If you have a puppy, you know that they can bite pretty much everything they come in contact with. It is normal for puppies to chew on things as they explore the world around them and work to get rid of those pesky puppy teeth. This is a normal part of your puppy’s development. However, after your puppy has reached the six month mark, they usually stop biting so much. If your puppy hasn’t slowed down at all, there might be an issue that needs to be addressed. Blitz K9 Club is here to talk about what could be going on if your puppy is biting into the adolescent stage.
Reasons Why Your Puppy is Still Biting into Adolescence
When your puppy is showing mouthy behavior into their adolescence, it isn’t necessarily an emergency. There are a few reasons why this might be happening.
– Needs Aren’t Met: Your puppy is going to have basic needs. Things like food, water, love and play are all part of a puppy’s needs. However, different breeds are going to need different things. Some breeds need more physical exertion than others. You first need to make sure your dog is getting enough food. Consider feeding three times a day rather than two. If your dog is restless, find ways for more exercise to be a part of its life. You also need to make sure your puppy is getting enough sleep.
– Behavior is Reinforced: You might be reinforcing this behavior without even realizing it. If your dog is wanting attention and attention is what they get when they are mouthy, you may need to adjust. Sometimes, a dog that is playful will find biting a way to get their owner’s attention. You need to teach your dog that this behavior will not elicit attention.
– Natural Tendencies: There are some dogs that are naturally going to be more drawn to biting and those types of behaviors. Some breeds are bred to enjoy chasing, nipping, and biting. If your dog is one of the breeds, you are going to have to get creative in training them not to do this. When you are playing with your dog, make sure you have some ground rules that everyone follows. For instance, if your dog bites your hand in a game of tug of war, the game can abruptly come to an end rather than vocalizing your detest. Playing with your dog is a great way to allow them to chew on a toy without being destructive.
Dog Obedience, Socialization & Behavioral Training in Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Pontiac, Commerce Township and other areas within an hour of our home base of Waterford, Michigan
If you have a dog that is biting far more than you would like, you can turn to Blitz K9 Club to help you train your dog to stop. We will ensure your dog knows that biting isn’t okay and break that bad behavior. We work with owners as well to give them tips to help stop this bad behavior. Call us today!
