We call dogs our best friends, but certain circumstances may cause a dog to bite. A dog that is injured or frightened may bite as a defense. And some dogs tend to be more aggressive, while others are passive. The White House has been making news lately because the President’s Dog, Commander, has reportedly bitten at least ten people in the past few months, including members of the Secret Service. What’s interesting is that Commander is relatively new to the White House, replacing the former first dog Major who exhibited some of the same behavior.
Dog trainer Cesar Milan has said he could fix Commander’s biting problem in just a couple of hours, but so far no one has contacted him. For those of us who do not have access to Cesar Milan, how do you teach your dog NOT to bite people?
Often a dog may be insecure in some situations, and biting is a defensive response when the animal feels threatened in some way.
It helps to make sure your dog is properly socialized by exposing it to a variety of situations, places and people. It is important that you remain calm, and maintain a secure grip on a short leash. Staying calm includes not yelling at your dog or hitting it if it should try to bite someone or something. Move the animal out of the situation on a short leash, and do not pet it – that could be construed as a reward for bad behavior.
Another option is a “time-out” – removing the dog from the environment or situation and giving it a chance to calm down. Again, do not pet your dog right away as that may interpreted as approval of its behavior. If all else fails, find a professional trainer to help you.
A dog that bites is a serious problem for you, for your family and for your pet. As a responsible owner, you should make the extra effort to ensure your canine buddy is the kind of companion we all want as a best friend, when we’re speaking of pets.
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