Pet Care
Mouthy Puppies
It’s normal for a puppy to use his mouth during play and social interactions, but it’s no fun having those sharp puppy teeth embedded in your ankle or arm. A puppy needs instructions on how to use his mouth in an acceptable manner. Basic training, providing sufficient stimulation to meet his needs, encouraging acceptable behavior and interrupting the undesirable biting are some simple strategies for controlling biting.
Be sure you are not encouraging the behavior. Don’t get him fired up with rough play, teasing or tug of war, and don’t wear gloves that allow him to bit. Don’t reward mouthy behavior. If he gets the attention he is seeking when he places his mouth on you, he will continue to behave in this manner. Petting him, picking him up, talking to him, or giving him a mild shove or light scolding can reinforce the behavior.
A puppy requires plenty of exercise and play time to exert some of the energy that may be spent mouthing or biting. Provide lots of walks, play fetch, romp in the yard, or chase a soccer ball. You need to be the one to initiate play time, not the puppy.
See that your puppy has some opportunities to play with other friendly and young dogs and has plenty of fun, interesting, interactive toys. The more energy spent playing, the less he will have for mouthy biting behavior. “A tired puppy is a good puppy.”
Dinnertime is a great opportunity for training and exercise. Divide his dinner kibble between you and another family member. Stand at opposite ends of a wide room or long hallway. Take turns calling the puppy to come and sit for a piece of food. Not only does this provide exercise for the puppy, but it also encourages social interaction and teaches the puppy to come to people and sit during greetings, rather than jumping on them.
Take your pet to puppy classes and training classes as soon as possible. Teach him you are in control by using the obedience commands that will be taught. Ask him to sit before giving him things he wants. Ignore all pushy behaviors like nudging, pawing, or whining for attention.
Some headstrong puppies may require a leash and head halter for control. A gentle pull on the leash, attached to a head halter can stop mouthing and biting when it occurs.
If the puppy does mouth and bit, quickly say “OUCH”, stop playing, and walk away from him. Wait about ten seconds and turn his attention towards another activity. Getting him to know the “enough” command will help in training him to stop mouthing on command. Begin your training when he is very calm. Give him a piece of dry food as you say “OK” in a relaxed tone. Next, hold another piece of food in front of him and firmly say “enough” without raising your voice or yelling. If he doesn’t try to take the food for two seconds, say, “OK” and give it to him. If he touches your hand before the two seconds is up, immediately say “enough” with sufficient force to make him back away but without frightening him. Be dramatic, lean toward the puppy, and make eye contact with him give him the command. Gradually increase the amount of time he has to wait before giving him the treat. Once he learns the command, try the exercise without food, using only your hand. Once he does well with that, try it again later when he is more fired up.
You want to try to get him to the point where he won’t take food or touch your hand once you have said “enough” no matter how tasty the treat or how interesting your hand is. The whole family has to be consistent, have precise timing, and practice every single day.
There may be times when your pet is out of control and you have not time to effectively deal with the situation. The best solution would be to confine him to a safe area until he settles down. Release him and encourage him to play in an appropriate manner once he is relaxed.
Harsh corrections and physical punishment are things that should be avoided. Never hit or slap your pet, thump him on the nose, squeeze his lips against his teeth, shake him by the scruff of the neck, roll him on his back, or force your fingers into his mouth. These things will likely make things worse, ruin the bond with your pet, and lead to more serious problems such as fear and aggression. Positive training methods are the best at helping those piranha behaviors disappear.
If you are experiencing difficult behavior with your puppy or adult dog, please contact us. Most problem behaviors can be corrected. We want to help and encourage a happy and healthy relationship for you and your dog for many years to come.
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