Dogmination

We at Dogmination have written before about Why Do Dogs Bite and also explained an easy to follow 2-stage method on How to Stop Your Dog From Biting. This blog post deals with many of that same basics but tailored more specifically for the topic of puppy training: biting.

Information on training your puppy to stop biting is one of the most requested topics here at Dogmination. Biting is a natural and essential stage dogs go though, especially when they are teething. However, biting needs to be controlled and minimized early on because it can lead to aggression and other behavioral problems. Most puppies can be trained; the sooner you start to teach your puppy to stop biting, the easier it becomes to teach him other things.

There are many training techniques to keep a puppy from biting and nipping. I suggest you bookmark our earlier blog post about Why Do Dogs Bite which is constantly updated with new links and information on how to train your dog to stop biting.

Puppy Training: Training Puppies Not to Bite

• Your puppy needs to socialize with other dogs and people.
• Always encourage good behavior by praising and rewarding your puppy.
• Don’t play rough or wrestle with your pooch while teaching him not to bite – your puppy will bite harder every time to show dominance in the game.
• Consistency is the key to perfect training – Always use the same treats, words, methods, and correct the behavior every time with no exceptions.
• Take control by showing dominance and acting as the pack leader.
• Never hit or slap your puppy. This will only make it be afraid of you or develop other types of aggression in the future.

5 Step Method on How to Stop Your Puppy From Biting

1. Give your puppy a toy every time he starts biting or nipping. Change the undesirable behavior for a desirable one.
2. Show your puppy that it hurts when he bites your hand with a simple yelp. It could also be a firm “ouch”. Help it to understand that with each bite pain is present.
3. Try it again. Play with your puppy to see if he bites this time. If he does, then yelp again and ignore your puppy for one minute. After many try outs, it will associate the biting with losing the attention of his playmate.
4. Give a reward such as treats every time it plays with you without biting or nipping.
5. Choose a reward word such as “good boy” to use it every time you give a reward for no biting, after a while, fade away the treats by only using the reward word.

Remember:

Proper Dog Training is important and essential for your puppy to understand. But the most important thing about this training is that it will teach your dog at an early age that you are the leader and the dominant one in the household. This will help control other behavioral problems that may come later as your dog ages. It also lowers the risk of any type of aggression in the future.

For more dog training info, go ahead and sign up to our free newsletter (and get the eBook “Be the Alpha Dog” at no charge). This book will explain to you how to be on the right frame of mind when dealing with dog behavior problems.

Hope this blog post helps, feel free to give us your feedback!

A couple of days ago, I wrote a blog post introducing why do dogs bite and basics on how to stop your dog from biting. Today I will be explaining a very quick and easy 2-stage method that works on most dogs.

Puppy Training: Biting – If your dog is a puppy, start your training as early as 6 weeks if possible. Check this blog about How to Stop your Puppy From Biting. If you dog is an adult, start your training as soon as you notice any biting behavior.

As you know, dog biting is a basic canine behavior used to communicate leadership. Most dogs begin biting when they are puppies. With the proper training, this behavior can be controlled at any age.

Stage 1: Address the Biting

Teach your dog that biting hurts – When bitten, yelp at your dog so it understands that it hurts. It also works with a sharp “no” (without shouting). Be consistent, the yelp has to be done every time the dog bites.

Remove hand slowly – Slow movements will give your dog the chance to understand you are moving your hand away because you don’t like biting. If you twitch the hand away from his mouth after a bite, your dog will most likely grab it again. One of dogs’ instincts is curiosity; dogs love to chase fast moving objects.

Ignore your dog – If bitten for the second time, yelp again and turn away ignoring him for one minute. If you are consistent, your dog will associate biting with the end of playtime.

Stage 2: If the Biting Continues

Time out – The third time your dog bites, yelp again and choose an isolated spot in the house. A good place for puppies is the bathtub, and if adult, the bathroom or laundry room is a good place. Only use one minute for time out, this would be enough time for dogs to associate the consequences of biting.

Remember to:

Reinforce good behavior – When your dog is playing and licks your hand or simply moves your hand with his mouth to get attention instead of biting, praise your dog for that good behavior. This is a positive training method. It is important to reinforce positive behavior in dogs.

Consistency – Is very important. Without consistency you can confuse the dog and the training period becomes longer and more difficult. Use the same treats, isolation places, and commands. Always correct him/her when doing something you don’t like, and always give rewards when good behavior is shown.

If the biting problem is severe or dangerous, we suggest you seek a professional dog trainer or consult your veterinarian (or both).

