Samoyeds are wonderful family pets and are known for their beautiful fur and loving demeanor. However, they are also an extremely intelligent and often stubborn breed who will take both patience and authority to train. If your Samoyed is biting, chewing, or tearing apart your furniture, there are certain recommended ways to discipline them, so let’s learn what they are!
How To Stop A Samoyed From Biting? To stop a Samoyed from biting, you will need to be consistent, attentive, and authoritative at all times. The best way to ensure they break the habit is to be there to tell them a low and firm “NO” each and every time they bite. You should also encourage them to use their mouths to play with their own toys so they understand the difference between biting and playing.
You are not the first person to encounter this problem, and luckily, quite a lot of research has been collected from experts so there are now proven tactics on how to train your Samoyed to stop biting either as a puppy or as an adult. So keep reading! Because in this article, we are going to dig a little deeper into the best solutions for training your Samoyed to quit biting.
How to Stop a Samoyed from Biting
There is certainly a lot of information on the internet when it comes to training dogs, and even more specifically Samoyeds. We want to remind you that just like every human, every dog is different! While there is a lot of good advice out there, you will need to find what works for your furry friend and in your relationship.
That being said, the majority of Samoyeds will greatly benefit from an authoritative and experienced owner. As we know, they are incredibly intelligent, and they can tell who is actually in charge. Now, authoritativeness does not entail cruelty but instead shows a clear and consistent leader who they can trust and lean on.
In this section, we will learn the several solutions that are best to use when working with an adolescent or adult dog, as the recommended training for Samoyed puppies uses slightly different tactics that we will explore in the next section.
So if your dog is older than 12 months, here is what you need to know:
- Your full attention is required. Although it may take time out of your day, it is important that you are constantly watching your Samoyed to ensure that you are ready to discourage them from any biting, whether that be on your furniture, shoes, or even yourself.
- Consistency is essential. As you are now omnipresent in your Samoyeds life, you can consistently deliver a firm “NO” immediately as biting or chewing occurs. Diligent reprimanding is the tried and true way to teach your dog that biting is not okay.
- Provide appropriate chew toys. Rawhides and other tough toys are a great way to show your dog that there are things they can safely bite and chew! Remember to praise them generously when they decide to bite down on a toy instead of a chair.
- Ensure your Samoyed has had ample exercise. Often dogs misbehave when they are bored or anxious, by making sure your pup has had plenty of time to tire themselves out, they are less likely to act out and chew on things they are not supposed to. Experts recommend that Samoyeds experience at least two hours of exercise each day.
Each of these tactics is equally important, but they will not work if your dog does not see you as the alpha. Training your Samoyed not to bite will work best if you express your dominance (kindly) in all aspects of your relationship.
Remember, positive reinforcement is just as important and effective as discipline! It’s essential that your Samoyed knows when they are acting as you would like them to, as they will want to keep doing it!
How to Stop my Samoyed Puppy from Biting and Chewing?
Puppies are different from adult dogs as they are only learning the ropes and while they are slightly easier to train, they are also more sensitive to harsh reprimands.
In fact, experts recommend that instead of a firm “NO”, you remove yourself from your puppy’s view when they bite inappropriately.
You can begin playing with your puppy and when you feel a bite, immediately yell “OUCH” in a high pitched yelp, similar to what they may hear from other dogs, and then stop playing and walk into the other room out of your puppy’s eyesight for about 30 seconds. Then come back and try playing again.
In the beginning, you should only pay attention to the stronger bites, as they will often nip playfully which will fade as they get a little older.
When it comes to chewing, you will need to be diligently watching and immediately remove the puppy from whatever they have their teeth sunk into and then replace what they were interested in with an appropriate toy.
As with older Samoyeds, your pup should be encouraged, praised, and even rewarded when they choose to chew on a toy or rawhide instead of something like your hand or your favorite rug.
NOTE: Do not hit, slap, or even grab your puppy when they are biting as a punishment. As they are just learning to trust you, this could be extremely detrimental to your relationship going forward.
How Do You Discipline a Samoyed?
As we have learned, and as you may have experienced with your Samoyed, they are exceptionally intelligent and also quite sensitive compared to other breeds. Because of these two characteristics, it is extremely important that you train your Samoyed with a lot of positive reinforcement.
However, there will of course come a time when they need to be disciplined. So what is the correct way to reprimand these smiley fun-loving dogs?
One simple way to ensure your dog understands when they are being praised and when they are well, in the dog house, is to change your tone. Dogs understand tone much better than you might imagine, and high and happy praise should be very different from a low and firm “NO” or “Enough.”
Never use a crate as a punishment for your dog. If you are crate training, it should be a safe space for them, not a prison. However, you can send your dog into a “time out” in a separate room from you as a disciplinary action.
Your expectations should be clear from the moment you take them home, this will ensure that they understand they are being disciplined because they know what behavior is and is not allowed in the home.
When Should I Start Training my Samoyed Puppy?
Training your Samoyed puppy should begin the moment you bring them home. Puppies can be trained from seven weeks old, and we highly recommend not taking any puppies away from their mothers before the seven-week mark.
So as soon as they are in their new home, they are not only ready to be trained, but they will be paying attention to everything you do, both consciously and subconsciously.
To ensure your Samoyed puppy understands the rules of the house and that you are the alpha, it is important that you provide consistent rules, sufficient praise, and really, your constant attention!
Although training should start young, remember that Samoyeds truly do benefit from positive affirmations that they are doing well. In order to give your puppy the love it deserves, while also making sure it grows up to be a healthy, happy, well-behaved dog, you should give it constant little treats or verbal praise whenever it does even the littlest thing correctly.
The truth is, getting your Samoyed to stop biting, while not particularly challenging, requires you as their caretaker and owner to be dedicated to helping them understand that it is not allowed.
As you now know, Samoyeds are a gentle loving breed who are intelligent, strong, and of course, a little stubborn. They need you to be the alpha so they understand their role in your pack!
To do so, you will need to be consistent, attentive, and authoritative. Sound familiar? Well, we really want you to understand how to nip this problem in the bud so that you and your Samoyed can enjoy playtime and so you can feel comfortable with your dog around other people, animals, or even home alone with your belongings.