From: "Dawn Gabig, Classique" To: "julie Rachelle" Subject: More info on Bite inhibition Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:52:51 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_062A_01CA56EB.3F515AC0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6001.18000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6001.18049 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_062A_01CA56EB.3F515AC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable A Plethora of Articles about Those Nip Nip Nippy Puppies Puppy Biting -More Than Bad Manners by Ian Dunbar PhD, MSVC=20 Puppies bite and thank goodness they do! Puppy biting is essential for = your puppy to develop a soft mouth., Puppy biting seldom causes = appreciable harm but many bites are painful and elicit reaction. The pup = learns it's jaws can hurt and therefore, begins to inhibit the force of = its biting before it acquires the formidable teeth and strong jaws of an = adolescent. Completely curtailing puppy biting may offer immediate relief but the = puppy will not have sufficient opportunity to learn that its jaws may = inflict pain. Consequently, if ever provoked as an adult, the resultant = bite is likely to be a hard one. Certainly puppy biting must be = controlled but only in a progressive and systematic manner whereby the = pup is first taught to inhibit the force of its bites, before puppy = biting is forbidden altogether. Once the puppy develops a soft mouth, there is plenty of time to inhibit = the frequency of its now gentler mouthing. It is not necessary to hurt, frighten, or punish the pup to teach it = biting hurts. A simple "Ouch" is sufficient. If your pup acknowledges = the "ouch" and desists, praise and resume playing, but in a calmer = fashion. If your pup ignores the "ouch", emphasize "ouch" and leave the = room. Your puppy has lost its playmate. Return after one or two minutes = time-out and make up by having your puppy come, sit and calm down before = resuming play. Once your pup's biting no longer hurts, still pretend it does. Greet = harder nips with a yelp of pseudo-pain. Your puppy will soon to get the = idea, Whooahh! These humans are super-sensitive. I have to be much more = gentle. The pressure of your puppy's bites will progressively decrease = until biting becomes mouthing or slobbering. NEVER allow your puppy to mouth human hair or clothing. Hair and = clothing can feel neither pressure nor pain. Consequently, allowing a = pup to mouth hair, scarves, shoelaces, or gloved hands etc., = inadvertently trains the pup to bite harder, extremely close to human = flesh! Once your pup exerts no pressure whatsoever when mouthing, then and only = then, teach the pup to reduce the frequency of mouthing. Teach the = meaning of "Off" by hand feeding kibble {see the SIRIUS Puppy Training = video), so your pup may learn gentle mouthing is OK, but it must stop = the instant you say "Off", At this Stage, your puppy should never be = allowed to initiate mouthing (unless requested to do so). Please refer = to our Preventing Aggression booklet for a detailed description of the = essential rules for bite inhibition exercises such as play-fighting and tug o'war . Byway of encouragement though, mouthing-maniac puppies generally develop exceedingly gentle jaws as adults, since their many painful bites have = elicited ample appropriate feedback. On the other hand, puppies which = seldom play and roughhouse with other dogs, puppies which seldom bite = their owners ( e.g., shy, or fearful pups), and/or breeds which have = been bred to have soft mouths, may not receive sufficient feedback = concerning the power of their jaws. This is the major reason puppy class = instructors go to great lengths to encourage shy and Standoffish dogs to = play in class. Should a dog ever bite as an adult, both the prognosis = for rehabilitation and the fate of the dog are almost always decided by the severity of the injury , = which is predetermined by the level of bite inhibition the dog learned = during puppy hood. The most important survival lesson for a puppy to = learn is: Bites cause pain and of course, the pup can only 1earn this = lesson, if it bites, and if the bites gives appropriate feedback. -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------- More on "biting" from Dr. Ian Dunbar's puppy training video ... Dogs must learn to inhibit their bite before they are 4 months old. = Normally, they would learn this from their mother, their littermates and = other members of the pack, But, because we take them away from this = environment before this learning is completed, we must take over the = training. By allowing your puppy to socialize with other puppies and socialized = dogs (naturally in a safe manner because of vaccinations) they can pick = up where they left off. Puppies need to roll, tumble and play with each = other. When they play, they bite each other everywhere and anywhere. = This is where they learn to inhibit their biting. This is where they = learn to control themselves. If they are too rough or rambunctious, they = will find out because of how the other dogs and puppies react and = interact with them. This is something that happens naturally and it is = something we cannot accomplish. It can only be learned from trial and = error. There is nothing you can say or do to educate them in this realm. = They must learn from their own experience. Another major advantage of dog to dog socialization besides the fact = that it will help your dog to grow up not being fearful of other dogs is = that they can vent their energy in an acceptable manner. Puppies that = have other puppies to play with do not need to treat you like = littermates. So the amount of play biting on you and your family should = dramatically decrease. Puppies that do not play with other puppies are = generally much more hyperactive and destructive in the home as well. A = major cause of biting is due to lack of socialization. Lack of = socialization results in fearful or aggressive behavior.