How to stop a puppy from biting and grabbing legs

Cats and dogs, especially when young, tend to bite or scratch. This is playful behavior, not aggressive, but it's not enjoyable for humans. Even small animals leave significant bruises and scratches on the skin. A puppy's teeth can cause significant wounds in human skin, so it's necessary to buy all sorts of toys to distract the animal.

Toys aren't always helpful, as puppies typically want to play with a live person. Fortunately, some tips can help stop your puppy from biting or scratching.

How to stop a puppy from biting?

Why do puppies bite and scratch at an early age? When a puppy is still near its mother as a baby, she tries to teach it that biting is wrong, and force must be controlledIf a dog is removed from its natural home too early, there's simply no one to teach it normal behavior. Typically, a puppy's natural mother simply tries to ignore the puppies so they can rethink their behavior.

When training a dog, people tend to play with their pets more. Another reason for persistent biting can be the simple act of teething. During this time, dogs try to find anything to bite on, thus scratching their gums as new teeth emerge.

The first rule that can help change a puppy's behavior is simply to ignore it. Leaving a dog alone will teach it that chewing, biting, or scratching is wrong. You can't punish a puppy, as he may simply become offended, and it is better not to allow this to happen at an early age, since the level and speed of training in the future depends on the loyalty and friendship between the owner and the pet.

To teach a dog that biting hurts, simply walk away during play if it does something wrong. Young children respond appropriately to this kind of human behavior. Over time, you'll see the bites decrease, and the dog will try to control its force as much as possible.

The second rule that can help stop an animal from biting concerns a special place where the puppy is placed if it doesn't obey during play. This doesn't mean placing it in a dark place. A dog, in principle, there must be one's own territory in the form of a cage, but at a young age it can become a place where the puppy is placed after it begins to grab, bite or scratch during play.

If a puppy tries to play with clothes, don't scold it, as it's reacting to movement. It thinks someone is trying to play with it. In this case, it's best to simply freeze. If the clothes stop moving, it means playing with them is no longer interesting. It's recommended to either remain still or unhook the dog and offer a suitable substitute, such as a moving toy.

By the way, play clothes are also suitable, but only those that are no longer useful in everyday life. Old clothes are great for playing with a puppy. If he starts playing with old clothes or objects, the dog needs to be praised and thereby let her understand that knowledge of the rules is always rewarded in the form of sweets or belly rubs.

How to stop a puppy from biting through play

There are many games, which can help train a puppy not only to stop biting hands and feet but also to control their strength. Games employ the proverbial carrot and stick method. That is, if the dog starts biting or scratching, it's left alone. If the puppy follows all the rules, and even if it bites, it still controls its strength, it's best to praise it and give it a small treat. Each correct step should be accompanied not only by praise but also by a flick of the finger, so that the animal also perceives the correct behavior audibly.

The whole game can be divided into several mandatory and consistent steps.

1. First, you need to clench your fist and hold it toward the puppy. If he doesn't respond, you can snap your fingers and give him a treat.
2. In the second stage, the method becomes slightly more complex. The fist is not only brought toward the dog but also moved, thereby provoking it to act. The results will be noticeable almost immediately. The puppy may reach for your hand, but over time, it will understand that this is not allowed.
3. The task becomes more challenging by increasing the time or speed of hand movements. After each successful lesson, the puppy should receive its reward and hear the corresponding click.
4. At first, when the puppy doesn't yet understand the rules of this game, you can replace your hand with a soft toy or an unwanted object. This method is preferable to avoid injury. If the puppy continues to bite the toy, hide it behind its back and bring it back out after a while, but keep it at a greater distance.
5. These actions must be repeated 3-4 times a day, while placing your hand or object under the dog’s nose at least 10-15 times.
6. The next stage involves constantly changing the object. This could be shoes, toys, clothing, or even fingers. This method can teach the puppy to bite and play with things that are appropriate for play, while everything else is off-limits.
7. In cases where the dog bites things that are prohibited, you need to continue snapping your fingers so that the puppy understands that he has broken the rules and can only get a treat if he spits it out.
8. Once the clicking action has become automatic, precede it with the command "spit it out." This action will eventually replace the clicking sound, and the dog will be distracted by the owner's command.
9. Any action in such a game must be rewarded with a treat.

Tips for puppy owners

In order to establish a relationship with your puppy at an early stage, you need to follow some recommendations.

1. It's important to understand that every puppy wants to play, so if they bite, it's nothing to worry about. Only the owner can fix the situation.
2. A dog should only be punished for a serious offense. If the puppy has only mildly bitten your leg or arm, it's best to leave it alone until it calms down.
3. Bad dog behavior is the result of poor training. It's important to teach a puppy commands at an early age, as later it will be more difficult to teach it to control its strength and not destroy things or objects.

Conclusion

Dog training is an important aspect, and any owner should approach this matter with full responsibility. various games and rules, can help show a puppy at an early age what's acceptable and what actions will result in punishment. Punishment must be administered correctly. Hitting or yelling at a dog is not recommended, as it will simply cause it to lose trust in its owner. Following all the rules will help you achieve the desired result within a certain time frame.