Why Does My Dog Bite My Hand? Possible Reasons Explaine
Why Do Dogs Love to Chew?
Before puppies truly leave their mothers to live independently, they often engage in play to practice controlling their bite force. This is why we see them wrestling, chasing, and biting each other. It's a fun game for them, especially for those with sharp puppy teeth, as they learn through interaction just how much bite pressure their playmates can handle.
So, when they move in with humans, they might end up biting our hands, faces, or hair. We often scream and run away, which the puppies chase, thinking it's a game. To us, it's an escape, but to them, it adds to the fun, and this "bad habit" can quickly develop. For instance, when children play with puppies, running and screaming can actually encourage the puppies to chase them more, as the highpitched sounds excite them further.
If a puppy bites too hard and causes pain to its mother or another puppy, the mother will pick up the puppy by the back of its neck and give it a firm "talkingto." Usually, the puppy understands it's wrong. However, if a puppy hasn't received proper training before joining a new family, it may end up biting too hard during play, not knowing how to control its force.
Training Your Dog to Control Its Bite Force
For this natural behavior in puppies, we can use the following training methods:
Training Tools: Interactive toys, clickers, and treats.
Training Location: Anytime you play with your puppy is sufficient. The key is to focus on the moment the puppy bites your hand or clothing. Then, respond correctly at that critical moment.
Training Method: Use interactive toys to capture the puppy's attention, but make sure the toys are movable to satisfy their hunter instincts. During play, if the puppy bites your hand, immediately press the clicker and stop the game. Give verbal praise and treat rewards. If the puppy's behavior is not controlled, simply walk away and end all play. Make it clear that when the bite force exceeds a certain limit, it leads to an "unpleasant" outcome, such as the owner leaving.
Lastly, pet owners must be patient and gradual in their training, using positive reinforcement to make sure our furry friends enjoy the learning process!
