With any kind of canine training, finding out the cause of the behavior can lead to you finding a solution to the behavior. Why is your puppy continually biting and chewing, even after you correct him? There may be several reasons.

It is a puppy's natural instinct to bite and nip as part of the socialization of his pack. In the wild, young dogs play aggressively with each other as a way to practice catching game, and to determine the hierarchy of their pack. They growl, nip, bark, and bite each other to see who is the strongest, and who will back down. This constant interaction within the litter is the basis for their self-identity as dogs, as well as teaching a healthy adjustment of the pups with other dogs.

Domestic dogs inherited that trait from their wild ancestors, and, once your puppy is in your home and no longer with his birth litter, you and your family become his "pack." He is trying to find his place in your family exactly how he would do it were he living in the wild.

In addition, if a puppy is separated from the mother and the litter before 8 weeks of age, he won't have learned the basic rules of canine behavior, and will identify with his human family. Without that social bonding experience, a puppy can grow to be what is called "dog aggressive," and not recognize his kinship with members of his own species.

A natural nipping and biting instinct may also be a breed characteristic. The herding breeds, those dogs like the Border collie, the Corgi, and the Australian Shepherd, were bred and developed to run behind a herd of sheep or cows and move them according to the farmer's instructions. By necessity, this meant nipping and biting at the heels and backsides of the much larger animals. This trait often carries over to puppies from these particular breeds, and shows when they try to "herd" the children or other animals in their families.

Your nipping and chewing puppy is also probably still teething, and like their human counterparts, the young dog's gums get inflamed and sore as teeth begin to emerge. All of the puppy's deciduous - or baby - teeth are in place by 12 weeks of age. After that, they begin to lose those baby teeth as adult teeth push them out and emerge from the gum line. To sooth that inflammation, puppies will chew and bite on anything that relieves the irritation, including your shoes, the furniture, and your hands and feet.

Puppies use their mouths to explore and investigate everything, from their littermates, to your hands and fingers, to their new environment. Its only natural for a puppy to shift the focus of his attention from his brothers and sisters to you once you get him home, and to try the same kinds of behavior with you. But the mouthing, nipping, and chewing on your fingers and toes can get painful quickly as he grows, and you will need to take measures to stop it before the situation get out of control.

One of the first lessons your puppy needs to learn once you get him home is that you are dominant - you are the pack leader. Through your body language, the way you can gently physically dominate him, and your eye contact, you can show your pup that you are the benevolent alpha figure in the household, and that he can be the follower. It is much easier to start the process with a 10-week-old puppy than it is with an older dog, so you need to start working with him early to get rid of those bad habits.

Becoming the Alpha

You can begin to teach him how to be calm and relaxed when being handled by sitting on the floor with your puppy between your knees or legs. Place one hand on his chest and another hand under his muzzle. If his accepts this restraint calmly, praise him in a soft, kind voice and massage and pet him. If he attempts to squirm or escape, say "No," in a firm voice, and place him back into position, holding him firmly in place. Resume petting and massaging him once he settles down. Most puppies take only several minutes two to three times a day to come to accept this gentle handling, and will usually get it in the first or second session.

Once your puppy is calm and docile in your lap, move on to manipulating his mouth and ears. Begin by moving his head around in your hands, gently shifting it from side to side until he relaxes. Slip your fingers in his mouth and around the outside of his ears, making sure to be gentle and soothing while doing so. Place one hand under his muzzle and another on top, and gently pry his mouth open. If he resists, go back to the calming exercise and massage him. It won't take long until you are able to open his mouth and look inside his ears much as the veterinarian will need to with each visit.

Your final step in becoming the alpha in your puppy's life is a logical extension of the other two exercises, and revolves around being able to examine your puppy's entire body and move him around safely while he is lying down.

While he is relaxed and sitting in front of you, gently pull his front legs out from under him in the "down" position as you praise him. Move your hands around his back, rump, head, neck and legs until he is totally relaxed. Pull him back into the original relaxation position if he tries to get up. If he doesn't resist, gently push on one shoulder until he is lying on his side and continue massaging his body and praising him softly. Pay particular attention to his feet and tail, which will accustom him to having his nails clipped and temperature taken.

While he is comfortable and relaxed, roll him over to the other side, continuing to pet and talk to him softly, then roll him back to the original side. Finally, grab both sets of paws in your two hands and slide him around, as if you were moving him on a towel out of the way. Continue working with him using these exercises until he is totally calm whenever you try them.

A puppy that allows this type of gentle physical domination recognizes, trusts, and accepts you as a leader, and will become attentive and responsive when its time to learn other things, or unlearn bad habits.

Curing Biting and Nipping

Until your puppy is fully mature - and in some dogs that can take several years - you will need to allow the biting and chewing that comes from being a growing dog, while at the same time discouraging the nipping and biting that have become bad habits.

Chew toys, rubber teething rings, even raw beef femur bones (NO CHICKEN!)make good implements to give your puppy while he's teething and even beyond. Your pup may not outgrow the chewing instinct for a couple of years, so providing him with something to bite and focus on rather than your furniture is necessary. You may also want to consider crating him while you aren't home to prevent him finding something to chew on he shouldn't that could be dangerous or toxic.

Whenever your puppy decides to nibble at your hands or fingers, scruff him by the back of the neck, telling him firmly, "Leave it." Don't pull you hand away, and give him time to spit it out of his mouth. Relax the scruff grip slowly and slowly begin massaging him as a means of praise and positive reinforcement.

If this doesn't work, have a spray bottle or water pistol handy and squirt him in the face with plain water while you say, "Leave it." Don't aim for his eyes, but use the water to startle him into dropping your hand. You can also try shaking a metallic soda can filled with coins to get his attention until he stops chewing on your hand.

Use the spray bottle or soda shaker when your pup goes for your feet or ankles, again saying, "Leave it!" in a firm voice. If you can distract him, then praise and massage him, and redirect his attention to an appropriate toy.

A small dog that continues to try for your ankles or feet after pushing through these distractions can be quickly, yet gently, pushed to the ground and held there in the relaxation position until he calms down. Larger puppies may need to be scruffed or grabbed by the collar, made to relax, then redirected to a better toy.

Provide your puppy with toys and chewy things that are more enticing than fingers, toes, shoes, or lamp cords. Anticipate his behavior before it occurs and use your corrections, making sure to praise your puppy when he listens and behaves.

All of these corrections and positive reinforcements need to be maintained constantly, and be consistent from every member of your family. If you are the only one correcting your puppy, but other family members are letting the bad behavior continue unchecked, your little dog will become confused and anxious.

The job of training your puppy to stop biting and nipping that allows him to become a vital member of your family... belongs to the entire family.

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