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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Re puppy mouthing

17 replies

autienotnaughty · 06/02/2022 07:46

Hi got a 12m old lab. He's a major mouther!! Started as soon as he came to live with us at 8week and has never got better. We followed standard advice of ignore move away basically don't give it attention but because of the amount he does it it was really challenging. We tried a yelp but that didn't help. Consistently for about 6 months now we move hands away and say get your toy, which he does but the biting has not lessened. He will also accidentally bite if being hand fed, during play, he bites if we are doing something he's unhappy with ie brushing (although treats do help for distraction) and he will occasionally jump up and bit our arms if he's excited/frustrated. Anyone stopped an older biter?

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FluffyDogMother · 06/02/2022 08:33

I have no answers as have this with our Ddog - make Springer. Every time he does it we try and redirect to a rope toy and if that doesn't work we leave the room closing the door behind us, or go behind the stair gates we have so he can't reach us. The behaviourist confirmed we are doing the right thing, but it's been like this since the start, with occasional ripped clothes and bruises. I'm hoping it's just part of teenage twatdom and he'll finally click onto getting the toy and bringing it to us to play.

You have my sympathy!

Original poster

autienotnaughty · 06/02/2022 08:45

@FluffyDogMother thank you! We are same some bruises and rips. I'm hoping he will grow out of it. Horns and antlers have been good for distraction. When we got him breeder said mum was a biter till around one I naively thought she just needed better training 😩 lets hope it's not too much longer! We have had some dog training they said same just keep doing what we are doing.

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fairylightsandwaxmelts · 06/02/2022 08:51

Labs are incredibly mouthy because it's in their breed - they are retrievers and bred to carry things around in their mouths.

However, this also means they can learn to be incredibly gentle. I read somewhere of a lab/retriever who could carry a raw egg in its mouth and put it down without ever smashing it!

You must ignore it completely. Never give him attention of any kind when he behaves like that - don't yelp, don't tell him off, don't tell him to get a toy - nothing. Otherwise all he'll learn is that mouthing = attention.

My beagle was mouthy up until a similar age though he never bit or ripped clothing. We just had to be persistent and ignore him - turned our backs, avoided eye contact and said nothing until he had all paws on the floor when he got tons of praise and fuss.

If turning your back doesn't work (because he still jumps or mouthes) then I would walk out of the room and close the door on him. Let him learn that behaviour like that means no company or interaction. Go back in when he's calm and repeat, repeat, repeat!

Good luck

Imdoingitnow · 06/02/2022 12:17

Our ten month old lab puppy does this. As a young puppy he was a little alligator biting me for play. My wrists were covered in bites and bruises. I got him out of it by finding alternative ways of playing with him as I think he saw me as one of his puppy mates.

He now gets up on his back legs and tries to get my hands and wrists in his mouth. I've tried moving my hands arms away from him, saying NO! Yelping whenever he tries to bite me and none of these work.

My current tactic is to make him get down and push him away every time he tries to put his great big teeth around my wrist. I then try to ignore him. I'm trying to give him the message that he won't get any fussing off me if he bites me and if he's nice and calm and doesn't try to put his teeth on me he will get lots of attention and fuss.

Original poster

autienotnaughty · 06/02/2022 13:01

Whilst I wouldn't wish it on anyone it's kind of nice to know it's not just me!! We did the ignoring for first few months but because it' was happening every interaction with him it start to affect our relationship with him. It was like every time he wanted to play we walked away. So we changed tactic to swapping hands for toy.

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FernieB · 06/02/2022 20:24

I was just about to ask the wise Mnetters the same question. Our 13m Irish setter is lovely during the day but in the evening he is a bitey, barky little monster. My clothes, hands, wrists and arms are fair game. We've been ignoring (as much as you can when he has his jaw round your arm) with limited success. Just hoping he outgrows it soon.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 06/02/2022 21:40

@FernieB how much sleep does she get?