=20 The two major reactions a dog has to something it is afraid of is to = avoid it or to act aggressive in an attempt to make it go away. This is = the most common cause of children being bitten. Dogs that are not = socialized with children will bite them. The optimum time to socialize = is before the dog reaches 4 months. With large breed dogs, 4 months may = be too late, simply because at this age the puppy may already be too = large for most mothers of young children to feel comfortable around. For = most owners, the larger the dog is, the more difficult it is to control, = especially around children. If there is anything you do not want your = dog to be afraid of or aggressive towards, you must begin to socialize = your puppy with them before it is 4 months old. There are many other reasons your dog will bite and you will have to = take an active role in teaching them. However, before you can teach your = dog anything, there are two prerequisites that are essential. They are = trust and respect. If your dog doesn't trust you, there is no reason why = he should respect you. If your dog does not respect you, your = relationship will be like two 5 year olds bossing each other around. If = your dog does not trust and respect you, then when you attempt to teach = your dog something, he will regard you as if he were thinking, "Who do = you think you are to tell me what to do?" Never hit, kick or slap your dog. This is the quickest way to erode the = dog's trust in you. Yes, he will still love you. Even abused dogs love = their owners. A unique characteristic of dogs is their unconditional = love. You don't have to do anything to acquire your dog's love. But you = must do a lot to gain your dog's trust and respect. Another area where = we destroy our dog's trust in us is when we scold or punish them for = house-soiling mistakes and accidents. When housetraining your puppy, there is never a right = time to punish or reprimand. If you catch your dog in the act, say "No" = and quickly pick him up and carry him outside. When he does his = business, praise him loudly. You have no right to scold him, because if = he is going in the wrong place, it is your fault, not his. If you find = an accident after the fact, just clean it up. If you watch a litter of puppies playing, you will notice that they = spend much of their time biting and grabbing each other with their = mouths. This is normal puppy behavior. When you take a puppy from the = litter and into your home, the puppy will play bite and mouth you. This = is normal behavior, but needs to be modified so you and the puppy will = be happy. The first thing to teach your new puppy is that human flesh is = much more sensitive than other puppies and that it really hurts us when they bite. = This is called bite inhibition. A puppy has very sharp teeth and a weak = jaw. This means that the puppy can cause you to be uncomfortable when = mouthing or puppy biting you, but can not cause severe damage. An adult = dog has duller teeth and a powerful jaw. This means that an adult dog = can cause significant damage when biting. ANY DOG WILL BITE GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES! If a small child falls = on your adult dog and sticks a finger in the dog's eye, you should not = be surprised if the dog bites. If you do a good job teaching your puppy = bite inhibition, you should get a grab and release without damage. If = you don't, you may get a hard bite with significant damage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------- M. Shirley Chong has a wonderful article on the Keeper Page at on = teaching bite inhibition.=20 http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/bite.txt She has two basic assumptions: 1) Any dog, no matter how stable and well socialized, could be pushed = far enough to bite. I don't think there's a dog alive that wouldn't bite = if it thought it was defending it's own life. 2) Although I try my best to protect my dog from situations where they = could be defensive, life happens and I may not always succeed. If the worst happened and my dog were pushed to the point of biting, I'd = rather have a dog that knew how much pressure is enough to make their = point rather than a dog that rips someone's face off due to a lack of = experience in biting. A dog that causes a bruise or superficial scratch is much less likely to = be condemned to death by the local authorities than one that leaves deep = punctures and/or rips. Ian Dunbar studied over 130 cases of serious dog bites. In every single = one of those cases, the dogs had been brought up with bite prohibition = (love that word for the distinction, Helix!) rather bite inhibition. Yes, it's true that dogs raised with bite inhibition do bite more. But I = believe that they cause fewer injuries and less severe injuries. And playing bitey-bitey games with dogs is lots of fun. I want my dogs to be experts in just how to bite humans just as I want = them to be experts at dog aggression. My intention in both cases is to = have a safer dog. M. Shirley Chong The Well Mannered Dog http://www.shirleychong.com Grinnell Iowa=20 here is a web site for some wonderful articles on puppy issues overall. http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/puppy.