From: "Dawn Gabig, Classique" To: "Julie Rachelle" Subject: Ian Dunbar's Bite Inhibition Article Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:32:38 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_05A5_01CA56E0.0ADE3C00" 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_05A5_01CA56E0.0ADE3C00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable TEACHING YOUR PUPPY BITE INHIBITION by Ian Dunbar, Ph.D., MRCVS Taken from the AKC Gazette In addition to selectively breeding for disposition, all dogs should be = actively trained to be friendly and trustworthy. It would be folly to = sit back with the blithe assumption that a puppy dog will necessarily = and naturally develop a super disposition, since all breeds are capable = of being unfriendly. Moreover, many breed standards actually forewarn = us that certain breeds are prone to be shy, timid, nervous, suspicious, = reserved, standoffish, protective, dominant or even = aggressive--especially toward strangers. Temperament training is an active process that involves a number of = specific and essential exercises to continually modify the puppy's = developing temperament to ensure that it always remains friendly toward = all people. A temperament training program has three stages: 1) = teaching bite inhibition; 2) socializing the pup with all sorts of = people, so that the dog likes the company and actions of people and = would not want to bite them; 3) friendly training, which means = specifically training the puppy dog to "act" as if it is cute and = friendly. This type of training is designed to assuage people's fears = and help them feel at ease around the dog, so that they don't display = fearful actions and mannerisms and unnecessarily spook the dog. BITE INHIBITION Without a doubt, teaching bite inhibition is the single most important = item on the educational agenda of any pup. Consequently, bite = inhibition training should head the syllabus of any kindergarten or = comprehensive puppy training program. The pup must be taught to inhibit = the force of its biting behavior so that it develops a soft mouth. It = must also be taught to inhibit the frequency of its now gentler = mouthing, so that the adolescent dog learns to keep its jaws to itself = and never mouth any person or their clothing. It is as unrealistic to expect dogs never to be frightened or annoyed by = people as it is to expect people never to frighten or annoy each other. = However, just as it is reasonable to expect people to resolve their = disagreements without physical violence, it is both realistic and = perfectly feasible to teach dogs never to physically harm a person when = scared or provoked. Dogs suffer incessant provocation from people, especially from children = and men, and a large proportion of dogs are involved in some kind of = aggressive altercation with humans at some time in their lives. But in = such instances, both the prognosis for rehabilitation and the fate of = the dog are almost always dependent on how much damage the dog = inflicted--that is, the dog's level of bite inhibition. DAMAGE DONE Ideally, all dogs should be taught never to respond aggressively to any = kind of provocation, but this is impossible in practice, especially in = instances of extreme and unexpected provocation. Let's look at the = following case histories. In the first four, a dog was provoked and = responded in an understandable way. The fifth case is an exception, and = is explained on the next page. Case 1: An 8-year-old struck out during a baseball game and hit the = dog's muzzle with a baseball bat. The dog yelped and ran. Case 2: A woman tripped, dropped a cup of hot chocolate over the dog = and fell headlong into the dog's face while it was gnawing on a bone. = The dog nipped the woman on the cheek but did not puncture the skin. Case 3: A woman hurrying to answer the phone pierced the dog's thigh = with her high-heel. The dog bit her on the ankle, causing three = punctures basely 1/4 inch deep. Case 4: A man grabbed the dog's cheeks with both hands, shook the dog = vigorously, flipped it on its back and screamed obscenities in the dog's = face. The dog sliced the man's ear with two punctures--little damage = but a lot of blood. Case 5: A 3-year-old toddled up to the dog and reached out to pat it on = the head. The dog bit the child in the face five times. In each case, whether the scared and/or provoked dog ran, hid, growled, = snarled, snapped, nipped, bit or savaged depended primarily on the = degree of learned bit inhibition established in puppyhood. Because the dogs exercised remarkable restraint and demonstrated fairly = solid bite inhibition in the first four cases, these were resolved = easily with basic, commonsense people education and dog training. = However, in the fifth case, the dog was euthanized and the child was = physically and mentally scarred for life. The dog had obviously not = been socialized with children, but more