[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I see a lot of posts about puppies nipping, which is what puppies do. I think the goal is not so much to stop them from biting, but to teach them good bite inhibition/having a soft mouth. You can do the stopping biting quickly using negative reinforcement, or teach it slowly and as positively as possible where the dog actually LEARNS bite inhibition. And a result of this will be less and eventually no biting.

That is a huge thing for a dog to learn. I have a pack o' dogs, I get foster puppies and I never have to teach it because they do it for me. Mario will in fact lick my arm in apology if he makes a mistake and mouths me.

Since most people don't have that luck there are some articles on teaching it-that is the goal, really, bite inhibition, not stopping nipping. So yeah, can you scruff or smack a puppy and get them to stop? Yes, but can you create other problems in the process? Yes. And you want them to learn to do this as they grow.

Bite Inhibition Article The first part is the best.

http://www.phsspca.org/training/puppy_biting.htm

ClickerSolutions Training Articles --
The other thing to remember is that you are replacing the playmates and mom that he knows and unless they had people spending a lot of time with the puppies at the breeder, they really don't know much about interacting with people. I think you'll all be fine! And as soon as shots are done, sign up for a positive based obedience class for fun!

I figured after people checked those articles out, they could post other things, or reinforce things read, that they did to help their dogs learn that bite inhibition. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/13_puppy.gif

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Have seen a lot of new puppy biting posts-bumping!

 

[SuzyE]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Thank you for the articles. I am going to call a client and see if Cesar can start playdates with his female Lab pup THIS weekend. Cesar has four adult dogs to play with daily but I need to find him a puppymate.

 

[Tacoma123]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

bump... praying this stuff works...

 

[tracyc]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

This topic has been made "sticky" so it will continue to be at the top of the threads in the puppy behavior forum. Thanks Jean for these great links.

New posters: please continue to add additional links, resources, bite inhibition ideas and techniques, etc. to this thread.

 

[borzoimom]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

How I teach bite inhibition is "game over". If you do not want the puppy to bite in play or mouth- as soon as they do- get up- or stand up- and leave the room... You do not see the dog following you or react. Remember- they only continue to do something if they realize a reaction..
" game Over..". Say nothing - walk out.. And its hard because you have to be consistant- that includes resting on the couch watching a movie you waited all week to see..

 

[RussUK]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

im with borzoimon, when were playing, she can bite me, she does it soft, but as they game goes on, she can get a little rogher, usualy "no" calms it down but if not, i say "ow no" and walk away.

 

[wrenny]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Yeah. **** puppies.!!!R$Q#R#@#@! r5T

 

[aaron.whitney]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

I am also currently going through the little pains of teaching bite inhibition. The methodology of teaching this has been covered very well in this forum.
Odin's progress seems to be going good at times and then he gets me with a good one. I have noticed a direct relation between unacceptable bites and his need for a bathroom break. Anyone else experienced this? The little guy seems to have a way of bringing out the kid in me and making me loose track of time. My wife just informed me "It was the same with our last GSD puppy."

 

[KTM450SX]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

I'm trying to teach my new pup this stuff too.

a loud NO! from me usually gets him to stop whatever he is doing, exept biting. NO! seems to have no effect...I cant get him to stop biting me. he got ahold of my hand today and bit hard started growling and then tried to tug my hand off I said NO NO a bunch tried yelping...he would not stop I finally had to grab him with my other hand and pin him on the floor, then I walked out of the room and left him there for a few minutes.

 

[maxismom]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Well this is timely...Max has become a terrorist lol. We are all having to keep our feet off the floor so he can't bite them! I will try these suggestions and hope it works. Either that or we are all soon to become pin cushions!

