my dog is 7 months old and still bites - not to hurt but when playing with her - how do I stop it?

Answer 1

I've found that if you yip like puppies do when play gets too rough, then turn your back and refuse to play for awhile they soon get the message.

Answer 2

LOL this sounds familiar. Well she doesn't have hands so her way of giving you a friendly poke is to mouth you.

I have raised a lot of big dogs and normally they do not play with people using their mouths. They learn not to do that when they are 2 months old. Well, silly me, I had a seven month old female that was 100 pounds and still doing the mouth thing. After decades of having dogs, this was unheard of for me to have such a brat.

She didn't do it a lot but when she did, she mouthed gently (still a no no) but not really biting and would do this in much the same way that a kid gives another kid friendly pokes. This is different than grooming nibbles.

I tried the hold the muzzle, scold.

Turning away and ignoring the dog.

I also tried doing a yelp and to put an end to our attention but she liked the yelps.

She liked the attention she was getting, and if you turned away she bumped you for more attention.

So what worked with her is something a labrador trainer advised. She said, "Your puppy really wants your hand in her mouth! So GIVE it to her!!"
Gently slide a knuckle sandwich down into her throat (or just some fingers if she's smaller) as long as she is grabbing at you.

She will then think it is not so fun any more. After the third experience, my girl's mouthing behavior completely vanished.

This is not the first method I would try with a mouthy puppy, but if all else fails and you know the dog well, give it a try. Don't try it on a stranger's dog! The object is not to hurt the dog, but make her uncomfortable so that she tries to spit your hand out.

Answer 3

If a dog has not learned bite inhibition by 16 weeks it is harder to teach. Your dog will need to be evaluated by a professional trainer or behaviorist because data needs to be collected and this is simply an ineffecient forum in which to do that. Don't try the traditional methods until you consult a behavioralist, so if someone tells you to yelp and walk away, or slap her nose, or whatever, DON'T DO IT unless you talk to a professional. Dealing with a 7 month old puppy who still play bites is much different than dealing with a 9 week old puppy who still play bites, and it needs to be dealt with on an individual basis. Good luck!

Answer 4

Firmly tell her NO every single time. To allow a pup to bite sometimes, or under some conditions (just to mouth you etc) is teaching it to bite.

When she bites, tell her NO and walk away from her. If this does nothing, shake a can with a few pennies in the bottom and say NO...and walk away. Stop whatever fun you were having and walk away.

Go back, play again, when she puts her mouth on you at all, NO...walk away.

Last resort is a spray bottle in the face along with the no..or a muzzle.

Answer 5

Dog trainers and vets will tell you that you should never play with your dog with your bare hands. It teaches them that it is okay to bite you. You should always use a toy of some sort to play. You should never "slap" them about the mouth or face either. This is a technique that is used to make dogs aggressive.
Now, to get her to stop doing this you should keep a squirt bottle on hand when playing. Everytime she bites at you, squirt her. It won't hurt her and eventually she will get the message that biting is bad.

Answer 6

when my pup (8 months) does this, I yell 'ouch' really loud and ignore her for a minute. If I have a toy of hers in my hand and she goes to bite for the toy and accidently gets my hand, I make her sit and calm down and I put the toy in my hand and sort of twist my hand around so that my hand is between her mouth and the toy. If she goes to bite the toy I tell her 'no' in a stern voice. I do this a couple of times until she understands that she is not suppose to bite the toy while I am still hanging onto it.

I hope I have helped you...good luck!

Answer 7

I bought a three months old pup last month. When he bites, I wrap my fingers around his nose, look into his eyes and say "No!". He doesn't do it anymore for a while. I think that by repeating that step, he'll stop for good.

I heard the method of grabbing the pup's leg, put it in his mouth and force him to bite it. I don't like that approach, but you might approve it. Like you said, he only wants to play, so I don't see why he should get hurt for playing.

Answer 8

Do NOT by any means tap/smack or touch the puppies head
to correct him or her. If you do, he or she will become
"HEAD-SHY" I do however, like "den2read" 's correction method.
Try it, it will work eventually. If you have a hard case,
read a book my Cesar Milan (The Dog Whisperer)
He has a show on National Geographic (I think)
It's very helpful. If you get that channel, check it out.

Answer 9

This amysound really harsh but smack her on the nose and tell her No Bites and she will eventually stop.

Answer 10

well the pup don't know that bites hurt. That's why they say to put the pups paw into his mouth so if he bites himself then he knows it hurts and will not to it to you. I however prefer to open my Palm and plush under her chin and close her mouth. she will feel her teeth on her tongue and stop biting and lick instead.