# A kind of backwards question about mouthing



## Arcticfox (Dec 12, 2011)

I think I really lucked out with my puppy, since she never went through a lot of the typical puppy problems like excessive barking, nipping, jumping and such. She wasn't a very mouthy girl to start with, and I started bite inhibition training as described by dogstardaily.com from day one (yelp, and leave the room for 2 min). 

The problem is, after the first couple days, she pretty much stopped mouthing me completely. The Dunbar textbook seems to say that continued reinforcement throughout puppyhood and even into adulthood is vital to maintaining her soft mouth and bite inhibition but I rarely get a chance to show her how soft is ok. The only times we get to practice are when she takes a treat from my hand with too much excitement and nips my fingers by accident. It's rarely more than a teeth graze, and the next treat I give her, she is very gentle (almost licking it out from between my fingers, rather than grabbing the edge with teeth). 

So how do I create more opportunities to reinforce bite inhibition? Should I teach her to mouth me on command? How do I do that when she seems almost aversive to having my hand in her mouth? I don't blame her for that, usually my hand in her mouth means something unpleasant like me forcing open her jaws to dig out that cigarette butt she gobbled before I saw it (or rock, or candy wrapper,etc - yes we are working on drop it but it's far from perfect at the moment). Would teaching to mouth my hand on command mean she would try to mouth other people that play with her? 

One last kind of frivolous question: What cue should I use if I do teach her to mouth? I'm trying to think of something funny/cute like saying "bang" and pointing at dog as a cue for lie on its back.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Sure you can teach her to mouth on command, but it not's not going to create or develop bite inhibition.

You already have it! Don't worry about it.  I have a lucky puppy also. It's really nice. Without fixing puppy problems, you have time to train other things or just work on yout relationship with your dog.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I agree that she seems to have got it - perhaps she already had lots of experience with litter mates. Treat taking is a good way of reminding her, or you could try very, very gentle wrestling games. Sophy loves them, Poppy is less sure! Ours usually start with tummy tickles, then a slow, gentle "grab" for a paw or muzzle. I say Ha Ha a lot, or sing a silly nursery rhyme, to emphasise it is just a game. As the pup gets more confident, and is happily joining in, the grabs and tickles become a little faster, until it mimics puppy wrestling and mouth wrestling. But it has to be a game your dog enjoys and wants to play - Sophy will ask me to play it with her, Poppy usually prefers a back rub!


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

I agree. She most likely gets it. And treat taking is a great way to keep it up. Make the treats tiny so she has to be very careful. You are so lucky. Russell was the mouthiest dog I've ever trained!!! (But then, we expected that going in, from breeder warning as well as owners comments from previous litters.)


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Wow, they make dogs that don't mouth people? I need that. lol

I agree with the play wrestling and bonding games. Sounds like you have a nice, respectful puppy. Be pleased. You have been blessed.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Poodles are SUCH smart dogs! Yours sounds exceptionally so.

I taught mine to be gentle with his mouth with the same method, but he still loves bitey games. And I encourage gentle bitey games, mainly because I want him practicing his bite control on fragile human skin all the time :smile:.

You might try getting down on the floor with her and encouraging a bit of doggie-type play. Make a human approximation of a play bow (my dog generously does not comment on my attempts :smile, then very gently make mock grabs for her toes. Most dogs respond to this by biting at your hands. Back off if she looks stressed or unhappy. Most dogs love this, but some are intimidated.


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## Arcticfox (Dec 12, 2011)

I like the biting games idea. Mine isn't shy or fearful of us at all, I can wrestle her to the floor and she'll pop right back up and nose me in the face. She hasn't tried to bite or snap at me when we play wrestle though, just wriggle, paw and nose. I'll try the mock play bow. I've done that to get her to tug with me. She wont pick a toy up after I've asked her to drop it, unless I play bow over it first, lol. Such a polite girl.


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