Dogs aren’t born with soft mouths, but they can learn to bite gently if they’re taught correctly, which means a lot of information and communication from you and other dogs.
Interacting with other dogs is essential to teaching your puppy bite inhibition. When two dogs play together and one bites too hard, the other cries and runs away. This behavior helps teach the biter to play soft biting.
Normal puppies can and should continually bite in social interactions, because biting and mouth picking are normal canine behaviors. Puppies and young adolescent dogs have a physical and psychological need to use their mouths. Remember, dogs use their mouths the same way humans use their hands.
Soft mouth exercises should start as soon as you get your new puppy. Puppies’ teeth are sharp, but their jaws are underdeveloped, so these exercises shouldn’t be painful for you. When your pup bites your hand or fingers, monitor the pressure of his bite. If your pup bites too hard, yell “OUCH” really loud and look at your pup like he just ripped his hand off. Then leave the room and ignore your puppy for several minutes.
You need to make a strong impression on your pup that if he bites too hard, he will end up playing on his own. Being highly social animals, most dogs and puppies will not choose to play alone. Be prepared to repeat this exercise over and over again until a trend emerges… Bite too hard, play it alone!
This exercise is even more effective if everyone who comes into contact with your puppy implements it with one exception. Young children should never be taught soft mouth exercises. When your pup starts to get overexcited and starts biting too hard, have your children leave the area so he can do the training.
When your pup consistently demonstrates better self-control, you can begin to monitor even moderate to light pressure bites. Now, if your pup puts his mouth on you with even moderate pressure, he yells “OUCH”, walk away and ignore him for a few minutes. Then he comes back and try again.
Remember, you need to give your pup plenty of outlets for his mouth and jaws. Stuffed Kong toys, frozen washcloths, chew toys soaked in broth or chicken broth, and tug-of-war games are just a few of the great ways to get your pup to use their mouth and jaws acceptably. If you say no to one item (your hands or your clothes), you must say yes to another (his toys).
And always monitor your puppy’s behavior. If he bites you and bites your mouth excessively, it is a clear sign that he is bored and needs to release some energy. A good dose of aerobic exercise should remedy this.
On a final note, never reinforce your puppy’s biting or talking behavior. Attention from him, whether it’s shaking his neck, grabbing his snout, or poking his nose, is a booster for your pup and will make the problem worse.
Biting is a normal stage that puppies go through, and when handled properly, it should never become a big problem in the future.
