Many people wonder why dogs bite. There can be many reasons for this behavior. It is important to start socializing and training your pet as early as possible. Sometimes it’s worth asking an experienced professional for help, especially when behavioral problems occur in adult dogs. Below you will find information that may be helpful.

Itchy gums

Puppies are known to chew on anything they can get their mouths around. Unfortunately, in many cases this brings severe losses. In addition, the first teeth are very sharp, which can make playing with your pet painful. Itchy gums are usually to blame. Puppies are like teething babies. They need something to bite on. How to solve a problem that makes everyday life of household members difficult?

First of all, your puppy needs teething toys. You should give teethers to him when he starts to bite people’s hands, feet or shoes. If your puppy is agitated and cannot be calmed down, move away from him (e.g., leave him alone in a room). That’s how you let him know that his behavior is not appropriate. An older dog that is accustomed to biting may attack you or another person out of boredom. It is a way to attract the owner’s attention. That’s why you should take your dog for long walks and make time to play with him each day.

Defensive reflex

Biting may be defensive in nature. Dogs bite not only when attacked. It is often they who are the aggressors. They are probably driven by fear. This is a serious behavioral problem that requires intensive work. It might seem that it mainly affects animals from shelters or with a difficult past. Nothing more wrong! Some animals show a tendency to aggression from the first weeks of life. Socialization of such animals is extremely difficult because, despite the owner’s efforts, they cannot get used to the presence of other people, dogs or cats. In this case, seek expert advice as early as possible. The problem may get worse with each passing month. It is difficult to control an adult dog that in strong emotions attacks, for example, a nearby child.

Drive to dominate

Dogs can use their jaws to show who’s boss. Although the quadruped should know his place in the hierarchy, he sometimes feels a strong desire to dominate the other members of the pack. By biting, he is trying to demonstrate that he is the alpha male. Under no circumstances should you give in to the dog, as he may consider that such an attack to be an effective way to subdue people. Usually, you can calm your dog relatively easily, but it all depends on the individual case. Some dogs do not adjust their jaw grip strength to the circumstances. The bite can result in bruising or even bleeding. This could be faced by people who tried to stop an angry dog. Does he want to hurt the owner? Not necessarily, but he sees the world quite differently. In this case, a visit to a behaviorist is recommended.