Behavior Info, Training Tips »

Anyone who has had a puppy or dog would know that there comes a time when their cute little pet would start nipping on just about anything. My dog nips at shoes. And to think she knows how to choose the expensive ones! Nipping, or playful biting if you may, is most common among puppies. They tend to outgrow the habit although some dogs still go on with the habit.

Why do dogs nip? Human babies have very poor eyesight, and their sense of hearing may not be that developed much as well. In order to have an idea of what the world is, babies would naturally put things in their mouths. The same is true with puppies. These young dogs have a brand new world to explore and they do so by biting on things. Puppies also do this to one another, and their playing often comes with a little bit of playful biting in it. Curiously, puppies seldom bite each other in a way that would really hurt their playmates, because doing so would result in social isolation. I thought that I could use this knowledge in order to teach my puppy to do away with the nipping altogether (and keep my shoes intact). Fortunately, my little plan worked. Here is what I did:

I played with my dog until he initiated nipping. Once the nipping has become painful, I take away all attention from him, not even initiating eye contact, and turn my back against him. I withdrew my attention long enough for him to understand what he did was wrong. After that, I play with him again, and once he bites too hard again, I withdraw attention again. Repeat the process until he associates nipping with withdrawal of your attention. You can also shout a big “NO” each time he nips at you and before you withdraw attention.

Puppies would always be puppies – and as such nipping cannot be avoided. So be sure to buy your playful ones some chew toys and train them to nip only at them. If you have one of those high energy breed dogs, you know that these kinds of dogs tend to get too excited. Non-contact play is highly recommended, such as Frisbee or fetch. Avoid slap-boxing or any other rough playing.

If you have a puppy that has a nipping problem, and if you think this young dog can potentially bite someone in the future, then you must do something immediately. Have him trained correctly and, contrary to popular belief that he should be isolated, he should actually have as much people and dogs around, to make him more socially aware and responsive.