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------- Another point of view First take into account the breed-derived behaviors and the human = recipients. A lab or golden retriever pup uses his mouth a lot on = everything in his environment. Before permanent teeth emerge even gentle = mouthing is painful to us humans. Children and the elderly and sensitive = individuals find any mouth contact unpleasant. The dog is not doing = anything unusual, but it hurts nonetheless. This pup should have limited = and controlled exposure to these people until he has less painful teeth = as their screams and slapping at his face and pushing him away are often = stimulating and exciting and bring on more and harder mouth use even in = a naturally gentle-mouthed dog. A naturally hard biting dog such as a = terrier or protection breed will use his mouth to test and explore the = environment and tends to grab, shake or pull at clothes, arms, hair etc. = with excited enthusiasm. This exploratory mouth use quickly leads to a = harder mouth use which even though it is not intended as aggression may = be interpreted as such by the recipient. I include these explanations = because I feel it is important for the owner to understand that their = puppy is not a savage beast, but simply learning how to use one of his = most important sensory tools. It also helps them understand how their = natural reaction (screaming, slapping and jerking hand away) to the = mouthing increases rather than decreases the behavior. First tool would = be chew toys that can be held in the hand with some distance between = hand and mouth. Rope toys (several of them with different sizes of rope = and types of knots) that are 16-24 inches long give the person something = to hold that the pup can bite and interact with but not be able to get = close to the hand that holds it (not used as a tug toy!) If pup tries tug play, I just release the rope and turn away and pick up = something else. Pup can't play tug alone and comes quickly to the other = object. Long chew bones that can be held or even knotted strings of old = socks with objects inside (tennis balls etc.) can serve the same = purpose. The pup is interacting with the human in a highly satisfying way, but = learning what appropriate chew objects taste and feel like and should he = get to a body part, a quick "ouch" and a substitution of a rope or other = object should get him back on the track. In addition, if at all = possible, it is important that they have real puppies to use their teeth = on and real adult dogs to tell them where they can and cannot put their = teeth. No one can teach a dog manners like another dog! A huge abundance of chew play = things like plastic bottles, kongs with stuff in them, real knuckle = bones and lots of patience and a place for a time out when you can't = stand the little monster another minute will help cover the rest. Sorry = this got so long, but it is so hard to deal with even when you know what = to do!=20 No one should tolerate or ignore nipping and clothes grabbing. It hurts, = it's dangerous, it damages our clothing and most of all it damages our = relationship with the little barracuda a.k.a. one's new puppy. I consider my pantleg a part of my body...as far as "yipping goes" well = I've never considered it effective. This whole "when a pup yips the = other one let's go is rather mythical too...I have seen plenty of = puppies in a litter continue to hang on when a littermate yips". Watch = puppies and let me know IF everytime a pup yips it's littermates let go. = It's not something I've seen watching lots of puppies...some do, some = don't. Have a toddler "yipping and owwee wowwee" as the pup is attached = to his footie pajamas and you have a recipe for a very fun game for the = puppy and a painful one for the toddler. I teach pups not to bite hands, legs etc. by immediately removing all = attention for the behavior this is easy if you are bending over to pet = pup for example: you bend and here come teeth, stand up. You = bend...teeth...you stand up. You bend...teeth...you stand up. You = bend...no teeth...you pet. Simple. The use of teeth =3D (negative punishment) I go away. Now some pups or dogs when you "go away" attach to your legs...ouch! Now = I don't squeal ouch but this does hurt...it at least hurts your pants. = If you 501's could shout they'd be screaming "hey this hurts"!! Now you can try "stop and ignore", with a dog like my JRT she didn't = mind if the pants were moving or perfectly still...grab, growl, shake, = twist fun, fun, fun! The behavior of grabbing/shaking is self = reinforcing (my pants don't need to c/t that)...if I ignore a self = reinforcing behavior it WILL not go away. It's like telling an owner = with a dog digging holes in the backyard..."ignore it and it goes away". = Nope not so. Besides it does really hurt especially if they catch some = flesh in the process, it trips humans, it annoys house guests...so many = other ways a dog can interact with a human that are much more pleasant = then playing tug with our bodies or our clothing. So there I was