Zack Keithy, our author, has been a certified veterinarian technician for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers. Learn more about us here.
Hey, your dog’s taking his first steps into a world of new experiences and exciting smells.
As he explores his environment, he may encounter some things that catch his attention—and bite, just like when he lunges at your face sometimes.
Dogs are natural hunters and sometimes they don’t know where to draw the line between chasing after something they want to play with and attacking it because it’s prey.
In this article, we’ll explain why your dog might be biting tires. We’ll also talk about how you can stop this behavior from happening again in the future!
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Why does my dog bite tires?
1. Prey Drive
Many dogs have a natural instinct to hunt, so they probably enjoy chasing and biting.
The prey drive has been a part of the canine family for thousands of years, so it’s in their DNA.
Some dogs like to chew on tires, while others just want to bite them (or even dragging other dogs by their collars!).
Canines in the wild rely on their prey drive to survive.
They follow their victim, and when they see it running, they go after it.
Although your domestic pet may seem very different from wild canines, the truth is that they share the same fundamental instincts.
Doggy says, you might wanna read this too: My dog killed a rabbit!
2. Herding Instinct
Another reason why dogs bite tires is simple: herding instinct.
Dogs that have been bred to herd will instinctively chase after an object and nip at it to move it in the direction they want.
This behavior can be useful for keeping livestock off your lawn or away from a dangerous area, but it can also be annoying if you’re trying to get through the checkout line at the grocery store and your dog is chasing a tire around like some sort of out-of-control puppy tornado.
Herding instinct is entirely natural, but it doesn’t mean you should let your dog bite tires all day long without stopping him!
If your dog has an overdeveloped sense of what he considers appropriate behavior, try teaching him how to play fetch with tennis balls instead of chasing down cars on busy streets.
He’ll enjoy himself more and you’ll feel safer as well: look down at those sharp teeth chomping away at rubber and think about what could happen if he accidentally caught one edge instead—all that wayward energy could cause serious harm!
Doggy says, consider reading this too: Are Vizslas Good Guard Dogs? Suitability for Your Family
3. Playing Chase
Your dog may be biting the tires of your car or any object that has wheels for that matter because he’s playing chase.
Your dog is running after something and trying to catch it.
He might be chasing a cat or another animal, or he could be chasing his own tail (most likely not).
If this is the case, stop him as soon as possible because it can become obsessive behavior.
You should also limit how much time he spends alone in the yard so that he doesn’t get bored and start thinking about other things to do besides playing with you and relaxing in his bed (like chewing on tires).
Doggy says, read this too: Why Do Dogs Walk in Circles Before They Die? Do They Even?
4. Fear
Dogs can be afraid of new things, and tires are a great example.
If your dog is afraid of tires, it’s probably because they’re seeing them as something new.
This can happen if you suddenly bring home a tire from work or if you start working on your car in the garage.
The first thing to do if your dog is afraid of anything new is to give him some time to adjust.
Don’t force him into situations that make him uncomfortable until he seems comfortable around them (this takes about a week).
If this doesn’t help and he continues to bite at tires whenever he sees one, try another method: positively reinforcing good behavior around tires instead of punishing bad behavior.
Doggy says, you might like this too: Dog Obsessed With the Water Hose?
5. Habit
Dogs can get into the habit of biting tires, but it’s not a natural behavior for them.
To stop your dog from biting tires and chasing wheels, you need to work with him on breaking the habit.
When your dog bites a tire or chases a moving object, try to distract him by giving him something else that he likes instead.
This could be anything from a treat to an especially fun game of fetch or tug-of-war.
If he doesn’t want to give up his thing (which might happen if he’s been doing this for so long that he’s bored with regular toys), try making it more difficult for him by putting something between himself and his target.
For example, placing another person in between him and the car wheel—or by covering up said item with something heavy enough so that it won’t move when he tries mouthing at it again later on.
Doggy says, consider reading this next: My Dog Keeps Acting Like Something Is Biting Her [Solutions]
How do I stop my dog from biting tires?
If your dog is biting tires, you have a problem. They’re probably damaging their teeth, and they could be seriously hurt if they get caught in the treads.
The first step is to make sure that there are no other issues going on—like a medical issue or lack of exercise. If you’ve ruled those out and your dog is still biting tires, then it’s time to take action.
Using a muzzle
First, try using a muzzle.
We recommend using one with soft edges so it doesn’t rub against your dog’s mouth and cause further irritation.
Then, start giving your dog lots of exercises — you might want to consider hiring a trainer to help you out with this step.
Doggy says, read this too: Dog Will Only Walk With Both of Us/One Person? How to Solve This?
Teach your dog to leave the tires alone
If your dog is biting at tires, you can teach him or her to stop.
Start by teaching your dog to “leave it” when he or she is chewing on a toy or bone.
Then, when your dog bites at the tire, say “leave it” and give him or her a treat as soon as he moves away.
If your dog doesn’t respond to the command right away, keep repeating it until he does.
Once your dog has learned how to leave a tire alone when given the command, you can then start using other methods of keeping him from biting them.
For example, if you’re not able to be around all day long to supervise him, try putting him in his crate with something else he can chew on (like an old towel or rope toy) so that he doesn’t have access to the tires unless you’re able to take them out of his reach.
Use a spray bottle to make a loud noise
Use a spray bottle to make a loud noise when your dog bites the tire. This will startle them and they will associate biting with being startled.
The key is to get them to associate the noise with their behavior so they stop doing it.
If you have time, you could make a game out of it by spraying the bottle every time he goes near the tire and then giving him lots of praise when he walks away from it.
Reward training
Reward training is one of the most effective ways to train a dog.
The more you reward your dog for good behavior, the more likely he will repeat it.
