How to stop dogs biting

jasmacnominees — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:51:07 +0000

Many dog owners have to ask how to stop dogs from biting, at least once in their dog’s lifetime and it can be very stressful trying to determine what it takes to control that behaviour. A dog that bites is obnoxious at first, but as they age, they become dangerous, both to strangers and to your family. If your dog bites, no matter how old they are, take action quickly to stop it.
How to Stop Dogs from Biting as Puppies
The easiest and most important time to pinpoint this behaviour and stop it is when the dog is still a puppy. A puppy under six months of age is very easy to retrain because it is still in the formative years of its life, when dogs generally learn how to bite in the wild.
The big problem here is that many people assume their puppies are merely playing or teething and not really trying to hurt them. Unfortunately, what is really happening is that your puppy is learning how to assert its position in the pack, using its teeth to show who is in charge. If you want to know how to stop dogs from biting, it starts right here, when they are still very open to learning.
There are many ways to stop your puppy from biting. Most of them will mimic how the puppy would be treated with its litter mates and mother. A light nip on the neck, a whining noise when you are bitten, and replacement therapy where you hand the dog a toy instead of your hand are all good ways to teach the dog that biting other people is not acceptable. If you have trouble teaching your puppy to stop nipping, you should go to an obedience school or hire a trainer.
How to Stop Dogs from Biting at One Year
If a puppy is allowed to nip and bite and show that it is in charge of the household, it will move on to play biting when it is a teenager at around one year of age. Any number of factors can contribute to this behaviour. You should stop playing physical games with you dog right away. No wrestling, tug of war or other dominance related games.
Additionally, stop allowing your dog the run of the house. Give them boundaries, cut them down to a specific range of motion, even crate training them if necessary. A good obedience training program can be very helpful with a teenage dog that bites.
How to Stop Dogs from Biting as they Age
If your dog continues to get away with their biting behaviour, eventually it will evolve into a big problem as an adult. The dog might “turn on” their owner, but in reality, the dog always stays himself as the leader of the pack.
If your dog bites or nips at anyone after one year of age, you need to find a professional immediately because there is serious danger here and the dog might choose to assert its dominance at any time with an attack.
When learning how to stop dogs from biting, you need to start at as early an age as possible. With only a few exceptions for disease or mental disorder, dogs who bite as adults had issues as puppies that could have been resolved.

Stop Puppy Chewing

jasmacnominees — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:15:03 +0000

If you’re trying to stop puppy chewing, you should first recognize that chewing is a very natural and expected behaviour in a puppy. They are going to chew on things, either because they are bored or because they are teething. It’s not a matter of actually stopping that chewing, but redirecting it. You need to generate enough things for your dog to do that they will not want to chew up your carpet, slippers, or couch cushions.
Why to Stop Puppy Chewing
When a puppy is young, many people assume that they can let the dog continue chewing on whatever they want. It’s natural, right? Or they do the opposite and yell at their puppy, confusing it and causing other behaviour problems. In reality, your response should be somewhere in the middle, showing the dog that chewing on your things is not okay, but that there are plenty of alternatives.
How to Stop Puppy Chewing
When it comes time to stop your puppy’s chewing behaviours, there are a few things you can do. To start with, do not scold your dog openly or hit them for any reason. No matter how angry you get, make sure you don’t direct it at a puppy. Not only does it confuse them, they likely will never figure out what they did wrong. Instead, consider the following actions.
Behaviour Adjustment – Instead of simply trying to stop your puppy from chewing on your things, teach it to chew on the right things. When you catch your puppy chewing on a slipper, get the puppy’s toy, replace it and then praise the dog when it starts chewing on the new toy. This will teach your puppy that the new item is good and the old one is not.
Keep Your Puppy Busy – To stop puppy chewing, you need to keep them from getting too bored. Even when not teething, a puppy will chew to keep active. It’s like reading a book for them. Avoid this by getting them plenty of exercise and playing when you’re home. When you’re not home make sure there are stimulating toys that will keep them active.
Crate Training – If your puppy gets into your things when you’re not home, crate train them so they have limited access to the home. You can even keep your puppy in a single room while you’re away to limit their access, but the goal here should be the same.
Aversion Sprays – To stop puppy chewing of things like carpet or couch cushions, which they can actively destroy, use a safe, humane spray like Bitter Apple or Cayenne Pepper that does not taste good to them. They will quickly associate those items with a bad taste that will keep them from chewing there.
Chewing behaviors in a puppy are completely normal, but it should never be directed to your possessions or your fingers. If it is, you’ll need to start shifting it to something different.
Being Consistent
If you really want to stop puppy chewing, make sure you are consistent in all of your actions. Don’t let your dog chew on a slipper or a sock if you want them to leave your clothing around. Don’t let them have a stuffed animal as a toy and then expect them to know which stuffed animals are not okay. As the owner, lay down strict rules and follow them. Your dog will learn quickly enough and the chewing will be far less of a problem.