in the yard and barracuda was attached to my leg?! = Hmmm....I would simply bend over, grasping the top of her muzzle and = rolling gums remove her mouth from my leg. THIS should not be confused = with any sort of "pinch the puppies gums and hurt them business". = Painless for them and removing a puppy mouth this way keeps your hands = safe. Simply remove puppy mouth. You now also have a hold of puppy or = dog's collar. You grasp in such a way that they cannot twist and = mouth...hold them at arms length away from you. Then you simply = wait...no need to shake vigorously (I mean you shake them) just wait. = Don't look at them, don't say anything to them. Hold and wait. This pup is so obnoxious and you are so completely bored = and totally unimpressed with their skills of grabbing your body with = their sharp little puppy teeth. The dog/pup is flopping around perhaps like a fish out of = water...annoyed, irritated. Wait. At some point they will relax =3D = immediately release them. *If you want to C/T now go ahead. They go right back and grab your pants = again. Here we go again, repeat the above. I am NOT exaggerating when I say that Lucy and I had a very long initial = session in the yard. I'm sure I removed and held the JRT by the collar = at least 30 times in a simple walk across my back yard (maybe more = frankly). I don't care, I am a very patient person...biting doesn't = work, don't attach yourself to me or anything connected to me. Next day = it was 25, next interaction 20 times etc. At the end of two weeks I sent home a JRT that you could pick up and set = down no biting. Hold in your lap no biting. Walk across the room no = biting. Flip on her back and clip all of her toenails no biting. = Restrain in any position, no biting. No biting...'cept for her toys. Unfortunately, I don't know the author of the above article, as I got it = via email, but if I am notified, I'd love to have the author listed = here! -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------- Bite Inhibition Paws Forward K-9 Obedience School A Division of Lexington Pet Care Center 540-463-2111 Cher McCoy Instructor It is normal for puppies between about six and sixteen weeks old to be = obsessed with playfighting. When two puppies of this age meet, they want = to wrestle. At this age, as everyone knows, the puppies have needle = sharp teeth, so they really can be felt but they can't cause any serious = damage. What puppies are learning at this age is a very valuable lesson. = How much and how little to bite. Every dog is capable of biting and any dog, regardless of how stable = their temperament, can be pushed into a situation where they feel they = must bite to defend themselves. The difference between the dog who bites = only enough to get the message across and the dog who rips off the side = of a child's face is Bite Inhibition. For many years the traditional methods for teaching puppies never to = bite involved scruff shakes, cuffing the puppy under the chin or the = infamous "alpha rollover." And what was the most common complaint by = people who used these methods? Their puppy immediately bit harder. We = taught them to bite harder. So, how do puppies learn bite inhibition? By biting, of course! Trying = to teach a puppy bite inhibition without allowing them to bite is like = trying to teach someone to fly an airplane without ever letting them get = in the plane. It can't be done. Puppies learn very quickly when they have bitten another puppy too hard. = They get feedback. It's really very simple. Just enough bite is rewarded = by more play. Too much bite and the other puppy yelps and stops playing. = And this works for us as well. Let the puppy bite and then in a very = high pitched tone, yelp! Or, say OUCH! A normal pup will back off for a = second. If you are good at this, the puppy will probably use a calming = signal by sitting or by giving an apology lick. It would be wise to = practice your yelping alone without the puppy present so you can get = good at this. Should the puppy come right back and bite harder, give = another yelp and then walk away. It's important you go somewhere the = puppy cannot reach you. Here's the message you are sending: If you can't play nice, I'm not playing, period. The puppies learn very quickly how much bite is enough to keep the play = session going and how much bite it takes to stop the play altogether. When you find there is a time that you don't want to play the biting = game, teach the puppy a cue that means not to bite. It is best learned = through the Leave It exercise. Your pup will soon learn that when you = hold out your closed hand that it means to back away, to leave it. Your = held out closed hand will be non-verbal signal and the verbal cue will = be Leave It. By the time your puppy reliably backs away from you when = you say Leave It, no matter what the circumstances are or where you are, = your puppy will be ready to start incorporating Leave It to stop = mouthplay. Start off gradually, using "Leave It to stop mouthplay once every ten = times the puppy initiates mouthplay. C/T when the puppy backs off. If = the puppy doesn't back off, walk way and give a Time Out. Don't give up mouthplay altogether, though. You worked hard to develop = that soft mouth and it's like any skill that depends in part on muscle = memory, it needs to be practiced to keep it. ------=_NextPart_000_062A_01CA56EB.3F515AC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

