Bite Now, Not Later

Mouthing.

A little biting when young is actually OK.

Growing up wild with other dogs means Roxy has a PHD in DogComm. Not so for some other dogs who spend only minimal time with their siblings before joining their two-legged families.

A friend once went on vacation and we looked after her dog. This dog was incredibly sweet and had a strong desire to please. He also apparently had a licking fetish. Frequently he would go up to Roxy (usually when she was mid-nap) and start licking her face and ears, getting stuck into every orifice. It was as if he was treating her face like a food chew toy. At first I thought the show of affection was sweet. After 5 minutes it felt awkward. Fifteen minutes later it felt downright violating. Roxy initially put up with it but after multiple visits from this delinquent, she had had enough. Roxy released a huge chesty growl and snapped. The other dog yelped loudly, ran across the room, hid behind the pot plant and wondered where he went wrong. To a bystander, the scene would’ve sounded dramatic but lucky for the other dog, Roxy knew how to temper her jaws and no damage was done. Her growl and snap were larger than her bite. There was no more face licking after that incident.

Biting should be seen as part of a dog’s communication toolset. But of course, living with humans and other family pets, dogs MUST learn how to use this tool correctly, i.e. safely, and they MUST learn to never hurt with their teeth and mouths. Yet the only way they can effectively learn this is by doing, i.e. biting.

Puppies need to learn FAST that biting hurts us. The only window of time it is safe for us to teach our puppy about cause and effect is when they (and their teeth) are still tiny and no real harm can be done. By the time your puppy is 4 months old it needs to know that biting is NOT ALLOWED because a grown up dog that bites is difficult to rehabilitate and will run into trouble. 

Below are 3 training games to teach your puppy how to use its mouth safely.

The Say “Ow!”  Like You Mean It Game

Teaching your puppy that biting hurts means letting them bite us a bit when they are still tiny:

  • Begin by putting your puppy in your lap or play with them on the floor.

  • They will inevitably start mouthing and biting your arms, hands and fingers.

  • Let them do this a bit but when the biting starts to hurt, yelp “OW!!!” like you mean it, i.e. LOUDLY, and freeze.

  • When you freeze, your puppy will quickly stop biting and probably stare at you wondering what’s up. At this point, say “Good Dog” gently and start playing again.

  • Do this until your puppy understands that biting with pressure hurts us but that mouthing gently is OK.

The “Off” Game

Eventually we also want to teach our puppy to take their mouths off us, or any item, when asked. This involves teaching them the “Off” cue:

  • Hold a treat in your hand in a closed fist.

  • Your puppy will nose, lick and paw at your fist to try and get the food.

  • The moment they stop nosing/licking/pawing, say “Off”, praise, open your fist and give them the treat. Repeat.

  • Once they understand the “Off” cue, practise with other valued items like toys or balls.

The Barter Game

Finally, we need to teach our puppy to happily give up valued objects in order to prevent resource guarding behaviours. This means teaching your puppy a bit of economics:

  • Grab one of your puppy’s toys (Toy 1) and hide another similar toy in your back pocket (Toy 2).

  • Start playing with your puppy with Toy 1.

  • After a few moments, freeze and hold Toy 1 firmly in your hand.

  • Your puppy will tug and pull at Toy 1 for a while before they back off and stare at you wondering what’s up.

  • Immediately say “Thank You! Good Dog!” and unhide Toy 2 with your other hand, asking them to “Take It”.

  • Repeat, trading Toy 1 with Toy 2 until your dog understands “Thank You” (release object) and “Take It” (take object).

  • Tip! You have also taught your puppy how to fetch!

Over To You!

  • Play the Say “Ow!" Like You Mean It game, “Off” game and Barter game regularly in the 6 week window after you bring your puppy home. Playing each game at least once a day is ideal.

  • Remember the aim is to teach your puppy to use their mouth safely and NOT BITE by the time they are 4 months old.