Biting can become very serious if not corrected. The size of the dog involved determines the seriousness of the problem. If not corrected, the issue can even become fatal. It’s a way for dogs to show dominance and control over other dogs or people.

We at Dogmination are all about providing dog owners the resources for proper dog training. Luckily, the information is readily available at no cost (like when you subscribe to our mailing list) and also at very low costs (like the awesome online video series by dog training pros).

We hope you find this blog post useful. As always, your feedback is welcomed and appreciated.

Many owners would like a faster and easier way to stop dogs from barking. Even though most dog barking control devices are not harmful to dogs, it would be a good idea to first start with a good understanding of why dogs bark (and basics on how to stop your dog from barking) and trying a few positive teaching methods on training a dog not to bark .

If you want to solve this problem via the dog barking control device method, there are a several popular choices out there and most have been reviewed by owners with the same barking problem.

The 5 Most Common Types of Dog Barking Control Devices

Below are the five most common types of dog barking control devices in the market for you to understand how they work and if they might work for you.

• Electric Shock Collars: They produce a shock to your dog the moment it barks. Make sure that the intensity of the shock can be adjusted (if you plan on trying one of these out). These are the most common no-bark collars.
• Citronella Collars: These no-bark collars spray your dog with citronella oil when barking. Some dogs will adjust to the spray and even grow to like it (not good).
• Shocking and Beeping Collars: These no-bark collars will give off a beeping sound before shocking your dog. They are used to warn your dog the shock will come. They were made this way so you can turn off the shock and the collar will only beep. Your dog will associate the beep with the shock and hopefully stop barking.
• Guardian Activated Device: Many dog owners use a water spray bottle or noisemaker when dog barks. The problem with these devices is that your dog will associate you with the noise or the water instead of the barking, so your mileage may vary.
• Sound Emitting Device: These devices emit an annoying sound every time your dog barks. Many people buy them to stop the neighbors’ dog from barking. The sound should only be heard by dogs, but sometimes the sound is so whiny that humans might hear it too.

Interested on our top picks?

We at Dogmination are gathering data and talking to dog owners who have used these products and will be posting our top picks in a new blog post shortly.

As always, remember to subscribe to our free newsletter (if you have not done so already) and as always, we value your feedback.

Thanks for reading,

So you are thinking: “My Dog Bites, What can I do?” Well luckily, you are not alone, far from it. Dog biting is one of the most common (non-medical) behavioral problems dog owners face. Dog biting can be very serious and can cause many problems. – Small dogs, small problems. The bigger the dog, the bigger the problem – but both are very dangerous and need to be addressed.

Owning a dog that bites can be very serious. But before you start addressing the problem you need to know and understand why your dog is biting. It seems cute when puppies bite or nip, but most of them are actually developing signs of aggression using their teeth to show dominance. There are many reasons and levels of biting, but to stop dogs from biting depends on the age of the pooch, the reason of the biting, and how extreme the biting is.

Why do Dogs Bite?

Teething

When puppies are teething they are more likely to bite or nip to scratch swollen gums.

Anxiety

Some dogs feel anxious when left alone or separated from owners.

Attention

Most dogs use this method of biting or nipping to get attention from others.

Fear

Surroundings and situations can make a dog bite. It can be a loud noise or strangers stepping in its territory.

Provocation

Some dogs are provoked to bite. They often feel threatened if they are hurt orteased.

Excitement

Dogs try to bite and nip while playing. It’s a way to get in touch with objects, attention or feelings. Dogs use their mouth to get the feel of their surroundings.

Illness

Dogs may have a tendency to bite when they are hurt or not feeling well. When dogs experience discomfort, they have a low tolerance for things around them and they become easily agitated. The way dogs communicate their discomfort or agitation is by biting. This tendency is more common in older dogs. The sudden loss of tolerance could be due to a medical reason that only a vet can control with medication.

When Eating

Dogs tend to become tense over food. A dog’s way of survival is by protecting his food and territory. This happens usually when the dog is the pack leader and he has complete dominance over the household. This must be corrected easily with training.

Poor Dog Training

The most common problem of dog biting is due to poor dog training. Proper dog training is essential to make your dog understand that he is not the pack leader. This can be taught when they puppies or even when they are adults. The most important things needed for positive and effective dog training are proven methods and consistency.

How to Stop Dog Biting 101

When choosing a puppy, even though it is not confirmed that specific breeds will determine the behavior of biting, some breeds bite more than others. This is because some dogs are more active than others and need more attention. If you don’t have the time to release their energy and give them the attention they need every day, it could lead to biting behavior. So, the first thing to do is choose the right breed for you and your family.

