Teaching Mouth Control

A puppy's mouth is its main tool for exploring the world. The puppy is constantly testing things by licking and biting what it finds. In a litter the puppy learns to control its mouth when its littermate squeals and stops playing if it has bitten too hard. We can do the same to help the pup understand how easily the humans are hurt.

It is probably too much to ask that a dog learn not bite if someone falls on it, breaking its leg. By teaching mouth control it is more likely that the bite will not be a serious one. Teaching mouth control involves teaching the puppy that the way it uses its mouth can cause a fun time to end.

This training should be done by an adult.

When a puppy bites you:

• Don't pull away. Pulling away sends the message that you still want to play.
  
• Squeal or "Yip" in a high-pitched voice, the way a puppy does when it is hurt.
  

The pup should release its hold on you. When it does give it a toy to chew or bite on.

If the puppy continues to come after you. Leave the room in a huff and let him be without a playmate for a minute or two. You don¹t want him to get into trouble while your out of sight.

If you are communicating correctly with your puppy, the bites should get softer. Little by little start reacting to the softer bites just as you did to the harder ones. Over time the mouthing will also diminish.

Why not squeal from the beginning at every bite and mouthing incident? Your puppy initially does not realize that it is her mouth that is causing the problem. She needs to learn to focus on her mouth and that can best be taught by only reacting when she is vigorously using her mouth. If we start by squealing at every little nibble, your puppy may not make the connection between the squeal and the movement of her mouth. When your puppy is not able to identify a cause for your behavior she may start to in superstitious ways.