Many people have a dog who will bite them when excited. This is annoying and can be a huge problem for some dog owners. Why does my dog want to bite me or others when excited? Can I even stop this behavior? Today we will answer both questions. First, we will give you a few reasons why a dog does this. Then, we are going to reveal methods you can use to stop this behavior.
4 Reasons My Dog Want To Bite Me Or Others When Excited
There are several reasons for that. In a nutshell, your dog is extremely happy and excited. He is probably too excited and he will jump around you and bite you. Why does my dog want to bite me or others when excited? Here are the reasons why.
1. He Doesn’t Know How To Control His Energy
Your dog has too much energy and he doesn’t know how to control it. He will jump around, bite you and do so much more. In simple terms, your dog is so happy and so excited that he doesn’t know what to do. He likes to bite and play so he will try to combine these two. It is not pleasant behavior but rather annoying. You can see the same thing in puppies and actually, it is more common in this case scenario.
2. He Wants To Play
Your dog wants to play. He will bite you so he can pull your hand or your foot. These are closest to him and usually the first things he can reach. This is he trying to tell you ‘’let’s play’’. Of course, it is not acceptable behavior and you should try to stop it as soon as possible.
3. Your Dog Wants To Jaw Wrestle
Dogs like to jaw wrestle with other dogs. When there are no other dogs you are there. In general, he thinks that you like it and he wants to play in this way. He doesn’t know that for you, this is painful and problematic.
4. It Has A Calming Effect
Dogs love to chew and bite almost everything around them. When they do this, dopamine and also serotonin hormones increase their levels. What this means is that the dog will be happier and feel better. Sadly for you, this is a painful experience and you don’t like it. It is a more common issue if your dog doesn’t have toys for chewing or similar things.
Here’s How You Can End This Behavior
Yes, you can put an end to this behavior. It is not a fast process you can complete within minutes but it is possible. Below are the things you should do. Try all of these and you will probably get a positive result within days. But, some dogs may need more time so you will have to stay persistent.
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Toss some food on the ground
This is an excellent way and the one that we like the most. When your dog starts biting you, just toss some food on the floor. You can use multiple treats so he will need time to find all of them. Once he is done with this, he will stop with this behavior.
When a dog is jumping around and biting you, he won’t be able to learn a new command or obey you. Hence, it is a mistake trying to teach him something at that very moment. Wait a few minutes and then you are good to go.
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Try to be boring
Believe it or not, this does work. When you are bored, your dog won’t see you as something interesting. He will be more interested in toys and other objects. You can use this method all the time. Basically, you have to do nothing and you have to stay still in place and enjoy.
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Make a step towards the dog
When your pet starts jumping around you, biting you, and more, you can step close to him and stay still. You will have to be in an upright position and you will have to stay calm. With most dogs, this will work well. After a few times, your pet will stop biting you.
You must not do this if your dog is scared of you or he is aggressive. In these cases, you can provoke him or scare him even more which are bad things. Some dogs can be scared of their owners. If you yell all the time or you are aggressive towards him, he will be scared.
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Leave the room immediately
If nothing works, you will have to leave the room. Sadly, your dog is too excited at this point and too happy. You cannot do anything. Leave the room and leave him alone. After a few minutes, he will calm down.
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Differential reinforcement
In this case scenario, you will tell your dog to do something else, something better. For instance, you can teach him to sit down when you issue the command. The goal is to help him do this when the situation is tough (when he is trying to bite you). You will need to practice and you will need a lot of time to make this possible.
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Use hand target
This is a simple trick. Basically, you will teach your dog to touch your hand with his nose on a cue. When he is jumping around and biting you, issue the command. This means that he will refocus his attention on something else and he will calm down at the same time. You can use this trick for all kinds of purposes.
This method is even more beneficial. You will point the mouth of your dog to something specific. You will redirect his energy and his attention to something different. He won’t be able to sit when excited. He may be able to focus his energy on something else.
The Final Word
Why does my dog want to bite me or others when excited? The answer is in the question. He is excited, too much probably. You should try to stop this as soon as possible. Luckily now you know a few methods that are approved by vets and trainers hence you can use a successful and safe method with no downsides.