# Painful Mouthing



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Personally, I like making a high pitched yelping sound - just like his littermates would do to let him know that he hurt them. I have always found that effective, but if I had a puppy that did not work for, I would turn my back and ignore him - as in removing what he wants (to play with you).


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I do the same thing tinypoodles does. I yip loudly like a litter mate would.this usually works. If not I will do a little whimper/cry and ignore them for a bit like I don't want to play anymore because they hurt me. My experience is that this makes them feel bad and they try to snuggle up to me and give me kisses as if to say "sorry ill be more gentle." But that might just be, me exaggerating human emotions in a dog. Lol . I have tried the holding the mouth thing that your vet said to do but in my experience I see it make the puppy react either insecurely or aggressively depending on their personality. I'm not say it doesn't work, I'm sure it does with some dogs, I'm just saying I prefer the more gentle way like a litter mate would do. And it's so cute to see the puppy repentant of its action (if this is really what the pup is doing  lol) 


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I do the same - yelp loudly, and turn away, nursing my sore hand and muttering that I won't play with horrible shark-like puppies! The yelping and stopping play needs to be done repeatedly and consistently, at first for the genuinely painful bites and then for decreasing pressure until the pup learns that human skin is super sensitive. The muttering is optional, but makes me feel better. Muzzle grabbing risks scaring the puppy, and teaching them simply to avoid nipping - not how to use their mouths gently. If the day comes when, as an adult, they are pushed into snapping they are then liable to do it with the full force of adult jaws, rather than with the careful inhibition they should have learned as a pup.


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## dfwcarguy (May 12, 2013)

Squeal a little and act like your licking your wound. It takes a few times but they figure it out.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I vote with everyone else on this. Ouch and stop play, act a little upset. Go back to play, repeat as needed. One reason I would resist the holding the mouth closed it that it could make your pup shy of your hands and that is a definite no no. Since poodles need grooming around their muzzles you don't want to create a situation where they are loath to have hands near their faces. Once the baby teeth are gone this shouldn't be a big deal anymore. The baby teeth are supposed to hurt so that puppies teach each other bite inhibition in their litters.


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## Caniche (Jun 10, 2013)

Thanks everyone! It's a work in progress! 


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Really sell the yelp. Bring out your inner drama queen as it will be ineffective otherwise. This method really does work which is fortunate as those needle puppy teeth can really hurt.


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