damning, the dog had very little = bite inhibition at all. When bite inhibition is poor or nonexistent, if = and when the dog bites, in addition to the serious injury caused to the = victim, invariably the dog loses its life and the owner loses a = companion, peace of mind and often a lawsuit. INHIBIT FORCE BEFORE FREQUENCY A puppy's needle-sharp teeth and its often rapacious penchant for biting = are essential for the establishment of bite inhibition and the = development of a soft mouth. Puppy biting hurts but seldom cases = appreciable harm. In fact, puppy biting behavior is the way a young pup = learns its jaws can hurt. It is important puppies learn to inhibit the = force of their biting before they acquire the blunt yet formidable teeth = and strong jaws of an adolescent dog. Although the abrupt and total curtailment of puppy biting (if possible) = offers immediate relief to most owners, it often reflects only a = short-term gain and does not always augur well for the future. If the = puppy is forbidden to bite, it will not have sufficient opportunity to = learn that its jaws may inflict pain. Thus, if it is ever provoked to = bite as an adult, the resultant bite is likely to be a hard one, causing = severe damage. Certainly puppy biting must be controlled, but only in a = progressive, systematic manner, whereby the pup is taught to inhibit the = force of its bites. To inform the puppy that biting hurts, it is not necessary to hurt, = frighten, punish or even reprimand the pup; a simple "Ouch!" is = sufficient. If the pup acknowledges the "ouch" and desists, praise and = resume playing but in a calmer manner. If the puppy ignores the = reprimand, emphasize "OOOUUCHH!" and exit pronto. LEARNING THROUGH PLAY As when playing with their littermates or mom's teats and tail, puppies = quickly learn hard bites lose playmates. Return after one or two = minutes time out and make up by having the puppy come, sit and calm down = before resuming play. Once the pup's mouthing no longer hurts, pretend it does. Greet harder = munches with a yelp of pseudo-pain. The puppy will begin to get the = idea, thinking, "Whooahh! These humans are super-sensitive. I'll have = to be much more gentle." The force of the puppy's biting will = progressively decrease until biting becomes mouthing and eventually, = mouthing succumbs to gumming or slobbering. Never allow the puppy to mouth human hair or clothing. Hair and = clothing are not innervated and therefore can feel neither pressure nor = pain. Allowing a pup to mouth hair, scarves, shoelaces or gloved hands = inadvertently trains it to bite harder, extremely close to human flesh! Once the puppy's mouthing no longer exerts any palpable pressure = whatsoever, then and only then can you teach the pup to reduce the = frequency of its oral proclivities. Teach the meaning of "Off!" by = hand-feeding kibble, so the pup may learn very gentle mouthing is okay, = but it must stop the instant you say, "Off!" And of course, allowing mouthing to resume is the best reward for a = puppy that stops mouthing on request. At this stage the puppy, or young = adolescent dog, should never be allowed to initiate mouthing (unless = requested to do so). NIP IT IN THE BUD Some dogs learn to inhibit the force and frequency of biting quickly and = naturally, whereas for other dogs bite inhibition must be actively = taught as a specific exercise. After just a few weeks of instruction, = the "mouthy" breeds and their puppies from hell characteristically = curtail hard biting fairly quickly, since the owner is immediately aware = of the problem and takes appropriate action and the puppy has more than = ample opportunity to learn its biting hurts. It may seem paradoxical, but puppies that are mouthing maniacs and/or = puppies that grow up with children are much more likely to develop = gentle jaws and a soft mouth as an adult. On the other hand, shy, = reserved and /or fearful dogs, which often do not play as much and = therefore seldom roughhouse or bite their owners, and breeds that have = been bred to have soft mouths, seldom present much of a puppy problem to = their owners and therefore do not receive sufficient feedback concerning = the power of their jaws. All too often, when a dog has bitten severely the case history reveals = the dog was "fine" as a puppy. This is the major reason we go to great = pains to encourage shy and standoffish dogs to play in puppy class. The = most important survival lesson for a puppy to learn is that when it = bites, it causes pain. Of course, the pup can only learn this lessen if = it bites and if the bitee gives appropriate feedback. Many of these exercises are demonstrated in Ian Dunbar's "Sirius Puppy = Training" video and described in detail in his "Preventing Aggression" = booklet, available from James & Kenneth Publishers, Berkeley, = California. ------=_NextPart_000_05A5_01CA56E0.0ADE3C00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

