Normally puppies learn bite inhibition by playing with their siblings. If the puppy bites too hard while playing then the other puppies will let it know with a high pitched yelp or cry. This helps the dog o understand when it is biting too hard.

This is why puppies naturally mouth or gently bite when they are young as it is a natural thing for them to do. Because of this it’s very important to never punish your puppy for mouthing. Instead use it as a tool to teach puppy bite inhibition.

How To Train Your Puppy In Bite Inhibition

The best way to train your puppy in bite inhibition is to act like its siblings would. So if he bites you, make a high pitched “oww” sound and then walk away. This teaches the puppy that it has bitten too hard, and also that biting won’t get attention. Make sure the sound you make is short and sharp and that you walk away from the puppy immediately so it knows why you are ignoring it.

Keep repeating this until your puppy learns that biting isn’t the right thing to do.

You should perform bite inhibition training even when the puppy doesn’t bite hard enough to hurt. A well trained dog will never bite, even playfully, so it’s best to try to train the dog that it is wrong for its teeth to make contact with human skin – even in a playful way.

Bite Inhibition Tips

• Playing with your puppy is a great way to train bite inhibition. When the puppy goes to bite you will walk away, letting it know that play time has stopped. Before long the puppy will associate the end of play time with biting and won’t bite anymore.
• Punishing your dog or losing patience will only hinder your training efforts. Remember that puppies naturally learn through biting and mouthing, you just need to train them to be able to control it.

If your dog isn’t a puppy but has still not learned bite inhibition it is possible to train it, but it will take more time and patience.

Dogs are also classed as pure-bred or mixed-breed. A pure-bred is a dog whose ancestors are all of the same breed, while a mixed breed dog has parents of different breeds.

The breed of your dog determines many things such as size, appearance and even personality. Spend time picking the right breed for you and your family.

Toy Breeds
Examples: Chihuahua, Pug and Yorkshire Terrier
Description:
Toy dogs are usually small and live for a relatively long time. They have been bred as human companions, and as such make great pets. In general they require the least amount of exercise of any of the main groups.

Sport Breeds
Examples: Labrador and Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel
Description:
These dogs were originally bred for use in hunting or sports (as the name suggests). Because of this they require a lot of exercise – but are also very intelligent.

Terrier Breeds
Examples: Scottish Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer
Description:
Terriers were originally bred for hunting small animals. Because of this they are lively dogs. Sometimes a little too lively for owners to cope with!

Hound Breeds
Examples: Beagle, Basset Hound, Greyhound
Description:
The hound group of dogs have been bred to hunt – either by site, scent or both. All require reasonable amounts of exercise. They are generally good natured and affectionate.

Herding Breeds
Examples: German Shepherd, Collie
Description:
These dogs were originally used on farms to herd livestock so are intelligent and easily trained. They are often friendly dogs (although there are exceptions). They require a lot of daily exercise.

Working Breeds
Examples: Boxer, Rottweiler
Description:
Working dogs are exceptionally strong, powerful and clever. They usually make fantastic and loyal pets, but do require experience. They are not a good choice for a young family pet because of their size. They need a lot of exercise.

Non-Sporting Breeds
Examples: Poodle, Bulldog
Description:
These are dogs that don’t specifically fit into the other groups. Because of this there is a wide range of personalities, sizes, appearance and behaviours associated with this group. If you do decide to go with a non-sporting dog then make sure you research your particular breed thoroughly.