chewing / biting

[Susan Martin]

Hi,

I have a new little Beagle Puppy. "Molly" is 2 months old and we have had her for 2 weeks. It has been a very long time since we have had a puppy. Our last dog we had for 15 years. We all love Molly very much. Molly loves to bite on our hands and anything else she can get hold of. Is their a way to stop her from biting on our hands or will she just grow out of this? I tell her no, but she is so young I'm not sure if she understands. Just holding her is a painfull experience.

Susan

[heathea]

Yes, there are ways. The one that works for many is to make a high pitched yelp every time the dog does it.

The one that worked for me and my husband was to have the dog in our laps or in front of us and hold a treat in our closed fist. when she would bite at the hand she would get told no bite and then only when she would nuzzle gently into the hand would she get the dog biscuit. Worked really well for us, but I don't know if that is an approved method of training. We now have a dog that takes things very very gently which we felt was important with a 100lb baby. :)
Our problem was that the dog had been taken too early to learn proper bite inhibition from her sibling or mother (rescue from bad situation).

I don't know if that is the case or not with yours, or if it is just teething. If it is teething another thing that would help would be to get a puppy nylabone and to freeze a kong with water and give that, it helps a lot. The pup could just be uncomfortable and need a lot of puppy chew toys to help with the teething. If the puppy continues to bite, redirect her to chew on the toy.

Good luck and congrats on your new puppy.
-Heather

[Susan Martin]

Thank you. I think we will try the hide treat in the hand idea. Even though she won't be a real big dog, my 2 yr old daughter doesn't like to pet her yet because she always gets nibbled on. Thanks again....Will post followup on our results.

Susan

[Sheryl]

I can't remember what website I got this off of, it talks about labs, but could be used for any breed I think.

Is it normal for my lab to be this mouthy?

Anyone who has done their research on the Labrador retriever will know that these are dogs that love to have things in their mouths. It’s what they were bred to do and most of them do it very well. However, it is important that we as humans teach our Labs what is appropriate to put their mouths on and what isn’t. This includes humans and their body parts!

Puppies of all breeds need to nip, mouth, and chew. It is part of their normal development. If you have ever had the chance to watch puppies play together, you see that they use their mouths a lot. Puppies explore their world with their mouths. It is how they learn many of their lessons on how to get along in the world. A puppy’s littermates are some of her best teachers for learning what is appropriate mouthing and what is not. Since humans have domesticated the dog and as a result, separate our puppies from the litter at about eight weeks of age, much of this teaching falls on us.

There is a very good reason why most good breeders and rescue organizations would never allow a puppy to leave the litter before it is eight weeks old. While the puppies are all weaned and physically capable of getting along on their own, they need those extra couple of weeks to learn socialization which is vitally important, especially since we plan on bringing these puppies into our homes and lives. Studies show that single puppy litters and puppies who leave the litter before they are eight weeks old often have problems dealing with other dogs and humans, especially when it comes to using their mouths appropriately.

However, if you are reading this article chances are that you already have a dog and are trying to figure out how to get her to stop biting you at every turn. If you are reading this article as part of research for bringing a dog into your home, that is wonderful and there are extra points being counted for you somewhere. I wish that I had been as smart as you are before I brought my “walking mouth” home four years ago! My dog, brought home at the age of seven weeks, had a terrible, horrible mouthing problem until he was almost fifteen months old. This is extreme, even in lab puppies. I think I tried everything under the sun to get this dog to stop using me as a chew toy, which gives me the ability to share my successes and failures with others.

The first thing that everyone is told to do when their puppy bites them too hard is to yipe like a puppy in pain. This is a specific sound, pulled quickly and loudly from the diaphragm. It is sharp and high pitched. (Adults should yipe for children, since children tend to sound more like wounded prey to a puppy than another puppy.) All play stops when you are forced to yipe and can resume when the puppy wishes to engage in correct play, either with you or a chew toy that you offer. At first you would only yipe for the hardest 10% of the bites. The next week you yipe for the hardest 20%, then the hardest 30% and so on and so forth until your puppy only puts her teeth on you in a very soft and playful way.

The above technique works for many dogs, especially dogs that are softer and more sensitive. Many labs do not fit in the “softer and more sensitive” category. I received all sorts of advice for how to teach my puppy, who had the sensitivity of a rock, how to stop mouthing me. I was desperate for advice since he would mouth me in play hard enough to draw blood several times a week.

Many people, from the breeder, to the trainer, to well-meaning people at the dog park, had advice for me and I tried it all. I attempted to catch my puppy’s lip between his tooth and my arm so he’d bite himself instead of me. I shoved my hand down his throat when he bit me and also tried to hold his mouth shut while scolding him. Those techniques were not effective in the least, nor were popping him under the chin, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and shaking him, or putting him on his back in an alpha roll. In fact, it seemed that the more I tried these things, the harder the puppy would come back at me. Fighting this dog physically was not only ineffective, but it got him more excited. The suggestions I was getting became more and more violent and I simply was not prepared or willing to carry out that kind of “training”.

Finally I read a book called The Dog Whisperer by Paul Owens. In this book he describes what he calls “the magnet game”. You tether the dog to an immovable object and play with her as you normally would. The instant the teeth make contact with you, you stand up and walk out of the puppy’s reach, turning your back on her. Completely ignore her attempts to re-engage you in play (unless she’s doing something unsafe) until she settles down. Once she is settled, resume playing with her. If her teeth come out again, you walk away again. Her good behavior is like a magnet, drawing you into her space. Her bad behavior repels you away from her. Since puppies are mouthing as a part of play and for attention, this game quickly teaches them that biting too hard will not get them what they want. Within a few weeks of doing this with my dog, he stopped mouthing me. It was wonderful. I actually enjoyed playing with my dog for the first time in a year!

