Puppies like to bite and chew on anything they can get their teeth on.
Anyone who has owned a puppy already knows this.
Biting is just as natural to a puppy as grasping something with your fingers is to you.
Biting is as much a part of their play as is jumping and growling.
This is the process of them learning their most primary function.
It's important to start learning early with the main tool used for everything.
Problems with biting and nipping arise when this activity, though natural for playing with siblings, is carried out on humans.
Puppies do not discriminate with the owners of their new home.
All is fair game as far as they are concerned.
This can be a problem especially if small children are included in their game.
So how do we correct this behavior? Many animal behaviorist and other professionals will recommend trying a redirection process using what is referred to as a "startle response.
" This approach is designed to startle the puppy as the name suggests.
Here is how it works: Just as your puppy bites down you make a sudden "awrp" sound to startle the biting puppy.
Speak the sound loudly using an abrupt and high pitched voice.
This sound should emulate the natural sound puppies make when they are hurt or scared as when they get bit by a littermate.
If the sound you make is sudden and sharp enough the puppy will be surprised.
When he is startled in this way he will quickly refrain from biting and remove his mouth in bewilderment.
At this important juncture you need to instantly substitute the target with a chew toy.
A ball or anything that is safe for your puppy to chew on will do.
In this way the undesired behavior is redirected to an object of choice.
By encouraging the right behavior you can teach your puppy that although biting you is not much fun, chewing on toys is! As with all lessons you may have to repeat it many times before your pet masters the lesson.
If your attempts at startling your puppy end up exciting him and further encouraging him to bite you, then you will want to consider an alternative approach.
In some cases it is better to use a "stop action" approach to teaching your puppy not to bite or nip.
How this works is for you to immediately in a dramatic manor, leave the room if the puppy bites.
This method can be effectively used by children and adults as well.
It will most likely take many times for the puppy to learn.
Just keep repeating the lesson until he gets it.
Eventually the puppy realizes that the playmate leaves when he bites.
He learns that this is not a bit of fun.
Anyone who has owned a puppy already knows this.
Biting is just as natural to a puppy as grasping something with your fingers is to you.
Biting is as much a part of their play as is jumping and growling.
This is the process of them learning their most primary function.
It's important to start learning early with the main tool used for everything.
Problems with biting and nipping arise when this activity, though natural for playing with siblings, is carried out on humans.
Puppies do not discriminate with the owners of their new home.
All is fair game as far as they are concerned.
This can be a problem especially if small children are included in their game.
So how do we correct this behavior? Many animal behaviorist and other professionals will recommend trying a redirection process using what is referred to as a "startle response.
" This approach is designed to startle the puppy as the name suggests.
Here is how it works: Just as your puppy bites down you make a sudden "awrp" sound to startle the biting puppy.
Speak the sound loudly using an abrupt and high pitched voice.
This sound should emulate the natural sound puppies make when they are hurt or scared as when they get bit by a littermate.
If the sound you make is sudden and sharp enough the puppy will be surprised.
When he is startled in this way he will quickly refrain from biting and remove his mouth in bewilderment.
At this important juncture you need to instantly substitute the target with a chew toy.
A ball or anything that is safe for your puppy to chew on will do.
In this way the undesired behavior is redirected to an object of choice.
By encouraging the right behavior you can teach your puppy that although biting you is not much fun, chewing on toys is! As with all lessons you may have to repeat it many times before your pet masters the lesson.
If your attempts at startling your puppy end up exciting him and further encouraging him to bite you, then you will want to consider an alternative approach.
In some cases it is better to use a "stop action" approach to teaching your puppy not to bite or nip.
How this works is for you to immediately in a dramatic manor, leave the room if the puppy bites.
This method can be effectively used by children and adults as well.
It will most likely take many times for the puppy to learn.
Just keep repeating the lesson until he gets it.
Eventually the puppy realizes that the playmate leaves when he bites.
He learns that this is not a bit of fun.