How to Stop a Newfoundland Dog or Puppy Biting
Although it is possible to teach an older dog something new, the absolute best time to train your Newfoundland is when they are a young and impressionable puppy. All puppies love to play and biting is often a big part of that but they can definitely be taught boundaries with consistency and positive reinforcement.
The first and most important thing to remember is that physical punishment should never be a part of training your dog or puppy to do anything. Not only is this cruel but it will merely teach them to fear and mistrust you instead of causing them to obey your commands and be a well behaved dog.
Also, everyone in the household should be onboard with the training and use consistent methods. Even young children can be taught how to handle the family puppy, but they should never be left unsupervised with dogs, even with Newfoundlands who are notoriously gentle giants.
Mouthing, or biting at the fingers is common puppy behavior, but it often leads to bad behavior as the dog grows into adulthood and should be “nipped” in the bud, so to speak. With many dogs and puppies, simply saying something such as “OUCH” in a loud voice is enough to jar them from what they’re doing and give them the message they are hurting you. When dogs play together they will let each other know they have gone too far by letting out a loud yelp.
Your Newfoundland dog or puppy will definitely love getting attention from you, so you may also want to try ignoring their bad behavior if it includes biting and nipping. Try saying “ouch” or making a loud growling noise and then ignoring them for a few minutes or until they stop biting. After a few times of being consistent, your pup should quickly catch on.
For those stubborn or rambunctious dogs and pups, using an aversive substance such as bitter apple sprayed on the places the dog bites the most may help to finally do the trick. Wearing gloves coated with bitter apple should help your pooch stop biting your hands and fingers and it can also be sprayed on furniture and things like shoes, both common targets for teething puppies.
You may also want to discourage biting by firmly but gently holding the lower jaw of your Newfoundland as soon as he or she starts to bite. You don’t want to hurt your dog but you will want them to realize you’re holding their mouth for a reason, which is to stop biting. When your hand is back near the dog’s mouth and they either ignore it or lick you, lavish them with praise immediately to show them they are behaving in an acceptable manner.
Some pet owners are rather surprised to learn that dogs sometimes bite because they are scared and mistake aggressiveness for fear. When it comes to fear biting, plenty of patience, praise, and positive rewards will be in order. Keeping your Newfoundland calm and relaxed will be an absolute essential and allow you both to fully enjoy each other’s company.