Doberman Biting
How To Put A Stop To Doberman Biting
Out of all dog breeds, Doberman biting is considered one of the most dangerous actions , even if they are only playing. Dobermans that have not been taught at an early age that this behavior is unacceptable become not only a threat to those around but to themselves as well. There are laws in most areas that unless a dog is protecting his owner when a bite is inflicted, the dog will be ordered to be put down. This is highly unfair to the Doberman that has never been properly trained.
Understand the Behavior
All dogs bite for some reason or another. If you are dealing with Doberman biting, you need to understand that it is a natural action for him to engage in. Both chewing and biting is good for your dog, however, their energy must be directed toward a chew toy or rawhide, not your hand, arm or foot.
Educating yourself on where Doberman biting or other undesirable actions are coming from is important in obedience training. Some dogs such as Dobermans, are aggressive by nature however, this does not mean that they cannot be taught that you will not tolerate the biting. Other dogs, that you may adopt and not know the history of, could have been taught to act aggressively out of fear from abuse or neglect. With patience and love, these dogs are trainable so you will not have to deal with your new Doberman biting as long as you invest the time in him that he deserves.
Puppy Biting
Puppies of this breed that are taken away from their mother too early are prone to Doberman biting habits. When dogs are with their litter mates, they learn proper behavior and socialization skills. This is why the best thing to do when your puppy bites at you with those razor sharp teeth is to mimic how his litter mates would respond and make a whimpering noise.
Many dog owners make the mistake of allowing their puppy to chew and bite on them and just assume that they will stop when they are done teething. Unfortunately, a Doberman biting as a puppy will continue to do so as an adult. Additionally, at this adorable young age, your puppy is already demonstrating dominating behavior and if you allow it to continue, you will find it quite challenging to become the alpha leader.
Always use positive reinforcement with your Doberman puppy. When he bites your arm, tell him “No!” and replace it with a toy. Once he begins chewing on the toy, praise him so he understands that this is allowed.
Adult Biting
If you have an adult Doberman biting, you have a dangerous situation, even when he is only nipping while playing. There are a few things that you can do to eliminate this problem. Similar to training a puppy and acting like a litter mate, you can mimic another dog by yelping and whimpering. If you watch dogs play, you will notice that this is what happens when one gets too rough with the other one.
It is important that if you have a Doberman biting while playing, to not participate in rough games such as tug-of-war or wrestling. This only encourages the unwanted behavior.
If your dog does not respond to the above technique, you should gently hold his mouth shut. Be careful to not hurt him and you only need to do this for a few seconds for him to get the message of who is in charge.
Never physically punish your dog. This will only establish fear with your Doberman that will enhance their aggression. Always be sure that your dog receives mental stimulation and plenty of physical exercise everyday. Burning off your dog’s energy, results in a much calmer pet in your home.
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