Ask Me Help Desk - My Dog is Mouthing

Hi my 7 week old labrador Jake is so playful and loving but he is showing this by mouthing I know he is not biting just wondering if you have any tips on how to stop him doing this I have bought him chew toys but he is must more intrested in biting my hand my ear even my toes, I know he's only a puppy and that's what they do but I don't want it to get any worse

Thanks

Triple :p

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp and jerk their hand away, or growl "Bad dog." and clamp
Their mouth shut. Then offer a chew toy. They keep trying despite hundreds
Of corrections. Another good technique is to quit playing and go away. Be
Sure to praise them when they are playing nice and not biting.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
Pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
There to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
Close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
Pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive
Chewers such as Labs.

Ropes from the pets' store quickly turn to hazardous shreds. Ones I made
Lasted much better. Go to a hardware or home center that sells rope by the
Foot. Buy 2' of 3/4" poly rope. Melt the ends, and tie knots in it. Get
Them as tight as possible, put it in a vise and pound it with a hammer. Watch
Carefully, and be ready to discard when it comes apart.

Just as a follow up labman, my pup (a year and a bit old) will often bite playfully. He never bites hard like he does his toys, he seems to know not to hurt us.

Is this still behavior we should discourage? Or is it harmless?

Thanks once again Labman for your helpful tips, no dout I will be back on again with another problem, a well its all trial and error, but I wouldn't change jake for the world I'm crazy about him already and I only have him a week, things can only get better, once I have the right training know how :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capuchin

Just as a follow up labman, my pup (a year and a bit old) will often bite playfully. He never bites hard like he does his toys, he seems to know not to hurt us.

Is this still behavior we should discourage? Or is it harmless?

I am maybe a little more liberal on this point than some. Back when my daughter was in high school, I was explaining to one of her classmates, I couldn't let her have the puppy bite her. She said, ''Yeah, people freak out.'' At least in the UK, I don't think you are as badly over lawyered as we are here. It may never be a problem.

It is tough work, but there is no down side to having a dog that is trained to never put its teeth on a person.