Biting is one of the worst behavior problems you can have in a scottish terrier dog.
Scotties that bite shoes, hands and ankles, scotties that nip at young children for no apparent reason, scotties that act aggressively biting his owner when he tries to correct a bad behavior, these are just some of the situations scottish terrier owners may have to cope with at times.
To understand the reasons why he first started biting is the fundamental step for controlling your Scottish terrier biting habit.
To some extent biting is part of young puppies and even adult dogs normal playing behavior and can also be related to their teething period.
It may sound strange to you but your Scottie may nip or bite simply to get your attention. And he will keep doing it if he succeeds at it! Adult Scotties may nip when they get too excited or bite when they feel threatened. Scottish terriers can be possessive of their toys and food and biting is their form of defending them from intruders.
Biting can also be a reaction to pain caused to them, like somebody accidentally stepping on their paw. Other Scotties develop a suspicious or aggressive behavior towards strangers or visitors and that's when biting may occur for no specific reason.
Of course your Scottie's biting habits may bring negative effects on you and on your relationship. You are prevented from letting him outside or taking him to crowded public places for fear of him biting someone, not mentioning the troubles you may have in case it accidentally happens.
Your Scottish terrier does not automatically know what is acceptable and what is not, so it is up to you to establish the limits by correcting him when he misbehaves. When biting becomes an agressive, uncontrolable habit steps should be taken to curb it before it causes major problems.
What can you do to effectively cure your Scottish terrier's biting habit?
1. Let him know your disapproval through a loud and incisive "no" or "no bite" command. Then leave him alone, do not look at him or talk to him.
2. If he starts biting while playing, give him a "no bite" command and stop playing immediately.
3. When necessary use a spray bottle or a can filled with coins or marbles together with a firm "no bite" command. This procedure should be repeated every time he bites until he finally stops doing it.
If your scottish terrier biting habit persists, you should consider getting some professional help. Obedience training classes can be of great assistance in correcting most of your Scottish terrier behavior problems, including biting habit.
