Second Chance: Ouch! Puppy Biting!

18 Jan Second Chance: Ouch! Puppy Biting!

Second Chance Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center and Thrift Shops have been serving San Miguel, Ouray & Montrose Counties since 1994. The shelter is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 11 to 5:30. Community veterinary services are available by appointment.

View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.

Go here for more on Dr. Shari DePauw of Second Chance. Second Chance veterinary clinic is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Call (970) 626-9713 or email clinic@adoptmountainpets.org

Donate here.

Go here for more options from Second Chance.

If you’re a parent or have spent time around babies, you know they put everything in their mouths. Toys, fingers, clothing… literally anything and everything. Putting toys and other household objects in their mouth allows babies to discover the taste and texture of different objects. Human babies typically don’t have a mouth full of sharp, needle-like teeth like canine babies.

Puppies bite people and objects for a variety of reasons, including exploring the world through their mouths. Biting and chewing are normal parts of puppy development. Reasons that your puppy might be biting you or things around your house include learning, teething, stress, boredom, and play.

Understanding the reasons doesn’t mean it’s something to ignore. Puppies should learn to keep their mouths to themselves at a young age to prevent behavioral problems in the future. Training a puppy not to bite takes a patient and gentle approach.

First, ensure the puppy has appropriate chewing options, including puppy-safe chews and toys. You don’t want to stop your puppy from chewing, you just want them to chew on safe and appropriate things.

If your puppy is biting you when you play, don’t yell or punish. One suggestion is to make a high-pitched crying sound and then redirect your puppy to a safe and appropriate toy for them to bite or chew on. By making a high-pitched crying sound, you’re telling your puppy that the biting hurts. Doing this mimics the feedback puppies get from their littermates about how to bite softer or less while playing.

Be consistent while playing with and training your puppy. Puppy bite training should be something everyone in the family is on board with by consistently gently redirecting your puppy to safe chew toys.

Supervision is very important for puppies. Puppy-proof your home by making sure they can’t chew on things that could be harmful or might be valuable to you such as electrical cords, harmful or poisonous plants or foods, small items that are choking hazards, and of course, your favorite shoes. Puppy proofing also means removing temptations like the garbage can, the cat litter box, the diaper bag, or people food (none of that stuff should be in a puppy’s mouth).

A puppy can bring so much enjoyment and fun to your home. Don’t let their cuteness prevent you from being a responsible pet parent. If appropriate behaviors are not trained when they’re little, they can become dangerous as they grow up. A biting puppy is cute. A biting adult dog is a hazard.

Katara

Katara

My name is Katara, and I’m the last puppy from my litter to find my home. I’m a husky/rottweiler/aussie mix- so I’ll be a big, smart adult dog. Please let me join your family for years of fun and learning.

AND… To continue the Second Chance Highlights section, we want to share the following:

Senior & Special Needs Pets Need Homes

We always have senior and special needs pets who are waiting for their person to bring them home. Here are just a few (with photos attached):

Lassie is a senior Belgian Malinois mix. She’s bonded to Sheena- so we’d like them to be adopted together.

Sheena is a senior boxer mix. She’s very bonded to Lassie- so we’d like them to be adopted together.

Gonzo is a senior black-and-white medium-haired guy who had a rough life before he came to us. He loves to be brushed and petted.

Chester is a beautiful senior black-and-white long-haired cat who is friendly, healthy, and happy.

JoJo is an 8-year-old husky/shepherd mix. He is gentle, loving, and likes to go on walks. Give this guy a chance.

Rocky is a senior short-haired ginger cat who is healthy, friendly, and a big lazy. He’d love a warm spot to curl up and nap.

$5 Fridays!

Watch for our new $5 Fridays Facebook Fundraiser

Our first week, we raised enough money to spay/neuter 6 feral cats or feed 4 shelter pets for a month. Proving- every little bit helps.