Dogs bite for a variety of different reasons. As a dog owner, you owe it to your pet to understand these reasons. Here, we will look at the reasons dogs bite and the methods to train them not to bite.

First, lets talk about puppies. Puppies need to learn not to bite from the beginning of their lives. So when your puppy bites it is important to yelp, and immediately stop playing with them. After a few occurrences they will associate the bite with no more play and stop biting.

1. Give Alternatives

Never play with your dog only using your hands. They cannot associate your hands with play. If your hands look like a toy they will be treated like a toy. So always use toys when playing with your dog, and always have plenty of toys available to them. This is so they always have something to do and don't get frustrated.

2. No Aggressive Play

When playing games with your dog make sure they don't get aggressive. If you're playing tug of way with them and they begin to grow, or snarl them stop playing and reprimand them immediately. Plus no wrestling. It's ok to run with each other but NEVER get aggressive with them. They'll start to think that this behavior is OK.

3. Socialize Them

To keep your dog from biting strangers, make sure you let them socialize with neighbors and friends a lot. The more people they get to know, the less likely they will be to bite those they don't know.

As an adult, dogs can bite because of they are confused about their role in the household. They may think they're the boss or "alpha" dog and you are trying to invade their territory. Breaking the dog of this is fairly simple and teaches that YOU are the alpha. Those ways are:

4. You Always Sit Higher Up

Never let the dog up on the living room couch or chairs.

5. Make Sure You are in Control

Not giving them attention when they demands it from you. If they walk up and place their head under your hand, ignore them.

6. You Eat First When in packs in the wild the alpha dog always eats first. So make sure you as the alpha eats first. Then wash up and feed them after. Plus, never give them table scraps. The alpha always eats the better food, and if they eat the same thing you did, your dog sees it as being on the same level of hierarchy as you are.

7. No Games in Where You Can Lose Again, NO tug of war with the animal. If you happen to lose, they become "top dog".

8. Go Where You Want

Always be the first through a doorway in front of your dog.

9. Reprimand Them

If your dog happens to bite you then sternly say "OUCH" and immediately stop paying attention to them.

10. One on the Snout

Rap them gently on the nose and say to them "no biting!" I do NOT mean to beat the dog, but just a little rap on the snout with a newspaper or even your fingers. Lightly, lightly, lightly!

11. A Light Spritz

Have a spray bottle handy. Anytime your dog bites spritz them with the water in the bottle. If you want to make the bottle more affective, put a little apple vinegar in it and dilute it with water. Then when you spritz them it's more than just getting wet. It will have a bad smell that your dog doesn't like.

12. Illness

Another reason a dog bites is because they are in pain, or simply don't feel well. They could be cranky from being sick. If your dog starts biting for no reason it would be a good idea to run them over to the vet's office immediately. Your dog should be taken out to the vet regularly anyway to rule out any illnesses.

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