A = Plethora of=20 Articles about Those Nip Nip Nippy Puppies

Puppy Biting=20 -More Than Bad Manners by Ian Dunbar PhD, MSVC

Puppies bite and thank = goodness they=20 do! Puppy biting is essential for your puppy to develop a soft mouth., = Puppy=20 biting seldom causes appreciable harm but many bites are painful and = elicit=20 reaction. The pup learns it's jaws can hurt and therefore, begins to = inhibit the=20 force of its biting before it acquires the formidable teeth and strong = jaws of=20 an adolescent.

Completely curtailing puppy = biting may=20 offer immediate relief but the puppy will not have sufficient = opportunity to=20 learn that its jaws may inflict pain. Consequently, if ever provoked as = an=20 adult, the resultant bite is likely to be a hard one. Certainly puppy = biting=20 must be controlled but only in a progressive and systematic manner = whereby the=20 pup is first taught to inhibit the force of its bites, before puppy = biting is=20 forbidden altogether.

Once the puppy develops a = soft mouth,=20 there is plenty of time to inhibit the frequency of its now gentler=20 mouthing.

It is not necessary to hurt, = frighten,=20 or punish the pup to teach it biting hurts. A simple "Ouch" is = sufficient. If=20 your pup acknowledges the "ouch" and desists, praise and resume playing, = but in=20 a calmer fashion. If your pup ignores the "ouch", emphasize "ouch" and = leave the=20 room. Your puppy has lost its playmate. Return after one or two minutes = time-out=20 and make up by having your puppy come, sit and calm down before resuming = play.

Once your pup's biting no = longer=20 hurts, still pretend it does. Greet harder nips with a yelp of = pseudo-pain. Your=20 puppy will soon to get the idea, Whooahh! These humans are = super-sensitive. I=20 have to be much more gentle. The pressure of your puppy's bites will=20 progressively decrease until biting becomes mouthing or = slobbering.

NEVER allow your puppy to = mouth human=20 hair or clothing. Hair and clothing can feel neither pressure nor pain.=20 Consequently, allowing a pup to mouth hair, scarves, shoelaces, or = gloved hands=20 etc., inadvertently trains the pup to bite harder, extremely close to = human=20 flesh!

Once your pup exerts no = pressure=20 whatsoever when mouthing, then and only then, teach the pup to reduce = the=20 frequency of mouthing. Teach the meaning of "Off" by hand feeding kibble = {see=20 the SIRIUS Puppy Training video), so your pup may learn gentle mouthing = is OK,=20 but it must stop the instant you say "Off", At this Stage, your puppy = should=20 never be allowed to initiate mouthing (unless requested to do so). = Please refer=20 to our Preventing Aggression booklet for a detailed description of the = essential=20 rules for
bite inhibition exercises such as play-fighting and tug = o'war=20 .

Byway of encouragement = though,=20 mouthing-maniac puppies generally develop
exceedingly gentle jaws as = adults,=20 since their many painful bites have elicited ample appropriate feedback. = On the=20 other hand, puppies which seldom play and roughhouse with other dogs, = puppies=20 which seldom bite their owners ( e.g., shy, or fearful pups), and/or = breeds=20 which have been bred to have soft mouths, may not receive sufficient = feedback=20 concerning the power of their jaws. This is the major reason puppy class = instructors go to great lengths to encourage shy and Standoffish dogs to = play in=20 class. Should a dog ever bite as an adult, both the prognosis for = rehabilitation=20 and the fate
of the dog are almost always decided by the severity of = the=20 injury , which is predetermined by the level of bite inhibition the dog = learned=20 during puppy hood. The most important survival lesson for a puppy to = learn is:=20 Bites cause pain and of course, the pup can only 1earn this lesson, if = it bites,=20 and if the bites gives appropriate feedback.

More on "biting"=20 from Dr. Ian Dunbar's puppy training video ...

Dogs must learn to inhibit = their bite=20 before they are 4 months old. Normally, they would learn this from their = mother,=20 their littermates and other members of the pack, But, because we take = them away=20 from this environment before this learning is completed, we must take = over the=20 training.
By allowing your puppy to socialize with other puppies and=20 socialized dogs (naturally in a safe manner because of vaccinations) = they can=20 pick up where they left off. Puppies need to roll, tumble and play with = each=20 other. When they play, they bite each other everywhere and anywhere. = This is=20 where they learn to inhibit their biting. This is where they learn to = control=20 themselves. If they are too rough or rambunctious, they will find out = because of=20 how the other dogs and puppies react and interact with them. This is = something=20 that happens naturally and it is something we cannot accomplish. It can = only be=20 learned from trial and error. There is nothing you can say or do to = educate them=20 in this realm. They must learn from their own experience.

Another major advantage of = dog to dog=20 socialization besides the fact that it will help your dog to grow up not = being=20 fearful of other dogs is that they can vent their energy in an = acceptable=20 manner. Puppies that have other puppies to play with do not need to = treat you=20 like littermates. So the amount of play biting on you and your family = should=20 dramatically decrease. Puppies that do not play with other puppies are = generally=20 much more hyperactive and destructive in the home as well. A major cause = of=20 biting is due to lack of socialization. Lack of socialization results in = fearful=20 or aggressive behavior.

The two major reactions a = dog has to=20 something it is afraid of is to avoid it or to act aggressive in an = attempt to=20 make it go away. This is the most common cause of children being bitten. = Dogs=20 that are not socialized with children will bite them. The optimum time = to=20 socialize is before the dog reaches 4 months. With large breed dogs, 4 = months=20 may be too late, simply because at this age the puppy may already be too = large=20 for most mothers of young children to feel comfortable around. For most = owners,=20 the larger the dog is, the more difficult it is to control, especially = around=20 children. If there is anything you do not want your dog to be afraid of = or=20 aggressive towards, you must begin to socialize your puppy with them = before it=20 is 4 months old.

