How to Stop a Saint Bernard Dog or Puppy Biting
Being the owner of a Saint Bernard is not all fun and games. As with any new pet there is an adjustment period where you and your pet get to know each other. This is where you find out your pets likes and dislikes and what bad habit he or she may have. What do you do if your Saint Bernard likes to bite? This type of behavior you want to put a stop to right away so that you, your family stay safe.
The best thing to do is start training your Saint Bernard as soon as you get him when he is a puppy. Your puppy is eager to please you and is very impressionable so this is the best time to work with your puppy. The biting habit starts when your puppy is teething so the best thing that you can do for your puppy is to get him or her plenty of chew toys. This will give your puppy appropriate things to chew on when the urge strikes him to bite or chew.
It is very important to never let your dog chew on your for play. Puppies have an instinct to stop biting when they hurt one of their siblings as the other puppy will whine or whimper loudly so when your puppy bites you, you should say ouch loudly. This will help your dog realize that he is hurting you. You need to stop him as soon as he tries it. Redirect him to a more appropriate item to chew on. Never punish your dog by hitting him as this can only make him afraid of you or make matters worse.
Rather than yelling or physically punishing your Saint Bernard, ignore his bad behavior and only pay attention to him when he is being good. Dogs crave attention so this will help him to learn very quickly that you disapprove of him biting. There are specific chew toys that you can get your pet which will help to take care of his desire to chew or bite on something.
Only buy the stuffed chew toys that are made for dogs. Try not to give him stuffed animals to chew on as he will think that all stuffed animals are his to chew on. Rawhide chew toys and treats are great for dogs if you do not want to go with a stuffed toy. If you are dealing with an adult dog you can use a muzzle to keep your dog in check when you have him around people so that no one gets hurt. If he starts to show his teeth or acts as if he is going to bite someone, then yell loudly and wave your arms at him. This will help to show him that behavior is not accepted.
You need take action right when the situation comes up otherwise your dog will not know why he is being punished and the lesson will not stick. Be sure to be consistent and follow through on things with your Saint Bernard.