Puppy Mouthing: Why they do it and how to stop it!

Why is my puppy mouthing me?

Mouthing is a normal behaviour for dogs, especially for puppies. We use our hands to explore the world, puppies use their mouths (Waite et al., 2021). Puppies also used their mouths to play with their littermates (ibid, 2021) and to relieve teething pains (Bailey, 2008). We need to teach our puppy that mouthing is not an appropriate way to interact with us (Seksel, 2008).

How do I stop it?

When playing with your puppy, always use a toy. Encourage them to play with the toy instead of playing with your hands (Seksel, 2008). Never play with your pup without a toy!

If your puppy does start mouthing, stop the interaction immediately (Bailey, 2008). Don’t wait for the mouthing to hurt! Stand up, cross your arms and wait for your puppy to calm down. Once they are calm, you can then resume playing or cuddles (Mann, 2019).

Remember to give your puppy an alternative to chew instead (Mann, 2019). Soft toys, tug toys or Kongs are good options. Praise them for using these.

Don’t shout at your puppy for mouthing you. They might interpret this as you encouraging them and cause them to get even more excited and mouthy (Seksel, 2008).

The key is to prevent mouthing whenever possible and reward your pup for using their toys.

References

Bailey, G. 2008. The Perfect Puppy. Hamlyn.

Mann, S. Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy. Blink Publishing.

Seksel, K. 2008. ‘Preventing behaviour problems in puppies and kittens’. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice 38(5): 971-982.

Waite, M.R., Harman, M.J. and Kodak, T. 2021. ‘Frequency and animal demographics of mouthing behaviour in companion dogs in the United States’. Learning and Motivation 74 p.101726.