Dog Biting 101

Puppies spend a great deal of time playing, chewing and investigating objects. All of these normal activities involve puppies using their mouths and their needle-sharp teeth. When puppies play with people, they often bite, chew, and mouth on people’s hands, limbs, and clothing. This kind of behavior may seem cute when your puppy is 7-weeks old, but it’s not nearly so endearing when he’s 3- or 4-months old and getting bigger by the day!

5 Things to Avoid When Teaching Your Puppy Not to Bite

  • Don’t run around or create fast movement
  • Don’t yelp or yell
  • Don’t neglect the fact your pup is teething and needs chew toys to play with
  • Immediately stop rough-housing when your pup is in bite mode
  • Don’t be inconsistent with your teachings

Why It Is Important to Train Your Dog Not to Bite

Approximately 4.5-million people are bitten by dogs in the United States every year and 20% of them will need medical attention for their wounds. Children are the most common victims and half of bite wound victims are younger than 13-years old. Children are much more likely to be severely injured by dog bites due to their small size and a lack of awareness about how to act around a dog. Most dog bites occur while interacting with familiar dogs, which is why there’s a need to educate people and their children on how to avoid dog bites. It is important to understand any dog has the ability to bite; by understanding the common reasons why dogs bite, it is possible to prevent them.

Dogs Bite Because:

  • They have a protective nature
  • It can be a reaction to stress
  • They are scared or feel threatened
  • They are not feeling well
  • They are protecting their puppies or owners

Do you have a chihuahua, bulldog or pit bull or another type of dog with a biting problem? Our team at Come & Train It K9 helps dogs and dog owners in Houston with effective training so your pup won’t bite. Give us a call today to discuss your needs. We have a tremendous success rate with training aggressive dogs. We’d love the opportunity to work with you and your pup!