and impulses isn’t fair on your dog. It’ll just confuse him. He can’t tell the difference between an expensive new couch and a grubby old one, or between clean paws and muddy paws. This can have a detrimental effect upon your own peace of mind (not to mention your dry-cleaning bill), and if you take that frustration out on your dog, it’s confusing and upsetting for him. This is why, if you’re going to allow him any access at all, it’s a fantastic idea to impose limits: to teach him that he can’t just leap up as and when he chooses, but that he must wait for an invitation.

Inviting your dog to join you on the couch is pretty easy. All you have to do is pat the seat next to you, and – in a cheery, friendly tone – say, “Up you get!”. Most dogs need little more encouragement than this, and will be up like a shot before the second syllable’s even passed your lips. You’ll also need to enforce the “off” command – this allows you to relax in the knowledge that, when you want some leg room, it’s there for the taking; and also reminds your dog, in no uncertain terms, that his furniture access is not a right – it’s a privilege!

As is to be expected, most dogs are less enthusiastic about obeying the “off” than they are the “up you get” command: on occasion, you may be required to resort to physical force to maintain obedience. Don’t worry, it’s not inhumane in the slightest, merely highly effective.

Here’s what you do:

- First of all, supply him with an attractive alternative. Being asked to get off a comfortable couch to lie on the unadorned floor is hardly something he’s going to respond to with enthusiastic obedience: set him up for success, not failure, by giving him a comfy dog bed. You can make one yourself, out of towels and pillows, or you can purchase ready-made dog beds in a variety of sizes and materials from the pet store.

- When it’s time for him to disembark, point to the dog bed and say, “Off” in a calm, authoritative voice. No need to raise your voice or shout: use a no-nonsense, but pleasant, tone.

- If there’s no immediate response, do not repeat yourself. Keep your arm pointing at the bed, and maintain eye contact. If you have a perceptive dog, often it’s enough to simply intensify your expression (raising your eyebrows or tightening your mouth).

- Wait for 30 seconds (which will feel like an eternity!).

- If there’s no response after 30 seconds, you can resort to a physical enforcement of your request.

The Humane Physical Enforcement

Some owners drag their dogs off by the collar, which is effective in the short-term (provided your dog is of a size that you can physically handle). However, it’s not recommended - simply because, as a technique, it allows your dog to demonstrate his refusal to obey you. He can still dig in his paws and strain against your opposing force, which is both downright disrespectful and counteractive to all the alpha-dominant behavioral training in the world.

It’s much more effective to think smart: make him get off under his own steam, simply by making the couch (or chair, or bed) uncomfortable for him. To do this, slide your hand, palm-down, under his rear. Slowly slide your arm forwards, using it as a lever to gently and slowly pry him off the couch. It raises his bottom in the air by degrees, which is increasingly uncomfortable for him – enough to make him leap off the couch of his own volition.

This is both more effective, and physically a lot less demanding, than dragging a reluctant dog off by his collar: by making him want to get off when you ask him to, you’re strongly enforcing your obedience requirements, which is great for your role as an authority figure.

Further Reading

For more information on canine psychology and behavioral problems, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s an absolute goldmine of valuable information and advice for the responsible dog-owner, and covers just about every topic you could ever need to raise a happy, healthy, well-adjusted dog – everything from obedience work to correcting problematic behaviors to dog-whispering to teaching ‘tricks’ is covered in full detail. You can check out Secrets to Dog Training by clicking on the link below: