How to stop Labrador puppies from biting

So one of the important things is to teach your puppy not to bite because puppy biting is one of the most common reasons why puppies are crated. Is it fair to put a puppy in a crate? Therefore, teaching your puppy not to bite is one of the main training exercises you should do after you bring home your Labrador puppy.

Many people ask the same question over and over again. How to stop a Labrador puppy from biting? Before understanding the solution, let's discuss the main point.

How to stop a Labrador puppy from biting

A common problem that every Labrador puppy owner faces after bringing home a new puppy is puppy biting.
Do you want others to be afraid of your puppy? Do you want people to hate your puppy for his behavior? No, every puppy owner feels bad if someone hates him. So one of the important things is to teach your puppy not to bite because puppy biting is one of the most common reasons why puppies are crated. Is it fair to put a puppy in a crate? Therefore, teaching your puppy not to bite is one of the main training exercises you should do after you bring home your Labrador puppy.

Many people ask the same question over and over again. How to stop a Labrador puppy from biting? Before understanding the solution, let's discuss the main point.

Why do Labrador puppies bite?

There are basically three reasons why your Labrador puppy is biting you.

This is his way of understanding the world . We eat, we touch, we hold things with our hands. What about the puppies? Puppies learn about this world through their mouths. This world is a new environment for your puppy. Consequently, puppies sniff, lick, bite, and this is the process of learning a new world.
Your puppy is teething . Teething in puppies is a rather painful process. This begins during weaning and lasts until approximately 6-7 months. Since teething is a painful process, your puppy will usually chew something to relieve the pain and soreness in his mouth.
Boredom . Labradors are the complete package of energy. If a puppy is not properly exercised, he will release his energy in destructive ways such as chewing and biting. This is how a puppy acts up out of boredom.

Hence, biting, gnawing and chewing are symptoms of the above mentioned causes. Thus, the ultimate solution is to eliminate the cause rather than suppress the symptoms.

How to Stop a Labrador Puppy from Biting

Yelp when the puppy bites

When puppies play with their littermates, active puppies tend to bite other puppies. The puppies squeal in pain and move away from the biting puppy. This lets the puppy know that the bite hurts the other puppy. I used the same strategy with my puppy, who always bit my hands.

Whenever your puppy bites, you squeal at your puppy and immediately ignore him. Come play after 30 seconds, and if he bites you again, yelp again and walk away from the puppy. Your puppy may not understand your language, but he can understand that it hurts you. Train yourself to a command like “No” and use that word whenever she bites you.

Some puppies may panic or become more aggressive when you yelp, in such cases, move away from the dog and ignore him. After a few seconds it becomes normal. This method worked with my puppy.

Distract the puppy

When your puppy comes to bite you, you distract him with a toy. Use toys that are bite-friendly for your puppy. In this case, before the puppy bites, you make him bite something else that can be bitten. Your puppy needs to understand that some things are okay to bite and some things are not.

Play with your puppy and let him bite this toy for a while. After a while, take the toy with your hand and ask the puppy to leave the toy. Say a command, such as “Get out,” and hold the toy firmly, preventing your puppy from biting the toy. Make it difficult for your puppy to play with the toy and bite it.

Every time your puppy leaves a toy, offer him a treat. Now your puppy will understand that he will get a treat when he leaves something behind by following the command “Get Out.” Likewise, when your puppy bites or holds your hand, ask him to leave and offer him a treat. Invite him to play with a second toy. Be patient and your puppy will get used to this process.

Distribute chew sticks and chew toys

Teething can be a bit of an awkward process that every puppy goes through. Help your little puppy go through this process easily. Give him chew sticks and chew toys, as their bites can reduce the urge to bite and sore gums. I gave my puppy a funky carrot out of the fridge to help with his teething. Some puppies even prefer to chew on ice cubes to relieve teething pain. You can try. Provide your puppy with chew toys that come in a variety of shapes and textures so that you can let your puppy chew on his toys whenever he feels like biting or chewing.

Exercise your puppy

Remember this line: “A tired dog is a happy dog.” Labradors are one of the most energetic and active breeds. Lack of exercise can cause destructive behavior to release existing energy. I would take my puppy for a 20 minute morning walk and he would rest and sleep until noon. Exercise tires the puppy out and the puppy requires more hours of sleep. Exercise is good for your puppy for two reasons.

