So my dog likes biting me, she keeps biting my fingers, toes, legs, my body parts and it doesn't hurt at all but I don't feel like it. I just want her to stop but I don't want to hurt her feelings because I know she just loves me but I don't like biting. What should I do???
Redirect and Reward. Keep one of her favorite toys with you at all time. Whenever she starts to bite at you, redirect her to the toy. Make the toy super fun - move it around, talk to it, etc. As soon as she goes for the toy, praise her. Then play with her with the toy for a moment. Keep doing this every single time. And if she immediately goes for the toy, praise her and play for a moment. You can also give her a treat once she starts playing with the toy, but I've found that giving them the interactive play time, even if just for a minute is more rewarding - she is biting at you because she wants to play with you, so giving her that reward playtime is giving her the attention she wants in an appropriate way. She will quickly start to realize that it is more rewarding to play with the toy than to bite you. You may find that she starts bringing a toy to you to initiate play - again praise her and reward her for that with a bit of play. Do not reprimand her, punish her, etc, for biting. Biting is a natural play behavior for dogs. In their brains, there is nothing wrong with biting in play. Punishing her for that is confusing. She doesn't understand that biting you is not the same as biting her siblings. You want to gently and positively direct her to a better play activity. Also, make sure she has chews. Especially if she tends to try to chew on you before bed, etc - when she does, give her the chew and praise her when she takes it.
@MimiDoris please do not use CBD on your puppy to stop biting. First, it will NOT work - biting is a natural behavior for puppies and CBD will NOT stop a dog from doing natural behaviors. Second, CBD is now touted as this miracle drug that can cure every ailment known to man and dog. No drug can do all that. It has its uses, but it is not a panacea. It should not be given willy nilly. You should talk to your vet before adding it to your dog's regime. And you certainly shouldn't use it based on the advice of a supplier making promotional posts on an internet forum.
Try redirecting her with a toy or treat. Say "no" gently and give her something appropriate to chew. Consistent training helps her understand what's okay. She won't feel bad; she's learning
First, this has been reported for advertising. Second, and more importantly, the information provided in this link is complete hogwash. The very first statement about the training techniques recommended by this website is: Wolves are the animals whose interactions mostly closely resemble those of humans. However, instead of a family, they live in pack in which the alpha wolf (the father) is the unquestioned leader. Just like a family of siblings wolves in the pack enjoy a harmonious existence, so too can your dog in your family setting. Folks, please watch a few Nature episodes. Wolves do not live in "packs" that resemble human families. They live IN families. There is no single alpha, there are parents (Mom and Dad wolf). There is NO unquestioned leader. The parents share in leadership and older siblings who have not yet moved off to start their own families provide leadership and guidance to the younger pups. Leadership is not about dominance and fear. It is about love and gentle guidance. We need to stop basing our treatment of our best friends based on an outdated, completely discredited (by the author himself) theory of alpha dog. There is no reason to dominate over your dog or use force and fear to command obedience. In fact, just like with human children, dogs treated like this are more likely to rebel.
Dominance theory has been relegated to the past for many years now. It was based on observations of a captive and semi-tame wolf population. This theory spawned a bunch of trainers like Cesar Milan - who often got bitten when attempting to dominate his trainees. Mouthing is a common puppy behaviour - similar to the play that which the puppy has been doing with his siblings. It is best dealt with by the human withdrawing from the 'game', by either turning away or leaving the room, or by distracting the dog's attention onto another substitute object, usually a favourite toy - always remembering to calmly reward the behaviour that you are looking for. A reward can be a toy, a treat, a mental challenge, a fur ruffle, or just a 'Good Dog'. As long as it is something the dog finds rewarding, it doesn't matter which. I would sum up dog training as, ignore the bad, and capture and reward that which you are looking for.
Correct. And that popoulation consisted of wolves put together as adults, not an actual "natural pack". The study was done in 1947 by Rudolph Schenkel. In the 1960s, he publicly denounced his own results stating that the study was faulty as the wolves were in a manufactured pack and did not represent a natural relationship within the group. It amazes me how much that theory has completely infiltrated society. I read a lot of urban paranormal books - vampires, witches, fae, werewolves, etc. And in every book, the idea of this alpha male dominance is supported in the lives of the werewolves. That the leader of the pack must fight for his position and use force and fear to keep the pack in line. That the pack must avert their eyes and not look directly at the leader. That they must submit or be punished. I've come to avoid werewolf stories because of it. I want an author who will write a story based on actual wolf behavior not on a manufactured behavior.
To stop your dog from biting, use consistent commands like "no" or "stop" when they bite. Immediately redirect their attention to a chew toy or bone. Reward them for good behavior with treats and praise. If biting persists, consider professional training or consult a vet to rule out any underlying issues. Consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience are key to breaking this behavior.
To stop your dog from biting you, follow these steps: 1) Provide Toys: Give them appropriate chew toys to redirect their biting. 2) Yelp and Withdraw: When bitten, say "Ouch" loudly and stop interacting to show biting leads to an end of play. 3) Positive Reinforcement: Reward calm behavior and gentle play with treats and praise. 4) Consistent Training: Teach commands like "Leave it" and "No bite." 5) Socialization: Regularly socialize your dog with other dogs and people to reduce fear and anxiety. Consistent training and positive reinforcement are key to preventing biting behavior. If biting persists, consider seeking help from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.
I have never found #2 to be effective. First, many puppies bite to get attention, so ignoring them, or pulling your body parts away, makes them try harder to get your attention (ie, bite more). Second, if the puppy isn't paying attention to you saying no, stop, etc, yelping "ouch" isn't going to be any different. #5 - socialization is not about meeting other dogs and people. Socialization is about introducing your puppy to the world. Letting them safely experience sights, sounds, scents and touch so they do not fear these things. In regards to other dogs and people, you want to teach your dog to ignore them not see them as automatic playmates. Pushing your puppy to interact with strange dogs and people can actually create fear and anxiety. #1, #3 and #4 will resolve puppy biting with the greatest success.
