Puppy
|
9 min
FREE UK DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £39.99
If you’re a puppy owner, ‘mouthing’ is probably something you’re familiar with - it’s the term for when your puppy explores the world around them by chewing, biting and nibbling whatever they can get their little snout on.
When your pup is small, you might find this cute and endearing - or even enjoy being nipped a bit during play. Rest assured, however, that in a matter of weeks, getting caught with those sharp puppy teeth won’t be as fun. It’s a good idea to reduce puppy mouthing when they’re still young to avoid bad habits as they grow.
In this article, we’ll explain why puppies mouth everything, how you can identify innocent puppy mouthing from aggression, and how you can reduce the amount your pup mouths things.
Puppy mouthing is completely natural, and harmless from the puppy’s perspective. To them, they’re only playing, exploring or soothing themselves (chewing feels relaxing to a dog and even provides stress relief).
From your perspective, however, your pooch might be damaging your belongings with their mouthing. Your shoes, the remote control, the rug - or they might even be puppy mouthing your hands, wrists and ankles that bit too hard.
This can be especially risky if you have young children around and your pup hasn’t yet learned that mouthing isn’t a way to say hello.
A puppy mouths people and things in their environment for a few reasons…
Exploration. Like human babies, puppies put things in their mouths to understand the world around them. This means chewing, licking, and biting to get a feel for what something is.
Teething discomfort. Puppies teethe between 1-6 months old, so will often chew to soothe the pain (like a baby on a teething ring).
Playfulness and excitement. Nipping or playfully biting is how pups play, as it’s how they’d interact and ‘play fight’ with their sibling littermates.
Attention-seeking. If you react to your puppy mouthing, whether positively or negatively, they’ll enjoy getting a reaction from you and learn to do it just for attention.
Stress or frustration. Pups may mouth or chew things as a coping mechanism when they feel agitated or stressed. Chewing can be soothing for a dog, but it’s important they learn what’s appropriate to bite and chew and what isn’t.
At times, your pup might be displaying aggression with their nips. Your puppy will show the following signs if they’re mouthing to show aggression:
> Stiffened posture: Your pup will adopt a stiff body rather than a relaxed posture, with their tail held upright and ears pinned back.
> Snarling and baring teeth: A low growl or rumble with teeth displayed can signal that your pup isn’t playing, and that they feel threatened or challenged. This is different from innocent mouthing where teeth aren’t usually visible.
> An intense, fixed gaze: If your pup’s staring intently at a person or another dog without looking away - this is a confrontational stance.
> Harder bites: Mouthing can hurt, but you usually get the impression your pup means to be gentle. Take note if you feel they’re intentionally biting to cause pain - this means they’re being aggressive.
Puppies will always chew things and explore with their mouth, but you can teach them that it isn’t always acceptable, especially when it causes damage to property or hurts you or others. Try these tips to reduce your puppy’s mouthing…
Redirect to chew items. When your pup mouths you or something they shouldn’t, get into the habit of redirecting them immediately to an appropriate chew. A long-lasting dog chew or chew toy is a great idea, as chewing is a soothing action for a pooch. Our Calming Fish Hide Chews, for instance, are infused with chamomile, and are great for puppies aged 6 months and over.
Use positive reinforcement. Praise your pup each time they successfully redirect their mouthing without fuss. Give them a healthy puppy treat and lots of petting and kind words, and eventually they’ll come to associate diverting their mouthing with positive reward.
Teach bite inhibition. Bite inhibition is an essential training exercise for your puppy. If ever they’re mouthing you and bite too hard, say ‘Ouch!’ and withdraw attention from your pup. This teaches them to be gentler with their mouth when they interact with you and others.
Limit ‘rough’ play. Pups love to ‘rough horse’ when playing and will get snarlier and mouthier the more you respond to it. Though it can be fun, try to avoid playing this way as much as possible - as you’re teaching your pup that it’s okay to mouth and bite.
Introduce structured playtime. If your pup doesn’t get enough playtime, they will come to bite and mouth out of boredom or excess energy. Get them used to having ‘play sessions’ just as they’d have walkies and mealtimes - they’ll know this is when they can frolic and play games and channel some energy, and will hopefully be more relaxed at other times.
Meet pup’s physical needs. Similarly to above, if your pup isn’t getting enough physical exercise and outdoor time, they’ll act up with mouthing and play fighting indoors. Release their pent-up energy and tire them out with regular walks, runs and play sessions.
Mental stimulation. To alleviate boredom (which can lead pups to mouth things), be sure to exercise their brain too. Practise puppy training exercises, tug-of-war or fetch games, or give them puzzle toys to occupy their spare time.
Socialisation. Puppies can bite and lash out if they’re not sure how to behave around other people and animals. You can reduce this by ensuring they mingle with lots of pooches and pups on walks and at training classes, and by exposing them to new situations and people regularly. Socialisation will increase a sense of confidence and calmness in your pup.
Training your puppy to behave appropriately can be trying, and takes lots of consistency and patience! We know it can be difficult, especially if their mouthing habits aren’t improving.
If you’ve tried all the techniques to reduce puppy mouthing and your pooch is still biting too often and too hard, it could be worth getting in touch with your vet or a pet behaviour specialist. Until then, assess your pup’s triggers.
When exactly does your pup’s mouthing tend to escalate? Is it when you have visitors? When they feel threatened? Is it before bedtime, or when they haven’t been outside in a while? Note down any information you can, so that a vet or puppy training specialist can give you some tips or offer resources.
To finish up, here are some final questions about puppy mouthing…
Comments (0)
Leave a comment