How to Train Your Bull Terrier Dog to Not Bite

Hello Bonine, The biting is partially related to teething, it is also how puppies learn to control the pressure of their mouths so that they are safer during play or a fight. It is also a way they communicate with other dogs. It varies how soon it improves, some puppies aren't very mouthy, some stop around 4-5 months of age when they are finished teething, some get worse again for a while around 7-9 months when their jaws start to develop and are sore (this is also a heavy destructive chewing age). Puppies need help learning how to use their mouths appropriately. I usually aim to have puppies stop by the time they reach 5 months - because their jaws get stronger then. Check out the article linked below and the Bite Inhibition method and leave It method. I typically recommend the Bite Inhibition method for puppies younger than three months and the Leave It method for puppies 3 months and up or in general. You can use both also. Bite Inhibition method and Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hi, It sounds like the behavior might be meant as puppy mouthing but because of his oral stuff and lack of interaction with other puppies he doesn't have bite inhibition - which is where a puppy learns to control the pressure of his bite to make it gentler during play. If he seems aggressive - intending to harm on purpose, and not just wound up and too rough, then I would definitely hire a trainer because aggression at that age is very unusual and needs to be addressed ASAP by someone who has a ton of experience with aggression, great client reviews from those who have had that issue, and uses both positive reinforcement and fair correction - with a lot of emphasis on addressing underlying issues too. Puppy biting that looks more like tantrums, overly excited play, rough housing, and curiosity is 100% normal even if it hurts and still needs to be addressed. A dog that is lunging for your face, coming at you with a definite intent to harm you, and acting out of rage is not normal at this age. Some dogs have a strong defense drive and part of what that means is that when you apply physical pressure, like penning down, their natural response is to fight back and resist the pressure, instead of run away, give into it, or calm down. Dogs with strong defense drives do better with gaining their respect through consistency and things that stimulate their minds to think. There are certain commands you can teach to help earn a dog's respect through mental stimulation instead of a lot of physical stimulation - these methods still may involve correction but the correction is less physical and also combined with positive reinforcement once the dog does a correct behavior instead. Check out the articles linked below for some good commands to teach him to help with the rowdiness and lack of impulse control: Out - which means leave the area - great for biting. Be sure to read the entire article for different ways to use it in certain scenarios, and how to teach it: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It command - Leave It method to build impulse control: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Place command - work up to him being able to stay on place for an hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners - staying in an open crate to build impulse control and calmness while you are home: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds - building his respect for your space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method - also helps build spacial awareness, respect and calmness: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo Try placing his dog food into a container and covering it with water, letting it sit out until the food turns into mush, mixing a little peanut butter, cheese or liver paste into it (avoid Xylitol in peanut butter - it's toxic to dogs), then loosely stuffing a hollow chew toy with it. You can also freeze the toy if it's too easy for him to get the food out, and make several ahead of time if you plan to freeze. Many puppies need to be taught to chew on chew toys - this is done by using hollow chew toys and feeding your pup his meals in them, making them extra enticing with a bit of liver, cheese, or peanut butter if extra incentive is needed. It takes time to chew toy train. A good time to do it is in the crate or while he is on Place and can't leave - while he is bored and that's his only entertainment option. If he still won't take interest in chew toys, then check out something like Pet Tutor or Auto Trainer - a treat dispensing device that rewards certain calm behaviors by occasionally dispensing a piece of dog food. Puzzle toys are also good. If he isn't already, crate train him! This is extremely important for him especially. It sounds like he needs to practice things that give him an opportunity to learn to self-sooth, self-entertain, be calm, and relax. Place, crate training, and staying in the crate with the door open too are good ways to help him learn those skills. When many puppies get really tired they will actually bite a lot more - when he has an especially hard time listening, then he may need some rest-time in a crate or exercise pen. Check out the Surprise method linked below for introducing a crate. Expect a couple weeks of protesting. Many dogs adjust in 3 days, but up to 2 weeks of adjusting it normal - STAY CONSISTENT. Don't let him out unless he needs to go potty or is quiet for just a second (doesn't have to be long but catch him when he's quiet so that he is being rewarded with freedom for quietness and not noise). Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Finally, because of his past there is a chance that he has a really bad association with being touched or handled. If you find this is the case, then work on desensitizing him to touch and handling - it's a great thing for all dogs to practice as an aggression preventative too. Use his daily meal kibble for this. For example, touch an ear- give a treat. Touch a paw - give a treat. Touch a tail - give a treat. Touch his shoulder - give a treat. Hold his collar and give a treat. Start by giving the treat at the same time you touch him, then as he improves touch first, then give the treat. Start by touching areas he is most comfortable with first, like his shoulder, and gradually work toward areas that he is less comfortable with - like his tail, being especially gentle and focusing a lot of your efforts on touching those areas he struggles with to help him relax. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Angela, Check out the article linked below. Starting today, use the "Yelp" method (which you are already essentially doing). BUT at the same time, begin teaching "Leave It" from the "Leave It" method. As soon as pup is good as the Leave It game, start telling pup to "Leave It" when he attempts to bite or is tempted to bite. Reward pup if he makes a good choice. If he disobeys your leave it command, use the Pressure method to gently discipline pup for biting when you told him not to. The order or all of this is very important - the yelp method can be used for the next couple of weeks while pup is learning leave it, but leave it will teach pup to stop the biting entirely. The pressure method teaches pup that you mean what you say without being overly harsh - but because you have taught pup to leave it first, pup clearly understands that you are not just roughhousing (which is what pup probably thinks most of the time right now), so it is more effective. