Marks Dog Obedience Training Blog

Puppy Training Techniques

Controlling Puppy Nipping & Biting

One thing that you can be sure of when you get a puppy home is that it is going to bite and nip at your fingers over the course of the first few days/weeks. This is normal and you should not be worried or alarmed about it. You have purchased a perfectly normal puppy and not one that is naturally agressive. It can be eradicated quickly using puppy training techniques.However, like any behavior you wish to change about your dog, you need to take a few steps so that he realizes that nipping is not something you as the “pack leader” want him to continue doing.

So how do you change this natural biting behavior that a little puppy has? Well the first thing to do is determine his age.  This is important because puppies under the age of about 15 weeks need to be handled a little differently when it comes to mouthing and nipping than puppies over the age of 15 weeks. If your puppy is brand new and younger than the 15 week period, the following puppy training techniques & tips can help you control his nipping behavior:

1. Start to show your puppy that you prefer licking instead of nipping.  When he changes his behavior and licks at your fingers or hands, be sure to give him alot of praise. Encourage your puppy to lick more often by rubbing a little butter or coconut oil on your fingers. Let him know by that that what he is doing is a good thing with each lick.

2. Another of the puppy training techniques is If your puppy is still biting or nipping at your fingers and has just been fed and really doesn’t need anything in its mouth, set him aside with a nice bone for a little while.  This is where a crate would come in handy.  Place the dog in the crate for a short period of time so that he can divert his mouthing attention to his favorite bone. And it is very important not to yell at or scold your puppy along the way. You must create a positive learning environment.

3. Whenever the puppy bites down hard on your fingers or hand, use a disciplinary tone of voice and give a command such as “No No” while looking sharply into his eyes.  Hold this firm demeanor for a few moments and then immediately change your body language and go back to whatever it is you’re doing before, and with a soothing approach.  Doing this procedure  a few times is enough for your puppy to learn the command and to stop biting down hard when he is commanded.

Puppy Training Techniques – How To Get Your Puppy To Stop Stealing Clothes

Puppies are like children, they need constant discipline and a watchful eye to be sure that learn your rules.  Some puppies have major behavior problems, while others display the typical scenarios, such as stealing clothes and other small items around the house as if it were a game. Puppies are notorious for stealing anything that they can get their mouths on and then run away with it.  At first this little habit is cute and very comical. However, after a while it needs to be seriously addressed because as the puppy matures into an adult dog, he will think that he is allowed to eat anything in the house, including your expensive shoes and nice furniture.

There are several puppy training techniques to handle a puppy that is stealing your cloths and other items from around the house.  One puppy training technique to get your puppy to drop something from his mouth immediately is to simply walk out of the room and shut the door behind you.  For example, let’s say you are in your room and your dog grabs a sock from the corner closet and runs around the room avoiding you at all costs. This is just a game to him, nothing more.  So what you need to do is quickly have him lose interest in the game by just leaving the room with the door closed.  In less than 10 seconds your puppy will drop the sock and start crying for your presence.

Another of the puppy training techniques is to distract your puppy from stealing clothes and other small items is to distract him by running to the door and shaking your keys so that he understands that you are going to take him outside (dogs quickly associate the jingle of keys to someone leaving the house). Now take the dog into the yard or the sidewalk for just a few minutes.  If you do this enough, eventually your puppy will be able to stop playing his little thief game anytime you shake your keys.  It’s all about distraction and training your puppy’s mind to associate something else of importance whenever he attempts to break the rules.

Last but not least, one of the best puppy training techniques is to get yourself a small water bottle that you can use to squirt your puppy. Of course you do not want to torture your dog by squirting them in the eye or anything like that, but a little spritz of water can go a long way when trying to get your dog to stop whatever behavioral problem he keeps getting into. Whenever you see your puppy grabbing something and running around the house with it, give them a quick squirt and a firm “no” command. He will be so surprised and shocked that he will quickly drop anything from his mouth while learning that this is one rule he cannot break. I hope you find these quick puppy training techniques useful and wish you all the best with your training regime.