TEACHING YOUR PUPPY = BITE=20 INHIBITION
by Ian Dunbar, = Ph.D.,=20 MRCVS

Taken from the AKC=20 Gazette

 

In addition to selectively breeding for disposition, = all dogs=20 should be actively trained to be friendly and trustworthy.  It = would be=20 folly to sit back with the blithe assumption that a puppy dog will = necessarily=20 and naturally develop a super disposition, since all breeds are capable = of being=20 unfriendly.  Moreover, many breed standards actually forewarn us = that=20 certain breeds are prone to be shy, timid, nervous, suspicious, = reserved,=20 standoffish, protective, dominant or even aggressive--especially toward=20 strangers.

Temperament training is an active process that involves = a number=20 of specific and essential exercises to continually modify the puppy's = developing=20 temperament to ensure that it always remains friendly toward all = people.  A=20 temperament training program has three stages:  1) teaching bite=20 inhibition; 2) socializing the pup with all sorts of people, so that the = dog=20 likes the company and actions of people and would not want to bite them; = 3)=20 friendly training, which means specifically training the puppy dog to = "act" as=20 if it is cute and friendly.  This type of training is designed to = assuage=20 people's fears and help them feel at ease around the dog, so that they = don't=20 display fearful actions and mannerisms and unnecessarily spook the=20 dog.

BITE INHIBITION
Without a doubt, teaching bite = inhibition is=20 the single most important item on the educational agenda of any = pup. =20 Consequently, bite inhibition training should head the syllabus of any=20 kindergarten or comprehensive puppy training program.  The pup must = be=20 taught to inhibit the force of its biting behavior so that it develops a = soft=20 mouth.  It must also be taught to inhibit the frequency of its now = gentler=20 mouthing, so that the adolescent dog learns to keep its jaws to itself = and never=20 mouth any person or their clothing.

It is as unrealistic to expect dogs never to be = frightened or=20 annoyed by people as it is to expect people never to frighten or annoy = each=20 other.  However, just as it is reasonable to expect people to = resolve their=20 disagreements without physical violence, it is both realistic and = perfectly=20 feasible to teach dogs never to physically harm a person when scared or=20 provoked.

Dogs suffer incessant provocation from people, = especially from=20 children and men, and a large proportion of dogs are involved in some = kind of=20 aggressive altercation with humans at some time in their lives.  = But in=20 such instances, both the prognosis for rehabilitation and the fate of = the dog=20 are almost always dependent on how much damage the dog inflicted--that = is, the=20 dog's level of bite inhibition.

DAMAGE DONE
Ideally, all dogs should be taught never = to=20 respond aggressively to any kind of provocation, but this is impossible = in=20 practice, especially in instances of extreme and unexpected = provocation. =20 Let's look at the following case histories.  In the first four, a = dog was=20 provoked and responded in an understandable way.  The fifth case is = an=20 exception, and is explained on the next page.

Case 1:  An 8-year-old struck out during a = baseball game and=20 hit the dog's muzzle with a baseball bat.  The dog yelped and=20 ran.

Case 2:  A woman tripped, dropped a cup of hot = chocolate=20 over the dog and fell headlong into the dog's face while it was gnawing = on a=20 bone.  The dog nipped the woman on the cheek but did not puncture = the=20 skin.

Case 3:  A woman hurrying to answer the phone = pierced the=20 dog's thigh with her high-heel.  The dog bit her on the ankle, = causing=20 three punctures basely 1/4 inch deep.

Case 4:  A man grabbed the dog's cheeks with both = hands,=20 shook the dog vigorously, flipped it on its back and screamed = obscenities in the=20 dog's face.  The dog sliced the man's ear with two = punctures--little damage=20 but a lot of blood.

Case 5:  A 3-year-old toddled up to the dog and = reached out=20 to pat it on the head.  The dog bit the child in the face five=20 times.

In each case, whether the scared and/or provoked dog = ran, hid,=20 growled, snarled, snapped, nipped, bit or savaged depended primarily on = the=20 degree of learned bit inhibition established in = puppyhood.

Because the dogs exercised remarkable restraint and = demonstrated=20 fairly solid bite inhibition in the first four cases, these were = resolved easily=20 with basic, commonsense people education and dog training.  = However, in the=20 fifth case, the dog was euthanized and the child was physically and = mentally=20 scarred for life.  The dog had obviously not been socialized with = children,=20 but more damning, the dog had very little bite inhibition at all.  = When=20 bite inhibition is poor or nonexistent, if and when the dog bites, in = addition=20 to the serious injury caused to the victim, invariably the dog loses its = life=20 and the owner loses a companion, peace of mind and often a=20 lawsuit.

