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Nipping

All About Puppy Mouthing

Nipping or mouthing is normal puppy behavior, but it can develop into a serious problem if allowed to continue into adulthood. An adult dog’s mouth can be very strong, so even when its nipping is just part of normal play, it can still cause significant damage to human skin. If a puppy is not taught from an early age that mouthing or nipping on skin or clothes is inappropriate, then she is likely to continue into adulthood. Some dogs are more orally fixated than others but every dog should be given boundaries, especially when it comes to using their mouths around humans.

Most mouthing and nipping is playful in nature, but if a dog gets overly excited the nipping can become harder and more difficult to stop. If a dog becomes angry when told to stop, the nipping is more likely to be less play behavior and more behavior designed to control.

Some herding breeds such as Border Collies, Australian Shepherds and Shelties will sometimes nip at a person’s feet or heels, mimicking the livestock herding behavior they were originally bred for. Children are most likely to be on the receiving end of such nipping, especially when they are running around or playing vigorously.

How Can I Teach My Dog To Stop Nipping?

Teach your dog bite inhibition from an early age.
If your dog nips or mouths you during play or at any other time, withdraw attention immediately and walk out of the room. Wait outside for a minute or two, come back in the room and resume play. If the nip happens again repeat the exercise until your dog realizes that nipping stops all interaction.
If your dog plays without nipping, let play continue.
Give your dog plenty of chew toys to redirect her nipping onto something more appropriate.
Encourage non contact games such as fetch or go find. You can play tug of war but make sure you do it with boundaries so that even when your dog is overly aroused, she listens and responds to you when you give her a cue or tell her to stop.
Avoid wrestling or rough housing with your dog as this can exacerbate mouthing behavior.
Teach your dog the ‘Leave It’ cue, which is good for impulse control.
If your dog is getting too excited give her a time out somewhere where there is no human interaction and she can settle before continuing interaction.
If your dog is a relentless nipper try spraying some taste deterrent on you or your clothes. While this might not make you smell so nice for a while it will deter your dog’s desire to keep mouthing you.
Do not smack your dog on the nose for nipping or mouthing as this could make the behavior worse.
If your dog is tense when she nips at you or bares her teeth, this might be a sign that the behavior is less than friendly. Enlist the help of a certified positive trainer to help you the behavior can easily get out of control.

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23 thoughts on “Nipping”

Vince Fleming November 20, 2014 at 2:41 pm

Good article! I think it's worth pointing out that a zero-tolerance policy speeds the process greatly. I'm fostering a 1.5 yr old rescue cocker spaniel with a nipping problem - he's like a puppy, and uses his teeth constantly. I've been pulling away, and adding a "no bite" if his teeth so much as touch my skin, and it's been working wonders - slowly, but it's working! If you ever allow them to be mouthy "once in a while", you're sending mixed messages, and it slows the learning process.
Rachel Haakma February 19, 2015 at 1:51 pm

The only time I have issues with my girl nipping (3y/o Lurcher) is when I take her running with me, she gets very excited and nips at my leg as I run. The only way I have been able to stop it is to let her run in front of me which isn't ideal. Any ideas gratefully accepted.
jackie March 12, 2015 at 12:21 pm

would you say the same techinques should be used on an adult dog who is still nipping due to the behavior having never been addressed at the puppy stage?
Jack Bobeck March 12, 2015 at 12:57 pm

I really wish there was more information in the post on nipping done to guests in the house. Almost like resource guarding, but our clients come to us and say that they have a small yorkie that only nips at the legs/feet of people when they come over. Would be nice to know if this is a resource issue or nipping, and then some corrective ideas.
Alexandra Dean March 12, 2015 at 1:14 pm

Any herding breeds in her? If so her instincts might be kicking in and she's trying to get you "under control".
Canine Paws Abilities March 12, 2015 at 2:03 pm

When running with her by your side, if she nips, stop and give her the command; sit. Wait for her calmness, then resume the run. If it happens again just keep repeating. She'll get the message sooner than you think. Good luck!
Rachel Haakma March 14, 2015 at 2:26 pm

Yes, she is part Beardie
Kim Rhoades May 20, 2015 at 7:26 pm

I have a 1yr old mix who came from a rescue. He has anxiety and so when he gets nervous which is quite often he will nip. I had a friend come over one day last week and my dog nipped her on her calf. I guess he thinks that he is protecting me. When I adopted him last year I did hire a trainer to come to my home and of course my dog was an angel.
Sharon Fisher May 18, 2016 at 2:16 pm

I have had a rescue lakedale/jrt for four wks he is now 10 months old I have tried everything with him, he bites when playing and bites my other dog a lot.
Frances Poupart May 26, 2016 at 3:42 pm

