My dog bites ALOT! Please help?

Question

My dog is very aggressive he bites when you touch him while he is eating, he also bites small children, and of course me. He gets very angry when you play tug of war and tries to bite. How do I train my dog not to bite? Also, could it be that we spank the dog when he doesn't behave? I don't know what to do. I would love to know of a way to train my dog without spanking him.

just to clarify we don't use our hands we only use newspaper he is a little dog and he hates loud noises.

Answer 1

He thinks of you as part of his pack to dominate and treats you as such. You have to regain control NOW or he's going to hurt someone and have to be put down.
Take him for long walks to tire him out, with the leash around the highest part of the neck like they do with showdogs. Keep the leash on hiom at home until you've tauight him that YOU are pack leader not him, every time he does wrong,l yank him up short and get his attention, don't use his name though, but try some short words, some people do a hiss, others a ssssh, it all depoends on what gets his attention.
But you have to get his attention, then only when he's calm praise him. This way you don't ever have to spank him, you're giving him a different mind-state, and one that creates praise, ie when he does what you want him to do.
It's actually really simple, but the walking is crucial to getting it right. Don't give him affection until he is calm, and doing what you want him to, playing how you want him to. When he bites, he doesn't get any affection. When he does wrong in the house or with you or your siblings, you have to be holding him as you have to correct it immediately, not in a few minutes. When you correct him, just pull him up on the leash, one short sharp pull to get his full attention, repeat this a few times and you'll see that it works like a charm. Reassuring him when he does wrong is just enabling bad behaviour and is proven to just make it worse.

Even the MOST aggressive dog can be fixed, it's been proven again and again, there's hope for all dogs, if the owners care enough to try, and it looks like you do.

Answer 2

Dog training is a good method because it provides regularity and structure for both you and the pet and it also helps the dog get socialized. If training classes aren't an option for you then you need to get a book ("Dog Training for Dummies" is good) and set a schedule, like for 20 minutes after dinner, and work on one thing after another with the dog. every breed has a purpose and some dogs need more attention and discipline than others. you can research the breed you have on akc.com. If you have a mixed breed dog look at all of the breeds involved. Once you understand why your dog does what he does, its easier to solve the problem. Also, if you are being aggressive towards the dog, he will be aggressive back. Try using a spray bottle or a can with popcorn kernels instead. You have to establish who's boss, but not by using force, by establishing rank the way dogs do. A dog comes from a wolf, so essentially your family is the pack. The book will explain all of this. Any dog can be a good dog with the right training. Good Luck!

Answer 3

You didnt mention how old or what breed the dog is obviously a Biting dog that is aggressive as you state, when put up for adoptions at shelters are BAD risks and often are not adoptable... a dog that is food agressive is the worst right after one thats child agressive if you have children i suggest giving the dog up, getting it away from the kids period ...smaller breeds and older dogs DONT like kids High pitched voices and shinanagins .. chances are the dog cant be "fixed" although sometimes a one on one situation older dog and older owner... most trainers would say the same thing....if your an older owner with grandkids for instance the dog might have issues sharing attebntion affection.. rest assured a biting dog is a lawsuit waiting to take your house ....

Answer 4

Its essential you get training with your dog. An aggressive dog is a dog that has no respect for you. You won't have to spank him, but you will need to teach the dog that you are 'alpha dog', you're the one in charge.
Tug of war games can help a submissive dog gain confidence, but isn't a good idea with aggressive dogs. Any show of teeth, a growl, or attempt at biting should be firmly, and quickly repremanded.
A firm NO followed by forcing the dog down on the ground teaching the dog that YOU are the alpha. See the link I posted. It includes some wonderful, simple, and non-violent means to training your dog.
PS- Your dog should be neutered for his health and to help calm him down.

Answer 5

well alot of this is from you not doing proper training when he was a puppy, like touching him while he was eating, socializing him to children now he is unsure of them and fear turns into aggression. playing tug of war with a dog is more than a game, when he gets the toy away from you he has dominated you making him an alpha, stop playing this game with him for one there are many games to play with him like fetch. you are going to have to slowly expose him to children in a controlled enviroment on a leash, with a little tug every time you see him starting the aggression. these are all things that you could read about or take him to a dog trainer to help with.

Answer 6

I have a rottweiler, and I don't spank him for obvious reason, neither should you spank your dog. Get him, and yourself into a training class. And as far as the nipping, and biting goes; the most effective method for me was the "Yelp and Shun" method. Try "yelping" in a loud high-pitched voice when he bites. As soon as he lets go, turn away from him, and refuse to play any longer. This mimics the behavior that his pack-mates would use when he gets out of line.

Answer 7

You need to seek the help of a professional trainer who can teach you how to be the one in charge. Sounds to me like your dog thinks it is the Alpha. You can't allow this to continue. Bites from small dogs ARE dangerous, I'm guessing he's small because this type of misbehavior is more likely to be tolerated in a small dog. Spanking does no good. You need to learn to be Alpha, and that requires more than I am able to post. It's about being confident and using body language/tone of voice that lets the dog know YOU are the authority, without violence, yelling or hitting.

Answer 8

You must establish a definite hierarchy position as the pack leader. If you don't let him know you're the pack leader, you will get precisely this sort of treatment. Obviously, he thinks he's the top dog now.
Like top professional dog handler Cesar Millan said, the number one most important act to establishing a pack leader position is the walk. You must take him for a 45-1 hr walk a day to allow him to exhaust and let out his energy. If you don't, this trapped energy brings about lots of problems like boredom leading to aggression and instability of character. When you walk him, make sure you're walking in front of him or let him trot beside you, NEVER in front of you. If he does, jerk him back by the leash or chock chain to correct him and let him know you're the one leading.
Also, refrain from giving him too much affection throughout the day and definitely NO affection when he's nervous around children. When he's displaying tense energy, e.g. when you see he's about to snap or bite or eyeing someone he's going to snap at, put your hand in a gesture like you're holding an apple and jab him at the shoulders. You can watch an example of how Cesar Millan does it.
It's recommended you bring him for training lessons. Pay attention to the second link of the video to see how Cesar Millan corrects the dog with the hand gesture I mentioned earlier (when video is playing at 2.53) .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smg0-PAzy7U&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGvHQPZ6RxM&mode=related&search=

Answer 9

Sounds to me like your dog has food and item aggression.

And of course the dog would bite if you hit him! Aggression begets aggression. If someone hits you wouldn't you want to hit them back?

Try to find the reason he bites. Not only is it because of hitting him, but there's something else. Find it. Stop it. If you can't, get a dog trainer.

Answer 10

Your dog has insecurities about food, try to feed him in an isolated area. Biting shows dominance in a pack, try socializing him with other dogs to show him biting hurts. Please don't spank your dog, if you must, don't use your hands, use a newspaper on his nose. Good luck.