All dog owners love their puppies. It's natural. We can’t get enough of them when they are cute and we can’t help but love them when they are driving us crazy.
That’s just the way it is. However, we as dog owners have a responsibility to train our puppies how to grow and adapt in a human environment. The dog owner must take the proper measures when the puppies are young. Create positive habits early in the puppies life and they will endure a lifetime.
Nipping: It is vital that we instil in our puppies when they are young, that biting will not be tolerated. You must redirect his urge to nip, to his rubber toys and treats. Nipping when young, if left uncorrected can lead to biting as an adult. Therefore, begin at a very young age.
If he bites a little too hard for your taste, let him know it hurt and immediately leave the room. Stay away for only a moment and then return. Repeat the process as much as needed. This will inflict upon him that biting is rough, will make his fun to go astray. This process will be gradual. Once he begins to nipple more lightly, continue until he has stopped completely.
Chewing: Lets face it, puppies love to chew things. They seem to have a special attraction to those new shoes or purse you just bought. Puppies are simply going to chew. It is in no doubt a ritual employed to minimize their aching gums. This is as a result of the teething process.
You cannot rightfully restrain your puppy from chewing. The best answer is to redirect his efforts. He has to ease that terrible pain of teething. When you catch him chewing on an undesirable item, simply tell him no, and replace that item with a rubber toy. When he begins to chew on the toy, offer him praise in appreciation of his attacking his item, rather than yours.
This gradual process will teach him to chew on his things, and not things that he should not. However, if you do not begin the process when he is young, and stick to the routine, it will have little chance of success. In addition, you should keep plenty of his toys around him. This will help to eliminate his desire to chew elsewhere.
Our puppies are a joy in our lives. They can become lifetime friends, whom we can trust with all of our hearts. It is our responsibility as dog owners to assist them in the process of the transformation from puppy to dog. If we fail to do so, then it is not the fault of the dog. He will only be as competent as his owner has trained him to be. The chewing and nipping habits are natural. They are a part of the growing stage.
How we handle this situation, can have lingering effects for better or worse, so get your puppy started on the right track. Redirect his urges and form a bond that will endure a lifetime. The reward will be in knowing; that you have did everything possible in your power to develop a well mannered dog.
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