 

[xwildman138x]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Thanks everybody I was starting to get so frustrated with Baron because of the endless biting. It generally seems to happen right after I bring him back in the house from going potty. His bite is so strong that I couldnt get him off my hand today and tried to get my fingers in his mouth to get him to loosen up a little so I could get my hand back while yelling in pain. I use no in the hopes that someday it will sink in cause right now it just amps him up. Mostly I subsititute what I don't want chewed aka hands feet back of your calf, with his chew bone and rope. That works about 70 percent of the time. I'm dissapointed in myself because he is just a baby and I find myself getting mad at what he's doing. I've started using the walk out of the room technique and that seems to work. Hopefully it works totally for him but its definitely working for me so I get a minute to get my head on straight so I don't yell too loud or start having a yelling conversation with him. I catch myself saying outloud "you idiot he doesn't understand english why are you yelling at him in sentences." He's the best though cause when I'm doing that he just sits there looking at me like "whats this crazy guy doing?"

 

[Clare]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Thanks for this link - I'm definitely going to try this... JAWS is getting out of control! How come I dont remember Sasha being this bad??? LOL!

 

[STINGER-LRSD]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Great advise!! It seems to be working well. The only issue we are having is that the cat "which he loves to chew on so, so much" cant yell ouch and leave the room. Would this be a good opportunity to introduce the pup to a squirt bottle of water?

 

[Maryn]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Originally Posted By: STINGER-LRSDGreat advise!! It seems to be working well. The only issue we are having is that the cat "which he loves to chew on so, so much" cant yell ouch and leave the room. Would this be a good opportunity to introduce the pup to a squirt bottle of water?

What I do when my cat is an issue...and although it is a PITA....is keep the pup on lead in the house.

Going at the cat gets ignored or if the pup is super determined, a little tug and a 'NO'.

Ignoring the cat gets praise, and a treat if that's what you do.

I very well can let them chase and corner the cat when they are pups if I chose to. She's very good at teaching them just how bad of an idea it is LOL

 

[Jennifer McClellan]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

I have tried the loud no which stops him from clamping but he still bites. I have tried the walking away and usually trip over him as he is weaving between my legs. Now I am trying a yelp like a sibling which I took from advice on this site. It seems to work although it scares my husband each time I do it. He said I sound exactly like a puppy (does that mean I am really a b**** at heart LOL). Which is better than the sound he makes which sounds like a seal and CJ just looks at him with a tilted head. I guess it is just trying different things until you find something that works for you and your puppy. And works for this puppy may not work for another one.

 

[DarkEquine]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

It was the last straw today with my little aligator...he bit so hard that he tore my JEANS and went through to skin. I was bleeding and absolutely furious as I was already late for work (at 6am) and just in the process of putting him back in his crate.
We went to puppy preschool that night and the vet nurse suggested we get some spray bottles. A quick, sharp squirt on his head or in his face will distract him from biting long enough to praise him as soon as he stops. We only had to do it twice and he's already reduced his behaviour to gentle mouthing, which we can tolerate for now.

 

[LedZep]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

Originally Posted By: AaronW
I have noticed a direct relation between unacceptable bites and his need for a bathroom break.

I have noticed this with our pup as well, from an early age. He gets particularly bitey when he needs to go #2.

 

[Doug P.]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

we have a 2 month old GSD....and he does like to nip...got my nipple the other day, I was carrying him to the back door for his early morning break,,,had no shirt on,,,gezzzzz,,,little turd reached up and grabbed ahold of my nipple and clamped down,,,,holly sore skin batman.....my wife thought it was so funny,,,can't wait till she gets it,,,,hahaha Yeager starts puppy kindergarden class here at home Monday,,,,hope the instructor has some helpful hints....

 

[doggiedad]

Re: Teaching Bite Inhibition

i taught my puppy not to nip by giving him my hand or fingers. when he nipped i would hold by the scruff of the neck and say "no biting". i would give him my hand or fingers again if he licked me i would praise him and give a good rubbies. it either worked or he grew out of the nipping stage. i was sitting on the edge of the bed a few weeks ago and my now 14 month old boy walked over to me and put his open mouth around my knee. he didn't apply any pressure he just put my knee is mouth.