Bite Inhibition/Mouthing

I'm throwing this one out there, and would be interested in any comments ...........

I got my first dog, a Dobermann bitch, when she was 12 weeks old. Played with her, rough and tumbled like you do, and when her playful puppy "bites/nips" got too hard I yelped in a high pitched voice and stopped the play. When she grew up she never bit anyone, or mouthed.

Second dog, another Dobermann bitch who I got at only 6 weeks old. Same play regime, same result.

Kuchar! Bonkers Staffy boy, got at 12 weeks old. Same play regime. BUT - although he has learned bite control, is the friendliest dog on the planet and means no harm to anyone, when he gets excited and a hand comes near him he will seize it in his mouth and chobble and tease at it. And his teeth are sharp!

Did I make a mistake in under-estimating how excitable a Staffy can be?

He does understand "No" in a firm voice and is beginning (at almost 3 years old) to obey it, but he's quite a sensitive loving little soul and I don't want to cow his spirit by "No"ing him more than I have to.

Tom still likes to speak with his teeth , no harm and then rolls over to get his balls tickled

I tried the 'yelp' with Dempsey & it actually made him worse!

I honestly don't know how we trained Bandit not to nip, but he was the same as Kuchar - throughout his life he'd 'mouth'. With most people he'd be quite gentle but he would press down quite hard on my oh's hand/arm.

To be honest, Lynda, if you're only really using the 'no' for that, and it works, then I shouldn't think there would be a problem.

LyndaW wrote: he's quite a sensitive loving little soul and I don't want to cow his spirit by "No"ing him more than I have to.  

You won't cow his spirit. These sensitive souls can use that 'sensitivity' to bloody manipulate the hell out of you
Some dogs are just more mouthy than others and some breeds are also more mouthy than others. You'll have to keep reinforcing bite inhibition forever.
My Axel loves taking your hand in his mouth or chewing on your hand; sometimes he knocks a tooth against one of the bones in your hand It hurts!!!!

Hmmm... my own experience...

With my rotties, I did the high pitched "ouch" worked for Zac, Boris.... thats a long story. We used other methods I won't discuss here. But they worked!

Jess I used yelp & stopped play, ignored her for awhile. If she was totally mad, i put her out, away from the family for 10-15 mins. Then reintroduced her. If she was calm.. all good. If not....back out. That also worked. But she did put her k9 through the flesh between my thumb & forfinger at about 3yrs of age. It was an accident but I took it up a notch anyway to reinforce the " no teeth" policy in this house.

Tyson... well... he did bite often as a pup & till about 3yrs. He doesn't actually bite now but does like to mouth in play. He also hits bone with his teeth in play & it both hurts & bruises, though he has no idea & if I yelp "gentle!".... he could not be more sorry for something he doesn't know he's done.

One trick if you want him to stay away from your hands, feet, etc.  Rince your hands in lemon juice before you play with him if he is actually biting.

I wouldn't worry about his spirit. My staff is the most emotional dog I have ever met! If you raise your voice or the wind slams a door, he will literally shake. Climb your back & head to be close or on top of on in you, more to the point. But as soon as he hears a sound he doesn't like, a person outside the house.... he's off like a pocket rocket on a find & distroy mission.

I simply stop all fun. Walking, food, brushing, play etc if Tyson gets wound up to the point of bone bruses. I let him rough house but.... he understands,  he can be rougher with con than he can be with me. When with me it's,  gentle! With con, its a boy fest!

I train... uhhh, no teeth! & walk away from him. Now he is really good. I see him moderating his play so I don't walk away.

Some dogs just love it! Put it this way: a dog will only be trained out of doing something it enjoys if the reward (or consequence, depending how you train) is significant enough. If mouthing is something he really, really, really loves to do, he'll probably forget his manners sometimes!

Thank you everyone - I feel better now that I maybe haven't been quite such bad doggy-mummy as I thought I was!

You should see the way Dempsey 'plays' with the men of the household. He knows he can get away with it with them! :lol;

Trouble is the "man of the household" roars at him and Kuchar runs to hide under my bed.

Lexi has never been mouthy but she accidently nips i think cause of her underbite

Dave wrote:Tom still likes to speak with his teeth , no harm and then rolls over to get his balls tickled

Whaaaaa?!?

LyndaW wrote:Thank you everyone - I feel better now that I maybe haven't been quite such bad doggy-mummy as I thought I was!

I don't think you are a bad mum... I think you own a staffy!

LyndaW wrote:Trouble is the "man of the household" roars at him and Kuchar runs to hide under my bed.

Kuchar is indeed a staffy.
Tyson will hide in his bed if you yell at him. Slinking back later to see if he is accepted back again.   There is nothing worse for a staffy than feeling they have done the wrong thing & are in trouble with the family. Even more so than any other breed I have known.

I am always telling Con " Don't yell at him!" when he raises his voice & says to Tyson... "Get off me! Shut up!" etc, when he talks (tyson talks if he is breathing).

Try whispering to Kuchar. I find that if voices are raised, Tyson just gets upset. When I whisper, (literally, as if I don't want the person next to me to hear.) he listens & responds 10× better in the house. Dosent work in the street though.

Ah, thank you Tracy, your words have also helped me a lot. Especially with the yelling thing.

Hayley wrote:Lexi has never been mouthy but she accidently nips i think cause of her underbite

Jess nibbles on your chin when excited or happy as her tongue doesn't seem to work the more her emotions do.

LyndaW wrote:Ah, thank you Tracy, your words have also helped me a lot.  Especially with the yelling thing.

Your welcome!
Whispering doesn't work for all dogs, Jess couldn't give a rats bum if you whipser or scream but for Tyson... he listens intently to a whisper. Loud voices... he just leaves!

I started with a whisper near him, now I just say.... psst! Tyson... (command) & it works better than a voice.

Please let me know if it works.

P.s. you know I vividly remember a vet saying to me once....
Bullie breeds do not show pain as they tollerate it far more than you or I would. They think you feel the same & treat you as they would themselves. Truer words I have not heard in a long time.

Sound advice from the vet!

Yeah.