Dog TrainingDog Mouthing, Nipping and Play Biting

Dog Mouthing, Nipping and Play Biting

Dogs bite, chew, and mouth their hands, limbs, or clothing while they play and interact with each other. Most pet parents do not enjoy such behaviors in their dogs. Your dog may mouth. When it mouths, if it is an adult dog, it can inadvertently cause injury as the jaws of an adult dog can cause significantly more pain than puppy teeth. Dog mouthing is difficult to suppress in adult dogs because they aren’t as sensitive to our reactions as puppies are. As they are large in physical size, it is difficult to take control of them.

If your adult dog mouths people, it probably occurs as the dog has not been taught to avoid it during puppyhood. Their human parents didn’t teach them how to be gentle or to chew toys instead.

Dog Mouthing, Is it playful or aggressive behavior

It is a normal dog behavior. But some dogs bite regardless of fear or frustration. Such bitings can show problems with aggression in your dog. It’s difficult to differentiate between normal play-mouthing and mouthing that precedes aggressive behavior. A playful dog will have a relaxed body and face. Playful mouthing is usually less painful than more serious, aggressive biting. Most of the time, if your dog is aggressive, its body stiffens. He may wrinkle his muzzle and pull back his lips to expose his teeth. Serious, aggressive bites are quicker and more painful.

If your dog’s biting shows aggression, please consult a qualified professional, such as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB) or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB). If it’s difficult to find a behaviorist in your area, you can seek help from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), but be sure that the trainer you choose is qualified to help you. You may look into his or her extensive education and experience successfully treating aggression.

How to Minimize Your Dog’s Mouthing and Nipping

Dogs spend their time playing, chewing, and observing objects. They do love playing with people. Puppies chew on fingers and toes and they look into people’s bodies with their mouths and teeth. You will naturally cuddle your cute puppy when your dog is seven weeks old. Yet, it’s no longer adoring when he’s two or three years old—and much bigger!

You have to teach your dog to curb his mouthy behavior. There are various ways to teach this lesson, some better than others. However,  teach your furry friend that people have sensitive skin before anything else and that he must be gentle when using his mouth during play.

Bite Inhibition: Teach Your Dog to Be Gentle

dog mouthing
Image-Source: wikimedia

Bite inhibition is a dog’s ability to control the force of his mouthing. If your dog or puppy has not learned bite inhibition with people, he or she does not identify the sensitivity of human skin. Consequently, he bites too hard, even in playtime. Behaviorists and trainers believe that if a dog has learned about using his mouth gently when interacting with people, it is less likely that they will be bitten hard and have broken skin.

Puppies or young dogs learn dog inhibition during play with other dogs. If you watch a group of dogs playing, you can see a lot of chasing, pouncing, and wrestling. A dog will bite his playmate too hard. Then, the victim will stop playing. The offender is often held back by the victim’s yelp and stops playing for the moment. Yet, they soon unite to play once again. When your dog encounters such circumstances, he or she learns to control the intensity of their bites so that no one gets hurt and the play can continue without interruption.

Let your dog mouth on your hands when you play with him! Continue it until he bites hard. When he does bite so hard, yelp high-pitched to urge him that you are hurt and let your hand go limp. It should startle your dog and cause him to stop mouthing. When he stopped mouthing on your hands as you felt it so hard, praise him for stopping it. Then resume play. If your dog bites you hard again, yelp again. Repeat these steps no more than three times within 15 minutes.

If yelping does not work, switch the training to a time-out procedure. If your dog bites you hard, yelp loudly. Then, when he startles and turns to look at you or looks around, remove your hand. If he starts mouthing on you again, get up and move away for 10 to 20 seconds. Leave the room, if needed. After a short time out, return to your dog and encourage him to play with you again. It makes your dog aware that gentle play continues if it is painless, but if it’s painful play stops.

Teach Your Dog That Teeth Don’t Belong on Human Skin

Here are some tricks and tips that you can use to avoid your dog mouthing people altogether.

  •  Give your dog a toy or chew bone when your dog tries to gnaw on fingers or toes.
  • Dogs often mouth on people’s hands when stroked, patted, and scratched. If he gets annoyed when you pet him distract him by feeding him small treats from your other hand.
  • Engage them in noncontact forms of play, such as fetch and tug-of-war, rather than wrestling and rough play with your hands. If your dog plays tug safely,  keep tug toys in your pocket or in a place where you can easily access them. If he starts to mouth you, you can immediately redirect him to the tug toy.
  • Teach your dog impulse control with specific exercises.
  • Provide them with plenty of interesting and new toys and things to chew. Your dog will play with them instead of gnawing on you or your clothing.
  • You may use the time-out procedure as discussed above by changing its rules a little.
  • If time-out doesn’t work, try using a taste deterrent. Spray the deterrent on areas of your body and clothing that your dog likes to mouth before you start interacting with him. If he mouths on you wait until he realizes the bad taste of the deterrent. Praise him lavishly when he lets go of you.
  • If your dog shows no reaction to Yelp, time-out procedure, or deterrent spray, carry a small can of peppermint or spearmint breath spray in your pocket. If your dog starts to mouth on you, yell “Ouch!” and squirt a short burst of the breath spray directly into your dog’s mouth. But you have to be careful when attempting this procedure as it may wrench the match between you and your dog—and it definitely won’t work if your dog becomes aggressive or afraid of you.
  • You can also seek help from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). It offers group or private classes that can give you and your dog lots of assistance with mouthing.

General Precautions

  • You may not wave your fingers or toes in your dog’s face or slap his sides to encourage him to play. It can provoke your dog to bite your hands and feet.
  • You may teach your pet to play gently rather than being so hard at playing.
  • It would be best if you do not jerk your hands or feet away from your dog when he mouths. Jerkey movements encourage him to jump forward and grab at you.
  • Avoid slapping or hitting dogs for playful mouthing. It causes them to bite harder. Physical punishment can also make your dog afraid of you. Don’t scruff or whack your dog on the nose, sticking your fingers down his throat. It may hurt or scare him.

In conclusion, dog mouthing can be avoided through practicing a gentle and dog-friendly approach. Hurting by slapping or scarring them may lead to the worst of the dog as your dog may go out of control. Therefore, dog mouthing must be eliminated carefully from the list of behaviors in your dog.

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