Golden retriever puppies are known for their friendliness and gentleness. However, they can also react if they have been provoked. Like all puppies, as friendly as they are, sometimes they cannot hide their animalistic instincts. Puppies at a young age, up to 8 months, may bite playfully.
However, what makes a Golden Retriever puppy bite? In this article, we will look at why your golden retriever puppy is biting. Additionally, we will look at some methods you can use to stop a Golden Retriever puppy from biting.
Ten tips to stop a Golden Retriever Puppy from biting
- Train puppy to be gentle
- Teach kids to play with the puppy
- Provide chew toys
- Biting inhibition
- Use non-touch play
- Cease playing right away
- Put a leash on
- Teach the puppy to socialize
- Teach them commands
- Teach him the ‘leave it’ command
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Train puppy to be gentle
Everything that an adult dog does, he learned from his puppyhood. This means these are some of the things that you have taught him. For instance, if you are used to playing roughly with your puppy, you might have issues trying to control your puppy. Your puppy will always play rough with you and everyone else.
Since play will involve chasing, barking, and even touching, your puppy will be tempted to bite on you or other people. Therefore, practicing safe and gentle play with your puppy is advisable. This includes everyone else in your family. To train your puppy to be Gentofte must be very patient. This is because he might not be able to grasp it all at the same time.
This process will begin with teaching him the ‘be gentle’ command. For instance, pause when your puppy is mouthing your hand and look at him sternly. Then calmly tell him to be gentle with your hands. You will have to do this until he learns that mouthing is unacceptable.
Offer him a treat or praise each time he stops mouthing. Luckily for you, it won’t take long before he understands what you mean, and thus you will be able to control your Golden Retriever puppy from biting.
2. Teach kids to play with your puppy
As dogs seem pretty friendly even with kids, we cannot forget that we are still dealing with dogs. This means he can attack; the problem is that it is very spontaneous. Your puppy is not aggressive, but he will defend himself again. As we all know, children can be a little overwhelming, even for a dog.
For instance, when you leave your dog and child unsupervised, many things could ensue, and the puppy can bite your child. First, he might be trying to get your child to play and pulling on them using his teeth. On the other hand, your child might not be interested in playing. In this scenario, should your child hit the Golden retriever puppy, he might retaliate by biting your child.
In other cases, children will encourage their puppy to bite during play. Understand that dogs do not like to be startled or subjected to pain. Children usually have no idea about dog behavior, so they can initiate play, hit, or even frighten your puppy, who will bite in return.
Please spend some time with your puppy on a leash and teach your children how to play with him. In addition, you can have your dog lie down and encourage the kids to pet your puppy. This way, your dog will understand that he cannot attack your kids since they are up there with you regarding authority.
3. Avoid having your puppy overexcited
If you have spent 30 minutes playing with your puppy, you understand how excited they become. While this is perfectly normal and okay, your over-excited puppy might be tempted to bite. As harmless as it can be, it can be painful and a start to another vice. Therefore, providing play that will not be too overwhelming is essential.
For instance, you might arouse his hunting instincts when you let him chase you. Given that the Golden Retriever bred has been used for hunting, he will be too excited for this activity. As a result, once he catches you, he might be tempted to bite you; after all, that is how he knows he won.
To stop your Golden Retriever puppy from biting completely, refrain from overexciting play. Suppose you notice that your puppy bites during play and no other times; consider toning it all down. Instead of having him chase you, get him a ball. This way, you can throw it and instruct him to fetch it.
When your puppy doesn’t settle, stop the play immediately and take him inside. This way, you will give him time to relax and calm down. Refrain from overexciting play with your puppy if he tends to keep biting.
4. Provide chew toys
Even though we discourage puppy biting, we cannot be able to stop him altogether. This is especially true if your puppy is teething as he constantly looks for ways to itch his gums. This is where chew toys come in. Since your puppy has a natural need for the mouth, you can get a chew toy for him. Not only will it help you curb mouthing, but it will also be helpful for your puppy.
There are so many types of dog toys for this purpose. For instance, you can get bone-shaped toys to keep him occupied and curious all day. You should, however, ensure that you keep them clean and that they are safe for your puppy. You do not want him peeling off tiny chips into his stomach, which could lead to more severe health issues. Therefore, ensure that each toy is of the required standards and harmless for your puppy.
You will give your puppy the chance to exercise, strengthen his jaws, and stop him from biting. You can leave several of these in the house for him when you are away from home.
5. Biting inhibition
To stop your puppy from destroying biting and mouthing, you should highly consider teaching biting inhibition. Well, it will not be easy, but when done correctly, it is one of the most effective ways to curb this habit. While it is not exactly uncommon for your Golden Retriever puppy to bite, you should never encourage the behavior.
Biting inhibition might involve different tactics of puppy training to stop him from biting. It is common for a puppy to chew and mouth your hands and ankles during play. Once he does that, calmly produce a yelping sound. Do not yell or shout at him as he might now bite to hurt you. During this process, do not, at any cost, consider pulling away from his mouth, especially if he already has strong jaws and teeth.
This should let him know that he hurt you by biting. Luckily for you, puppies do not like to upset their masters, and he will let go. Once he lets go, you can praise him or offer him a treat. This way, he will adopt good behavior as it is always rewarded.
This method works because biting inhibition is often taught by mothers. However, due to domestication, you may not be lucky to have a trained puppy. If he had been growing up with his biological siblings, he would have already learned that.