Exercising your puppy improves its physical and mental health.
Exercising your puppy tires him out and he doesn't have enough energy for destructive behavior.

Biting a Labrador puppy can be a little problematic and annoying, but be patient and your puppy will learn to stop biting. Remember that the little puppy is new to this planet, give him some time and he will learn everything.

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Why does a Labrador puppy bite?

Labradors are sociable animals that make friends with everyone around them. They don’t get into fights and try to avoid conflict with other dogs. The breed is not characterized by aggression. So if your Labrador is biting, barking and attacking, you may not be raising him correctly. For example, you reinforce unwanted behavior in a playful way. When you allow your baby to bite, do not forget that he will soon grow into a large dog. Then playful bites will no longer be so harmless.

Biting while playing with other puppies is an instinct that nature provided for learning about the world. In this way, the dog acquires the skills to tear apart prey and fight for a place in the pack.

The puppy watches how his mother Labrador growls, and in the process of playing he learns from her how to growl and bite his brothers. After their pitiful squeals, he tries to control the force of his bite.

Therefore, a puppy comes to the owner’s house with the habit of biting during games and communication.

In the new home, the baby begins to bite when playing with the owner. She gnaws his arms, legs, and pulls his pants.

Labrador puppy barks and bites: Photo.

A little about animal psychology

The first thing you need to understand is that this is completely normal behavior for dogs. Why exactly the dog does this depends on his age. Animals jumping up is a way to greet each other, communicate, and there is also an application for leadership.

The habit is formed from puppyhood. This is how wild puppies and wolf cubs greet their mother when she returns from hunting. They put their paws on it and lick its lips, trying to make it burp the food it brought them. In puppies that grow up with people, their instincts never go away. They do exactly the same thing, and since people are taller, they have to jump more actively to their faces.

Later, when the puppy grows up, the meaning of jumping changes . Watch two dogs meet: the dominant animal jumps on the second, forcing him to submit.

This is the same instinct as with biting: at first the puppies playfully bite each other, but gradually the nature of their games changes, and they begin to find out who is more important . If the owner does not understand that by placing his paws on him, the animal is demonstrating its superiority, then the habit will become fixed.

The same thing happens with guests and strangers. The free entrance to the home, according to the animal, should be protected by the strongest member in the pack, the same thing with hunting grounds.

Take a closer look : if your dog runs towards guests, jumping on them, and on the street he does not rush at everyone, but as if looking for a threat, this is bad. This means that you will have to restore the correct hierarchy, explaining to your pet that you are still the master of the house.

Labrador puppy bites: what should the owner do?

When the baby wants to play, he runs up to the owner and bites lightly. When the owner begins to play with the pet in response, the puppy happily intensifies his bites.

It's funny to watch a Labrador puppy (2 months old) bite and growl. But if you continue such games, the puppy will become excited. Over time, the teeth will change and the bites will become dangerous.

Puppy training methods

If your Labrador puppy bites a lot, this behavior should not be ignored. Train him using 2 rules: praise and punishment. Never use physical violence in the process of education, so as not to intimidate the baby. Since biting is a common game for him, he will not understand why he is being punished like that. If you shout at a puppy and hit him, he may become aggressive towards people.

So when your Labrador puppy bites a lot and gets angry, think maybe you were cruel to him.

Try to correct the puppy's behavior during play.

When your pet tries to bite your hand, give him a toy. This is necessary so that the puppy does not get used to biting hands. The child needs to make it clear that biting a hand is not allowed, but a toy is allowed. To avoid creating and reinforcing unwanted behavior, strictly prohibit your pet from playing with your hand and biting it.

If you do not develop the correct behavior in a puppy in time, changing the character of an adult dog will be much more difficult.

When your Labrador puppy bites, make a fist with your fingers. This will make it harder for him to bite his hand. Try to achieve eye contact with your pet.

Friendly dog breeds

Remember: any dog that is teased or handled roughly is likely to bite. But when keeping some breeds, such problems rarely arise. These breeds include:

Golden retriever. One of the kindest breeds in the world. These are affectionate, intelligent and kind dogs, who also rarely bark.
Border Collie. A very smart breed of dog, it is distinguished by mobility and activity, and is strongly attached to people.
Beagle. They have a wonderful character, are loving and loyal.
Bobtail. Smart, kind, calm, a little lazy and reasonable dogs, they love children very much.