There are many other reasons = your dog=20 will bite and you will have to take an active role in teaching them. = However,=20 before you can teach your dog anything, there are two prerequisites that = are=20 essential. They are trust and respect. If your dog doesn't trust you, = there is=20 no reason why he should respect you. If your dog does not respect you, = your=20 relationship will be like two 5 year olds bossing each other around. If = your dog=20 does not trust and respect you, then when you attempt to teach your dog=20 something, he will regard you as if he were thinking, "Who do you think = you are=20 to tell me what to do?"

Never hit, kick or slap your = dog. This=20 is the quickest way to erode the dog's trust in you. Yes, he will still = love=20 you. Even abused dogs love their owners. A unique characteristic of dogs = is=20 their unconditional love. You don't have to do anything to acquire your = dog's=20 love. But you must do a lot to gain your dog's trust and respect. = Another area=20 where we destroy our dog's trust in us is when we scold or punish them = for=20 house-soiling mistakes
and accidents. When housetraining your puppy, = there is=20 never a right time to punish or reprimand. If you catch your dog in the = act, say=20 "No" and quickly pick him up and carry him outside. When he does his = business,=20 praise him loudly. You have no right to scold him, because if he is = going in the=20 wrong place, it is your fault, not his. If you find an accident after = the fact,=20 just clean it up.

If you watch a litter of = puppies=20 playing, you will notice that they spend much of their time biting and = grabbing=20 each other with their mouths. This is normal puppy behavior. When you = take a=20 puppy from the litter and into your home, the puppy will play bite and = mouth=20 you. This is normal behavior, but needs to be modified so you and the = puppy will=20 be happy. The first thing to teach your new puppy is that human flesh is = much=20 more
sensitive than other puppies and that it really hurts us when = they bite.=20 This is called bite inhibition. A puppy has very sharp teeth and a weak = jaw.=20 This means that the puppy can cause you to be uncomfortable when = mouthing or=20 puppy biting you, but can not cause severe damage. An adult dog has = duller teeth=20 and a powerful jaw. This means that an adult dog can cause significant = damage=20 when biting.

ANY DOG WILL BITE GIVEN THE = RIGHT=20 CIRCUMSTANCES! If a small child falls on your adult dog and sticks a = finger in=20 the dog's eye, you should not be surprised if the dog bites. If you do a = good=20 job teaching your puppy bite inhibition, you should get a grab and = release=20 without damage. If you don't, you may get a hard bite with significant=20 damage.

M. = Shirley=20 Chong has a wonderful = article on=20 the Keeper Page at on teaching bite inhibition.

http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/bite.txt=

She=20 has two basic assumptions:

1) Any dog, no matter how = stable and=20 well socialized, could be pushed far enough to bite. I don't think = there's a dog=20 alive that wouldn't bite if it thought it was defending it's own=20 life.

2) Although I try my best to = protect=20 my dog from situations where they could be defensive, life happens and I = may not=20 always succeed.

If the worst happened and my = dog were=20 pushed to the point of biting, I'd rather have a dog that knew how much = pressure=20 is enough to make their point rather than a dog that rips someone's face = off due=20 to a lack of experience in biting.

A dog that causes a bruise = or=20 superficial scratch is much less likely to be condemned to death by the = local=20 authorities than one that leaves deep punctures and/or rips.

Ian Dunbar studied over 130 = cases of=20 serious dog bites. In every single one of those cases, the dogs had been = brought=20 up with bite prohibition (love that word for the distinction, Helix!) = rather=20 bite inhibition.

Yes, it's true that dogs = raised with=20 bite inhibition do bite more. But I believe that they cause fewer = injuries and=20 less severe injuries.

And playing bitey-bitey = games with=20 dogs is lots of fun.

I want my dogs to be experts = in just=20 how to bite humans just as I want them to be experts at dog aggression. = My=20 intention in both cases is to have a safer dog.