Dog Obedience Training

jasmacnominees — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:15:03 +0000

For many people, the first and most important thing you will do with a new puppy is put them in dog obedience training. That training will teach them how to behave in certain situations that they will almost certainly encounter at some point in their life. However, some owners either cannot afford obedience training or decide they would rather do it themselves. So, here is a brief rundown of what you can gain from that training to help you determine if your dog would benefit from it.
The Benefits of Dog Obedience Training
To start with, dogs in obedience training quickly learn how to respond to specific, well delivered commands. That also means you will learn how to give those commands. Many people neglect their end of the bargain in dog ownership. They feel like the burden lies with their dog, not themselves. Think of dog training as a two way street and it will be far more effective. Here are some examples.
Leadership – In obedience training, you will learn how to assert your dominance over the dog to show them that you are in charge at all times and that they must listen to you. If these behaviours are replicated in your home, the dog will have a much easier time following your lead. Alpha leadership is the cornerstone of all good training.
Basic Commands – Dog obedience training will provide you with basic commands like sit, stay, heel, speak, and quiet – basics that will make your dog more respondent when it really matters. These four behaviours will form the foundation of everything you need to teach them more tricks later.
No Biting or Barking – Two of the biggest problems that a dog can have are biting and barking. Different levels of dog obedience training can deal with these specific behaviours and ensure that your dog does not act out of line. Biting in particular should be dealt with at a young age.
Walking – Tired of having your dog pull you down the street? In a good training class, you’ll learn how to control your dog’s movements, keep them from running around on you and ideally teach them to sit and heel when needed at corners and when other dogs walk by.
Dog obedience training is important in many ways because it provides the foundation for all the issues that might arise at home. If your dog is under a year old or simply does not behave properly, consider a class to help you get started.
Carrying it Forward at Home
Of course, dog obedience training is only the start. Your dog may learn a few basic tricks in the class, but if you cannot carry forward what you’ve learned back at home, good luck maintaining that control. You should be consistent, show your dog that you’re in charge at all times and make sure everyone in the household can also follow along with whatever you’ve taught your dog in training.
Remember that your dog will only do what it is taught to do. You must be consistent, reassuring and effective at maintaining the commands you give. The second you start waffling or forgetting to reassert your commands, your dog will start to revert to the original behaviours that you worked so hard to train them out of.

Dog Health Problems

jasmacnominees — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:15:03 +0000

