You shouldn’t worry; you can find help for your biting dog. If your dog is a biter then chances are it is because he has not been taught otherwise. There are three different age groups that biting dogs fit into. Over the next few minutes, the groups are going to be explained and some techniques for reversal will be suggested.

First, you have your puppies. Puppies have the innate instinct to bite for a couple of reasons. From the first day of life they have to bite their way to the top of the pack. It is a defense mechanism they use to determine who belongs where in their pack. It is best to divert this behavior as soon as you have received your puppy. A lot of the times, puppies that bite are simply playing. But be sure not to reinforce this behavior by allowing it because it is cute. The sooner you teach a biting dog that nipping, biting or snapping is wrong, the better.

If your dog is over a year and is still considered a biting dog, then you may start to have problems. He, at this point, has not learned that biting anyone or anything is wrong. At this point, they may still be biting playfully but it will only worsen if the problem is not addressed. You may have to treat the dog as a child and punish him when he does this. Time out or kennel time is a good technique to use when trying to teach him that this type of conduct is unacceptable.

This is a crucial time of learning for a dog. You definitely want to nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of hand. A biting dog can be a liability for you. You don’t want your dog to hurt your child, a neighborhood child or any person for that matter.

The final category is the adult dog that is still biting. Now, you may not have owned this dog for his entire life. You may have adopted a dog that is a biter. At this point, you need to seek professional help. It is absolutely unacceptable to have a biting dog at this age. Dogs that bite at this age either have problems with aggression or have just never been properly taught that this behavior is wrong.

Teaching your dog the proper behaviors from an early age is always the ideal situation. Sometimes we do not have that luxury as a result of an adoption or for whatever reason. But, remember, a biting dog is a serious thing and the issue must be addressed promptly and efficiently.