Chewing
Puppies chew & bite for various reasons. Puppies chew to help relieve discomfort as new teeth are coming in. Adults will chew when bored, to relax or just have fun.
Rottweiler pups and adults have very powerful jaws. Be sure to give them bones that are safe. Make sure they are large enough not to choke on. He should not be able to entirely fit any bone in his mouth. Toys or bones that can easily break off in chunks can be harmful to your Rottweiler so avoid these as well.
Bones that are cooked are usually more brittle and therefore are more dangerous for your dog. Pig ears and rawhide bones can easily dry out and break off in large sharp pieces that could pierce the internal organs of your Rottweiler.
Large nylon bones with meat flavoring are a good choice as they also help keep your dogs teeth clean and are non-abrasive. Many breeders will only give their dogs raw bones but there is always a risk in giving your pet any bones that can splinter.
Biting
Puppies learn to bite at a very early age from their litter mates. Although it may be cute to have an 8 week old puppy nibble on your finger, it won't be so cute when their 6 months old. A puppy should NEVER be allowed to bite human skin.
Prevention is always the easiest way to train. You should not play tug-of-war until your puppy learns to "release". Wrestling and tackling, dangling food or making your puppy jump for treats is also encouraging him to snap and bite.
There are different techniques for dealing with biting. The first thing to remember is NEVER hit your puppy when he bites. This will only encourage him to play rougher or even become afraid of you. As with most types of training positive enforcement works best. Here are some various techniques for handling puppy biting:
- Quickly cry or yelp and then run away leaving him alone. Your puppy will soon learn he looses his playmate this way.
- Yell NO! and immediately direct his biting to a toy or chew bone the second he bites.
- Put your thumb under his tongue while holding his lower jaw with your finger for a few seconds. He will not be able to bite this way.
- As soon as he bites shake a can filled with coins or rocks and yell NO!
- Use a spray bottle with water and spray him the second he bites.
We have not tested all these methods, so choose the one that works best for you. Just remember, never hit your puppy!