FernieB · 06/02/2022 21:47

[quote fairylightsandwaxmelts]@FernieB how much sleep does she get?[/quote]
During the day he sleeps on and off. After the morning walk he settles down for a couple of hours and again in the afternoon. He has a few short training sessions throughout the day and again at night if he's lively

Original poster

autienotnaughty · 06/02/2022 22:10

We found it hard to get our dog to settle on a night. We put toys away and just left out a horn or antler to chew on. Now he either sits on ours knees or on floor chews his toy and then goes to sleep.

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user1471453601 · 06/02/2022 22:28

Our Jack Russell mouthed when she was younger, she's nearly two now and has grown out of it.

She responds very well to hand signals, as well as words. So "gentle",along with one raised finger works.

But she also understand wait, no, you must not, all with a flat hand in her direction. Too early, twirly finger. Come closer, pat on my leg.

She's a very bright girl,but, of course, she's selectively deaf.

Persevere, your dog will "get it" eventually.

paname · 06/02/2022 22:31

You need to tell him off. I think it's mad not to. He needs a stern leave it command and then pop him in the kitchen or wherever is away from you until he is calm. Don't just carry on.

CovoidOfAllHumanity · 07/02/2022 08:39

Mine is 9 months and I think he is growing out of mouthing but not beyond doing it still when excited

First we try not to get him so excited. If he starts mouthing and jumping it's playtime over and we leave the room or we make him leave and go in the kitchen
We turn our backs and fold hands into armpits rather than pushing off or flapping hands etc as we were told this makes it more of a game
It's often a sign that he needs a nap
I have realised it's not cruel to ignore him when he gets like that. He will pace about and whine and paw at doors a bit but if I am sure he is fed and watered and toileted then I have learnt to ignore him at this point and in the end he will flop down with a big huffy sigh.
He also is not crate trained but we have had some success with 'settle down' on a blanket. I can get his blanket out and he will go and lie on it in anticipation of treats and chews which he always gets for lying on the blanket. I also try to catch him when he randomly does lie down and say 'settle down' and treat him.
For the evening zooming about often a high value chew like a pigs ear or a trachea is the ultimate answer if I really need him to settle although not every day.
When I'm grooming him I give him a chew with one hand and groom him with the other to stop him eating my hand or the brush and now he seems to quite like it and largely stops trying to bite.

If you swop for a toy when he does it are you not kind of rewarding the jumping and mouthing because then he gets to play?
I guess you have to be very careful to reward for paws on the floor only. Could you have inadvertently trained jump up and mouth and you get to play with a toy?
(It's easily done. We inadvertently trained jump on the table and you get a treat for getting off and also steal stuff and get a treat for giving it up)

The other thing that helps mine is being given an alternative nice behaviour that he can get attention and rewards for. My DD has trained him some basic tricks that are quite useful ie he can sit, lie down, roll over, high five and boop his nose in your hand on command and he knows he will get treats for those and for leaving things and staying. If he gets bitey and jumpy then I make him sit and do his tricks for treats instead and that will calm him down a lot.

Didiplanthis · 07/02/2022 18:25

If I turn away and fold my arms my 5 month whippet just pulls my clothes till she rips them. If I push her away and tell her off its even more exciting. If I leave the room when I come back she just starts again repeat for hours !! I have to do stuff !!!

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 07/02/2022 18:54

@Didiplanthis

How much sleep does she get?

So many young dogs don't get enough sleep. It should be 18-20 hours or so at that age.

Original poster

autienotnaughty · 07/02/2022 19:37

@Didiplanthis

I feel your pain

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ThisisMax · 07/02/2022 19:55

I had this recently with my GSD - 5 months now. Was awful, pulling away, yelping, Ow, ignoring etc did not work. I have stopped it in two weeks by leaving the room for a minute and returning as if nothing happened and not going straight to him. ANY attention is good attention for this behaviour which makes it persist. He is pretty much stopped now since I started leaving the room, no sound, no reaction just leave. I found 'rewarding' or redirecting via toy not useful either as it was a game then and your hands are part of the game.

ThisisMax · 07/02/2022 19:56

Also meant to say - crating for sleep is super important. Once things get a bit nippy he is either over tired, over stimulated or needs the loo. After I have checked these it is into the crate for a snooze - different dog 40 mins later.

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