Why Do Puppies Bite?
| Puppies may be small but they have very sharp teeth and those little bites can be quite painful. So, why do puppies bite? |
Puppies bite for lots of reason. It can be resource guarding, playing, anxiety, fear, herding, teething or even aggression. Depending on the reason for the biting, dog owners will have to teach: bite inhibition, not to bite, or biting appropriate items.
Resource Guarding in Dogs
Resource guarding is when a dog is guarding a particularly valuable item. You may not feel it is valuable, but the object is valuable to them. It could be a toy, food, a spot like the couch , or even a person. If this is the case, you will need to stop the resource guarding.
A dog bite from resource guarding generally only comes after several unheeded warnings. The first warning signal is freezing or stiffening up. Next, is putting the nose or paws on the object. Then, the puppy increases to growling. Next, is snapping. If all those do not work, then the dog will bite.
In some dogs, the progression can happen so fast, the person does not notice the other warnings. This is how come people say their dogs bites “without warning.”
Puppy Biting During Play
All puppies nip, mouth and bite during playtime. It is a natural occurrence between all dogs and is nothing to worry about. If the puppy bites another dog too hard, the dog will yelp and walk away. All is good I the doggy world.
If there are no other dogs around, it is the owner’s job to teach bite inhibition. In other words, it is your job to teach the puppy when the playing has gotten too rough and the bite was not acceptable.
Puppies Biting From Anxiety and Fear
A scared or nervous puppy is likely to bite as a defensive mechanism. Fear biting is a whole different type of biting and should not be corrected. This does not mean you should ignore the biting. It means you need to teach the dog not to be afraid or anxious around the objects or situations where the dog is biting out of fear.
Puppy Bites to Herd
Herding breeds are likely to nip and bite at your ankles. You may find your shoes untied, your pants frayed and walking nearly impossible. Basically, your puppy is trying to herd you into a specific location.
This is the hardest habit to break, as this type of biting in dogs is part of their nature. They were bred to herd and it is ingrained into their DNA. It is possible to teach your dog not to herd through lots of training.
Puppy Bites from Agression
Biting out of aggression rarely occurs in puppies. This is more of a full grown dog biting scenario, although it does happen. Signs of aggression include snarling, growling, and full on attack, which has to be broken up.
Once you have determined your dog suffers from aggression, you will have to begin desensitizing training immediately. This is the most serious form of dog biting and can be the most dangerous. Seek out help quickly before the biting escalates into an unprovoked dog attack.
Final Thoughts on Puppy Biting
Puppies bite for all kinds of reasons. Therefore, before asking “how to stop puppies from biting”, ask, “why is my puppy biting”? The answer will greatly change how you go about training your puppy not to bite.
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