Each dog breed has its own characteristics. Before purchasing a puppy, learn more about the breed. Regularly raise and train your little pet, become an authority and leader for him. Make every effort to train your puppy until he is one year old. Remember: it is much more difficult to retrain an adult dog.

Sources:

https://decordog.ru/retriver/dressirovka-retrivera/labrador-kusaetsya.html https://www.8lap.ru/section/vospitanie/chto-delat-esli-shchenok-labradora-kusaetsya/ https://astrafarm .com/kak-otuchit-sobaku-kusatsya

Labrador puppy constantly bites: what is the reason

If unwanted behavior has become established in an older puppy, it becomes more difficult to fight. It is important to understand the reasons for your pet's aggression.

First, consider whether you spend enough time walking your dog. Does she have the opportunity to play with other dogs? If the need for active games is not satisfied, then the pet is forced to demand play from the owner.

Secondly, think about whether you yourself are encouraging such biting games. For example, are you starting a fight or tug-of-war with her? Are you playing with your pet with your hand?

You cannot give in to a dog when it bites and demands to play with it. Only the owner should decide when to start and end the game.

Another mistake the owner makes is when he throws toys to the pet to distract him from attacks. Since the dog perceives this as a continuation of the game, in the future its behavior will become even more aggressive.

If a dog sees that the owner cannot control it, this motivates it to act even more energetically.

Insufficient authority of the owner leads to the dog trying to dominate the family.

If the owner has indulged the dog’s aggressive behavior for several months, the dog will become accustomed to this “training.” It is already more difficult to retrain her.

The reason for a puppy's uncontrollable behavior is often the owner's lack of awareness of how to raise a dog. If the owner does not understand the dangers of aggressive games, he is in no hurry to take any measures.

How to wean your pet from aggressive behavior

Change the conditions of detention. The dog should walk for 2-3 hours every day. Move a lot, play with other dogs.
If a Labrador puppy growls and bites, the owner should categorically refuse to play with him. When a pet plays enough with other dogs, it will soon stop insistently demanding play from its owner.
Severely punish your dog for any attempts to start aggressive games.
Never let your puppy grab your hand or clothing with his teeth.
Punish the puppy in ways that he would not perceive as play. For example, ineffective methods can be considered when the owner affectionately scolds his pet.
To achieve obedience from a dog, it is important to regularly teach it commands. For example, “Sit!”, “Lie down!”, “Place!”.
If the dog earns its food, your authority in its eyes will rise.
Prevent your dog from sleeping in your bed or begging for food near the table.
To raise your authority, it is also important to never change your mind. You need to clearly explain to your pet what behavior is unacceptable.
Accustom your puppy to new games without biting. For example, a pet must run after a ball and fetch it. Avoid games with direct competition. For example, running a race.

How to stop a Labrador puppy from biting. Video.

If your Labrador puppy bites, work on increasing your authority. Accustom your pet to new forms of play. Follow the rules for interacting with your dog. Don't let your baby growl, bite or bark. If you can't cope, seek advice from a dog trainer. A dog trainer will help you improve your relationship with your dog.

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Help from a dog handler

If a puppy at the age of six months continues to bite, it is recommended to contact a dog trainer and animal psychologist . At this age, only the help of a professional will help correct unwanted behavior. You can sign up for group classes to socialize your pet at the same time, or individual classes.

What to choose:

Standard classes in which the dog handler helps the owner and the puppy understand each other. The specialist will select the appropriate training method, help correct errors in training methods and help correct the unwanted behavior of the four-legged animal.
General training course (GTC) : these classes are more complex and longer. There, the dog handler will explain to the owner how to achieve the pet’s obedience. Will work on the dog's interaction with the owner, strangers and other animals. He will also explain how to learn useful, basic commands that will help in further training.
Protective guard service course (PSC) : the course is suitable for large and medium-sized dogs of guard and service breeds. Depending on the breed, the course is recommended to be taken from the moment the dog is fully formed. Some breeds are allowed from 8 months of age, while others from two years of age.

An animal psychologist will help correct behavior and establish mutual understanding with the dog. Classes with a psychologist can begin from early childhood.

