When Do Blue Heeler Puppies Stop Biting? 12 Ways To Stop It
A blue heeler puppy is one of the cutest things you’ll ever see, but they are known to bite.
It’s nice to think that kids will stop doing these things as they get older, but there’s a good chance they won’t.
If this is the case, you will need to know how to stop your Blue Heeler puppy from biting.
Is Your Heeler Puppy Biting Excessively?
You are not the only one whose heeler puppy won’t stop biting. These puppies have a reputation for biting due to their ancestors.
There are many ways to redirect their actions and give them ways to act on their natural, intuitive urges, which is good news.
Insight Into Their History
Blue heeler, red heeler, Australian cattle dog, and Queensland heeler are all names for the same breed. The only difference is the colour of their coats.
To figure out why a heeler puppy won’t stop biting, you need to know the history of the breed and what these dogs were bred to do.
As the name suggests, an Australian cattle dog comes from Australia. More specifically, it comes from Queensland, which is the second-largest state in Australia and where these dogs were most popular.
The dingo, which is a famous wild dog in Australia, is related to these very smart dogs.
According to the history of the breed, heelers came about when imported herding dogs were crossed with Dingoes.
It’s possible that other breeds, like the Kelpie and the Dalmatian, were mixed in at some point. To figure out what’s going on with these genes, DNA analysis might be needed.
A History of Nipping Heels
The name “heeler,” which is just another name for this type, refers to how this breed works. These dogs were bred to use force to control and move herds of cattle.
They do this by nipping and biting the heels of stubborn cattle to get them to move.
The Australian Cattle Dog Club of America says that this breed likes to make decisions on its own.
A cow that doesn’t want to move doesn’t make the dog give up on its job. Instead, it makes the dog more determined to finish it.
The American Kennel Club says that these dogs are “alert, very smart, careful, brave, trustworthy, and have an unquestionable devotion to duty.”
In short, cattle dogs have the potential to be great working dogs and could be helpful to people who own farms. In fact, many heelers still work on farms with a lot of land where they can work and play as much as they want.
A blue heeler puppy is one of the cutest things you’ll ever see, but they are known to bite.
It’s nice to think that kids will stop doing these things as they get older, but there’s a good chance they won’t.
If this is the case, you will need to know how to stop your Blue Heeler puppy from biting.
When Do Blue Heeler Puppies Stop Biting?
Blue Heeler puppies will always have a tendency to bite, but this can be controlled with training and redirection. This is partly because of where they came from as a breed, but it’s also because of what they learn and how they are trained.
Blue Heelers are born with the instinct to bite.
For cattle herders, biting or nipping has long been a part of their job and way of life.
When it came to getting the cattle to move, they would use any method that worked.
They may bite or nip the cattle to keep them in line as part of managing the herd.
Aside from that, the Blue Heeler is an independent-minded breed of dog.
When they are determined and know what they are doing, they can do anything, including keeping livestock under control.
If every animal in the herd thought for itself, the Blue Heeler would stick to its plan and win in the end.
Because they are born with this trait, it can be hard to stop them from biting or nipping.
There is obedience training, and all the tools needed are provided.
Puppies of all dog breeds bite and nip each other from time to time. This is how they get ready to breed.
This is especially true when their teeth are coming in and they are teething.
Their breed has nothing to do with their need to bite or chew on everything.
It has to do with the fact that they want a break from the pressure, pain, and discomfort that come with teeth growing in.
This can be a long process that starts when they are still young puppies.
Some pet owners may find it hard to deal with, but the right chew toys can help.
During this time in their puppy’s life, pet parents should also have the right mindset and attitude.
Stress, worry, anger, or harsh treatment can hurt your Blue Heeler puppy and send it the wrong message.
If a Blue Heeler puppy attacks a family member or friend at this age, all they need to say is “NO BITE.”
The pet owner can leave the house for a while after that.
Usually, this stage would pass with time, but the Blue Heeler puppy won’t stop biting.
This needs to be kept in mind at all times, and training should reflect this.
They should be taught to stay true to their breed and nature while still being kind to other people.
Why do Blue Heelers Bite so Much?
As was already said, Blue Heelers are working dogs. They were made to be herding dogs.
Have you ever seen a dog herding sheep, goats, cattle, or any other kind of animal?
If so, you’ll see that they use their bodies to make a moving barrier between the animals and the rest of the world.
They do this to lead the animals in the right direction and make it less likely that one will get away.
If an animal walks away from the group and gets too close to the heeler’s fence, he will nip at its flanks or ankles to get it to go back to the group.
This tendency to bite is built into his DNA, and it is one of the most effective parts of how he herds.
Heeler is both the name of a breed of dog and a way to describe what this breed does.
When it comes to herding, these tough herders were literally taught to bite first and ask questions later.
