The bite inhibition is perhaps the cornerstone of any puppy's socialization. A dog that has not learned to inhibit her bite is a dangerous dog that can cause damage even when he plays. In contrast, a dog that knows how to inhibit his bite can avoid causing damage even when he bites, to warn that he is angry.
The critical period for bite inhibition ends around four and a half months of puppy life, when the change occurs of teeth. After this time it will be very difficult for you to teach your dog to inhibit his bite. Among trainers it is very common to talk about dogs with soft mouths and hard mouths. Soft-mouthed dogs are those that have learned to inhibit their bite and are able to use their mouths to hold things without damaging them.
In this article on our site we show you the aspects to take into account when teaching a dog to inhibit his bite. If a dog bites you for whatever reason, don't hesitate to read what to do in case of a dog bite, first aid.
General considerations
There are several things to consider when teaching your dog to inhibit his bite:
- The first is your puppy should have canine playmates This is essential because puppies learn to regulate the force of their bites when they play with other dogs. The principle is simple: if your dog bites too hard, the other pup complains and the game is over, even if it's just for a few seconds. So playing without harming is positively reinforced (with the same game) and playing rough is negatively punished (ending the game).
- The second thing to consider is that you teach your dog the "Release" command. This command doesn't help regulate the force of the bites, but it does help your dog stop biting something.
- The third aspect is that you teach your dog to playfully bite your hands Although this is not recommended by many trainers, it is very important for puppies under four months because it teaches them that humans are more sensitive than dogs. Thus, your puppy will learn to regulate his bite differently when he plays with humans than when he plays with dogs.
How to teach a puppy to inhibit his bite?
To teach your puppy to playfully bite your hands, start playing with him and let him bite your hands The moment when cause you pain, tell him "No" and end the game by withdrawing your hand. Some trainers suggest that instead of saying "No," you say "Ouch!" in a raised tone of voice, making your pain known. Actually, it doesn't matter what word you use. What matters is that you end the game at the exact moment your dog bites hard. As you will see, timing is very important in this case. If you end the game when your dog is gently biting you but continue when he is biting you hard, you are teaching him to bite hard.
When you stop the game, ignore your dog for a few seconds Then the negative punishment will take effect. However, don't leave your dog isolated or anything like that. Simply stop the game, ignore your dog for a few seconds, and resume the game again. From time to time stop the game and don't resume it too soon.
Repeat the procedure for a while and practice it in different places to generalize the learning. Have other people (family or friends) practice this procedure as well, so your dog understands that all humans are sensitive.
If you can't stop your dog from biting by saying "No", first teach him the command "Let Go", and use that command to finish the game. However, in this case do not ignore your dog for a few seconds, as you would be punishing him for obeying the command. Simply stop the game and resume when your dog calms down.
If you have to use the "Release" command too often, something is wrong. This order will only help your dog to stop biting you when he is very excited. It should not be part of the "bite inhibition" game, except on very rare occasions.
Observations
Finally, here are some final considerations on how to teach your dog to inhibit his bite
- Children: Do not allow very young children to practice this exercise because the results will be disastrous. Very young children do not have the necessary control to carry out the exercise properly and it is very likely that the puppy will end up learning that it is more fun to bite hard to make the game more fun.
- Punishments: Never physically punish your puppy for forcefully biting you. That will only generate fear or aggression. In any case, with the punishment you will not teach him to inhibit his bite, but not to bite playfully. What is the problem with this? That if he decides to bite when he is an adult, he will do it with great force.
- Impulses: Another reason not to use physical punishment is that puppies can't fully control their impulses until they are a bit older. So even though your dog has learned to inhibit his bite, he will sometimes be too excited to realize he has to do it. By the time he's past four or four and a half months he'll be able to control his bite easily…if you've taught him how to do it.
- Classes: Finally, if there are classes for puppies in your city, sign up your puppy before he is four and a half months old. Puppy classes are perhaps the best way to teach bite inhibition because your puppy will be able to play with other puppies. In addition, you will have the support of the instructor and the other assistants and you will make many friends.
