Pups and adolescents are the ones most likely to be the mouthy ones. Adult dogs generally are not. But all dogs need occupational chew therapy. Not only does it keep younger ones from chewing inappropriate items, it gives even older dogs something to do with extra time and excess energy.
Steps to inhibit biting and chewing
1) Teach your dog to eat out of her chew toys. In order to extract the food, she'll learn to chew on the toy, and prefer that to a table leg.
Stuff two-thirds of your dog's daily rations into hollow chew toys (we like Kongs) or other food dispensing toys (like the Squirrel Dude). To make the task even more challenging task, soak the kibble in water and mash the softened food into the Kong; it'll take longer for your dog to extract it.
2) Practice mouthing exercises. For most dogs mouthing stops after they're about a year old, or so--earlier if they've been trained as puppies. But if you've got a mouthy adolescent, this exercise is for you.
A puppy's first lesson in learning not to bite takes place while rolling around with her littermates. When she bites too hard, her siblings let her know with a loud yelp. You can do this too.
For the first week or so, let your dog mouth your hands. When her bites intensify, react with a yelp of pseudo-pain--just as her littermates would do--and freeze for a few seconds. Your dog should withdraw her mouth, and maybe even lick you apologetically. Forgive your dog immediately and resume play.
If your dog is mouthing hard, use gloves for this exercise. Hand feed your dog but only deliver the kibble when he's using his mouth gently. Close each piece of kibble in your fist and open it only when your dog is calm and gentle.
3) Redirect her mouthing. Never allow your dog to tug, bite, or chew on clothing or hair. If she tries to mouth or bite inappropriately, gently take it away and offer her an appropriate toy, such as a chew or tug toy, instead.
4) Pick up your stuff! If a shoe or baseball bat is on the floor, it's the dog's--or at least that's what he thinks. Pick things up and put them away to avoid confusing your dog.
DogTime tip: We highly recommend teaching mouthy dogs this age to learn to play a civilized game of tug of war. It's a great way to teach impulse and jaw control in adolescent and adult dogs who missed early bite inhibition and manners lessons.
Veterinarian and animal behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar and his wife, dog trainer Kelly Dunbar, collaborate on DogStarDaily.com, OpenPaw.org, and DogTime, where they serve as contributing editors. They're dedicated to strengthening the bond between people and their dogs through training in order to keep dogs in their original homes and out of shelters.
Troubleshooting
If destructive chewing is already out of control:
* make sure your pup becomes a chew toy addict. Feed her all her meals out of chew toys for several months to reinforce her good chew toy habit. Also, praise her when she chews on them.
* give your dog plenty of exercise as well as lots of attention; chewing and biting can be the result of restlessness or anxiety.
* safely confine your dog in a roomy crate or playroom - in other words, make sure she isn't allowed to make mistakes when you can't supervise her.
If your dog is biting out of aggression or fear rather than playfully, consult a professional trainer right away.
Most dogs will be happy to redirect their chewing to chew toys or an invigorating tug of war. But if they've never learned to inhibit biting or chewing, it might require some patience.
Don't spend too much time pseudo-yelping, if it isn't working--it's a painful way for your dog to learn. If your dog is over six months of age and still mouthy, switch to relying on 20 to 30-second time outs to curb his inappropriate behavior.
