If you have a young dog and are fed up of them clinging off you with their little sharp raptor jaws then you're in the right place!
Despite Kai now having moved past this phase, I remember the bruised arms well! And it really is no fun!
In many cases, play biting and mouthing is part of a dogs development. They may mouth when they're teething, when they're getting growing pains, when they're bored, want to play or just to try and get attention (and yes, shouting 'Stop it!' at them and pushing them away can indeed be rewarding for some dogs, and become a great 'game' if you're not careful!).
So, why is your dog being incessant with putting their teeth on you, and what can you do to stop it?
Before losing your mind, there are a couple of questions you can ask...
Firstly, is your dog getting all of their needs met? If not, what do they need? Test it out, see if fulfilling something they may be seeking out for themselves helps them settle. Bear in mind this could include teething pain, and the need to a soft chew, or an underlying condition that requires a vet visit!
Once this is ruled out, then take a look at how much physical and psychological enrichment they are getting? If they are a high energy, or working dog, then it may be that they're trying to make their own entertainment due to boredom. Growing dogs do need to be careful about how much physical exercise they do, but signing up to learn some scent-work, or just going over basic training can really help engage their brain, and stop them feeling so desperate for interaction and entertainment.
Remember; if you have an under-stimulated dog; they will more often then not find their own entertainment; even if this means biting at you, or destroying the house or garden! This isn't your dog being 'bad', rather it is their way of trying to meet their own need in the only way they are able to.
Check out my Pinterest board for enrichment ideas here
If you feel like you're doing lots with your dog, yet they are still 100% charged, all of the time then it may be that they are over stimulated and over tired. Just like toddlers, an over tired dog, can be a dog who behaves in less than ideal ways.
Ensure that they are getting an appropriate amount of sleep and rest each day. In addition to exploring if keeping a more regular routine helps them. For some adolescent dogs; going to new places all the time can be great; for others it can be overwhelming and totally fry their brains, and waht they really need is more predictability!
Getting the balance right can feel like an art form; and take some time to get just right. But it is worth tracking their behaviour to see what they've been doing for the few days before mouthing is at it worst.
Once you've adjusted your dog's routine accordingly; and know they are pain free, getting good sleep, and the right amount of physical and mental stimulation, then all that's left to do is break the mouthing habit that it's likely they've formed over a few months at least.
This means you'll need to be on point for a while; as every experience is a learning experience! Even when it's not convenient!
Closely observe your dog; And try to note a couple of things that they will do before they begin mouthing at you. Once you know how to spot the signs, then you can step in BEFORE they begin mouthing. You can either redirect them onto another activity, train some mutually exclusive behaviours (anything calm, like a settle in place, obedience training, scentwork games etc) or remove yourself from the room until the moment of needing to bite has passed, then offering an alternative activity.
Make sure that if they are already mouthing, that you don't just redirect on to treats; as they will quickly chain that behaviour and learn that mouthing makes the treats happen!
This is why your timing is key; and meeting your dogs needs pro-actively is so important.
When you can't proactively manage your dog then utilise set ups such as using baby gates, or X-pens to divide the home; and have them in a separate room, with water and a comfy bed, even a chew or stuffed kong. Giving yourself a break is so important, without self care then you'll really struggle to give the best care to your dog. Doing this also means you can better avoid ending up relying on corrections such as telling your dog off, or physically having to prise their teeth off of your clothes.
When your dog is with you; reward any behaviours which are incompatible with mouthing or biting. This could be behaviours such as licking (your hand or a item such as a lickmat), any relaxed behaviours, or appropriate self rewarding beahviours away from you. (Kathy Sado's SMART X 50 exercise is great for this!)
Remember; be a good behaviour detective and always reward your dogs tries! Look for any moments that your dog is hanging out with you and NOT trying to mouth, then encourage more of that; calm interactions, or even appropriate play such as offering them a toy, or a game of tug (But don't forget they may ned hel pto calm down again, through lower intensity activities such as scatter feeding!).
A large part of excessive mouthing in adolescents comes from the inability to regulate their own emotions, as their brain is not yet fully developed. They are growing up still, their brains and bodies changing and can be filled with big feelings... sometimes their 'emotional bucket' overflows.
With good management, ensuring their needs are met and working on incompaitble behaviours CONSISTENTLY then you should begin to see reductions in their mouthing behaviours, and eventually find it fades out.
Need help? Feel free to contact me!
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