How to Train Your Puppy to Stop Biting

Hello Alexx, It sounds like pup thinks you are playing. I would switch to the Leave It method and teach Out as well. Leave It method - this will take time to teach. Know that this is a process and that's normal. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Out - leave the area, especially the section on using out to deal with pushiness, once pup has learned what out means through the section on how to teach Out. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Sometimes when pups get really wound up and can't seem to settle back down, they are actually overtired at this age. I would utilize a crate or exercise pen and a dog food stuffed chew toy for some chew toy quiet time when pup seems to be at that point, to facilitate rest. Mental stimulation is also helpful if pup is cooped up a lot while you are away during the day and needs their mind exercised more. Training practice, training games, and things like interactive dog food stuffed toys and puzzles can help with mental stimulation. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello K, For the chewing, check out the article I have linked below. Work on teaching Out and Leave It and Drop It found in that article also. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/train-dog-not-to-chew/ I would also keep a drag leash on pup when you are home to supervise and make sure it doesn't get caught on anything, picking up the end of the leash to calmly enforce commands like Drop It or Leave It, and crate pup while away with a dog food stuffed chew to to help train pup to prefer to chew their own toys - which has to be taught. I would spray the bottom of the drag leash with bitter apple spray or white vinegar - make sure the leash is a material the spray won't ruin and not something like leather. You can also purchase a leash like VirChewLy on amazon. This should help deter some of the initial chewing and biting on the leash. When pup is biting it with you holding the other end, you can also pull the ends of the leash hanging out of pup's mouths toward pup's cheeks, so that the leash is hitting the spot in the back of pup's mouth where their jaws come together. This is a sensitive area, and most dogs will choose to spit the leash out on their own when the leash is putting pressure on that spot. When pup starts spitting the leash out you can let them spit it out. Pup will probably respond by biting the leash again once its out. Repeat the pressure each time pup attacks it again. After a few repetitions most puppies will decide this isn't a fun game and stop biting it for now. This will take some practice for pup not to bite it again in the first place though. As far as pup biting you, check out the article linked below. Starting today, use the "Bite Inhibition" method, 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 Bite Inhibition 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 I would also work on teaching the Out command, and then use the section from the article on How to Use Out to Deal with Pushiness, to enforce it when pup doesn't listen, especially around other animals or kids. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ 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 Brenda, It sounds like Bailey is fear aggressive, and has learned through experience that biting gets people to go away. Once a dog successfully bites people multiple times it can be hard to one hundred percent eradicate the problem, but there are definitely things that you can do to improve it, and make it more manageable. Aggression can be a hard problem to solve on your own, for that reason I would recommend that you find a local trainer in your area who has successfully dealt with lots of aggressive dogs. Bailey is small, so the aggression is less dangerous, but the root of the problem is the same as any aggressive dog's, so it needs to be treated the same way that you would treat a larger dog's behavior. With that said, here are some things you can work on either by yourself or with the help or a trainer. First, go buy Bailey a basket muzzle that is his size, so that he can work close to people without them getting bit. Make sure that it is a basket muzzle, so that he can open his mouth inside the muzzle, and eat treats or lick cheese or peanut butter off of a straw that you poke through, to reward good behavior. Introduce the muzzle with lots of treats in a calm location. Reward him every time he touches it, then every time he lets you put it partially on him, then reward when he is wearing it, by passing tiny treats to him through the muzzle holes, or by dipping a drinking straw into peanut butter or squeeze cheese and poking it through the muzzle to let him lick. Reward him again after he has worn the muzzle for ten minutes. Do this every ten minutes. Continue rewarding him until he looks forward to wearing the muzzle or will at least tolerate it without distress. Practice walking by strangers, at first from a distance, and whenever he remains calm or looks at you for direction, reward him. You will occasionally see him deciding whether to act aggressively or not, when you see him thinking about it, call his name, and then reward him for looking at you. By doing this, you are telling him what he should be doing rather than acting aggressively. In this case what he should be doing is looking at you and remaining calm. As he improves, very gradually decrease the distance between you and the other people. When you are very close to other people, then have him wear the basket muzzle when you pass by, so that he cannot bite. Reward him when he acts calm or is attentive toward you, by pausing and passing him treats or inserting the peanut butter straw for him to lick. Also, recruit friends or family members that your dog does not know, to help you. Put Bailey on a six to ten foot leash, attached to a collar or a harness, that you know he definitely cannot slip out of and will not break. Have your friend enter your home, yard, or public location where you are, and stand or sit about fifteen feet away from Bailey, and ignore him. He will likely pitch a fit for quite a while. Simply wait for him to take a break for a couple of seconds. Be patient and expect this to take a long time at first. Give your friend lots of your dog's favorite treats, and any time that he is quiet or doing something calm, for even two seconds, have your friend toss him a treat. The treat needs to come from your friend so that Bailey will learn to trust him. As Bailey warms up to the person and is doing well overtime, allow your dog to get closer by attaching the leash to something secure that is a couple of feet closer to your friend. Keep repeating this, until your dog is only a couple of feet out of reach from your friend. If your dog is still doing well, and not reacting aggressively, and wanting to meet the person, then put the basket muzzle on Bailey, and give your friend the straw and something like cheese or peanut butter to dip it into. After you have done this, allow your dog to reach the person all the way if he chooses to, while the person calmly interacts with your dog. Every time that your dog goes up to the person without acting aggressively, have your friend reward him. It is important that your dog wear the muzzle for this for two reasons. One is to protect your friend, but the other is to teach your dog that he cannot use him mouth to control people. When your dog is comfortable around your first friend, then utilize another friend's help, and practice the same thing with that person. Keep practicing with other friends, one person at a time. If your dog becomes used to people in your home but still reacts badly to people outside, then have your friend meet you in a public place, so that your dog thinks your friend, who he has never met, is a stranger. Good locations to meet could include your neighborhood side walk, in a pet store, or at the park. The more people that you can get to help you with this, the better your dog will react to people in general, rather than just being nice around a few people. Practice this the most around the types of people your dog hates. In this case men and African Americas. Even practice this around children, once your dog is doing better with people in general, but be extremely careful around kids, and make sure that the child is very comfortable with all dogs and not frightened by Bailey's barking. When you practice around children, use two leashes and have your dog wear both a collar and harness, attaching one leash to his collar and one to his harness, then attach both to something very secure. This it to make sure that there is no chance of him slipping out or breaking one confinement, and biting the child. Also put the muzzle on him much sooner, as he nears the child while improving. Doing all this may not ensure that he is even trustworthy in all circumstances. There likely will always be some management needed, like keeping him on a leash around strangers, but if you work hard, then over time you might be able to get to a place where he rarely acts aggressively, rather than rarely does not act aggressively, and that can make life with him so much more enjoyable for you and others, and also prevent the potential dangers of an injury or lawsuit. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden