How to Teach Dogs Not to Bite

Determine if the dog bite is due to fear. One of the most common reasons dogs bite people is because they are scared. This fear does not necessarily stem from abuse or living in a violent environment, but the fear itself may arise from the dog’s lack of exposure to outside during the puppy-to-dog development period. mature ^[3]

• Of course, your dog will be comfortable and friendly with you and your family, but that’s because most of the time they are near you. People or other animals that come and go infrequently will frighten the dog.

Identify other causes. There are many other reasons why dogs want to bite people. Factors such as protective tendencies, feelings of pain, predatory motives, maternal instincts or simply the instincts of the race can be mentioned. ^[4]

• The protective bias is triggered in many situations such as when dogs want to protect you, their food, their personal space, their favorite toy or reward.
• Painful biting often occurs when dogs don’t want others to touch them for a variety of reasons. Maybe they are old and have joint pain, injured or accidentally stepped on by someone else.
• Predation motives are usually stimulated by anything that makes dogs want to chase, such as pedestrians, cyclists, cars, or other animals.
• The maternal instincts of all new mothers are fierce and powerful at times. So please respect the space and only contact the mother dog and puppies when necessary.
• Dogs that are herding or herding dogs will be more likely to follow their natural instincts and swarm people or animals by biting or nudging their legs and ankles.

Use classical conditioning and familiarization methods to teach your dog not to bite. This method will give the dog the opportunity to be exposed to situations that might scare him, but this exposure is only very small and completely controllable. During this contact, it is your responsibility to keep the dog in a happy state. That way, instead of focusing, being afraid, or reacting to the circumstances around you, your dog will focus on you and the special rewards or toys you prepare for him. The general purpose of this method is to help the dog understand that it is possible to stay positive even in unfamiliar or scary situations.

• Try asking someone else to help you train your dog. When training your dog with someone “new and unfamiliar,” ask that person to ignore all expressions of fear in the dog and look at you. Also, have the person prepare some delicious treats that you can quickly and often reward your dog with, helping him to notice the positive side of the situation. Note that, if this person rewards the dog too slowly, it will have enough time to assert that it is in a scary situation. Of course, you also need to tell your support person not to move too quickly or act threateningly, make loud noises or tease the dog.

Use behavior modification to teach your dog not to bite. This second method, known as conditioning manipulation, involves training the dog to replace the fearful behavior with something more interesting or appropriate. The purpose of the manipulative conditioning method is to turn your dog’s attention to you by performing some basic commands, such as walking on his heels, sitting, or lying down. After your dog completes these commands, you’ll reward him with treats or cuddles. This procedure will help your dog form a positive association with scary situations.

• Remember to try to keep the dog happy during training. End training and remove the dog from the situation 10-15 minutes after each training session or before you run out of rewards for it. ^[5]

Use positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement will have a lasting effect when training puppies or adult dogs regardless of the behavior. Praise your dog when he chews on the right toy or when he plays without biting you.

• You can also reward your dog with small, low-calorie treats when he or she exhibits the behavior you want.
• Consistency during coaching is also important. Let your dog know that hands, fingers, and toes are never allowed to bite and encourage visitors to respect and reinforce the same restriction with puppies or adult dogs. ^[6]

Be consistent while coaching. Teaching your dog basic commands using the reward method will not only help your dog execute commands well, but it will also teach them to wait for your instructions in many other situations. This helps limit loss of control and lead to biting behavior. As your dog progresses in training, slowly expose him to a variety of situations that might frighten him and use the methods outlined above to redirect his attention.

• Be patient, consistent, and end each training session on a positive note. Every dog is a different individual and has a different learning rate. If you dedicate yourself to training them, you will be surprised how quickly they will form positive associations in scary situations. And of course this will help them limit their biting.

Do not punish with violence. You should never use violent punishment to correct the biting behavior of a puppy or adult dog. Slapping or hitting the muzzle can mislead them into thinking you’re playing. This will also encourage more unwanted biting behaviour. Hitting dogs, or being too strict with them often will also cause dogs to bite more. Punishing your dog with a spanking can hurt your dog, and it can also damage your relationship with them. So, in any situation, you need to avoid this discipline. ^[7]

Be careful when training dogs to bite people. If you find yourself in a situation where a dog might bite you or someone near it, remind yourself and that person to stay calm. Dogs can sense fear and anxiety. Don’t scream or kick it. These actions can make the dog more fearful and aggressive. ^[8]

• Avoid making direct eye contact with the dog and instruct those involved to stand slightly away from the dog and become a narrower target while keeping an eye on it. This behavior lets your dog know that you are not a threat to his space or safety at this time, and shows that you are not afraid.
• When dogs no longer feel threatened, they usually calm down and the situation becomes more manageable.