What's the best way to teach my puppy not to bite?

Question

She is a yellow labrador retriever and she's about 10 months old. She likes to play bite and stuff. I try to hold her mouth shut when she does it but she just keeps on biting. How can I teach her not to bite? Also, how can you teach her "no". Like if she starts biting, tell her no. How can I do that?

Answer 1

I suggest you go to the Dog Whisperer's (Cesar Milan) website. Holding the dog's mouth shut probably seems like a game to her. When she goes to bite you need to show her you are boss. Dogs don't understand language, you need to use an assertive tone of voice, and short commands. Stand up, say no and make her sit and stay. A choker can help discipline her.

Answer 2

All doggies chew, so it's as much as the proprietor to coach bite inhibition. What you do is yelp "ouch!!" and withdraw your hand. Present your hand again correct away and if the puppy would not chunk, that's great. If he does, yelp once more, flip your again and withdraw all your attention from the dog for a few minutes. Fairly power puppies - you would must leave the room for a couple of minutes entirely withdrawing your attention from them. They may quickly be trained that putting their enamel on a human isn't adequate - it makes them lose their favorite person. Also be certain your puppy has a lot of toys of unique textures to bite on. This does not take very lengthy to educate if you happen to and every person within the condominium is very, very constant.

Answer 3

Biting is a GAME. It is the way she and her siblings would play. If she got too rough with her litter mates they would yelp and move away. So you have the choice of biting her back and yelping and moving away. But you will get her attention faster if you just tell her no and immediately STOP the play. Get up turn your back to her....leave the room....what every it takes to make her know that hurt. Even abruptly yelp as you get up. Stand with your arms up/folded so she can't reach your hands.

EVERY TIME she bites, yelp, say no bite, and get up. Put her in the floor away from you immediately. The PLAY STOPS WHEN SHE BITES. She will quickly learn that you don't like the biting.

But don't tease her and don't let other people tease her. I've seen people pick at the dog, punch their faces and then get upset when the dog plays back.

Answer 4

We have two pit puppies and one knew what no meant the day we got him.. the other one, not so much. I guess they just pick it up, when they are doing something bad tell them 'no' in a stern voice and if they continue tell them no again and give them a pop (not a hard one, dont hurt the dog) just enough to get their attention.

As far as the biting.. I was told that the mother dog with bite them around the mouth, not to hurt them just to get onto them. So I grab around their mouth and put some pressure on it and squeeze and tell them no. Mine are slowly getting it.. just make sure whatever you do, do it every time.

Answer 5

I have a Border Collie that I have trained since she was only 3 weeks old. I've also raised many dogs, none of them still bite.

The best way to tell them not to is not through "hitting them", which is horrible and will cause more problems, but by teaching them submission. Dogs are either the Alpha dog (the one in charge) or the submissive dog (the one who follows).

To teach a dog submission is like teaching a child to play. You encourage them to play with lots of love and attention, but when they get too rough, you tell them "No" in a strict, loud, confident voice.

When that doesn't work, take one hand, put it flat on their neck and pin them to the ground on their side. Don't push or hold them too roughly, just put enough pressure to keep them pinned. For a big dog, use the other hand and put it on their side back. Don't let them up until they aren't struggling or whining (and they will, just ignore it). This is one way of teaching the dog that you are the dominant one, the one in control.

Always remember that the dog wants to please you, especially labs, and will not want to continue behavior that makes you angry. Don't be too harsh, they love you and just want to make you happy!!

Answer 6

I had the exact problem with my pup when I first got her at 6 1/2 weeks and it was REALLY bad I could not even touch her AT ALL without her trying to bite me and at that age with those sharp teeth it was quite a battle. There is hope though. LAST RESORT: I literally had to flip my pup on her back and hold her down (she was very stubborn and would not quit fighting me so it took me about 4 times of flipping). The first 3 times she would not stop wiggling and submit to me and when I released her she came back to fight me again (make sure you have long sleeves and gloves on for this because you might be in for a fight) she scratched, kicked, and refusted to submit. The fourth time though I held her down for an unheard of 7 minutes and she still did not submit, I let her go and for the first time she did not come back to attack me.... therefore she submitted. That is for extreme cases. FIRST THING TO TRY: The first thing you might want to try is to say no bite in a deep growl and take your hands away (stop playing with her). Turn your back to her completely and leave the room (slam the door if you want) She will get that she is getting ignored and receiving a negative reaction to her actions. It may take about a couple of weeks (or not) before you see actual results, but it works. Another thing you can try (but be gentle please, this actually worked with my German Sheppard) stick your fingers down her throat (without harming anything of course) just to choke her up a bit (again another negative reaction) and tell her No bite and then walk away from her. It takes some time, but they will test you just like children. She needs to know that you are the boss not her. To teach her no you really need to use tone. Mother dogs nip their dogs or grab them by the scruff and growl. If you growl and say no in a deep tone and grab her by the scruff she will understand that you mean no just like she understands when you are happy with her and are all high pitched and exhibiting a pleasant tone and give her all that love and petting etc. I hope this helps. Bottom line is that you should not play with her (by allowing her to bite AT ALL). Dogs do not get that it's okay sometimes to do something, they just understand yes, I can eat the socks or no I can't eat the socks. They do not understand that they can not eat the good socks but the socks with the holes are okay to eat so in order to teach your dog not to eat your good socks you will unfortunately not let her play with ANY socks. In other words it's not okay to play with her (even if she is just playing) mouthing you AT ALL. You've got to be ALPHA.

Answer 7

If you say the word "No!" in a firm, disapproving voice, the critter will know what it means.

Give her chew toys by all means: She needs something to take that energy out on. But don't play 'bite' with her. Ignore her until she is being good.

When she figures out that 'bite' is bad and won't get her attention, she'll calm down.

Good luck!

Answer 8

When she bites you, tell her no in a firm voice and hand her a toy. When she bites it, tell her what a good girl she is. Never use your hands to play with her, always use a toy for her to bite on. She think you holding her mouth closed is you trying to play. Talk to her so she learns to understand what you say, yes they learn to understand you talking to them, more than you realize! She wants to please you so use praise to get her to do what you want instead of punishment. Be all happy when you praise her and firm when you scold her, she will always want to hear your happy voice!

Answer 9

i saw a show about a dog trainer and it said that dogs don't realize that they're hurting you. what you have to do is this: when she bites you make a shriek and act like you're in a lot of pain (even if it didn't hurt) and when she does something you don't want her to make a loud noise and she'll try to be better. she likes it when you're happy with her, so if you let her know that you are angry, she'll stop. don't touch her though, because she doesn't know that physical contact means stop, she thinks that you're petting her or playing with her.

Answer 10

Either yelp really loudly when she bites (mimics what her litter mates would do if she bit them too hard), or yelp and ignore her as soon as she bites. Walk away or turn your back to her. Show her that play time is done on your terms.