Why Do Puppies Bite?
"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Newton’s third law of
motion
Don't be surprised that a book on dog training is starting with an old physics quote.
It's from Newton but it's a natural law which is applicable to other events including dog
training.
I know you will want to ask: Of what use is this law here? You see, lots of people are
trying to find solutions to problems without actually knowing the cause of these
problems.
Lots of dog owners have been trying to stop puppies from biting without even knowing in
the first place why puppies bite. According to Isaac Newton, every action is a result of an
opposite reaction. Everything happens for a purpose and for a reason. Your puppy will
bite because of certain reasons, which if you study will help you in creating a good old
dog as a friend.
The main reason why puppies bite is as a result of TEETHING.
The teething period is a state when puppies are cutting new teeth. This is mostly between
the age of 4 to 6 months and the maximum age is 10 months. A nursing mother once told
me about her experience when her toddler was passing through the teething stage too.
How painful it was for her little baby girl. In the same way it is also painful for puppies
passing through this stage of having loose teeth hanging in their mouths.
Puppies’ jaws are weak and for them to inhibit the force of their jaws as a result of these
new teeth they gnaw, mouth and even play-bite to sooth the gums around the teeth.
The combination of weak jaws with extremely sharp, needle-like teeth and the puppy
penchant for biting results in numerous play-bites which, although painful, seldom cause
serious harm.
Thus, the developing pup receives ample necessary feedback regarding the
force of its bites before it develops strong jaws - which could inflict considerable injury.
The greater the pup’s opportunity to play-bite with people, other dogs and other animals,
the better the dog’s bite inhibition as an adult.
For puppies that do not grow up with the benefit of regular and frequent interaction with
other dogs and other animals, the responsibility of teaching bite inhibition lies with the
owner.
All puppies love to play by being mouthy and biting or chewing anything they can get
their sharp little teeth into. These sharp teeth are the reason that it is crucial for puppies to
learn bite inhibition (controlling the force of their bite) during the first few months of life.
Normally this is learned naturally and effectively through contact with mom and other
litter-mates. If the puppy bites mom during nursing, mom can roll the puppy over to
correct it or just get up and walk away.
Lack of socialization of puppies:
It is very important to socialize your puppy if you want to have happy dog. Lack of
socialization of your puppy between the age of 3 wks to 3mths with your environment,
your children, other people and other dogs can also lead to growling which can lead to
biting. Thus proper socializing is important.
Apart from teething and socialization, always bear it in mind that puppies explore objects
in their environment with their mouths.
