Puppies are cute but can also be painful to play with. When puppies get too excited as you play with them they are prone to nip. This is at the least annoying and at the most can do real harm to young children who may be playing with the new pup.
Thats not the only problem from their teeth. When you are not keeping an eye on them they are testing out those powerful teeth on everything in your home. Veterinarians have found all sorts of things in the bellies of puppies after they got into a chewing frenzy. From drywall to clothing and even pieces of doors, puppies have no discretion when it comes to what they should be chewing on. Not only can this make a mess of your home, but it can also be dangerous to their bodies as they are taking in foreign substances that can make them sick.
When they are puppies, these are annoying habits, but as they grow up, it will only get worse, unless you stop it. So, how do you stop the chewing and nipping habits?
First you have to understand puppies. Just like small children, puppies use their mouths to get to know the world around them. They like to chew and nip at things. It is instinctual.
So, the first way to break this habit is by giving them things that are acceptable to chew on. From day one you need to teach your puppy what items are okay to chew on, and which ones are not. While many people like to punish their puppies for doing the wrong thing, this is not the best way to train them what you would like them to do. Instead the better way is to encourage them to chew on toys they should be chewing on. When you catch them doing something they should not you can point and tell them no sternly, then show them what is acceptable to chew on. Once they start chewing on their toys, praise the behavior and play with them so they know this is the right thing to do.
When it comes to nipping, usually it is hands that are nipped by puppies. This may well be because you are moving your hands around in play and they see this is as natural response to the action in front of them. One of the obvious answers to the situation is to make sure your hand isnt where they can bite it. That means using toys that do not involve your hands being close to the puppy mouth. Instead of tug of war games, teach them fetching games where your hand is nowhere near the toy when they grab a hold of it.
If the puppy is nipping, it is time to correct the behavior. You need to firmly tell the pup no and then pull your hand away. Sometimes a pup will come forward and try to nip again. At this point you have a few options. The first is to say no again and walk away from the puppy, and isolate him for a minute or two (no longer). Puppies dont like to be alone and this will be something they do not want repeated. The other option is to tell the puppy no and then hold their mouth closed for a few seconds. Most puppies will whimper and may back away once you let loose. Again, it will be an action they dont want. Other puppies like the challenge and may try to nip again. This is when you need to switch to the isolation response. Another option is to make the puppy not like the taste of nipping. There are many bitter tasting training liquids at pet stores. You can put some of this on your hands and when the puppy starts nipping, he will get a bitter aftertaste, and realize the results are not what he had hoped.
When working with puppies and chewing and nipping habits remember it is a puppy you are working with. Just like a small child it may take them a while for him understand the rules and get them right. It is important to be persistent but also patient.
Finley Zhang is a dog lover, and he enjoys sharing information and knowledge about dog. He is owner of YummyHealthyDogFood, It has helped dog owners increase dogs lifespan by sharing dog food recipes, dog care, and dog health tips. Access the tips now by visiting http://www.YummyHealthyDogFood.com/blog
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