M. Shirley Chong
The Well = Mannered=20 Dog http://www.shirleychong.com
Grinnell Iowa =
here is a web=20 site for some wonderful articles on puppy issues overall.
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/puppy.html=

Another point of=20 view

First take into account the=20 breed-derived behaviors and the human recipients. A lab or golden = retriever pup=20 uses his mouth a lot on everything in his environment. Before permanent = teeth=20 emerge even gentle mouthing is painful to us humans. Children and the = elderly=20 and sensitive individuals find any mouth contact unpleasant. The dog is = not=20 doing anything unusual, but it hurts nonetheless. This pup should have = limited=20 and controlled exposure to these people until he has less painful teeth = as their=20 screams and slapping at his face and pushing him away are often = stimulating and=20 exciting and bring on more and harder mouth use even in a naturally=20 gentle-mouthed dog. A naturally hard biting dog such as a terrier or = protection=20 breed will use his mouth to test and explore the environment and tends = to grab,=20 shake or pull at clothes, arms, hair etc. with excited enthusiasm. This=20 exploratory mouth use quickly leads to a harder mouth use which even = though it=20 is not intended as aggression may be interpreted as such by the = recipient. I=20 include these explanations because I feel it is important for the owner = to=20 understand that their puppy is not a savage beast, but simply learning = how to=20 use one of his most important sensory tools. It also helps them = understand how=20 their natural reaction (screaming, slapping and jerking hand away) to = the=20 mouthing increases rather than decreases the behavior. First tool would = be chew=20 toys that can be held in the hand with some distance between hand and = mouth.=20 Rope toys (several of them with different sizes of rope and types of = knots) that=20 are 16-24 inches long give the person something to hold that the pup can = bite=20 and interact with but not be able to get close to the hand that holds it = (not=20 used as a tug toy!)

If pup tries tug play, I = just release=20 the rope and turn away and pick up something else. Pup can't play tug = alone and=20 comes quickly to the other object. Long chew bones that can be held or = even=20 knotted strings of old socks with objects inside (tennis balls etc.) can = serve=20 the same purpose.

The pup is interacting with = the human=20 in a highly satisfying way, but learning what appropriate chew objects = taste and=20 feel like and should he get to a body part, a quick "ouch" and a = substitution of=20 a rope or other object should get him back on the track. In addition, if = at all=20 possible, it is important that they have real puppies to use their teeth = on and=20 real adult dogs to tell them where they can and cannot put their teeth. = No one=20 can
teach a dog manners like another dog! A huge abundance of chew = play=20 things like plastic bottles, kongs with stuff in them, real knuckle = bones and=20 lots of patience and a place for a time out when you can't stand the = little=20 monster another minute will help cover the rest. Sorry this got so long, = but it=20 is so hard to deal with even when you know what to do!

No one should tolerate or = ignore=20 nipping and clothes grabbing. It hurts, it's dangerous, it damages our = clothing=20 and most of all it damages our relationship with the little barracuda = a.k.a.=20 one's new puppy.

I consider my pantleg a part of my body...as far = as=20 "yipping goes" well I've never considered it effective. This whole "when = a pup=20 yips the other one let's go is rather mythical too...I have seen plenty = of=20 puppies in a litter continue to hang on when a littermate yips". Watch = puppies=20 and let me know IF everytime a pup yips it's littermates let go. It's = not=20 something I've seen watching lots of puppies...some do, some don't. Have = a=20 toddler "yipping and owwee wowwee" as the pup is attached to his footie = pajamas=20 and you have a recipe for a very fun game for the puppy and a painful = one for=20 the toddler.

I teach pups not to bite hands, legs etc. by = immediately=20 removing all attention for the behavior this is easy if you are bending = over to=20 pet pup for example: you bend and here come teeth, stand up. You=20 bend...teeth...you stand up. You bend...teeth...you stand up. You = bend...no=20 teeth...you pet.

Simple. The use of teeth =3D (negative = punishment) I go=20 away.

Now some pups or dogs when you "go away" attach to your=20 legs...ouch! Now I don't squeal ouch but this does hurt...it at least = hurts your=20 pants. If you 501's could shout they'd be screaming "hey this=20 hurts"!!

Now you can try "stop and ignore", with a dog like my = JRT she=20 didn't mind if the pants were moving or perfectly still...grab, growl, = shake,=20 twist fun, fun, fun! The behavior of grabbing/shaking is self = reinforcing (my=20 pants don't need to c/t that)...if I ignore a self reinforcing behavior = it WILL=20 not go away. It's like telling an owner with a dog digging holes in the=20 backyard..."ignore it and it goes away". Nope not so. Besides it does = really=20 hurt especially if they catch some flesh in the process, it trips = humans, it=20 annoys house guests...so many other ways a dog can interact with a human = that=20 are much more pleasant then playing tug with our bodies or our=20 clothing.

So there I was in the yard and barracuda was attached = to my=20 leg?! Hmmm....I would simply bend over, grasping the top of her muzzle = and=20 rolling gums remove her mouth from my leg. THIS should not be confused = with any=20 sort of "pinch the puppies gums and hurt them business". Painless for = them and=20 removing a puppy mouth this way keeps your hands safe. Simply remove = puppy=20 mouth. You now also have a hold of puppy or dog's collar. You grasp in = such a=20 way that they cannot twist and mouth...hold them at arms length away = from you.=20 Then you simply wait...no need to shake vigorously (I mean you shake = them) just=20 wait. Don't look at them, don't say anything to them.