If you don’t reward your dog when he does something good, he won’t know what he’s doing right or wrong.
A reward can be anything from a quick pat on the head or a small treat.
Rewards are given immediately after the act has been performed so that the dog learns that if he does X, then Y will happen.
For example, if your dog bites a tire and you say “No,” then give him a treat as soon as he stops biting for at least three seconds.
Desensitization
Controlled exposure is the key. You must begin slowly.
This can entail letting your dog go near a bicycle or car that is parked.
You can also let your dog hear an approaching car but not see it.
When your dog’s tolerance limit is reached, he will attempt to chase or bite the tire as a response.
The trick is to avoid this threshold by exposing yourself slowly and carefully. It ought to happen intermittently.
Regardless of whether they are confined or not, the first time your dog tries to chase the tire, it will reinforce the behavior.
This procedure cannot be moved too slowly, but it is quite easy to proceed too quickly.
Observe how your dog behaves.
Take a few steps back if they appear to be preparing to chase you.
Confine it in a crate
Crate training is one of the most effective ways for owners to control their pets’ behavior without resorting to punishment methods like hitting or yelling at their dogs.
When dogs feel trapped in cages, they’ll often stop misbehaving because they don’t want any more attention from their owners than they already have been receiving.
This should be short-term only (no more than 10 minutes) until he calms down enough for you to interact with him. Do not use this as punishment!
Give it a new activity
If your dog is biting tires because she’s bored, consider getting her a new toy that she can chew on.
If she’s lonely, find ways to spend more time with her or invite someone over to play with her.
Can a dog bite through a tire?
If you’ve ever wondered whether or not your dog could bite through a tire, the short answer is yes!
The long answer is also yes, but there are many factors that affect how strong a dog’s bite is.
Let’s first look at how strong the average dog’s bite compares to other animals.
A human can exert only about 160 pounds per square inch (PSI), but that’s nothing compared to your dog—a large breed can exert up to 350 PSI!
That’s more than twice as much pressure as your jaw strength!
But don’t let this news scare you: Your dog isn’t likely to bite through tires anytime soon (or even in his lifetime).
There are two reasons why: First, getting into trouble with humans would lead to punishment by us; second, dogs aren’t naturally aggressive towards rubber (or any material).
However, if your pooch does decide that he wants more fun than just chasing after them with his mouth open wide open then it may be time for some training.
Doggy says, you might want to read this too: My dog sniffs other dog then attacks
Why does my dog try to attack cars?
When your dog runs to the window and tries to attack the tires on every car that drives by, it’s not just because he sees them as fun chew toys.
He might actually be trying to kill something!
A dog is a predatory animal by nature, which means he has instincts that tell him what prey looks like – bright eyes in the dark and shiny fur or scales are all characteristics of prey animals.
Dogs can also sense if an animal is easy or hard to catch based on its size and movement patterns.
But even though your dog seems quite intelligent when you’re playing fetch with him or cuddling in bed at night, there’s one thing he can’t understand: cars don’t have bright eyes or shiny fur or even skin!
So when he sees his favorite chew toy going 40 miles per hour down the road outside your house (and believe me, it looks fast), his brain starts firing off signals like “yummy” and “EAT NOW.”
And because dogs learn through repetition, this behavior becomes very strong over time; eventually, it will become instinctual for your pup to chase cars whenever they drive by.
How do you stop a dog from chasing wheels?
I’ve discovered that there are two different ways to stop this behavior of chasing wheels.
The first is to get rid of the wheel, which is usually the best option.
The second is to train your dog to do something else instead.
The first option is simple: You can either remove the wheel from your yard or garage, or if you want to keep it, place it on a high shelf where your dog can’t reach it.
Another option is to put some kind of barrier between your yard and the street so that your dog can’t see the wheel as it turns.
Using a combination of leash training and installing a fence are both very effective methods to stop your dog from chasing wheels.
Are tires safe for dogs to chew on?
There are lots of things that dogs can safely chew on like rawhide bones and bully sticks, but tires aren’t one of them.
In fact, chewing on a tire could cause serious injuries to your dog’s mouth or throat if the pieces break off sharp edges inside the tire.
Also, tires can contain lots of toxins that are very harmful to them, even potentially fatal.
They can easily enter your dog’s body and cause serious damage to them over the long term.
The best way to get a dog to stop chewing on a tire is by finding another suitable toy that he’ll like better than the tire.
Are rubber tire toys safe for dogs?
The short answer is yes, but there are some things you should know about rubber tire toys.
Rubber tire toys are one of the most popular dog toys on the market.
They’re durable, they can be filled with treats or peanut butter, and dogs just love them.
However, there are some potential hazards associated with rubber tires that you should be aware of before letting your pup play with one.
First, it’s important to know that not all rubber tires are created equally.
Some have more harmful chemicals in them than others, so it’s important that you choose a safe option when shopping for a tire toy.
The best way to do this is by looking at ingredient labels on the packaging (or on a website) and seeing if there are any toxic ingredients listed such as lead or mercury.
If these aren’t listed on the label, then it’s highly probable that they’re not present in your toy and therefore safe for your dog to play with—but always double-check!
In conclusion: Dog Attacks Tires
Dogs don’t really bite tires out of malice or a desire to be destructive; they’re simply trying to play, rather than being aggressive.
When they do this, they’re merely following instinct.
Their unusual actions are not really a problem; they just need a little bit of training.
Be patient with them!
Check out these other dog behavior articles too:
- Why does my dog bite other dog’s legs?
- Why does my dog look at me when he eats?
- Dog keeps licking paws after grooming?
You’ve made it to the end, but I hope it’s not the end of our journey. We want to hear your voice! Share your thoughts, problems, suggestions, or anything related to your dog in the comments section. And don’t forget to join our newsletter today too.
