Thursday, May 8, 2008

How to stop a dog from biting

I googled in the above phrase in google and got some results of various helpfulness.

First was an article that mentions older dogs that bite when startled. These are dogs that are deaf or blind and react in fear when startled. Well, Kimo isn't deaf or blind, but he doesn't react well when startled. The advice? In essence, take precautions and be careful.

Next was an article which categorized biters into three age groups: puppies, year-old, two to four years old. "Beyond the age of four years old, most dogs who have viciously bitten someone have been euthanized or otherwise disposed of." This is discouraging because Kimo is now five years old. The advice is to get a qualified obedience instructor to gain the status of pack leader. I don't know if Kimo thinks he's the pack leader. I'm pretty sure I'm the pack leader most of the time anyway. Though evidently not completely because he doesn't listen right away all the time, especially when he's aroused.

This one says, among other things, to spay or neuter your dog. An unneutered dog is more than 3 times as likely to attack. I'm wondering though whether it's too late with Kimo because of his age. Still that was part of Victoria Stilwell's solution for Pongo and Cesar Millan's solution for Vito or was it Rocco?

This article says trust and respect inhibits biting. And to Never hit, kick or slap your dog. This is the quickest way to erode the dog's trust in you.

Here's a promising article from paw-rescue on Teaching Bite Inhibition partly based on an article by Ian Dunbar. It mentions daily grooming to help the dog get used to human touch. But that's in the context of a puppy. I don't know if it would help adult dogs, but I guess it couldn't hurt. Dunbar also recommends a muzzle if the dog is taken to public areas. In training dogs to get along, he recommends to praise the dog or even give him treats when the other dog enters. Even if he's growling. [I dunno about this, maybe you're rewarding the growling?] I wonder if this would work with Kimo and Miki?

Another thing it says. Do not yank on the dog's leash or spank him or yell. If you constantly reprimand the dog whenever another dog is present, you will reinforce your dog's negative feelings for other dogs. I think that's why Dunbar doesn't like Millan, because you always see him yanking the chain. Dunbar might see that as punishment. Millan views it as redirecting the dog's attention.

So what am I taking away from all these articles? Well I guess I'll try the muzzle thing. Not sure if I'll try the treat thing with Miki but I'll continue trying to make his exposures with Keith and Miki not unpleasant.

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