How can I train a jack russell terrier puppy not to bite
megan August 11, 2016 at 3:57 pm

my newly rescued Australian shepherd was from a mill type situation and i don't think as ever learned from an early age so now he is 2 years of age and when people come over or if a ball is being bounced around he nips them, and his nips are very hard, he then will follow them around glued to their said, he is trying to get their attention to play? is this over excitement? how do i stop this?
Abi Frunk Davis November 11, 2016 at 4:31 am

I have a BC who nips/herds people as they come in the house. You can't ignore it cause she is usually attached to someones trouser leg. You can tell her what she likes but she still does it and if you try and get her to guide her away, she will literally clamp on to said trouser leg... she is a rescue and 10 years old now, we've had her over 3 years. Never does it to children but I would like people to be able to come in without it happening. Even if we put her in another room, and then allow her out, she will do it (this isn't every person and every time when some one comes in)! I don't think the above guidance would work for her... we've tried most of it.
Jijiha November 28, 2016 at 1:17 pm

So much information on nipping, it's great...I have a follow up question: how do you stop a 10 month old rescue from nipping at other dogs' back legs while at the dog park.

Some days he's fine, never does it, other days the dynamic is different.. he'll start with the nipping. I leash him up and take him out immediately but I don't know if he gets "cause and effect".

Usually this behavior takes place during a running streak and he's far away from me.

Any suiggestions?

Thanks so much in advance,
Michelle Boatright January 3, 2017 at 8:14 pm

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7a33b05cdab81c0f48f6dba24e779c9b8796133383e6006757164ff6285de79a.jpg My friend who is staying with me has a 10 month old Pomeranian ... who plays with my cattle dog.. they roll around with their mouths open not ever really nippi g .. just mouth open and the act like they might nip but really don't and they bump or poke their noses in the other ones ear and shake a few times with the nose in the ear .. they have done it to me and it tickles!!!! But my house guest says my dog is hurting her dog when neither one is even nippi g or even play biting !!!! Help me from getting in a fight with her... she constantly snaps at my dog if she gets with in 5 feet of her dog and it's making my sensitive feelings cattle dog sad cuz she loves the Pomeranian
Michelle Boatright January 3, 2017 at 8:15 pm

Is there a way I can send a short video to you guys ? I really think they are playing normal and in a healthy way ... I need someone to better inform us
Maura January 11, 2017 at 7:55 am

I've a 10 month old Husky and she only nips/bites me. She won't nip anybody else in the house, and gives them licks. She tears at my clothes, jumps up and bites my wrists, my arms and anything else she can grip with her teeth. She growls when she does and it's like she's playing tug o'war with me. I've tried ignoring her, being a tree, rewarding her when she doesn't do it, breaking the behaviour by asking her to sit and giving her a treat but it's gotten so bad that it really hurts and if I try to be a tree and put my back to her she just keeps finding somewhere else to bite. For the 1st 9 months of her life she lived with only me and she's living with me and my partner , his 2 children and a cat (they have a mutual respect for eachother). I thought she might be annoyed at me for the changes in her surroundings and is attention seeking, but whatever the reason how on earth can I make this stop as I really can't bare the pain of the bites anymore. Hope someone can help me. Thanks.
Maura January 11, 2017 at 8:16 am

I've a 10 month old Husky and she only nips/bites me. She won't nip anybody else in
the house, and gives them licks. She tears at my clothes, jumps up and
bites my wrists, my arms and anything else she can grip with her teeth. She
growls when she does and it's like she's playing tug o'war with me. I've tried
ignoring her, being a tree, rewarding her when she doesn't do it, breaking the
behaviour by asking her to sit and giving her a treat but it's gotten so
bad that it really hurts and if I try to be a tree and put my back to her she
just keeps finding somewhere else to bite. For the 1st 9 months of her life she
lived with only me and she's living with me and my partner , his 2
children and a cat (they have a mutual respect for eachother). I thought she
might be annoyed at me for the changes in her surroundings and is attention
seeking, but whatever the reason how on earth can I make this stop as I really
can't bare the pain of the bites anymore. Hope someone can help me. Thanks.
Cockermom January 15, 2017 at 6:00 pm

I have a two year old American Cocker Spaniel, that has in the past 6 months started to nip at people other than my husband and I. She is great with other animals including our other Cocker Spaniel , it's just people that come into the house, male and female. I have trained and showed Cocker Spaniels for years but never had one that nipped, so I need some help with this one. We have taken her to a pet friendly mall many times and she has behaved, it is just recently started this nipping at the ankles, this has happened twice and that is twice too many! Any help will be appreciated.
LeeAnne Reindl March 6, 2017 at 10:41 am

I just adopted a 18mo old GSD from a shelter. He is very large and does not have good manners at all - yet. I was told that he was house broken and house trained...good house manners, etc. None of this is true. He IS a very smart dog and will be a great dog if I can break this one very serious problem. I've read a lot on tips but I have not found any that come close to being helpful for my issue of nipping.

