How do I stop my Heeler puppy from biting? Tips and Tricks

Help, My Heeler Puppy Won’t Stop Biting!

It is not surprising, considering this breeds history as herding dogs, to see puppies that are extremely intelligent and seek interaction with their owners. The nipping in a heeler pup may be more than the average puppy due to this breeds instincts to herd and nip. Add on top of that their determination, and you have the perfect recipe for what dog owners nickname the “nippy puppy monster.”

For a good part, puppy nipping should be inhibited to a certain extent once puppies are heading to their new homes at 8 weeks of age. This is courtesy of the pups interactions with their littermates and mom which should have taught them the ABCs of puppy bite inhibition.

In the litter, every time a puppy plays and bites too hard, their littermates will yelp and withdraw from play, which should teach these rough pups to use their mouths more gently if they want to keep playing.

However, once puppies make their way into their new homes, further training is required to prevent these pups from nipping too hard considering that human skin is much softer. On top of learning to bite more softly, heeler puppies should also eventually learn to interact with humans in different ways.

When puppies play and a good percentage of that play involves rough mouthing that goes uncorrected, there is a big chance of the behavior gaining a strong rehearsal history with conditioned emotions. Soon, the puppy will seek out these interactions more and more as they feel good. The more aroused puppies are, the harder they will bite and the more those jaws develop, the more they are capable of inflicting pain. Excessive nipping should be “nipped in the bud” before it becomes an ingrained habit.

Its important to teach heelers to inhibit their bite, find productive ways to redirect the puppys biting, and teach that pleasure can be gained from alternate activities.

How to Train a Blue Heeler Puppy not to Bite

How to train a Blue Heeler puppy not to bite is a common search term among new owners of this breed.

That’s because biting is a key component of a Blue Heeler’s make up.

Bred in Australia, this herding dog is loyal, obedient, and protective.

They excel at herding livestock, and they are vigilant in the protection of their families.

It only makes sense that Blue Heeler puppies often have bite issues. After all, they were literally born to do it.

Herding requires intense intelligence, stamina, the ability to adapt, and nipping.

Nipping is one of the ways a herding dog directs animals in the direction he wants them to go.

In addition, nipping is also a way to warn off potential threats to the family that have gotten too close for the Heeler’s comfort.

When you combine these herding and protective instincts, you have a breed that is literally tailor-made to bite.

Knowing this is key because if you don’t train your puppy out of his biting habit, you’ll end up with a full-grown dog that has no problem biting.

Even if he only bites out of play, that kind of behavior can lead to accidental injury to other people or animals.

That scenario could lead to anything from paying vet bills to having your dog taken away.

That’s why we’re going to be talking about how to train a Blue Heeler puppy not to bite.

It’s absolutely vital that nipping is nipped in the bud sooner rather than later.

How do I train my Blue Heeler puppy NOT to bite?

The best way to train your Blue Heeler puppy NOT to bite is during the event itself.

If your Blue Heeler puppy bites, they should be told a firm NO BITE, and then the pet parent should remove themselves from the puppy for a time.

After a time, the puppy can be rewarded with the parent returning to play or snuggle time.

Should the event happen again, the training should continue in the same manner.

If your Blue Heeler puppy bites, it can be helpful also to give them something that they can bite.

This item can be a chew or teething toy or frozen rag if they are teething.

The puppy will learn what they can bite or nip and what they should not nip or bite with patience and time.

Each puppy will reach this time frame on its own, as they are all unique.

For this breed, since they need to bite is so ingrained, this may take a bit more persistence.

They naturally have an independent mind and determined nature, so more patience might need to be given.

Consistency is a must here for this breed.

That means the pet parents must be consistent and not let their Blue Heeler puppy bite or nip anything unacceptable, ever.

One slip up with a dog breed so independent, determined, and intelligent, and it can make the process take even longer.

Methods that are harsh or punishing to the puppy should NEVER be used as they are abusive and detrimental to its overall health.

These methods also wreak havoc on the loving bond the parents will want to form with their new Blue Heeler puppy.

It is also helpful for pet parents to infuse their behavior with emotion.

When the puppy bites their finger, they should express the pain that can be heard.

