Dogs can nip when they are still puppies yet this is a habit that you really want to stamp out into adulthood. A biting Pitbull could become a real issue so it is ideal to train it not to bite from a young age.
Some still believe that Pitbulls are an aggressive dog breed yet they are typically affectionate and keen to greet strangers.
Pitbulls are also great with children so as long as they have been trained not to bite you should be confident of their good behavior.
In this guide, we will look at the various training methods you can use to stop your Pitbull puppy from biting.
This could be something as simple as ignoring them, mimicking a puppy’s behavior, and training them to go gentle on their food.
Ignorance Is Bliss
A crucial part of training is knowing when to gain your Pitbull puppy’s attention by ignoring it.
That’s right, just as the mother gains some distance when the puppies roughly nurses, you should ignore the puppy if it is naughty.
Only for a short while as the puppy will soon realize to behave and control its biting to fall back into your good books.
Do not even talk to them during this time as the dog needs to know that biting and nipping are not to be done.
Once the Pitbull puppy realizes that their biting and nipping has resulted in play-time being withdrawn then it should behave.
If you do need to take action then place the Pitbull puppy into a crate until they have calmed down. Even a gentle bite or nip needs to be acknowledged and punished, albeit gently.
Mimic A Puppy
If you were to observe pupping when they play together in a litter, you may hear a squeal. This is the noise that a Pitbull puppy makes when a sibling bites them and they typically move away after being bitten.
You could mimic this behavior to help your own training by performing your own squeal or even using a human command such as ‘stop’ or just plain ‘no’.
Your puppy should recognize that you are exhibiting disagreement at their biting and may even believe that pain is being displayed.
There may be some follow-up actions undertaken by your puppy that you need to take into account.
That may be because the puppy does not believe that it has done anything wrong, in which case you need to consider a more stringent punishment.
Some puppies look for comfort and reassurance so ensure that you keep your distance and even turn your back. Find out which of your actions work and then stick to it so you can curb the bad behavior.
Steer Away From Smacking
Training may seem like a chore yet it should be a learning experience for both you and your Pitbull puppy. That means understanding that, not just Pitbull puppies but, all dogs fail to understand smacking.
Physical punishment is not the answer as it could increase their biting out of fear alone as the puppy is likely to get scared.
Remaining cool is typically the best policy as you should not react to being bitten. No matter how painful it is, a simple command or walking away should suffice over time.
Even something as simple as pushing the puppy away could signal that this is playtime when it really is not.
If the puppy believes that biting is part of playtime then this is a belief you really want to curb (You might also want to check out How To Get A Pit Bull To Release).
Get The Puppy To Accept Your Hands
One of the final teaching points that your Pitbull puppy should take in is to accept your hands whenever they are near their mouth.
If your training has gone well then your puppy should know what to bite and how often it should be biting. The puppy should also know that your hands are not to be bitten so they are safe around its mouth.
Though Pitbull puppies may eat the things they really should be eating, you still need to check their gums and teeth occasionally.
If your Pitbull puppy still cannot differentiate between a chew toy and your fingers then this could become a serious problem.
Especially when you consider how strong the dog could get and how biting is an issue for adults. Give it time during the teething process but eventually, your puppy should be able to accept your hands.
Train Them To Curb Their Food Aggression
Biting may not simply be an issue for your fingers as it can affect their food consumption. A Pitbull puppy should naturally be excited about food yet can become overprotective.
This is a trait that would have remained since they were in the litter and fighting while nursing.
The biting over food can continue over a bowl so learn when to remove the bowl and when to put it back once the puppy has calmed down.
Final Thoughts
Your Pitbull puppy should know who is in charge. After all, it resides in your home and eats the food you put in front of it.
Training your Pitbull puppy not to bite may take time but should be rewarding, even if you have to wear gloves covered with a foul-tasting substance.
Sometimes, training can be difficult when it seems that the puppy simply is not learning but this is an experience that is worth persisting with,
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does A Puppy Bite Almost Everything?
When puppies are teething, they tend to bite things a bit more. That should involve a chew toy but it may also involve your toes and fingers amongst other things.
The teething stage is typically something that a puppy simply must go through so the best thing to do is buy some of the best chewing toys.
Do your research as you want the ones that are ideal for a teething puppy so ask in the pet store which ones you should consider.
At What Age Do Pitbull Puppies Typically Stop Biting?
You may be alarmed when you have a Pitbull puppy at just how long the teething stage seems to last.
Thankfully, it is not forever but it can last for up to 8 months if you have the puppy from birth.
Expect that the puppy will be biting anything it can grasp with its teeth so get the right chew toys.
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For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a veterinarian. I loved every dog, horse, bird, and squirrel. But from an early age, I noticed that bully dogs like Pitbulls and Staffordshire Terriers were given a different treatment than their friends.
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