Training That Prevents Your Dog From Biting

No matter what breed of dog you have, no matter how big or little it is and no matter how nice or docile you think it is, there is no guarantee that your dog will not bite you or someone else in their lifetime. You can prevent them from biting by using a few techniques; however there is always a possibility that your dog will bite.

First and foremost when getting any kind of dog, you need to socialize them with other people and animals as early as possible. If you have dog parks in the area, bring them at least one time everyday so that they get use to other dogs. This will help reduce your dog's desire to fight with other dogs as well as reduce their desire to roam around.

If you're not going to breed your dog, then your best bet is to have your dog spayed or neutered. There are many places in your area that will spay or neuter a dog for less than your veterinarian charges, the Humane Society is one of these places. Check out there website at hsus.org for locations near you. A spayed or neutered dog is almost three times less likely to bite than dogs that have not been fixed.

Although playing rough with your dog at times is fun, try to avoid it whenever possible. When you start to play aggressive games with your dog such as tugging ropes, wrestling, or any other aggressive behavior, this gives the dog a sense that they can act that way all the time. If you have a puppy or puppies, do not allow them to chew on anything except a chew toy that you give them at specific times of the day. Do not allow them to bite on your hands, and when they do tell them "no" in a stern voice.

One of the best ways to teach your dog good behavior is to take them to a socialization class, especially if you have a big family with children in the home. If you're not sure where to find these classes, you can ask your veterinarian or you can contact the Humane Society for a list of classes in your area. These classes provide excellent ways to teach your dog obedience without having to do it all by yourself.

Do not assume at any time that your dog will not bite. Putting any animal in certain situations can make the dog become aggressive. Some examples of situations are leaving the dog home alone when he/she is not use to it, or bringing the dog around too many people. Dogs can also become very aggressive when they are fed. One of the ways to find out if they are food aggressive is to make sure when they are eating that you can remove the food bowl from them without any reaction. If you see a change in your dog's behavior during any of these circumstances, talk to your veterinarian or to a trainer to work with getting them out of the bad habits.

Owning a dog is not something that you should take lightly. You have to rearrange a lot of things in your household. I myself have four Alaskan Huskies; two of them are adults and two of them are their puppies. Believe me; it is not easy to train huskies. You have to be on them continuously throughout the entire day or they will wreck your entire house by eating everything in sight. My advice to both new and old dog owners alike is to take it seriously- do not just buy a dog just to have a dog. Buy the dog to be part of your everyday life, or don't get a dog at all.

To learn more about training your dog/dogs, please visit the Dog Obedience Advice website.