The puppy will learn from this as well.

In some instances with this breed, they may not learn and end up biting a little harder or more if the parent withdraws from play or expresses pain.

This breed was bred to work, and their occupation must be considered.

In this case, redirecting their behavior can be helpful.

This can include playing with a particular toy designed for them to bite or nip or something else entirely.

During the redirecting, they should also be praised and rewarded for their efforts.

This can take time and lots of tiny morsels of treats, so be prepared.

Possibilities for training will happen throughout the day.

The pet parent should be prepared physically, as well as have lots of tiny treats on hand.

Puppy training classes can be more helpful for those who can’t manage training their Blue Heeler puppy.

The financial price may be worth the reduction in stress of dealing with this behavior.

Stop!! Puppy Biting!! NOW!! Australian Cattle dog (blue heeler)

Pet advisor Cathy M. Rosenthal agrees with future grandma, the Australian blue heeler who nips needs to be controlled, and she advises on a household cat feud that seems unending.

I am heartbroken for my daughter and her fiancé. About a year ago, they adopted a 7-week-old Australian blue heeler. The dog has always been a nipper. Very early on they got a trainer to help stop this bad behavior to no avail. They paid a small fortune to have the dog live with a trainer for five weeks. It helped a little, but the dog does not like a collar and will bite/nip when that is put on him. They recently had a dog walker quit because the dog had bitten him three times. He sent pictures of his bloody hand.

Is there any hope that this dog will stop doing this? I don’t think this dog should be anywhere near children and I worry about future grandchildren. What are their options? I have been nipped a few times as well.

Nipping and biting are fairly common practices for Australian blue heelers. They are herding dogs, which means they nip and bite the flanks of other animals to “herd” them in a particular direction. Even so, you can’t have a dog who nips and bites people, so there are things your family can do to limit this behavior.

First, the dog should learn to control his bite pressure. They can teach him this by offering a treat between their fingers. If the dog gets too rough or mouthy, they need to hold onto the treat and not give it to him. The dog only receives the treat when he offers a soft mouth on their fingers. He will want the treat and will learn quickly what he has to do to get it.

Second, they can act like a hurt puppy whenever he nips them. During puppy play if a puppy gets hurt, he yelps, stops the play, and turns away. This is how puppies learn how to moderate the pressure of their nips and bites.

Your daughter and fiancé should also spend a lot of time training the dog, especially the “leave it” command. That way, if the dog looks like he is about to nip someone, they can tell him to “leave it,” and redirect his behavior to a toy or game.

Australian blue heelers also need a tremendous amount of exercise, so frequent and long walks or games that expend a lot of energy are a must.

Finally, look for triggers and work to reduce them. For example, if the dog nips when the collar is put on, leave the collar on him. (Unless it’s a training collar that must be removed.)

Because the dog is sometimes breaking skin, though, have your daughter consult an animal behaviorist who can determine his triggers and recommend specific behavior modifications that may help. Until the dog moderates his nips and eliminates his bites, he needs to be monitored around everyone, especially children.

Dear Cathy,

We rescued a 5-year-old cat last year and named her Millie. We rescued another cat, Lexie, when she was just a year old. She is now nine. She was feral for nine months before she was caught and is very timid.

Lexie always got along with my other cat, who has since passed, but Lexie and Millie don’t get along. They chase each other and hiss and yell at each other. I have even seen them hitting each other with their paws. Lexie spends all day under a bed. We keep them separated with a baby gate when we aren’t home. Every evening and night, we give Lexie a chance to spend time outside of the bedroom.

We don’t want to give Millie back, but we can’t continue to have them not get along and have a baby gate up. They will use the same litterbox and eat out of each other’s dish. But when we tried feeding them on opposite sides of a door, Lexie refused to near her food if she hears Millie.

Cats can take weeks or months to establish their territories and learn to get along. If the baby gate helps, leave it up for now. They can still smell each other and can get used to each other that way over time. Feed them so they don’t see or hear each other and get some feline pheromone spray or plug-ins for the house and a feline pheromone collar for them to wear. Pheromones can relax cats and relaxing them can reduce the friction in the home.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist, and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories, and tips to [email protected]. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.

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