Chewing, Mouthing, Nipping, Biting

Dogs especially puppies explore their world with their mouths. When with their littermates they would have learnt to bite their ears, feet and face to initiate play, during play and to demonstrate annoyance. When your puppy comes into your house they try to do the same thing with you and your family members. The problem is we are not covered in fur like their puppy siblings so it can hurt a lot more and we don’t enjoy being bitten. Bite inhibition. The average bite force of a dog ranges between 100 Newton (N) to up to 2,000 N; this is enough to break skin and crack bones. When interacting with us, dogs rarely bite down with all their strength. Just like we have learnt to apply less pressure when holding an egg and more pressure when holding a rock, dogs learn how much pressure is okay to apply on human skin to exhibit gentle play using their mouth. This is called Bite inhibition. The recommended amount of pressure to allow is 0. Allowing your dog to mouth you can result in them wanting to mouth your guests, young children and your elderly neighbour. More so, when the object they are trying to get a hold of is moving the pressure they exert to stop it increases. Teach your dog a 0 tolerance policy to teeth on human skin.

Chewing
Mouthing
Nipping
Biting
What it is
Biting down hard on objects usually involves using the rear molars.
Holding objects or parts of a human in their mouth exerting a low ammount of pressure.
A sharp quick bite usually involves the front teeth. Can signal overexcitement or annoyance.
A bite usually involves the use of the canine teeth with extreme pressure often resulting in deep puncture wounds.
When & Why it occours.

It is a natural behaviour and A great stress reliever. Can be seen in excess during puppy teething stages.
This could be to initiate play or as a sign of affection. It is usually meant to be friendly and sometimes may be used to get attention.
This may occur during overexcited play when dogs are held or carried in uncomfortable positions, and if they want to increase the distance from the recipient.
Often seen in dogs that have been pushed to their limit. Is usually used by dogs as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted.
Solution
Provide the dog with plenty of suitable objects to chew. Some good options are a Treat filled Kong, Bully sticks, Nyla bones, Tendons, Suitable safe bones and Frozen pupsicles.
Let your dog know that mouthing hurts (even if it doesn’t) by saying "OWCH". If the play gets rough get up and walk away. Ask for an alternate behaviour like a touch or a lick. Help your dog learn how to play by directing the mouthing to a toy while engaging in play with you. Ask your dog to get a toy instead of biting you to initiate a play.
Keep play at the appropriate speed. Stop handling the dog if they are nipping. Put them on the floor, and give them space. Address the emotional, physical or psychological needs of the dog at that stage. Provide the dog with a comfortable safe space to rest and calm down.
Examine the triggers in the environment, observe the dog’s body language and help before a bite happens. In extreme situations like if the dog is injured or severely reactive a well-conditioned muzzle is a good alternative. Here is a great LINK to muzzle training. Consult your Vet or a certified VET behaviourist. And your dog trainer for help.
The videos below have some great information by trainers from around the world that can help with Chewing, Mouthing, Nipping and Biting

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