6. Only engage in non-touch play
Once your Golden Retriever puppy starts mouthing and biting, it is time for you to rethink your play. How do you play with your puppy for him to bite you? Non-touch space means your puppy will not come into contact with your skin. If he cannot reach your hands, he cannot bite you.
Well, how else can you play with your puppy? There are various types of play that you can engage your puppy in without having to touch or chase. For instance, use toys that will excite your puppy during play. If he loves to hunt, get a ball or a bone-shaped toy and throw it. He will run, fetch, and bring it to you.
The goal is to minimize the chances that your puppy comes into contact with your hands or ankles. If your puppy still wants to bite, it is time to put him on a time-out. Every time he bites on you, ignore him and walk away.
7. Stop the play immediately
This goes without saying. This is important if you have tried all the methods to make your Golden Retriever puppy stop mouthing and biting. Your puppy will most likely come on to you and bite when you are playing.
Each time he bites on you, he stops the play immediately. This is another form of inhibiting biting in puppies. You can stay for a few minutes before you resume play. This will allow him to catch a breath and relax from all the excitement of playing. When you get back to playing, do not be disappointed when he bites again. Instead, repeat the method until he learns you do not appreciate his habit.
Once your puppy stops mouthing, reward him for upholding good behavior.
8. Put him on a leash during play with other people
If your pup doesn’t stop biting you or even other people, have him on a leash. For instance, if you have guests over and have not managed to stop your Golden Retriever puppy from biting, you must find a way to keep him from the guests. Putting him in another room might not be as helpful as he might engage in other behaviors like barking.
You should also ensure he is on a leash when playing with children. It is advisable always to supervise play sessions between your kid and puppy. You can control him whenever he tries to nip or bite at others.
Always keep him on a leash until you get rid of this behavior.
9. Get your puppy to socialize
Socializing is a good thing for us and also for our dogs. In most households, you will only find one dog, which means he does not have a companion. As best friends with our puppies, we cannot underestimate the value of having him associate with other dogs.
Consider booking your dog into a puppy daycare where he will meet other puppies. This will aid with biting inhibition and encourage friendliness in your puppy. He is going to be exposed to his kind and will be able to pick up a few lessons. For instance, this is the best methodology to inhibit biting in puppies. He will have the opportunity to play with others and learn what is and is not acceptable.
1o. Teach him the ‘leave it’ command
This is an essential command in any dog owner’s life. This is because it lets you control your dog, especially when you want to redirect his attention. For instance, if you’re going to stop a Golden Retriever puppy from biting, you can use the words ‘leave it alone to instruct him to stop. However, this is not an easy thing to do.
You will need such phrases because it is the only way to find common ground with your puppy. When he is busy mouthing your hand, calmly instruct him to leave the writing alone. Well, chances are that he won’t obey your first command as he has no idea of what you are saying. However, repeat the phrase while looking at him until he releases. Once he releases your hand, offer him a treat, or pet him for good behavior. Always practice this until he finally understands you hate it when he bites you.
Factors contributing to a Golden Retriever puppy biting
Well, this is not easy to explain, as biting is a huge part of your puppy’s growth. It is how he learns how everything works. And just like a human baby, puppies are also quite curious beings. This means that they want to figure out everything around the household. However, they do not understand what is acceptable and what is not. This is where you come in. There are several reasons why Golden Retrievers puppies may bite;
Fear
If anything instills fear in your golden retriever puppy, he will react. Well, as we do, dogs also have fight or flight reflexes. Whenever you scare your puppy, he will retaliate by biting. We cannot forget that the Golden Retriever dogs have in the past been used for hunting small animals.
This is important to note, especially if you have children at home. Golden Retrievers do not like being startled, especially not in their sleep.
Pain
If you are, for instance, roughly playing with your puppy, you may encounter biting. This means inflicting pain on your puppy might lead to biting. It does not matter whether he is injured or sick; your puppy is not going to be able to deal with the pain well precisely.
Therefore, it is essential to play with him gently. Warn children not to hit or harm the puppy in any way.
To protect his territory.
When exposed to stressful situations, your Golden Retriever will defend himself and your home. As mentioned above, this breed has been previously used for hunting. If you have a guest over, your puppy might bite since he feels his privacy is invaded. Now, if the stranger is harsh and probably hits your puppy, your Retriever will defend himself by biting.
This is also why he is particular about his space. For instance, disturbing him while he sleeps on his bed will irritate him. As a result, he might nip at you.
Do not get me wrong, when it comes to biting; it is a necessity for your puppy. It is the way he learns and strengthens his jaws. However, his teeth should not come into contact with your skin. You might have to deal with aggression and dominance issues if you do not control biting in these puppies control biting in these puppies; you might have to deal with aggression and dominance issues.
Therefore, you need to stop your Golden retriever puppy from biting. This will not be easy, but it should start immediately after you see him nipping and biting. Do not encourage chewing from the first day your Golden retriever arrives. If you have already noticed this behavior, it is time to stop it. Below, we will outline some of the most effective methods to stop biting and nipping in puppies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, spend a lot of time with your puppy. This way, you can always be aware whenever he picks up new habits such as mouthing and biting. To stop a Golden retriever puppy from biting, practice the above-discussed methods.
However, do not hit, yell, or punish your puppy in any other way. This might breed aggressiveness, knowing that these dogs were used for hunting in the past. Additionally, do not encourage any form of mouthing. Instead, get a few toys for your puppy to chew and play with. I hope that you will have your puppy back in good behavior soon. Good luck!
