How to Train a Pekingese to Stop Biting
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Introduction
Incredible Pekingese pups were bred many years ago for royalty. If you have a Pekingese in your home, you know just how noble he is. He's courageous and even bold. He lets his demands be known and will sometimes even bite to ensure you are listening and paying attention.
If you feel your Pekingese is aggressive and acting out with poor choices by biting you, other people, or even other animals, he may be dealing with his own personal boundary issues. Families with children who also have a Pekingese in their home sometimes find battles between the dog and the child because the Pekingese breed is typically so strong-willed they believe they are in charge. When it comes to someone picking them up or crossing their boundaries, they are more likely to bite. Even if your Pekingese is a well-behaved pup you might find when he's uncomfortable and feels someone has encroached upon his space, he may react or overreact with a nip or bite.
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Defining Tasks
If your Pekingese is a puppy and he is biting, you should know this is pretty normal puppy behavior. However, it's a habit that needs to be broken early so it doesn't become a behavior as he grows. If your Pekingese is an adult and he's biting, you will need to spend a bit more time reminding him how to behave and training him not to bite.
Training a Pekingese is not the easiest thing to do, but you can teach your little guy how to play with others, whether people or animals, in a nice and gentle fashion. Doing this kind of training will consist of setting the dog up to bite, correcting his behavior, and then rewarding him when he does not react as he has in the past.
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Getting Started
If your Pekingese plays with toys, be sure to have some of his favorite toys on hand for your training sessions. This training will be positive reinforcement-based training so you will need to reward your little guy for his good choices. Schedule some short sessions to teach these reminders and a have few commands in mind to ask your Pekingese to be gentle and not bite. Your dog is more likely to learn in sessions that are short enough to hold his attention and that are free of distractions around him.
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The Puppy Cry Method
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During play
When your Pekingese bites you while you're playing together, give him a puppy yelp. He should be fairly used to the sound of his litter mates yelping when they are bitten. This is how puppies play, and it is completely normal. But you do need to begin to train him that it’s not appropriate.
Stop playing
After making your puppy yelp sound, stop playing with your Pekingese. He needs to understand if he chooses to bite he's going to lose play time with you.
Command
Teach a command such as 'be gentle' so he knows any time he's overplaying or being too rough to calm down and play in a more gentle fashion. To do this, say the command each time you are playing with your Pekingese and he bites.
Challenge
Continue to challenge Fido by playing with him and enticing him to bite. When your little guy plays too rough or acts as if he's going to bite, use your 'gentle' command to remind him how to behave.
Not biting
When your pup is playing on a consistent basis without biting, start rewarding for his good behaviors. Anytime he bites during playtime, stop playing and give him the ‘gentle’ command and no treat. When he's playing well and not biting, reward him with a treat.
The Engage and Distract Method
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Engage with pup
Spend some time playing with your Pekingese getting him excited. If he decides to nip at you while you're playing, distract him with something else to chew on.
Distract
Have toys on hand during your play time to offer your little guy instead of your fingers.
In his mouth
Keep your pup's mouth distracted and entertained by placing a chew toy directly in his mouth anytime he decides to nip at you.
Stop playing
If your dog will not behave and is choosing to bite you instead of playing with you, stop playing all together and walk away. This is a distraction that will cause him to pause.
Get his attention
Engage your pup in a more positive way by getting his attention. Say his name and distract him with motion and play in another manner.
Make noise
Distract your little guy by making some loud noises. You can shake a tin can full of coins or a musical egg to get his attention focused on something besides whatever he's biting.
Play nice
Encourage your Pekingese to play nice by reminding him with a command each time he needs to be redirected from poor behaviors. When you catch your little guy playing nicely on his own reward him with a tasty treat.
The Obedience Method
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Set your role
Make your role as your dog's master well-known in his world. As the leader of your dog’s pack, he will likely listen to you more and obey your commands.
Reinforcement
When your Pekingese behaves well and is obedient, reward him with positive reinforcement rewards. You will give him a treat every time he behaves well or follows a basic command. Any other time, plan to ignore poor behaviors or redirect by showing him positive behaviors.
Train, train, train
If your Pekingese has a biting problem, be sure to train basic obedience commands. These very simple foundational commands will set you as the leader and your dog as your follower.
Potty training
Be sure to housebreak your Pekingese as well as teach basic obedience commands. A housebroken dog is more likely to listen to his owner than one who is allowed to do whatever he wishes inside the house.
Firm voice
When you need to redirect your puppy, use a firm voice. Avoid punishment or any physical hitting. You can simply use commands or tell your Pekingese to be gentle by using a firm voice.
Positive engagement
Engage with your Pekingese in positive ways. Encourage playtime together and reward for good behaviors and obedience training as he learns.
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 04/01/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
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Training Questions and Answers
Gizmo
Pekingese
One Year
Question
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0 found this helpful
Gizmo barks and growls at everyone including family friends and strangers. He also pulls while walking him. I can't even take him to get grooming because he don't want anyone to touch him or be around. What can I do to get him out of this high anxiety
May 9, 2023
Gizmo's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Check out the video channel I have linked below. He may need additional safety measures like a basket muzzle or leash in certain situations until things improve too. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXtcKXk-QWojGYcl1NCg5UA5geEnmpx4a Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
May 10, 2023
Puff
Pekingese
10 Years
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My dog is behaving as if he is threatened. He has bitten my boyfriend and will growl at me. What do I do to change this behavior?
Feb. 11, 2021
Puff's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
257 Dog owners recommended
As a dog owner, you probably get upset when your dog growls. Your first reaction may be to suppress the growling by scolding or punishing the dog. This is never a good idea. By teaching your dog that growling isn't acceptable behavior, you're taking away its ability to warn you that it may bite. You may have heard stories about dogs that bite with no warning. But, in many cases, this is because the owners trained their dogs not to give a warning growl first. The key to getting a dog to stop growling is not to suppress the growls, but rather to deal with the underlying problem. Once the pain, fear, possession aggression, or territoriality has been dealt with, the dog will no longer need to growl. In-Depth Training Territoriality, possession aggression, and fear are serious behavior problems. Depending on the degree of the behavioral problem, the dog may respond well to a training program or may need a much more in-depth behavior modification program. A dog trainer or animal behaviorist can help you evaluate the dog, and determine the best course of action for dealing with these issues. As you work with this type of trainer, be as specific as possible as to what you think triggered the growling. The trainer will likely work with the dog to slowly condition it to accept the trigger and not growl in its presence. Next Steps While you're working to determine the cause of the growling, don't ignore it or it's likely to get worse. Be careful around your dog until you figure out why it's growling. Additionally, you may want to help your dog modify its behavior until the situation is under control. For example, if your dog always growls at the mail carrier, close the window shades and eliminate any sightlines while you work on the problem. If possible, eliminate triggers, avoid stressful situations, and caution others (both dogs and humans) to keep their distance in order to prevent a dog bite. For example, you may not want to introduce your dog to new dogs, bring it to a dog park, or host a loud party until you get help.
Feb. 12, 2021