How to Train Your Dog to Not Play Bite

Hello Cassandra, With pup's current age and history, I actually suggest another training route. Check out the article linked below and follow the "Leave It" method. Work on Leave It as often as you can throughout the week. How fast a dog learns a behavior has less to do with time and more to do with how many training sessions they practice it during...If you have 1-3 training sessions throughout the day 6-7 days per week, pup will learn a lot faster than if you only had 3 training sessions throughout the week, but pup will need a couple of hours break between each training sessions. You can also incorporate training into your daily routine in many cases. Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite First, pup needs to learn to stop biting or not start biting when you say so. He also needs to develop the impulse control necessary to actually obey you. Practicing the Leave It method like the one described in the article I linked below can help with both of those things. Once pup knows Leave It really well, tell pup Leave It when he may bite or begins to bite. If he doesn't bite, reward with calm praise and a treat. If he disobeys Leave It and bites anyway, add a consequence. Check out the video linked below for an example of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcwvUOf5oOg Practice getting pup excited yourself and telling him Leave It and rewarding if he obeys and correcting if he keeps biting. As he improves, and no longer bites you, recruit friends and family to be the exciting person and you or them tell him to "Leave It" and give praise and reward if he obeys, and you correct if needed. Also, practice other commands that increase trust and respect to help pup learn better impulse control, listening, and calmness. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate Training: Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Surprise method for introducing crate: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel If pup has ever shown any signs of aggression or has a history of aggression, don't deal with the biting on your own or you could be bitten. Hire a trainer who is very experienced with aggression and behavior issues to help you. If pup has issues with aggression in other areas the biting at this age could be related to more than just excitement. From your description, I am guessing that pup's issue is similar to the dog in the first video I linked above - the labrador mix who was jumping and mouthing. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! This behavior is normal as long as it doesn't become a form of aggression. It is really something that the dogs need to work out among themselves. Dogs will communicate to eachother if the biting is too harsh. If you do feel the need to break up the biting, you will want to do so indirectly. Use a squirt gun or water bottle to break them up, or a loud sound.

Hello! Here is information on nipping/biting. Nipping: Puppies may nip for a number of reasons. Nipping can be a means of energy release, getting attention, interacting and exploring their environment or it could be a habit that helps with teething. Whatever the cause, nipping can still be painful for the receiver, and it’s an action that pet parents want to curb. Some ways to stop biting before it becomes a real problem include: Using teething toys. Distracting with and redirecting your dog’s biting to safe and durable chew toys is one way to keep them from focusing their mouthy energies to an approved location and teach them what biting habits are acceptable. Making sure your dog is getting the proper amount of exercise. Exercise is huge. Different dogs have different exercise needs based on their breed and size, so check with your veterinarian to make sure that yours is getting the exercise they need. Dogs—and especially puppies—use their playtime to get out extra energy. With too much pent-up energy, your pup may resort to play biting. Having them expel their energy in positive ways - including both physical and mental exercise - will help mitigate extra nips. Being consistent. Training your dog takes patience, practice and consistency. With the right training techniques and commitment, your dog will learn what is preferred behavior. While sometimes it may be easier to let a little nipping activity go, be sure to remain consistent in your cues and redirection. That way, boundaries are clear to your dog. Using positive reinforcement. To establish preferred behaviors, use positive reinforcement when your dog exhibits the correct behavior. For instance, praise and treat your puppy when they listen to your cue to stop unwanted biting as well as when they choose an appropriate teething toy on their own. Saying “Ouch!” The next time your puppy becomes too exuberant and nips you, say “OUCH!” in a very shocked tone and immediately stop playing with them. Your puppy should learn - just as they did with their littermates - that their form of play has become unwanted. When they stop, ensure that you follow up with positive reinforcement by offering praise, treat and/or resuming play. Letting every interaction with your puppy be a learning opportunity. While there are moments of dedicated training time, every interaction with your dog can be used as a potential teaching moment.

Hello Jenna, Is there anything that could appear different to your dog than the other roommates or yourself? Such as a disability, more aggressive personality, more fearful personality, or race? Dogs often trust those they become more familiar with as puppies and were socialized around. If a dog was never around someone who walked with a limp, was of Asian descent, or is louder or more aggressive in temperament that dog can lack view the unfamiliar as suspicious. Unfortunately, many dogs also find those with a fear of dogs more suspicious too, because those people tend to have different body language and smells around them than those who are confident around dogs. I recommend hiring a professional trainer to help you with this in person. Look for someone who specializes in fear and aggression. The training will likely involve determining what it is about your roommate that pup finds suspicious and desensitizing pup to people who have those traits in common, while also working on commands and routines that help manage the behavior right now. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden