Getting a puppy can be fun, but it can also be a challenge. The trick is not only to teach your new puppy good behavior, but to keep him or her from doing things that may cause problems in the future. Here are some tips that will help you.
Training a puppy
If your puppy is nipping you, you need to stop the behavior. It’s normal for puppies to nip, but you want to protect yourself and your family from potential damage. The best way to do this is to train your puppy not to bite.
Puppies learn through play interactions. They’ll mouth and bite during play with their littermates. Their playmates will give them feedback about how hard they’re biting. This feedback helps puppies realize when they’ve gone too far.
To redirect a nipping puppy, use an interrupter cue. A simple, calm voice can be used. Start by giving your pup the cue and then praising it. You can do this by placing your hand near your puppy’s mouth. Your hands can be used as a reward for good behavior, such as sitting on a toy or holding back on a tug toy.
When your puppy starts to mouth and bite you, move away from them and leave the room. If they continue to nip, you can then pull your hands back. Continue to move slowly so as not to cause the puppy to bite.
If your dog is continuing to bite, put them in a timeout. This will teach them that continuous biting means being removed from your human playmate.
Rewarding good behavior
If you want to train your dog not to bite, you should use positive reinforcement. This means you praise and reward the good behavior. But if your puppy is biting, you should not ignore the behavior. Rewarding bad behavior only reinforces the negative behavior.
There are several ways to reward good behaviors. You can give your dog a treat, or you can play a game with him. Or you can take him to the park. The dog will get to interact with other dogs, and you can teach him to behave.
You can also reward a dog for a number of other things. Some of these are playing, barking, jumping, and scratching. Other rewards include food and a physical touch.
Another way to train your dog not to bite is to make a game out of it. Games can include tug-of-war or fetch. Make a toy out of an old t-shirt or towel. Fill the toy with treats. Start the game when your dog does something you like.
If your puppy is having a rough time, you can try to give it a break. Close the door behind you, walk through the gate, or take a short walk. These changes may not seem as pleasant to your puppy, but they will help alleviate some of the discomfort he is experiencing.