Clicker Training – This is one of the most effective training methods (when using only positive reinforcement). It is simple and the most inexpensive way to train your dog. The Clicker Training technique is a fun way of training where you and your dog are working together as partners.

Expose Your Dog – Take your dog to the places you go. Choose places with a lot of people and noise and reward you dog for being friendly with other dogs and people.

Using Doggie Day Care – This is a good way for your dog to socialize with other dogs without your presence. Some dogs tend to be defensive when only being with their owners. Doggie day care is a good way for your dog to get to know other dogs under supervision without the control of protecting the owner.

Supervise Your Dog – Become aware of what causes your dog to bite. Refer to some of the reasons mentioned above as to Why do Dogs Bite. Try to identify what triggers the biting or nipping and control the exposure to that environment or situation. Remember to reward your dog for good behavior.

Let Your Dog Know that it Hurts – When your dog bites or nips, give a loud yelp so your dog understands the noise of pain. Give him a toy instead and turn away. The second time it happens, yelp again and don’t interact with your dog for one minute. Ignore his actions completely even if he tries to get your attention. Be very consistent. Your dog will understand and associate the end of playtime and attention with biting.

Don’t Play Biting Games – Sometimes owners mislead dogs in the way that we play with them. If you play with your dog while he bites at your arms and hands for fun, and if you push your dog away so he knows to come back to you to keep playing and biting, you are teaching your dog that it is ok for him to bite whenever he feels. This game will develop a biting and dominance behavior in your dog.

Other Ways to Stop Your Dog From Biting

If your dog biting problem is severe or dangerous, we suggest you seek a professional dog trainer or consult your veterinarian (or both).

This post is the first in a series of blog posts about the common issue of dog biting and ways to control it. We firmly believe that the first step towards fixing a dog behavior problem is understanding the problem.

We hope you find this series useful. You can also sign up now to receive our free newsletter and get the free eBook “Be the Alpha Dog” at no charge. Both the book and the newsletter are full of awesome information on how to correct many popular dog behavior problems (like biting).

It can be very frustrating when your dog barks all the time and you cant find a way to get him to stop. You probably have tried training a dog not to bark by turning the lights on, turning them off, buying your dog night lights, cozy pillows, blankets, the perfect bed, giving your dog warm milk at night, exercising more, etc. You may have even tried sleeping with your dog so he stops barking.

Fortunately, training a dog not to bark is fairly simple. In this post, we will cover 3 easy methods that are proven to work on most dogs. Please note that also covered Dog Barking: Common Causes & How to Stop Dog Barking on a previous post. That post contains information that will help you understand why your dog barks and some of the basic principles of how to stop it.

The 3 Easy Methods on Training a Dog Not to Bark

Method 1: Pick up ball

To start training a dog not to bark with this method, you must teach your dog to pick up a toy, bone or ball with your command. You might have to do it for five minutes every day until your dog learns to pick the toy up at your command – it will work faster if you praise your dog every time the command works. This method is used to change an undesirable behavior to a better and suitable one at the moment. If your dog barks, give the command to “pick up ball” or “get bone” – always use the same command words.

Method 2: Bark on command

The second method to cease your dog from barking is to teach your dog to bark on command. To start the training, grab a bag of small treats, wait until your dog starts barking and say the word “Speak”. The bark after the command should be rewarded with a treat. You have to always give a treat after the first bark following the command. After consistent training, your dog will wait to bark only when you command it due to the reward. This is more exciting than barking without a command. While doing this training method you have to make sure you or someone else doesn’t give your dog any attention when barking without a command.

Method 3: Quiet stand

The third method is to train the quiet stand. It sounds easy but is the most difficult to teach. It requires a lot of patience and consistency. When your dog is barking, stand in front of him without talking; look at your dog’s eyes. It may take minutes for your dog to quiet the bark, but as soon as your dog stops barking make sure you give him a treat that he loves the most. After a period of time when you stand in front of your dog, the bark will stop. After several positive training you can add a command word such as “Quiet” to stop the barking immediately.

Avoid this:

Avoid yelling “NO” (or yelling period) when training a dog not to bark. This is a very common bad habit we owners have. This is the wrong way to approach to this behavior because your dog will think that we are barking along with them and your dog will get louder. Yelling can also drive to aggressive behavior.

Other Training Methods & Solutions to Dog Barking

Professional dog trainers and first-time-dog-owners use these three methods quite often. They have been proven to work on many different breeds and dog owners.

As you probably know, we at Dogmination believe that there isn’t just one method or device that helps dog owners stop the bark problem. That is why we will keep updating our original post on dog barking with even more dog training tips, tricks and device reviews.

