flyer Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I've just read that one should teach a puppy to inhibit their pressure while mouthing before teaching them not to mouth/nip altogether. I grew up learning to nip the nipping in the bud. Zero tolerance from day one, though I could play down the road with all of my dogs, sticking my hand in their mouths, snarly face, etc. including the one I raised myself from puppy to adult. I'd love to hear opinions. Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I really prefer to teach soft mouthing. I do feel it helps a dog understand the strength of his jaws and therefore can help with bite inhibition. I wish I had taught Quinn to mouth softly instead of zero tolerance but he was leaving bruises my shins and zooming off. He had no interest in chewing on my hands the way my other puppies did which made it easy to work on soft bites, so I went to zero tolerance in his case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I really think it depends on the dog. Some dogs get it and some dogs don't. Those that don't, are not allowed to use their mouth at all. Those that can be gentle and playing (and my daughter's Jack was a great example), can play with their mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I really prefer to teach soft mouthing. I do feel it helps a dog understand the strength of his jaws and therefore can help with bite inhibition. I wish I had taught Quinn to mouth softly instead of zero tolerance but he was leaving bruises my shins and zooming off. He had no interest in chewing on my hands the way my other puppies did which made it easy to work on soft bites, so I went to zero tolerance in his case. My husband reminded me that we did let Piper mouth our hands it's just that she was soft from the get go. She was also 3 1/2 mos. when we got her. So we are letting Colt 8 wks. mouth us and I have to say after being taught leave it or aahh he is gentle as a lamb with us. Thank goodness. I went out on line and read an article about therapy dogs and how they are taught to mouth gently as pups. Made a lot of sense. Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I really think it depends on the dog. Some dogs get it and some dogs don't. Those that don't, are not allowed to use their mouth at all. Those that can be gentle and playing (and my daughter's Jack was a great example), can play with their mouth. That makes perfect sense. Last week I wasn't sure about this little fellow as he could be so wild and nippy. After a week with us he has calmed considerably and understands no, leave it and aaagh with very little charge behind them. Of course we don't need to say it much at all either as he seems to know his boundaries. We have always redirected and rewarded after corrections. These BC's are quick studies!! Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northof49 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 If you teach a puppy never erver to put their mouth on you from the get go, you can't teach bite inhibition. If you teach a puppy that if you put your mouth on me very gently when invited to do so that is good, then the puppy learns bit inhibition with people. THe rules are that they can't do it unless invited and they can't do it hard. That is what teaches them bite inhibition. All my puppies had different pressure when mouthing - some were quite hard mouthed and I really had to work at getting them to mouth gently and others were middle of the road or very soft to begin with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 That makes perfect sense. Last week I wasn't sure about this little fellow as he could be so wild and nippy. After a week with us he has calmed considerably and understands no, leave it and aaagh with very little charge behind them. Of course we don't need to say it much at all either as he seems to know his boundaries. We have always redirected and rewarded after corrections. These BC's are quick studies!! Flyer You are seeing the results of careful, consistent, and understandable corrections. Kudos to you! Remember though that these youngsters pass through several stages as they grow and what might seem like an occasional setback can be dealt with again by careful training. What we sometimes forget is that we are always training and, if we are not training good habits, we are training not-so-good habits. Very best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy in AZ Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 I'd love to hear about some tips on teaching a soft mouth. I often use treat training with Jill and she is very hard mouthed taking them. I use a fist until she sits politely and waits for me to offer it. She has that part down well, but when she takes it from my hand she uses a barracuda bite. I've tried all manner of offering it with just a tiny bit sticking out between knuckels, to a flat hand and she always manages to scrape, pinch, gnaw or bite the hand that feeds her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 I'd love to hear about some tips on teaching a soft mouth. I'm not a trainer, but I can tell you what I have been doing. First of all I started letting Colt mouth when he was sleepy. I'd take him up for a cuddle and let him suck/gnaw my fingers. If he closed down too hard a gentle aaagh would stop him. My daughter gives a little yelp and that works too. Now I let him mouth pretty well anytime except when he is zoomie. When we are playing I will substitute with a chewy toy if he comes down too hard on my hand. When he has settled a bit I replace with my hand again. He's actually really quick to understand. He can go from shaking the crap out of a toy to gentle mouthing of my hand in a split second. Now if the play gets ramped up I stick to toys and if he misses and gets me instead I simply disengage from the play for a minute or so. Turn my back on him. He will simply lie down and wait, but when he resumes play he is appropriate again. Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 You are seeing the results of careful, consistent, and understandable corrections. Kudos to you! Remember though that these youngsters pass through several stages as they grow and what might seem like an occasional setback can be dealt with again by careful training. What we sometimes forget is that we are always training and, if we are not training good habits, we are training not-so-good habits. Very best wishes! Thank you, Sue. I was thinking he was just settling in to our home, but I hope you are right and we continue on this good path. Flyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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