How to Teach a Dog to Stop Mouthing and Nipping

For this Omaha training session we worked with Athena, a one-year-old Chocolate Lab mix that was recently adopted into a new family. Her guardian set up a dog behavior training session to learn how to teach a dog to stop mouthing and nipping. We also worked with Athena on listening to commands and to stop her from feeling anxious around new dogs.

I was surprised by the lack of initial mouthing at the door. Dogs are usually most excited when guests arrive. They often nip and mouth when they are overly excited. Obviously having treats in my hand helped. But her guardian reported that greeting people wasnt the times she did her dog mouthing or dog nipping.

Why do Dogs Mouth and Nip?

Dog’s mouth and nip for a variety of reasons. One of the most common activities they do this for is play. This is especially true for puppies.

Puppies use their mouths to explore their surroundings. They also interact with objects, people, and other animals usingt their mouth. This behavior is natural and helps them learn about the world around them. So mouthing is a common way for young puppies to learn about the world.

Another reason dogs mouth is when they are teething as a puppy. Chewing helps ease the pain from their new teeth coming in. This teething process can last for several months. Additionally, dogs may mouth when they’re excited, such as when they’re happy to see you or eager to engage in play.

If a dog does not get enough exercise or mental stimulation, it may mouth things. This behavior helps them release extra energy or get attention. Sometimes, mouthing is unintentionally reinforced by owners who inadvertently reward the behavior with attention or play.

Mouthing is a normal behavior for dogs. Espeically for dogs who are anxious or excited. However, it’s important to teach them how to interact with people properly. To stop unwanted dog mouthing, the first thing to do is not encourage the behavior, lol.

Avoid wrestling with your dog if they have poor mouth manners as dogs use their mouth when they play.  This is one of the more common ways that humans unintentionally teach their pet dog mouthing behavior.

Instead, teach alternative behaviors, such as sitting or fetching, that can redirect the dog’s energy. Improving basic training with commands like “leave it,” “sit,” “stay,” and “go to bed” can help your dog. These cues teach your dog self-control. They also show when mouthing is not okay.

As the in-home dog training session went on, I noticed more unwanted behaviors than just mouthing and nipping. To help the guardian stop Athena from being loud, I spent a few minutes sharing some other dog training tips. These tips should help her redirect the dog or show that the behavior is not wanted.

But the primary reason the guardian asked for her was to learn how to teach a dog to stop mouthing so I knew I needed to offer some tips to stop dog nipping. It was great watching Athena play for the first few minutes of the video before she started demonstrated some dog mouthing behavior.

The fact that Athena didnt start offering some dog mouthing right away means it shouldnt be hard to get her to stop. This is always good news when dogs mouth and nip.

For the record, I usually dont use the yelping sound anynmore as I have found for some dogs, it can cause them to get more excited and do more dog mouthing. But she had reported it worked a bit with Athena so I added it to the video.

But my preferred method is to get start by making sure that the dog gets any needed attention or exercise first. If those needs have been met, then usually I go to redirecting, then the other options I outlined in the video of how to teach a dog to stop mouthing.

Another tactic the guardian can use is called negative punishment. This means taking away something the dog enjoys; in this case, her guardian.

So if the redirecting techniques don’t work, immediately leaving the room and close the door behind her is the next step. She should wait at least 1 minute. If there is no barking or whining for 20 seconds, she can return. Then, she should act as if nothing happened.

How to Teach a Dog to Stop Mouthing and Nipping

A dog behavior expert once gave me a tip about fixing dog mouthing issues. They suggested playing tug of war with a rope or a suitable toy. I decided to use this trick with Athena. Whenever her teeth touch my skin, whether on purpose or not, I stopped interacting with her immediately. Stopping the game immediately can help the dog learn good bite control. But you have to stop for the first nip or feeling of teeth.

I made several other suggestions for the guardian including change the leader-follower dynamic.

One suggestion is something I call Celebrating; rewarding dogs when they do the things we like. Another is using a marker word so its clear to Athena when she has done what her guardian wants. These positive dog training methods seem small but are powerful and will help Athena see her guardian as an authority figure, not just a playmate.

I also recommended the guardian practice a force free kennel training exercise. This will give her guardian a safe place to put Athena if the house is too busy. It will also give Athena a place she can go when she wants a break. She can also use letter her out into an impulse control exercise. The dog should stay in the kennel until she gives the release command.

Living with a few college students, its possible Athena may need more sleep that she is getting now. Dog mouthing and dog nipping are common behaviors for underslept dogs. A crate introduced in a positive way is a wonderful tool to help promote more sleep and relaxing for younger dogs.

If she was a young puppy, I would recommend the guardian set up a long term confinement area. Basically a dog crate on steroids. But you need to introduce that when they are small puppy. Not one that is fully developed like Athena.

We wrapped up this in home dog training session by shooting a roadmap to success video the includes a number of free dog training tips. Feel free to watch the video and use these dog training secrets and exercises with your own dog.