INHIBIT FORCE BEFORE FREQUENCY
A puppy's = needle-sharp teeth=20 and its often rapacious penchant for biting are essential for the = establishment=20 of bite inhibition and the development of a soft mouth.  Puppy = biting hurts=20 but seldom cases appreciable harm.  In fact, puppy biting behavior = is the=20 way a young pup learns its jaws can hurt.  It is important puppies = learn to=20 inhibit the force of their biting before they acquire the blunt yet = formidable=20 teeth and strong jaws of an adolescent dog.

Although the abrupt and total curtailment of puppy = biting (if=20 possible) offers immediate relief to most owners, it often reflects only = a=20 short-term gain and does not always augur well for the future.  If = the=20 puppy is forbidden to bite, it will not have sufficient opportunity to = learn=20 that its jaws may inflict pain.  Thus, if it is ever provoked to = bite as an=20 adult, the resultant bite is likely to be a hard one, causing severe=20 damage.  Certainly puppy biting must be controlled, but only in a=20 progressive, systematic manner, whereby the pup is taught to inhibit the = force=20 of its bites.

To inform the puppy that biting hurts, it is not = necessary to=20 hurt, frighten, punish or even reprimand the pup; a simple "Ouch!" is=20 sufficient.  If the pup acknowledges the "ouch" and desists, praise = and=20 resume playing but in a calmer manner. If the puppy ignores the = reprimand,=20 emphasize "OOOUUCHH!" and exit pronto.

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
As when playing with their = littermates=20 or mom's teats and tail, puppies quickly learn hard bites lose = playmates. =20 Return after one or two minutes time out and make up by having the puppy = come,=20 sit and calm down before resuming play.

Once the pup's mouthing no longer hurts, pretend it = does. =20 Greet harder munches with a yelp of pseudo-pain.   The puppy = will=20 begin to get the idea, thinking, "Whooahh! These humans are=20 super-sensitive.  I'll have to be much more gentle."  The = force of the=20 puppy's biting will progressively decrease until biting becomes mouthing = and=20 eventually, mouthing succumbs to gumming or slobbering.

Never allow the puppy to mouth human hair or=20 clothing.  Hair and clothing are not innervated and therefore can = feel=20 neither pressure nor pain.  Allowing a pup to mouth hair, scarves,=20 shoelaces or gloved hands inadvertently trains it to bite harder, = extremely=20 close to human flesh!

Once the puppy's mouthing no longer exerts any palpable = pressure=20 whatsoever, then and only then can you teach the pup to reduce the = frequency of=20 its oral proclivities.  Teach the meaning of "Off!" by hand-feeding = kibble,=20 so the pup may learn very gentle mouthing is okay, but it must stop the = instant=20 you say, "Off!"

And of course, allowing mouthing to resume is the best = reward for=20 a puppy that stops mouthing on request.  At this stage the puppy, = or young=20 adolescent dog, should never be allowed to initiate mouthing (unless = requested=20 to do so).

NIP IT IN THE BUD
Some dogs learn to inhibit the = force and=20 frequency of biting quickly and naturally, whereas for other dogs bite=20 inhibition must be actively taught as a specific exercise.  After = just a=20 few weeks of instruction, the "mouthy" breeds and their puppies from = hell=20 characteristically curtail hard biting fairly quickly, since the owner = is=20 immediately aware of the problem and takes appropriate action and the = puppy has=20 more than ample opportunity to learn its biting hurts.

It may seem paradoxical, but puppies that are mouthing = maniacs=20 and/or puppies that grow up with children are much more likely to = develop gentle=20 jaws and a soft mouth as an adult.  On the other hand, shy, = reserved and=20 /or fearful dogs, which often do not play as much and therefore seldom=20 roughhouse or bite their owners, and breeds that have been bred to have = soft=20 mouths, seldom present much of a puppy problem to their owners and = therefore do=20 not receive sufficient feedback concerning the power of their=20 jaws.

All too often, when a dog has bitten severely the case = history=20 reveals the dog was "fine" as a puppy.  This is the major reason we = go to=20 great pains to encourage shy and standoffish dogs to play in puppy = class. =20 The most important survival lesson for a puppy to learn is that when it = bites,=20 it causes pain.  Of course, the pup can only learn this lessen if = it bites=20 and if the bitee gives appropriate feedback.


Many of these exercises are demonstrated in Ian = Dunbar's=20 "Sirius Puppy Training" video and described in detail in his "Preventing = Aggression" booklet, available from James & Kenneth Publishers, = Berkeley,=20 California.

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