It's worse when outside and gets out of control FAST. I've noticed that when I praise him or just pet him, or even sit down next to him quietly the following happens: He jumps up on me and starts biting down...all over. I become completely overwhelmed quickly (I'm 5'8" and strong). I have tried yelling sharply and loudly NO,NO…doesn’t stop him. I am under attack basically and I can't get him to stop...I'm in pain the entire time because he is biting me everywhere fast. The advice to turn your back and walk away is not even an option as I can't get away

Frankly, i's hard not to panic. Out of desperation, I can get hold of his muzzle and hold his mouth (usually my hand ends up in his mouth which hurts but I have some control) and then try to pin his head to the ground or at least hold him away from me. He's very large so he can wiggle away. He doesn't settle down and I can only deal with this for so long, because it hurts. This morning, I thought, I will just try to break and run to the house, knowing he will chase me...but I have no choice. I break away and run...he jumps on me and grabs my sweater ripping it and I have to back him off me the whole way as he tries to nip. I’ve never had a dog do this. I think it’s about play, but I wonder. I do think it becomes tense for him, the more I try to stop it. It will START out of praise of some sort or talking nicely to him. I’m very calm just standing in the yard waiting for him to potty, then I praise him and I get attacked! It’s very scary to have a large dog all over you nipping you and you can’t make it stop.

Inside when he starts this, I can yell OW really loud and that helps...he responds better inside. I do think that when I say good boy very enthusiastically and with a higher tone in my voice (not much higher), this tone of voice may help bring on the attack. How can i potty train him!?!? So ridiculous. I guess I will give him the treat and not say a word. I have used the bitter cherry on my hands and clothes...not very helpful, but I'll keep trying...The attacks seem to have no relationship to him needing to burn energy. Yesterday I took him for a 2 mile run...I am active myself, so he will get plenty of exercise.
So, I’m guessing I may get some advice about using a muzzle on him when he goes outside? I’ve not tried that, but will. I have also taken to bringing the cherry spray outside as a safety net. To my regret, I forgot this morning. I hope this wouldn’t hurt his eyes, if I got some of it in his eyes. I will get a water gun, but I worry that this may make him worse…and would like advice on that. I am a believer in keeping my energy calm and positive to help him too, so I’m being aware of this. I have a lot of experience with dogs and have never had this type of problem

Sorry for the long message. I’ve only had him 2 days, but to be honest, I am a bit angry about being given false info on this dog. The shelter says this is what the previous “caretaker” said who only had him 5 days ( great dog, housetrained, potty trained, calm etc). She picked up the dog as a stray running around. She had other dogs and couldn’t keep this one.

Thanks in advance for any advice!! Much appreciated. BTW, I don't mind training, but I normally prefer older dogs anyway...ones that get passed over. Many adopters go for the young ones. I only considered a young one, because I love Shepherds and they're hard to find in shelters and this one was described very differently than he actually is.....
Lisa Beeckmans April 17, 2017 at 9:06 am

My dog has this tendency to hold peoples elbows or wrists in his mouth when they come to visit, he doesn't bite just holds it in his mouth.
Is there any way I can stop such behavior?
Positively November 28, 2017 at 2:24 pm

Hi Kelly, I recommend a consultation with a qualified trainer to give you some tips on how to manage or change this behavior. It is impossible to give you good advice without seeing your pup's behavior, I'm afraid.
For immediate help, I recommend that you visit our website and plug in your zip code or city to see if there is a VSPDT local to you. If there isn't, there is always the option of doing a phone consultation with one of them.
Here is the link to search for a VSPDT:
https://positively.com/dog-...
Here is the link to request a phone consultation:
https://positively.com/dog-...
Either way, you should be able to get some very much-needed help.
Best,
The Team at Positively
Positively November 28, 2017 at 2:24 pm

Hi Marie, I recommend a consultation with a qualified trainer to give you some tips on how to manage or change this behavior. It is impossible to give you good advice without seeing your pup's behavior, I'm afraid.
For immediate help, I recommend that you visit our website and plug in your zip code or city to see if there is a VSPDT local to you. If there isn't, there is always the option of doing a phone consultation with one of them.
Here is the link to search for a VSPDT:
https://positively.com/dog-...
Here is the link to request a phone consultation:
https://positively.com/dog-...
Either way, you should be able to get some very much-needed help.
Best,
The Team at Positively
Positively December 4, 2017 at 12:31 pm

Hi Michelle,
I recommend a consultation with a qualified trainer to give you some tips on how to manage or change this behavior. It is impossible to give you good advice without seeing your pup's behavior, I'm afraid.
For immediate help, I recommend that you visit our website and plug in your zip code or city to see if there is a VSPDT local to you. If there isn't, there is always the option of doing a phone consultation with one of them.
Here is the link to search for a VSPDT:
https://positively.com/dog-training/find-a-trainer/find-a-vspdt-trainer
Here is the link to request a phone consultation:
https://positively.com/dog-training/find-a-trainer/phone-consultation/
Either way, you should be able to get some very much-needed help.
Best,
The Team at Positively