There are a few other things that you can do in conjunction with the other methods I’ve recommended. First of all make sure that your puppy always has something appropriate to put in her mouth. (See the article on chew toys for ideas.) Also make sure that the puppy is getting enough exercise. Puppies with extra energy tend to use their mouths more. Another thing to try would be changing the dog’s food. There are dogs who have sensitivities to various chemicals used to process dog foods (my dog is one of them), and the dog foods you can buy in the grocery store contain these chemicals. True premium foods list named meat and whole grains as the first ten or so ingredients. You should easily be able to pronounce and hopefully identify where the rest of the ingredients on the label come from.

Above all, remember patience when working with a puppy that nips, mouths, or bites. This is one of the hardest things to do – I know, I’ve been there. Responding to the dog’s bites with your own aggression, no matter how well-meaning, can serve to make your dog reluctant to play with you (in the pup’s eyes you have become dangerous and unpredictable) and not teach her how to play properly at all. It can also be much more difficult to teach your dog to hunt, play fetch, or retrieve a dumbbell in obedience if she is reluctant to have anything in her mouth. If you cannot deal with your puppy being a puppy with all of her mouthiness, put her in a crate or puppy-safe room for 10-15 minutes or so, not as a punishment, but as a way for both of you to calm down. Try to keep in mind that this is a phase that shall pass, as long as you are willing to be kind, firm, and consistent.

[Rowena Fry]

Hi Susan,
My pup didn't actually learn this til about a month ago (she's now 5 1/2 months) but that was MY fault, NOT hers! But I tried the yelping method, only to find that it excited her more, and made her even more nippy!

So whenever she nipped or barked at me, I'd just turn my back to her and ignore her for a minute - sometimes this involved leaving the room and closing the door behind me. After I came back, if she did it again then I'd go out for two minutes and so on. She caught on VERY quickly with this method cos at the end of the day all she wants to do is play with us.

It must be very difficult with a young daughter in the house because you must have to supervise them both ALL the time. Very tiring for you! Your pup will get it though, beagles are smart. The important thing is that EVERYONE who comes into contact with Molly is consistent with the method you decide to use.

Good luck!

[Renee]

Excellent advice you guys....

I personally prefer the "turn your back on the the dog and withhold your attention method and leave the room if necessary". Yelping may or may not help. It depends on the particular dog and also the age of the dog...

[Susan Medlin]

I've found that walking away works best with Sammy, too. The yelping gets his attention, but I think he thinks I'm playing! I've found to always have a toy in my hand--my hands are not toys! He's 15 weeks old, and getting much better. I do notice when he's tired, he tends to bite more. It's not mad biting, just those puppy nips that hurt so bad because their teeth are so sharp!
This may sound crazy, but I laid off the darker colored nail polish, too! Neutral nails aren't as obvious to them. Now, I need to try that on my toes!
Susan

[Susan Martin]

Thank you all for your help. I have been putting her back in her play pen every time she starts biting. She sure does get very excited when she plays. I hope one of these methods work and soon. I know we will have to be patient. She is a little bundle of energy. Thanks to you all again.

Susan

[Suni Brown]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have a 9 week old Lab (or at least what looks like a black lab...she came from a shelter). She came to us two weeks ago and was definitely not taught Bite inhibition. I am new to this forum and started reading the postings. I found this one and I swear I almost cried! I have tried everything. Stern "No", yipping, the tongue thing, time outs. It all excites her more and she goes crazy! I have a 9 year old son who is a little scared of her because everytime he moves she is on him, trying to "play" by biting and chewing on him.(seriously, he sneezed and she came after him). I read this last night (can just now start posting) and tried ignoring her. I was amazed!!! She started biting on my legs and I told her no. She of course, didn't listen. So, I pulled my legs up on the couch, crossed my arms, and looked away. She tried jumping up, she bit at the couch, she barked, she tried getting ahold of my pants, she basically went crazy for about a minute. I refused to look at her. After the "crazy minute" she completely calmed down. I called her over to me, gave her a good girl, and played some more. She played like a "good girl" for over 15 minutes which was a first! Again, thank you! I may be able to get through these puppy months!!!

[Jill Ramsey]

Suni,
Glad to hear you have some progress. Just keep at it. We also have a 10 week old yellow lab. He's learning really quick that if he bites, play stops, even with his 18 month old black lab brother. :rolleyes:
this is a great forum for learning and sharing.

[Suni Brown]

Hey all. A quick update on Gwen and her biting issue. She has gotten soooo much better! We now put her in her room when she gets too excited and it is working very well. I also switched her food . I think what she was on made her a little crazy (bad reaction if that's possible??). She is a lot more calm now and sleeps better.

[Mario Niepel]

I can't remember what website I got this off of, it talks about labs, but could be used for any breed I think.

Is it normal for my lab to be this mouthy? [...]

Sheryl the article comes from the Labrador Adoption and Education Network (http://www.labadoption.org) and the specific article can be found here (http://www.labadoption.org/linkpages/DogBehave/DogBehave.htm#Mouthy Lab).

As a reminder to everyone posting on this forum and forums like it: If you post full articles make sure that a) you are allowed to post the article (most websites state if you are allowed to distribute their advice) and b) that you cite the source for the material.

(In this case a quick google search did the trick.) :)