All of this means that if he thinks you or another animal in the family should be going in a different direction, he will probably bite your ankle, buttocks, or flank to steer you in the right direction.
When you add the fact that puppies mostly play with their mouths, you have a recipe for a very sensitive little guy.
Not only are Blue Heelers great at herding, but they are also very protective.
They don’t worry.
This combination makes a dog have a hard bite that it uses to tell other animals or people to leave its territory.
If he thinks he is being threatened in a real way, he might bite.
12 Ways to Stop a Cattle Dog Puppy From Biting
There are different things that can be done to stop a cattle dog puppy from biting.
If your cattle dog puppy is biting hard and breaking skin, if you have small children in your home, or if you see any violent behaviour, you should get help from a professional.
1. Enroll in puppy classes.
Puppy classes are a great way for puppies to meet other puppies, improve their social skills and ability not to bite, and keep socializing
Look for puppy schools that require proof of vaccinations and put a lot of focus on keeping your puppy healthy.
2. Caution with young children.
Young children often move quickly, yell, and run around when they play, which can make heeler puppies nervous and make them chase and bite.
Because of this, these puppies may learn to play rough and may not learn how to act around children properly, which could hurt children.
Also, everyone needs to work together to make sure the puppy doesn’t learn to act in a bad way.
If you tell your puppy not to bite adults but then let it bite toddlers, there is no consistency, which makes dogs confused.
When there are kids around, keep the puppy in a separate room until he has learned how to control himself.
Remember that the more bad things dogs do, the better they get at them. When you practice well, you get better.
3. A word about punishment-based methods.
Using painful training methods like alpha rolling the puppy, giving a scruff shake, grabbing the puppy’s collar, or tapping the puppy on the nose could lead to future problems like defensive aggression and fear biting.
4. Teach your puppy to mouth gently.
Please be careful (and maybe even wear gloves) if your dog bites hard and you think his teeth are about to break skin.
Be careful not to put the treat too far back, because those teeth have a lot of crushing power, and you don’t want your fingers to get caught in there by accident.
Hold a treat or kibble between your thumb and index or middle finger, letting it stick out a bit, and put it right into your puppy’s mouth.
If he’s biting down hard, don’t let go (letting go will only reinforce the biting down behavior).Talk to him quietly, move slowly, and wait for him to gently nibble. Then give him praise and let him go.
Repeat several times. Once he gets it, you can say “gentle” every time you put the treat in his mouth to remind him to be careful with his teeth.
Remember that your puppy won’t be able to control his biting when he’s excited if he can’t control it when he’s calm.
5. A word about withdrawal from play.
Puppies play by biting each other because that’s what they did with their littermates until they got to their new homes.
One common way to stop a puppy from biting is to yelp or yell “Ouch!” and turn around (or even leave the room if the puppy keeps doing it) to teach the puppy that if it bites too hard, it will lose its friend.
This method is based on what littermates do, but it might not work well for dogs that get easily excited or dogs that like to move around a lot.
More biting happens when we move, and the more we resist by moving when we feel those sharp teeth, the more a puppy will cling to us and treat us like giant tug toys.
Some dogs might think that a yelping animal is upset, which would make them more agitated (the owner is seen as a fun squeaky tug toy!).
Some dogs that like to move around may chase you and latch on to you more if you turn your back on them and leave the room.
However, he could have had a great time while the owner was gone, so it’s not certain that the withdrawal will be made.
When it comes to puppies, if you walk away and a land shark hooks onto one of their legs, it’s best to try a different approach, like teaching them better ways to behave.
6. Train alternate, incompatible replacement behaviors.
When your puppy is coming up to you and you know he’s going to bite, ask him to do one of the following things instead.
Before you can use it to stop a puppy from biting when it is excited, you must have trained the replacement behaviour to the point where it is automatic.
Replacement behaviours let the puppy do something that doesn’t go along with biting.
To ask for these different behaviours, you need to carry a treat bag with you all day so you can redirect your dog at any time while you’re walking around.
Instead of treats, kibble can be given to a puppy whose owner is worried about extra calories or stomach pain.
You can, for instance, teach your dog to aim for your hands (or a long target stick), and when it does, you can give it a treat.
To praise and reward a dog, throw a piece of food across the room (which also gives the dog a workout to burn excess energy).
Hand targeting is a fun game in which the goal is to get the puppy to bite hands instead of sniffing them.
Other examples of replacement behaviours are asking your puppy to “sit” as you approach and then rewarding it by throwing the kibble or treat in the opposite direction as you walk away or asking your puppy to do some attention heeling (a dog walking next to you and staring into your eyes) inside the house. Every time he looks at you, praise him and throw a treat across the room.
But what should you do in the meantime, while your puppy learns the new behaviour so well that it becomes second nature?