How to stop Labrador puppies from biting

When purchasing a Labrador, it is very difficult to get used to the idea that he is not a small fluffy toy, but an animal that has sharp teeth and claws. He has innate instincts that we simply do not understand. They are given to him by nature to live in natural conditions, developing independently. While playing with a puppy, we suddenly begin to notice with horror that he is trying to bite our hand, take the toy from us, joyfully shaking it, holding it in his teeth. Losing interest in the toy, he again begins to grab our hands with his teeth. The question inevitably arises, what will happen next?

The main purpose for which dogs use their teeth is protection, tearing meat and crushing bones. Until 4 months, puppies have very weak jaw muscles and use their baby teeth to play. During this period of time, they learn to regulate the force of their bite and communicate with their relatives, tearing and gnawing prey. Also, with the help of biting and power games, Labrador puppies learn to establish hierarchical relationships within the pack.

If a Labrador puppy bites his brother too hard, he usually hears a very loud, unpleasant squeal in response and realizes that the bite hurt too much. As a rule, next time, he bites weaker or does not bite at all.

Separated from his brothers, a Labrador puppy ends up in a home with people already with his own life experience and the habit of biting during play and communication.

Usually, when a Labrador wants to play with its owner, it runs up and begins to quietly bite him.

In response, the person either pushes the puppy away, which he in turn perceives as a continuation of the game and begins to bite more painfully, or the person encourages this behavior by starting to play with the puppy or persuading him not to bite. The Labrador loves it and bites harder and harder, causing pain to his owner.

Therefore, it is advisable to correct this problem as early as possible. To do this you need to do the following:

1. Try to avoid any games in which the puppy tries to bite you. If during communication, the puppy bites you, instead of scolding for it, spanking or grabbing your nose, it is better to react to the bite as another puppy would react, namely, yelp loudly and unpleasantly. Then get up and move away, the puppy will understand that he hurt you, and therefore the game has stopped. You will soon notice that the puppy does not bite as hard and much less often. If you use this exercise daily, you can stop your dog from biting. We recommend using this method for puppies under 4.5 months. Later, usually, the dog develops permanent teeth and the meaning of the bites changes. If a puppy bites its owner after 4.5 months, this usually indicates a dominance problem (when the puppy believes that he is the leader in the family), you can cope with this by lowering the hierarchical rank of the animal (i.e. your puppy will begin to consider you the leader in flock).

2. If a Labrador growls or bites you, then you need to take him by the withers, press his muzzle to the floor, look sternly into his eyes and say no, then move away from the puppy and ignore him for 15-20 minutes.

Growling at the puppy or biting him in the ear has a good effect! (LIKE HIS MOTHER WOULD DO IT.) Never scream or hit your Labrador, as such actions can only provoke her, and she will bite even harder and more painfully. Sometimes Labradors experience great pleasure from this, because they think that the owner is playing with them.

3. Prohibit your dog from sleeping on the bed and from being the first to enter and climb the stairs. Make them give way. Start feeding your dog after the whole family has eaten. Your pet must earn a bowl of food, a walk, a game. For example, before feeding, give any command and only then feed

Reasons for aggression when playing with a person

1. The reason may be inadequate conditions of care and maintenance. If a dog has a pronounced desire for play by nature, it is necessary to give it the opportunity to realize this need. Otherwise, not having the opportunity to play with its relatives, the dog will be forced to play with the person or require him to participate in the game. The manifestation of aggression during play in such dogs is a sign that the animal’s basic needs for play and communication are not fully satisfied.

What to do if a dog attacks strangers with aggression?

The methods described above may not work if the dog does not want to greet strangers, but shows aggression . In this case, the owner needs to act decisively and harshly; even physical methods of influence are possible.

If a puppy or teenage dog shows aggression, the command “Fu” . If it is not followed, spank the animal - not hard, immediately after disobedience (so that it associates the punishment and the offense), but firmly. This will show who is in charge.
Teach your animal to the commands “Sit”, “Stand”, “Nearby” . Make sure it performs them flawlessly. Then, if the dog becomes interested in a stranger, you nip the situation in the bud by commanding “Nearby.”
An adult dog will have to be weaned from viciously jumping on people with the help of a parfors (straight collar) . When going out for a walk, put it on your animal. When you try to jump, say “Fu” in a stern voice and make a sharp jerk with the leash towards yourself.

The same method can be used on a puppy , but without a strict collar, usually and not too strictly.

IMPORTANT: when using parforce, calculate the force. If you are unable to cope with your own emotions, using a strict collar can cause too much harm to the animal.