Understanding Fear Biting

Adult dogs that bite often do so because they need to lash out at whatever s causing them to feel anxious. Dogs with this problem have usually either been abused or are naturally very timid and shy dogs.
With care and patience, most adult dogs can be successfully trained not to bite. Punishing a dog that bites because of fear is not a good idea, as the punishment only increases his fear. This can create a vicious cycle where the dog becomes increasingly anxious and just lashes out more and more.
The bad news is that in the case of an abused dog, (and it is easy to adopt a dog with a history of being abused from a shelter) that it can take months or even years of rehabilitation for him not to lash out and bite at things that trigger his anxiety. In this case, all you can do is take note of what triggers the dog’s fear and what makes him anxious and try to steer him away from those situations. An example is the dog that was beaten with belt. The dog may freak out or lash and bite at people when he sees them reaching to undo their pants or clothing or when he sees them opening a closet as he is afraid he is going to be beaten.

If he has specific fears, then try gradually reintroducing the object or situation that brought on the fear. For example if he is scared of people then utilize some dog loving friends to approach your leashed dog without attempting to touch him. Once his confidence has built up you can increase the amount of time that he is exposed to different people and start physical contact. Using a muzzle is a good idea if you are unsure of how your dog might react in a certain situation and especially if that situation involves children.

Adult dogs have stronger jaws and stronger teeth, so biting and nipping is often a much more serious situation with them. Not only can an adult dog cause another creature or human a terrible injury, it is also harder for them to break the habit.

An adult dog that bites is usually an aggressive dog. An adult dog usually bites because they are displaying fear based, dominance, protective or territorial aggressive behavior.

The main causes of biting and nipping in adult dogs are fear, anxiety, memories of abuse, teasing from children, jealousy, possessiveness, pain and illness.

If your dog is a severe fear biter than you may need to take him to see a certified professional animal behaviorist to try and modify his behavior. He or she may be able to delve deeper into your dog’s individual psyche and help retrain your dog’s behavior. It is imperative that a biting problem is dealt with immediately as the consequences of having your dog, say, bite a child could well lead to a criminal conviction for you an euthanasia for your dog.

Recognizing A Professional Breeder

With so many breeders claiming different things about their business it may be hard to tell a professional breeder from an unprofessional one. Usually it is cleanliness and knowledge that separates the professionals from the exploiters of both animals and humans.

Avoid breeders who do not have clean kennels or who are keeping the puppies in a filthy environment. If a breeder will not let you visit a litter, then call the humane society. This could be an indication that something terrible is going on behind closed cages – most likely serious health violations.

A truly professional breeder can prove that they have studied the bloodlines of the mother and father dog before breeding and certify there breeding stock for genetic abnormalities. The best breeders tend to be those breed show dogs as well as they have the most interest in keeping the bloodlines pure and free of diseases and hereditary problems.

A warning sign that you are dealing with a profiteer rather than a puppy breeder is if they keep too many breeds or produce too many litters a year. Breeders who have lots of litters of lots of different breeds may have trouble keeping track of their bloodlines. Most responsible breeders keep no more than two breeds at one time in their kennels to keep the bloodlines pure. Any breeder that is producing more than six litters a year or breeds too many dog breed simultaneously is probably exploiting the animals.

Professional breeders do not discard dogs they can’t sell, don’t overwork the reproductive systems of the mothers and refund your money if you are not happy with your breed.

The clear advantage of buying from a professional breeder is that the puppy that you buy will most likely be physically, emotionally and mentally healthier than a puppy acquired from any other source.

Backyard breeders are part time breeders who discovered that they could make money-selling dogs once an older female puppy went into heat. This type of breeder may be responsible or not, depending on many factors.

Amateur breeders may accidentally or on purpose mate their females with an incompatible breed or with a puppy that has a genetic abnormality. Although they mean well and might just be trying to make a little Christmas money on the side, a backyard breeder rarely has the financial resources to spend on having mother dog tested for common diseases and hereditary afflictions.

This is once again, a case of Buyer Beware. If you fall in love with a puppy that is the offspring of a backyard breeder, be prepared to spend some money on quite a few tests before you buy the puppy. This can save you an enormous amount of expense and heartbreak in the future.

An advantage of buying from a friend or neighbor is often a lower price for the puppy or even a free puppy. Usually the neighbor down the street is not trying to make money, but more interested in finding the puppy a good home.