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Another important part of this is puppy learning bite inhibition. Puppies have to learn while young how to control the pressure of their mouths - this is typically done through play with other puppies. See if there is a puppy class in your area that comes well recommended and has time for moderated off-leash puppy play. If you can't join a class, look for a free puppy play group, or recruit some friends with puppies to come over if you can and create your own group. You are looking for puppies under 6 months of age - since young puppies play differently than adult dogs. Moderate the puppies' play and whenever one pup seems overwhelmed or they are all getting too excited, interrupt their play, let everyone calm down, then let the most timid pup go first to see if they still want to play - if they do, then you can let the other puppies go too when they are waiting for permission. Finding a good puppy class - no class will be ideal but here's what to shoot for: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/puppy-classes-when-to-start/ When pup gets especially wound up, he probably needs a nap too. At this age puppies will sometimes get really hyper when they are overtired or haven't had any mental stimulation through something like training. When you spot that and think pup could be tired, place pup in their crate or an exercise pen with a food stuffed Kong for a bit to help him calm down and rest. Finally, check out the PDF e-book downloads found on this website, written by one of the founders of the association of professional dog trainers, and a pioneer in starting puppy kindergarten classes in the USA. Click on the pictures of the puppies to download the PDF books: https://www.lifedogtraining.com/freedownloads/ Know that mouthiness at this age is completely normal. It's not fun but it is normal for it to take some time for a puppy to learn self-control well enough to stop. Try not to get discouraged if you don't see instant progress, any progress and moving in the right direction in this area is good, so keep working at it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Mel, What you are describing does not sound like true aggression (although I am not there to witness), what is most likely going on is that pup is trying to rough house with you like he would with another puppy and lacks impulse control and bite inhibition - which is what he needs to learn. Check out the article linked below. Starting today, use the "Yelp" method. BUT at the same time, begin teaching "Leave It" from the "Leave It" method - found in the same article linked below. As soon as pup is good at the Leave It game, start telling pup to "Leave It" when he attempts to bite or is tempted to bite. Reward pup if he makes a good choice. If he disobeys your leave it command, use the "Pressure" method from the article below to gently discipline pup for biting when you told him not to. The order or all of this is very important - the yelp method can be used for the next couple of weeks while pup is learning leave it, but leave it will teach pup to stop the biting entirely. The pressure method teaches pup that you mean what you say without being overly harsh - but because you have taught pup to leave it first, pup clearly understands that you are not just roughhousing (which is what pup probably thinks most of the time right now), so it is more effective. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Another important part of this is puppy learning bite inhibition. Puppies have to learn while young how to control the pressure of their mouths - this is typically done through play with other puppies. See if there is a puppy class in your area that comes well recommended and has time for moderated off-leash puppy play. If you can't join a class, look for a free puppy play group, or recruit some friends with puppies to come over if you can and create your own group. You are looking for puppies under 6 months of age - since young puppies play differently than adult dogs. Moderate the puppies' play and whenever one pup seems overwhelmed or they are all getting too excited, interrupt their play, let everyone calm down, then let the most timid pup go first to see if they still want to play - if they do, then you can let the other puppies go too when they are waiting for permission. Finding a good puppy class - no class will be ideal but here's what to look for: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/puppy-classes-when-to-start/ When pup gets especially wound up, he probably needs a nap too. At this age puppies will sometimes get really hyper when they are overtired or haven't had any mental stimulation through something like training. When you spot that and think pup could be tired, place pup in their crate or an exercise pen with a food stuffed Kong for a bit to help him calm down and rest. Finally, check out the PDF e-book downloads found on this website, written by one of the founders of the association of professional dog trainers, and a pioneer in starting puppy kindergarten classes in the USA. Click on the pictures of the puppies to download the PDF books: https://www.lifedogtraining.com/freedownloads/ Know that mouthiness at this age is completely normal. It's not fun but it is normal for it to take some time for a puppy to learn self-control well enough to stop. Try not to get discouraged if you don't see instant progress, any progress and moving in the right direction in this area is good, so keep working at it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Maria, It sounds like it's time to hire a professional trainer. During this time, many trainers offer Skype and remote training. Check out Jeff Gellman from SolidK9Training. You need someone who is very experienced with aggression, who can ask more detailed questions about pup and the bites, then tailor a training plan to you, based on what they learn during your sessions. The issue could be resource guarding, a lack of respect, fear or trauma, or a number of other things. How you train will depend on when and why the bites are happening. Certain precautions will also need to be taken during training, depending on the details of pup's aggression. Things such as back tie leashes to provide safe distance while working on things like desensitization or resource guarding, a basket muzzle pup is desensitized to using treats ahead of time - to keep you safe while working on exercises that build respect, like a structured heel, Off, Out, Leave It, ect... Or a crate while desensitizing pup to the movement of kids if that's the issue. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Brady, Not all trainers are experienced with aggression and reactivity, or have the resources to safely work on the issue. First, I suggest finding a trainer who comes well recommended, who is very experienced in this area. Ideally, look for a trainer or group that has access to a lot of well-socialized dogs and possibly a second trainer, so that training sessions can be set up where you can control the variables - like distance between dogs and having the other dog pass back and forth over and over again, while your dog is worked with. Check out Sean O' Shea from the Good Dog, Thomas from the Canine Educator, and others who specialize in aggression to learn more about the issue. They both have free Youtube videos and websites. Part of the training will involve building pup's trust and respect for you - often that's a contributor or at least can improve aggression and reactivity. Teaching commands like Place, Heel, Down, creating rules and boundaries in the home and calmly enforcing them, and having pup work for life rewards can help to build trust and respect. Check out the article linked below, and especially the "Working method" for instructions on how to have pup work for life rewards. The other two methods, the consistency method and obedience method are also great to follow, so check out those. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden