Nipping is normal for puppies, but painful for people! Learn how to address this common issue.
Nipping or mouthing is normal puppy behavior, but it can develop into a serious problem if allowed to continue into adulthood. If a puppy is not taught from an early age that mouthing or nipping on skin or clothes is inappropriate, then she is likely to continue into adulthood. An adult dog’s mouth can be very strong, so even when its nipping is just part of normal play, it can still cause significant damage to human skin. Every dog should be given boundaries, especially when it comes to using their mouths around humans.
Most mouthing and nipping is playful in nature, but if a dog gets overly excited, the nipping can become harder and more difficult to stop. Some herding breeds and breed mixes tend to nip at a person’s feet or heels, mimicking the livestock herding behavior they were originally bred for. Children are most likely to be on the receiving end of such nipping, especially when they are running around or playing vigorously.
How can I teach my dog to stop nipping?
- Teach your dog bite inhibition from an early age.
- If your dog nips or mouths you during play or at any other time, withdraw attention immediately and walk out of the room. Wait outside for a minute or two, come back in the room and resume play. If the nip happens again, repeat the exercise until your dog realizes that nipping stops all interaction.
- If your dog plays without nipping, let play continue.
- Give your dog plenty of toys that she likes to redirect her nipping onto something more appropriate.
- Encourage non-contact games such as fetch or go find. You can play tug of war but do set boundaries so that even when your dog is overly aroused, she listens and responds to you when you give her a cue.
- Avoid wrestling or rough housing with your dog as this can exacerbate mouthing behavior.
- Teach your dog the "Leave It" cue.
- If your dog is getting too excited, give her a break so she can settle before continuing interaction. She might need just a few minutes to wind down or she might need a longer rest.
- Do not scold or smack your dog for nipping or mouthing. This could hurt or scare your dog and is likely to erode her trust in you. It might also make the behavior worse, as some puppies will feel the need to defend themselves. Remember that your puppy is doing what to her is a natural behavior and that she is still learning to live in the human world. It’s not fair to punish her for that, nor is it effective training.
- If your dog is tense when she nips at you or bares her teeth, this might be a sign that the behavior is less than friendly. Enlist the help of a positive trainer to help you so you can address the behavior before it gets out of control.
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