Hold and wait. This pup is = so=20 obnoxious and you are so completely bored and totally unimpressed with = their=20 skills of grabbing your body with their sharp little puppy = teeth.

The=20 dog/pup is flopping around perhaps like a fish out of water...annoyed,=20 irritated. Wait. At some point they will relax =3D immediately release=20 them.

*If you want to C/T now go ahead. They go right back and = grab your=20 pants again. Here we go again, repeat the above.

I am NOT = exaggerating=20 when I say that Lucy and I had a very long initial session in the yard. = I'm sure=20 I removed and held the JRT by the collar at least 30 times in a simple = walk=20 across my back yard (maybe more frankly). I don't care, I am a very = patient=20 person...biting doesn't work, don't attach yourself to me or anything = connected=20 to me. Next day it was 25, next interaction 20 times etc.

At the = end of=20 two weeks I sent home a JRT that you could pick up and set down no = biting. Hold=20 in your lap no biting. Walk across the room no biting. Flip on her back = and clip=20 all of her toenails no biting. Restrain in any position, no biting. No=20 biting...'cept for her toys.

Unfortunately, I = don't know the=20 author of the above article, as I got it via email, but if I am = notified, I'd=20 love to have the author listed here!

Bite=20 Inhibition
Paws = Forward K-9=20 Obedience School
A Division of Lexington Pet Care=20 Center
540-463-2111
Cher McCoy
Instructor

It is normal for puppies = between about=20 six and sixteen weeks old to be obsessed with playfighting. When two = puppies of=20 this age meet, they want to wrestle. At this age, as everyone knows, the = puppies=20 have needle sharp teeth, so they really can be felt but they can't cause = any=20 serious damage. What puppies are learning at this age is a very valuable = lesson.=20 How much and how little to bite.

Every dog is capable of = biting and any=20 dog, regardless of how stable their temperament, can be pushed into a = situation=20 where they feel they must bite to defend themselves. The difference = between the=20 dog who bites only enough to get the message across and the dog who rips = off the=20 side of a child's face is Bite Inhibition.

For many years the = traditional methods=20 for teaching puppies never to bite involved scruff shakes, cuffing the = puppy=20 under the chin or the infamous "alpha rollover." And what was the most = common=20 complaint by people who used these methods? Their puppy immediately bit = harder.=20 We taught them to bite harder.

So, how do puppies learn = bite=20 inhibition? By biting, of course! Trying to teach a puppy bite = inhibition=20 without allowing them to bite is like trying to teach someone to fly an = airplane=20 without ever letting them get in the plane. It can't be done.

Puppies learn very quickly = when they=20 have bitten another puppy too hard. They get feedback. It's really very = simple.=20 Just enough bite is rewarded by more play. Too much bite and the other = puppy=20 yelps and stops playing. And this works for us as well. Let the puppy = bite and=20 then in a very high pitched tone, yelp! Or, say OUCH! A normal pup will = back off=20 for a second. If you are good at this, the puppy will probably use a = calming=20 signal by sitting or by giving an apology lick. It would be wise to = practice=20 your yelping alone without the puppy present so you can get good at = this. Should=20 the puppy come right back and bite harder, give another yelp and then = walk away.=20 It's important you go somewhere the puppy cannot reach you. Here's the = message=20 you are sending:
If you can't play nice, I'm not playing,=20 period.

The puppies learn very = quickly how=20 much bite is enough to keep the play session going and how much bite it = takes to=20 stop the play altogether.

When you find there is a = time that you=20 don't want to play the biting game, teach the puppy a cue that means not = to=20 bite. It is best learned through the Leave It exercise. Your pup will = soon learn=20 that when you hold out your closed hand that it means to back away, to = leave it.=20 Your held out closed hand will be non-verbal signal and the verbal cue = will be=20 Leave It. By the time your puppy reliably backs away from you when you = say Leave=20 It, no matter what the circumstances are or where you are, your puppy = will be=20 ready to start incorporating Leave It to stop mouthplay.

Start = off=20 gradually, using "Leave It to stop mouthplay once every ten times the = puppy=20 initiates mouthplay. C/T when the puppy backs off. If the puppy doesn't = back=20 off, walk way and give a Time Out.

Don't give up mouthplay = altogether,=20 though. You worked hard to develop that soft mouth and it's like any = skill that=20 depends in part on muscle memory, it needs to be practiced to keep=20 it.

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