Dogs are among the best friends that you can have for life. But sometimes, their behavior makes you think twice about whether you have done right by keeping them with you or not. A dog’s nipping on the face behavior is similar.
Are you wondering why your dog nips at your face? Do you feel annoyed when they do so? Well, if yes, then keep reading as you are on the right page. In this read, we will be discussing “why dogs nip at your face” and what to do to stop them. Let’s get started!
Why Does Your Dnip At Your Face?
The foremost thing we need to know is why they are doing it. There are many reasons behind it. These are as follows:-
Reinforcing the behavior
Reinforcing the behavior or rewarding the behavior will let your dog nip at your face. Sometimes it happens that you are rewarding them for doing it. The reward can be anything, including toys, their favorite meal, or you are giving them the attention they actually want. At this moment, they will learn that this is the way you pay attention to them and reward them. To get the same thing again and again, they will do it.
Tip: Don’t revert to the unacceptable behavior of your dog. Instead, try to withdraw so that they can understand that this behavior is not acceptable and they need to behave properly.
It’s trying to get attention from you
If your dog is looking for attention, chances are they will nip at your face. For example, you may be too preoccupied with your work to pay attention to them. At that moment, they start doing it so that you pay attention to them and get an idea that they are in need of you. Additionally, it also happens when you immediately start noticing their behavior and behave as they want.
Tip: Giving attention to your dog is good but be sure you are not doing it unnecessarily. If they are doing so to get your attention, do try to train them peacefully. Don’t entertain their behavior because that can be troublesome for you.
Your dog is teething
If you have a puppy at your place, you need to deal with its teething time too. Nipping at your face may give him some relief. You will also notice that during this time, they are nibbling on pillows too.
Tip: if the teething phase is going on, be sure to get some chewable available for your dog. It could be anything like toys and bones available. Also, train them about the things they can do and they cannot. Sometimes not training them for certain things will make you feel embarrassed if you visit someone else’s place and they behave inappropriately.
It’s inherent nature of your dog
Dog’s Mouth and nose act as the interaction tools to interact with the environment. They try to sense the things in their surroundings. If you notice your dog nipping at any surface other than your face, then understand that they are interacting with it and want to remember it for long.
Tip: Train your dog and let him understand the basic difference between sensing the environment and disturbing it. Some dog training centers are also available where you can take your dog to get rid of this habit.
Not enough training
Training a dog is really very important. If you are not training your dog, they will get engaged in some unnecessary activities like nipping at your face or nibbling on pillows that can create trouble for you later on. If you want yourself to be on the safe side, do train your dog accordingly.
Tip: Train your dog on your own and start spending time with them. Also, you can visit the dog training centers in your surroundings and get them enrolled there.
Excitement
Excitement can also be a possible cause behind a dog nipping at your face. As we all know, dogs get excited when we come back home after a long hectic day. At that time, there are more chances to experience such behavior.
Tip: Be patient for a while and consider how long your dog has been acting this way. Also, if this is frequently happening, then you need to avoid such things that make them feel excited.
To explore their environment
Dogs love to explore their environment. By nipping and nibbling, they do it successfully. It has been seen that dogs feel really very happy when they start absorbing new things in their environment. They get focused on the particular object and then start doing it frequently.
Tip: Train your dog and let them know about best practices they can adapt to explore the environment.
It may have to do with genetics
With some dogs nipping at the face, it is an inherited character, and you cannot do anything with it. In general, you need to deal with it or adapt some other measures.
Tip: Training your dog is the only option left to you when it has an inherited trait and nothing else is helping you out.
Training your dog may be an overwhelming task, but in the end, it will be worthwhile. They will behave like well-mannered dogs, and everyone will appreciate them. Most people train their canine friends so that they can have conversations with them too. The cause varies from person to person, but don’t forget to train them.
Things to consider stop your dog nipping or biting at your face
While your dog is nipping at your face, certain things are helpful in figuring out the actual cause behind it. These are as follows:-
What changed when your dog first started nipping at your face?
If this is the first time your dog nips at your face, possibly the reasons are different this time. Majorly it happens due to teething or looking forward to your attention. Sometimes they do it to observe their master too. (If you have a puppy at your place, the chances are very high for you to observe such behavior of your dog)
What is different when your dog does not show this behavior?
As a dog owner, you are well-versed in all the behavior of your pet. If your dog does not do it, it is important to know when they do it. For example, if your dog likes beans and you are giving them apples to eat, they are not nipping. But when you fed them beans, they started nipping at your face. In general, it is considered excitement that causes them to do this.
What to do about your dog nipping at your face?
If you are feeling irritated with this behavior of your dog, it is high time to take certain things into consideration to stop it. These are as follows:
Positive reinforcement training
Positive reinforcement training is the primary thing you can adapt to. Make sure not to reward them at such behavior. If you are rewarding them for doing so, they will engage in it and irritate you. For positive reinforcement training, the things you can adopt include:-
- Do not pay attention to your dog whenever it nips. You can also try living in the same surroundings for a while.
- Give them attention when they are behaving nicely. If they start nipping again, stop giving attention.
- Be sure to understand why your dog is doing it. This will help you to know whether you need to stop them or let them continue.
- Repeat these things with your dog and see the changes.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As a responsible dog owner, it is important to know that you are not entertaining any inappropriate behavior. For example, if you are rewarding them for nipping at your face, they will get habituated to it and do it again and again. If you are not paying attention to it, they will start avoiding it on their own.
Give it other things to chew on
The market is flooded with chewables like toys and bones for dogs. Along with the above-mentioned methods, you can get them so that there will be fewer chances that they bite any other thing.
Get help
If you are not able to find out why it is happening, it is high time you approached a certified dog trainer. Dog trainers specialize in understanding the behavior. For sure, they will let you know how to get rid of the particular condition.
Frequently Asked Questions about dog nipping at your face
Why does my dog nip at my face when excited?
Dogs nip at your face when they are excited due to high arousal. This is their way of expressing that they are over-excited by things. Sometimes these things are also accompanied by barking and spinning.
Is it normal for dogs to nip at my face randomly?
If your dog nips at your face randomly, then it is completely normal. But the same is acceptable if it is happening very frequently. If it is frequently happening, you need to train them.
Why did my dog try to nip my face when I kissed him?
Some dogs are not in the right mindset to get hugged or kissed. At that moment, they feel restrained or trapped. This trapped feeling causes them to nip at your face.
Why does my dog bite only on one person in the family?
Sometimes it happens that your dog is behaving normally with every person in the family except the one. This majorly happens when the dogs observe the same person. If the dog has any memory of abuse, they try to maintain a distance. Also, if they try to come close, they bite them.
Which dog breed bites the most humans?
Pitbulls are the top dogs that bite humans. Therefore, it is important to take all the preventive measures before getting close to your dog’s face.
The takeaway from all this
Nipping is a common behavior shown by dogs. But if the canine is on a training program, they will stop doing it. If your dog nips at you randomly, that is something for you to get tense about. But if it is frequently happening, do pay attention and train them in the best possible manner!
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