You might want to distract your puppy with a food-dispensing toy or an interactive game like tug or play with a toy on a string when she gets close (if you’re walking, stop walking because movement makes dogs more likely to nip).
7. Watch for chained behaviors.
Heelers are very smart, and they have shown that they can learn chained actions quickly.
So, if your puppy bites and then stops, and you give them a treat for stopping, they may learn that biting and stopping gets them treats, and you’ll be stuck in a loop of bad behaviour. There are different ways to do this.
Adding some activities might help keep your smart dog from biting the chain, but it might be better to stop him from biting in the first place.
For example, what if your puppy bites and then stops biting, and you want to treat him? Throw a handful of kibble on the floor to praise and encourage your puppy, and then take steps to stop it from biting again.
Invite your puppy to join you in the yard for a treasure hunt for extra kibble hidden around the yard or a fun game of tug anything to keep his mind occupied and his hands away from your hands.
This should help break the chain of events. Even better, catch your puppy before he has a chance to bite and teach him to do something else, like target your hand over and over again.
8. A word about redirecting to toys.
Many heeler puppy owners try to get their heeler pups to play with a toy or eat treats instead of biting their hands, but the pup will just play with the toy or eat the treat and then go back to biting.
Why? Most likely because the toy is boring and the puppy has seen it before, or because it lacks the constant, unpredictable movement that most heeler puppies crave.
Giving treats doesn’t last long enough (unless you throw them away and ask for a different behaviour every time he comes back), so the puppy goes back to an activity that lasts longer and gets him involved (nipping you as you move or making sounds and moving away).
When puppies bite, it’s best to give them the best of both worlds: a toy that moves and keeps them interested, and a toy that gives them a treat.
The Kong Wobbler, the Buster Cube, or any IQ treat ball that’s already filled with treats and small enough to fit in your pocket are all good options.
It’s important to give dogs interactive toys because they give their brains a workout and let them do what comes naturally.
Puppies also form positive associations with these toys, so biting people gets boring after a while (especially if you freeze like a lamppost and redirect to these toys instead).
Most puppies stop nipping, just like they stop biting and chasing their tails, because these other things give them more pleasure in their environment.
But if the puppy doesn’t have these outlets, it may keep doing bad things because it has nothing else to do.
9. Introduce your puppy to some Treibball basics.
In the new dog sport of Treibball, the dog “herds” a bunch of big, inflatable exercise balls into a soccer-style net.
Start by teaching your puppy to hand-target with a clicker. Then, teach your puppy to hand-target a sticky note on an open cabinet.
Then, teach your puppy to hand-target the sticky note on the cabinet with enough force to close the cabinet.
Finally, put the sticky note on a large ball and teach your puppy to push the ball with his nose, increasing the distance gradually. Once your puppy gets the idea, you can take the note away.
10. Provide exercise, training and mental stimulation.
Heelers are working dogs whose bodies and minds do best when they are active, trained, and given something to think about.
Play with your puppy in ways that reinforce calm behaviour (like making your puppy sit before you throw a ball), teach your puppy to control his or her impulses (ask your puppy to sit before putting down the food bowl, petting it, opening a door, or putting on the leash), and keep your puppy busy with brain games.
11. Caution with high-impact exercise.
This means that long walks, jumping up and down, jogging, and other activities should be avoided unless they are okayed by a veterinarian.
12. Watch for cranky pups!
Lastly, keep in mind that puppies sleep a lot, and getting enough sleep is important for their growth.
Puppies sometimes bite because they are tired and need to take a break.
Putting these puppies in a crate or behind a baby gate in a quiet room with a safe chew toy will help them relax, and after they’re done chewing, they’ll probably fall asleep.
Moving Forward: Activities for the Future
Heelers are dogs that need a job and a reason to live in order to be happy and healthy (as well as for the well-being of their owners).
After they reach physical maturity, heelers can be used for a variety of jobs that will keep their minds and bodies busy.
Some of these are agility or “twirling” sports; herding or “tracking”; and rally obedience events.
Closing Points
Biting is a normal part of how a puppy grows and develops.
This behaviour is harder for Blue Heeler puppies to do because they are bred.
Their parents need to be ready for how independent and determined their kids will be.
They should have a lot of snacks and a lot of time to get through this.
The good news is that even a blue heeler can learn to stop biting.
In reality, that’s all a person who owns one of these dogs can hope for.
I have been working in animal shelter for the past six years and I have been raising the puppies of different breeds. I have had experience in training the puppies in obedience, agility, and other dog sports.
My main objective is to train the puppies to become good family pets. They should be well-behaved and trained to be loving, loyal, and obedient.
Contact me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (912) 634-3631
Address: 102 Village Way Crk Saint Simons Island, Georgia(GA), 31522
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