AMY'S ARTICLES

TEACHING BITE INHIBITION

My oh my, what big TEETH you have…In fact, canine jaws easily tear flesh and break bones. Don't be fooled by size, either. They may be tiny but even Chihuahua-size pooches expertly use their choppers.

All dogs squabble just as all people sometimes get upset and argue, but that doesn't mean dangerous bites always results. Dogs have exquisite control of their jaws and know exactly how close they can snap without making contact. Pugs don't miss unless they mean to. Consider air-snaps and bites that DON'T break the skin as calculated warnings. Learning to master the power of their jaws-bite inhibition-allows dogs to make important points and resolve differences without hurting each other, or you.

Dogs mouth objects or other pets and people using a soft or "inhibited" bite that causes no damage. They use inhibited bites during play, for example. And puppies must learn the technique while young, by interacting with Mom and siblings. The other dogs yelp and bite back if the youngster chomps down too hard, and so he learns limits.

Not all dogs know how to pull their punches, though. Pups that don't have the opportunity to learn these lessons, or dogs that become overly excited, can overdo mouthing even when they mean no harm.

Other dogs are the best teacher to train these dogs how to inhibit bites, but owners can use exaggerated body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to get the point across. Some puppies, like children, become more agitated when tired, and uncontrollable rough play may be a cue Rex needs a nap.

Yelling or physical punishment makes the biting worse. You won't win against teeth. Instead, when the mouthing becomes uncomfortable, say "oooooooooh" in a gentle tone of voice, and then pout. Don't shout, but simply say, "I don't like that, you hurt me" with as much emotion as possible. Whimper if you can manage. This works especially well with tough dogs.

If the mouthing hurts, YELP!!! just as another canine would announce pain. Immediately after you yelp, give the dog a time out of 30-60 seconds (confine in a small room out of sight) before giving another chance and resuming the game. Immediately repeat the yelp and time out if he bites too hard again-no mouthing allowed-to teach him that hard bites make the fun stop.

It may take several repetitions before he figures out that HE controls the game and can keep the fun going by acting like a gentleman. Once the dog mouths gently, praise him and allow the attention to continue.

Once the dog has a soft mouth, teach him to stop mouthing on request and never to initiate mouthing. To make sure your dog has a trustworthy mouth, periodic mouthing training sessions are essential throughout his life. A good drill might be to allow the dog to mouth for 15 seconds, then say "off" and offer a food reward or toy. He must stop mouthing to get the reward, which also pays him for stopping. After he takes the reward, he can resume mouthing for another 10 to 15 seconds if he likes, then repeat the exercise.

Bite inhibition doesn't mean stopping mouthing behavior altogether. That's too much to ask--and would be equivalent to tying your hands behind your back. Bite inhibition simply explains to the dog that his teeth can hurt, and since he doesn't want to hurt you, he pulls his punches.

Any dog may bite if provoked--that's simply self-preservation. But a dog with good bite inhibition that bites will cause no harm. Translation: no medical bills or lawsuits. And that's a comfort zone owners owe to themselves and to their dogs.

You'll find more information about dealing with canine aggression issues in "PETiquette: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multipet Household."