Why Does My Dog Bite My Feet?

It's fairly common for a puppy to lunge at your feet while you're walking. This isn't something that should worry you too much, since their mouth, along with their sense of smell, is their main way of playing and discovering the world. Does your dog bite your feet, and you're wondering why?

Movement inevitably attracts the little ones. Even so, if this fixation doesn't fade with age, or turns into an obsession, something may not be quite working right. Find out what triggers this canine behaviour and how to fix it in this SoyUnPerro.com article.

What Makes Puppies Bite Your Feet?

Because of their wolf ancestry, dogs are born with a chasing instinct. If you study a puppy's movements, you'll see they're drawn not only to your feet, but to anything else moving around them.

They focus on the first thing in their line of sight, and it's normal for this tendency to become more obvious while walking. Even so, this impulse doesn't mean they want to eat you alive. Puppies use these little nips as a game to explore and get in touch with reality.

This is, therefore, a normal behaviour in puppies, and more common in more curious, restless dog breeds. Even so, if the bites become stronger, very frequent, or continue for years, you should treat it as a problem that goes beyond that.

Reasons a Dog May Bite Your Feet While You Walk

When it comes to spotting the cause of an adult dog still biting, you need to analyse how they were trained as a puppy. Most often, our companion identifies biting as the main way of getting your attention.

Remember dogs learn through repeated commands, and that when they obey them, you need to reward them so they connect the dots. If their mind built this link, it's because they learned to do it this way.

This means that at some point during their training they discovered that biting you eventually gets you to pay attention to them. The dog might be bored, or need more activity to feel balanced.

There are plenty of breeds with high exercise needs who can show this habit as a way of signalling they need more play, walks, or more intense canine sports.

Another reason, especially among breeds with herding genes, is that to guide and control their flocks they use a strategy of small nips. That's why it's not unusual for a Belgian Shepherd or a Border Collie to "herd" people so they go where they want them to.

How to Stop a Dog Biting Your Feet at Every Step?

The first thing you should do in these cases is try to find out why your dog shows this obsession with your feet. Once you've identified it, put the following advice into practice:

Stay Still

If you think their need to bite you is a way of getting your attention, try staying still until they get interested in something else. This technique is far simpler and gives better results if done while they're still young.

Don't Pay Them Attention

Don't pay attention to them when they bite you, since they'll link it to your reaction and repeat it whenever they need something from you. You shouldn't talk to them or scold them at that moment either. It's best to ignore them, though if this habit is deeply set, you risk them grabbing harder or more insistently.

Remember that when teaching obedience, it's essential to work on bite inhibition from four months old. Through this method, they'll learn to control the strength of their bite so as not to hurt anyone.

Redirect Their Attention

In puppies especially drawn to the movement of feet, a good solution is finding an alternative activity. Remember the little ones see nips as a game, so offering them something different, such as fetching a ball or chewing a rubber toy, will help redirect their attention away from your feet.

More Exercise

A dog who bites feet may be out of balance, and one of the main reasons is a lack of exercise. Herding breeds, hunting dogs, terriers and water dogs need an outlet for their energy to stay healthy and stress-free.

Check the activity needs of the breed and offer them the most recommended frequency of play and activity. Choose the sports best suited to your breed, or take them along running or cycling with you. Plenty of breeds love water, so trips to the beach or a river are welcome too.

Don't Let Them Become Pack Leaders

Territorial or herding breed dogs can use bites to try to dominate you and become the alpha male. To correct this, you need to train them with tact and firmness. In herding breed dogs, you'll need to eliminate this herding tendency as soon as possible if you don't want them to keep doing it.

In short: an adult dog who bites is telling us something's out of place. The best approach, then, is to act early to stop behavioural problems getting worse, and make sure your friend has the best possible quality of life.