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How to stop your dog from biting, teething and chewing

Puppies will chew everything, even you. It’s their way of exploring, playing, saying hello, and easing their aching teeth that are just starting to grow in, and they don’t know any better!  It’s one of the most frustrating things dog owners go through in raising a puppy. You need to let your puppy know what’s his to chew and what’s not.

With these strategies, try three times. If your dog doesn’t get the picture, go on to the next one, because it means he isn’t clear on what you want, or doesn’t want to listen to you.

What to do when the puppy is chewing household objects (furniture, rugs, etc…)

Try these methods in the order given – they’re ordered from mildest to harshest, using the positive reinforcement strategy as much as possible (sometimes it is necessary to vary from the positive reinforcement strategy in the case of an extremely difficult or dominant dog). Use the mildest strategy that gets the message across to your dog.

• When the puppy is chewing an inappropriate object, throw a toy where he can see it, and praise him as soon as he bites the toy.
• Make a short, loud noise. When he looks at you, praise him. Then throw him the toy and praise him as soon as he bites down.
• Gently bump his rump with your hand. When stops and looks at you, or even if he just stops and doesn’t look at you, praise him and throw him a chew toy, and praise when he bites down.
• In a deep voice,  say your puppy’s name, as though you’re extremely disappointed. Praise him when he looks at you or stops chewing, or both,  and throw him a chew toy, making sure you praise him as soon as he bites down on the toy.
• In an angry voice, say your puppy’s name. Praise him when he stops and looks at you, throw him a chew toy and give praise when he bites down.
• Take your puppy by his collar and give him a toy. Praise him when he bites the toy.
• Take your puppy by the collar and harshly say “No!”, in a deep, growling voice. Give him a chew toy and praise him when he bites down.
• Take him by the scruff of his neck and shake him several times, and in a voice that mimics a bark, say “No!” This should always be the last resort in raising your puppy, but it won’t hurt him. It mimics how a mother dog treats her puppies when they have crossed a line, or are doing something inappropriate. This technique is often used to break dogs of their dominance. It puts your dog in his place and establishes you as the leader instead of the dog.

*Food can always be used to praised your dog, as well as verbal praise and physical praise.

What to do if your dog is chewing on you:

Again, the least harsh strategy that your dog responds to should be used. They are ordered from mildest to harshest.

• If your dog starts biting you, make a loud, high pitched sound, or an exaggerated, “OW!”. When two dogs are playing and one bites too hard, the dog that was bitten yelps to let the other dog know it was too hard. To your dog, the high pitched sound will sound like a yelp.
• Redirect his biting to a chew toy. Praise him when he bites down on the toy.
• Get up, walk away and turn your back, with your arms crossed. When he becomes disinterested, approach him again. If he bites, turn away again.
• Get up and leave the room. Count to 15 and go back into the room and pet him. If he bites again, leave the room again.
• Yell “No!” roughly, and throw him a toy. Praise as usual when he bites it.
• “Yell “No!” roughly, and gently push him off. Praise him when he stop biting.
• If he bites your hand, push your hand into his mouth behind his teeth. Praise him when he lets go.
• If all else fails, you may have to resort to pushing his muzzle closed with your hand. Hold for a five seconds, and let go. Put your hand up to his mouth and praise him if he licks it.

Never use any physical force to control your dog. This will only make him scared of you, which is not the kind of healthy relationship that owners and dogs should have. Worse, using strong, physical force can bring out aggressiveness tendencies, especially in German Shephard, Rottweilers and other dogs that are sometimes used as guard dogs.

Teaching your dog to lay down: The L Shape Technique

Teaching your dog down is slightly more difficult than teaching him to sit. This is because sitting is much more comfortable than laying down when they are full of energy or intent on their reward. But with diligence and effort, you should have your dog trained to go to a down position in about three to four days.

What You’ll Need:

• A reward/lure
• A quiet, low distraction area

How to do it:

1. Put your dog in a sit.
2. Put some kibble in your hand and show your dog. Then move your hand in a straight line to the ground, so your dog follows the kibble. Then move your hand out towards you. Essentially, you should be making the shape of an “L” with your hand, which is called the L Shape Technique. Praise your dog and give him the reward as soon as his chest touches the floor. Repeat this step several times.
   
3. Repeat the L Shape technique. As soon as his chest touches the floor, give the verbal cue “Down”. Praise him and give him the reward. Repeat this step several time as needed.
   
4. Using the L Shape technique, give the verbal cue before you begin the hand signal. Give him praise and the reward as usual. You can always repeat steps 2 and 3 if your dog seems confused.
   
5. Try to phase out the lure as quickly as you can. Use the same L hand signal, but don’t use any kibble to bring him into the position. Give him kibble after he manages the position change.  Make sure you don’t rush phasing out the lure. or your dog will become frustrated and confused.
   

Teaching your dog to sit

Training your dog to sit is one of the most basic commands, and the easiest position for your dog to put himself in. The speed at which your dog learns behaviors will vary – some may be able to teach their dog in one sitting, while other dogs may need several days before they understand the command.

What You’ll Need:

• A tangible reward such as food or a toy
• A quiet place with minimal distractions

How to do it:

1. Have your dog on his leash to minimize wandering, and try to put him in a standing position.
2. Show him that you have a reward (which will be used as a lure) in your hand, and hold it right in front of his nose.
3. Slowly raise the lure up. The dog’s head should rise as the lure rises, causing his spine and bottom to go down. If he jumps up, then you maybe have raised the lure too high.
4. AS SOON as his bottom touches the ground, mark it with a “Good boy!” and give him the lure (which is now considered a reward).
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until his bottom is quickly touching the ground as you raise the lure – this means he understands what it is you’d like him to do.
6. Lure him into a sitting position as you’ve been doing, but mark it with the verbal cue “Sit” as his bottom touches the ground. Give him the reward and praise him.
7. After you have repeated Step 6 several times, give the verbal cue before you start to lure him. Give him the reward and praise him as usual, as soon as his bottom  touches the ground.
8. Don’t use a lure this time. Just raise your palm up, the way you would if you were luring him. When he completes the behavior, give him a reward and praise him. This step may not happen right away. It can take days or even weeks for your dog to complete behavior without lure, simply because he may not understand. If you suspect your dog does not understand, repeat steps 5 and 6 until you’re confident that he understands the behavior.

Remember, if your dog gets bored, you can always play a game of Touch or Spin to win his attention again.

How to Reward your dog without using food

Rewards are crucial in training your dog. Food is the easiest, quickest and most convenient way to reward your dog. But what do you do it your dog isn’t food motivated? There are other ways to reward your dog that may have an even bigger payoff than food. In order to find out what really makes your dog happy, you’ll have to spend time with him in lots of different places to learn what motivates him.

Here are some ideas to get your dog moving:

• Take your dog to a park. Does he like playing with the other dogs? If he does, use this to you advantage. When other dogs are near, get your dog’s attention and do some quick obedience training. As a reward, let him play with the other dogs.
• Does your puppy like water? Let him play in the water or have a nice, long drink for good behavior or if he does as you ask.
• Use toys often. If your dog isn’t too fond of his toys at home, take him to a pet store and see what he goes for. You can hold different toys out to him to see how interested he is. Only buy those that are really exciting and interesting to him.
• While you are on a walk with your dog, if there is something he is really eager to explore, have him do a few position changes and let him sniff it as a reward. If he doesn’t cooperate, promptly turn and take him away from whatever he’s so eager to sniff. Then return to it and try again. When he completes the behavior you ask of him, let him explore the area or object.
• Don’t forget: Verbal praise and human contact are often the biggest reward to dogs.