When it comes to dog health problems, there are many potential ailments that can catch you and your pup off guard. The results can be both emotionally devastating and expensive if they are not dealt with quickly and effectively. Instead of responding to potential health problems as they arrive, learn what you can do to avoid them in the first place and keep your dog happy and healthy.
Potential Dog Health Problems
Dogs can suffer from any number of health issues, the same as human beings. The difference is that dogs cannot tell you “I have a stomach ache”. They will often suffer in silence until there is a very real pain that needs to be treated. So, it’s important to recognize the symptoms and the actions you can take to avoid these issues in the first place.
Infections – Dogs can suffer from a number of potential infections, in their ears, on their skin, in their eyes and their teeth. Ear infections are the most common and are often due to a foreign body or bacteria getting in there. Check your dog’s ears frequently for red spots, swelling, excess moisture, or dirt. Of all dog health problems, infections are the easiest to prevent. Clean your dog’s eyes, brush their teeth and brush their hair regularly to avoid any potential bacteria build up.
Allergies – Dogs have many forms of allergies. By far the most common is a flea allergy that can cause hot spots and lead to infections. Make sure you get flea medication for your dog every month and have a vet examine them regularly to ensure they are healthy. Additionally, if their skin problems lead to ear infections or other hot spots, it may be a food allergy – a more severe issue that should be addressed by a veterinarian.
Diabetes – Dog health problems tend to mirror human issues in many ways and diabetes is one such potential disease. Excess rich, fatty and sugary foods can result in pancreatic issues that cause diabetes. To avoid diabetes, keep your dog on a strict diet of dog foods with minimal table scraps or excess meals. If your dog is diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll need to see a vet regularly and may need to administer regular shots.
Arthritis and Dysplasia – Some dogs are highly susceptible to joint problems. Pure breds especially have a long history of arthritic dog health problems due to their longer, narrower joints. Make sure your dog receives the necessary vitamins and minerals it requires each day and that your vet checks the joints for degeneration at least once a year.
Obesity – Obesity is one of the most common and deadly dog health problems and is directly caused by eating too much and not exercising enough. Obesity itself doesn’t lead to mortality, but the higher rates of heart failure, tumors, liver disease, and skin problems are all very dangerous if not dealt with immediately. Obesity can be treated with a careful diet and keen eye to a dog’s activity levels.
If your dog gets plenty of exercise, eats well every day, and you keep it clean and well groomed, many of these health problems will never be an issue. Even then, you should make sure you visit your vet annually to check for any potential issues. The earlier you catch a disease, the better it can be treated.

Aggressive Behaviour in Dogs

jasmacnominees — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:15:03 +0000

There are many causes of aggressive behavior in dogs. It might be due to a dominance related issue between you and the dog, or it might be a trigger that was never properly dealt with from puppyhood – such as an attack by a different dog. Whatever is causing your dog’s aggression, however, you need to address it as soon as possible. The results of prolonged aggression can be not only scary, but dangerous if not quickly taken to task.
The Source of Aggressive Behavior in Dogs
Dog aggression can start as young as 6 weeks of age, a crucial age when a puppy should be socialized with other dogs and given the necessary training that keeps them from biting other people. This period of socialization lasts until the dog turns 14 weeks of age and can extend even further beyond that.
This means several things. First, never take a puppy away from its litter before 8 weeks of age. Never use harsh discipline with the puppy between 8 and 10 weeks and make sure the dog is very gently treated in that time. Hitting, yelling or other harsh punishments at a young age can breed aggressive behavior in dogs over time.
A dog needs to have been properly socialized with people and other dogs by the time he reached 14 weeks to avoid any future aggression issues.
Actual aggression can be triggered by any number of factors. Heredity and genetics are certainly factors – some breeds can be more aggressive than others – but it is by no means a hard fast rule. Additionally, dogs that have not been neutered or spayed are more prone to aggressive tendencies.
By far, however, the most important factor in creating aggressive behavior in dogs is their environment. A dog that has poor living conditions, harsh masters, no socialization, or that has been frightened or attacked by another dog is far more likely to be aggressive as it ages.
Aggression can grow from the need to establish a pack pecking order. Biting, posturing, and other aggressive tendencies are often the result of a dog testing for dominance. You’ll need to establish dominance at a young age and maintain that position throughout the dog’s adolescence to ensure it doesn’t get a chance to take control of the household.

Stopping and Controlling Aggressive Behavior in Dogs
If your dog exhibits aggressive behavior after 14 months of age, when it has reached sexual maturity, especially after it has been altered, you should address the problem immediately. First, make sure you have established yourself as the pack leader. Don’t reward your dog for aggressive behavior, even if it is scared (especially in this case).
Train your dog to respond to your commands, control feeding and walking times, and make sure the dog has a strong leader in the house. If you defer to the dog or allow it to take liberties in your home, it will exhibit stronger aggression toward others.
If your dog is defensive-aggressive, they may strike out at a person in fear. These dogs may not have been properly socialized. Keep them away from small children (which they may see as direct threats) and attend a training session or behaviorist who can slowly acclimate the dog to a social atmosphere.
Aggressive behavior in dogs is a huge problem that many owners have, but it can be controlled, even as your dog gets older. If your aggression ever advances to violence, consider hiring a professional to intervene before someone gets hurt and your dog is held responsible.