Don’t forget to sign up to our free mailing list and get the free digital download of the “Be the Alpha Dog” book which is full of handy information for new and experienced dog owners.

Every dog barks – with the exception of the Basenji. Barking is a natural activity that all canines do. It will never cease completely but it can definitely be controlled. The problem arises when they get carried away and don’t know when to stop barking. It could be over something simple as they heard a noise outside or inside the home or they just bark for the sake of barking.

Sometimes we as owners tend to get impatient and try to stop the barking in any way we can to avoid disturbing the neighbors or finish watching that movie. It’s completely normal for us to just give the dog a toy or give him a little attention when barking – we just need to understand that the dog will come to understand this as a treat for a good behavior.

Some owners try to quiet the barking by shouting or yelling “NO” at the dog. These negative enforcements could lead the dog to biting or other forms of aggression because he wants to protect his territory or is alarmed by something nearby.

So, before you try to stop your dog from barking, you must understand why he barks and what he is barking at. This will give you an idea of what action to take when your dog barks.

Common Causes of Excessive Dog Barking

There are different reasons for excessive dog barking. The following are the most common reasons.

Boredom

This form of barking is the most common. It usually occurs when the dog has nothing to do and has no distractions. This is usually solved with extra exercise or attention.

Territorial Barking

Dogs can be extremely territorial. Their territories include the area surrounding the dog’s home and also areas where he associates himself with you such as the car, walking routes, and parks you visit.  Dogs can bark excessively at people or other animals approaching these territories.

Attention Seeking

Many dogs will bark just to get attention or get a reward such as food and treats (like my husband :), toys, or to play.

Alarm Barking

This is when dogs bark at any noise or sound. Alarm barking is different than territorial barking. If you notice the dog is barking outside his territorial areas mentioned above, then this is called alarm barking. You will also notice that some dogs will move forward a little when barking. Some owners encourage this type of barking for obvious reasons.

Compulsive Barking

Some dogs may bark repetitively and excessively. Thesy usually run back and forth along the fence or yard repetitively.

Frustration

This happens usually when the dog is trying to get access to something or when their movement is restricted such as being tied up with a chain.

Anxiety

This seems to be a self-soothing act for many dogs. This bark is sometimes heard with a whining sound.

Playfulness or Excitement

This barking is very common in puppies. Sometimes the sound of the bark might sound upbeat and possibly musical. Its usually happens when the dog is about to walk or go on a car ride.

Socially responding to other dogs

Some dogs only bark when they hear others bark. This is a very familiar scenario.

How to Stop Dog Barking 101

These are the basics on how to stop your dog from barking. Go over these first before

Exercise – Dogs need to release energy during the day that can lead to excess barking.

Never reinforce the behavior – Don’t give any attention or toys to your dog when barking.

Anger and yelling causes confusion – Dogs don’t know they are doing something wrong when barking.

Training – Training is by far the broadest topic here (one that we will explore in more detail on future blog posts). Start by teaching your dog basic commands such as sitting, lying down and staying. This will help your dog understand that you are the alpha leader.

Dog barking is one of the most difficult (and annoying) things to control. It is so natural for them to bark and behave this way that it is sometimes hard to pinpoint the cause of this behavior. However, with proper training techniques, plenty of exercise, and attention, the causes of barking can be greatly reduced.

Other ways to Stop Your Dog from Barking

We at Dogmination believe that there isn’t just one way to stop dog barking. There are several different proven training methods and devices for different types of dog and owner personalities.

Instead of posting everything here, we will update this post with links to different training methods, dog barking control device reviews and more information that will help you stop the common problem of excessive dog barking.

Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

P.S. Don’t forget to join our free mailing list and get free access to the digital book “Be the Alpha Dog”.

Hello there,

Thanks for dropping by Dogmination. We have created this site to help dog owners (new and experienced) dominate their dogs.

It is true that “dog is man’s best friend”, but at Dogmination we would like to add to that old saying a little bit:

See, many dog owners disservice their dogs when said dogs are not well behaved. Dogs that are not under control of their owners are usually anti-social and make their lives (and those that surround them) miserable.

Some problems are annoying (like barking, jumping and humping) and some are downright dangerous (like random aggressive behavior). Almost all of these problems can be corrected via training and following basic best-practices.

As a dog owner, it is important to know that proper dog training is something that you must learn before your furry friend.

So welcome to the site and we hope that you stick around. Feel free to subscribe to our free mailing list and/or let us know what you would like to see here.

Take great care!