Photo courtesty of Bea Wachter
Puppies learn bite inhibition (to be careful with the amount of pressure they use)
during play. If they bite too hard, their friends won't want to play or could become angry!
EXCESSIVE MOUTHING & BITING
Does
your young puppy pounce on you, mouth you, grab your clothing? The good news
is YOUR PUPPY IS NORMAL! Chase and be chased, pounce and grab - that's how puppies
play.
Here's the news you must break to your puppy: PEOPLE ARE NOT PUPPIES!
YOU
MUST NOT ACT LIKE A PUPPY WHEN YOU PLAY!
The surest way to encourage mouthing and biting is to get down on all fours
and act like a dog, growling and wrestling. This terribly fun game will extend
to children, toddlers and visitors to your home ... If you don't want your puppy
to treat your children or visitors like dogs, don't act like one! If you encourage
rough play one minute and get angry the next, your puppy will be understandably
confused - and angry. It's not fair!
Photo courtesty of Bea Wachter
Puppies learn bite inhibition (to be careful with the
amount of pressure they use)
during play. If they bite too hard, their friends won't want to play or could
become angry!
There
is a direct correlation between vigorous biting as a puppy and lack of aggression
as adult - why?
Feedback. Puppies who bite learn bite inhibition; their
owners and other family pets are forced to deal with the problem. Biting puppies
learn to be careful with their teeth. Asian breeds like Shar Peis, Akitas and
Chow Chows are notorious for not playing much as puppies - likewise, they account
for a large percentage of the more serious "unprovoked" bites. When they bite,
they bite hard.
WHAT
TO DO WHEN PUPPY BITES.
Whether
it's your skin, your clothes or your shoes, yell "OW!!" and
pretend he's ripped a hole that's bleeding and needs stitches, whether or not
it actually hurt. We want the puppy to believe that we humans are the wimpiest,
most easily injured species around - even our clothes hurt - if he tugs on your
shoe laces, yelp!
The hard mouthed pup must be taught how to be careful. Feedback (OUCH! and shun) and instruction (reward all careful behavior) are the answer. Your feedback must be effective enough to cause him to withdraw, even for a moment - if yelping doesn't work, try lower or louder - followed IMMEDIATELY by an abrupt withdrawal. Cut off interaction sharply - OUCH > silence > stand up-turn away > freeze. It must be obvious and immediate so he makes the connection that his behavior caused your reaction.
Teach him how to use his lips and tongue to extract treats from your hand, not his teeth. Smear peanut butter or cream cheese on the back of your hand and praise him for licking it off. Dip your finger in baby food and praise him for licking it off. Dab a bit of soft food on your palm and make an "o" with your fingers and thumb and let him lick through the circle to reach the soft food hidden inside. Sometimes feeding tiny treats, like sunflower seeds, will encourage a hard mouthed dog to lick, giving you the opportunity to praise him for taking treats gently. If he nicks you, give immediate feedback. Deliver food rewards in a closed hand, opening your hand only when it is under his nose so he can take it from your palm, just below chin level to prevent leaping and snapping.
For particularly hard mouthed dogs who can't handle the above without sharking you, you may offer treats on a spoon or fork which will cause him to slow down and be more careful.
Deliver food rewards from an open palm just below nose level to prevent leaping and snapping.
More
great articles on teaching bite inhibition.
Is your
puppy a shark? Take a look at this video of SHARKS in training:
The power of positive
training - with
sharks!
Time out.
If the puppy exceeds the acceptable level of play, Yelp
OW! and act totally insulted, walk away, or put him in his crate or in another
room for a time-out. DO NOT LET THE SITUATION ESCALATE, (i.e.: the puppy bites,
you correct; the puppy bites harder, you correct harder; puppy bites harder
still, etc.) If the play gets out of hand, the pup gets overstimulated or angry,
all play stops abruptly. The pup must never feel his personal safety is threatened.
He must trust you, like he did his own mom.
SET
FIRM, FAIR RULES AND LIVE BY THEM.
Puppies need rules. Rules that are fair and firmly enforced
will provide boundaries and limits. Your puppy will feel safer, more secure,
less stressed when he knows that you are in charge - all the decisions are up
to you.
Children can't have everything they want, and neither can puppies. Be a good leader. Don't let your puppy rule the house. You wouldn't let a bratty toddler climb on you or visitors or steal food right out of your hand, so don't let your puppy. If you told your four-year-old child that he couldn't have a candy bar and he threw a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store, would you give in? Of course not. By giving him the candy bar, you would reward the tantrum and ensure that it would happen again - and next time it would be worse!
Photo courtesty of Bea Wachter
Playing nice includes being careful with your teeth!
See also How to Play With Your Dog and Good Games, Bad Games.
This handout may
be reprinted in its entirety for distribution free of charge and with full credit
given:
© CAROL A. BYRNES "DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF" Training for Dogs & Their People -
ditr_training @ hotmail.com - http://www.diamondsintheruff.com
