Should I discourage ALL mouthing or just when it hurts?

[sez88]

Hi everyone.

I'm just wondering what we should do when it comes to mouthing; should we let him do it so long as its gentle (but then how far do we let it go) or do we stop play for a few secs EVERY time he mouths us?

He is a 8 week pup has only lived with us for five days and he is doing brilliantly, so far we have managed to paper train him, stop the whining at night (this did mean letting him sleep in our room but in his own bed) and get him used to spending periods of time alone in his safe space (he managed 2 hours today while I was sorting the garden without so much as a whimper) so its going pretty well I think.

Also we are working on stopping him barking and jumping at people when they come it by just ignoring him until a second of scilence/ not jumping and rewarding him with attention when he is quiet. Are we doing the right thing there

I did try and do my research before we got him, but there are so many conflicting methods out there i just wondered what has worked for you guys.

Thanks

[emmabeth]

With pups mouthing, I tend to be quite low key about it - its not something I want to encourage, but im not going to end the interaction or game unless the level of bitey is beyond what I will accept.

So try not to actively encourage him to mouth... but if he does just quietly remove fingers from mouth and return to whatever you were intending to do.

If he bites too hard (and the pressure is up to you to decide as long as you can all be consistant about it) then end the game for a few seconds to make it clear he must be gentle.

This way you should avoid a dog who bugs you by mouthing, grows out of it naturally and then you will be left iwht a dog who mouths if he must... say if you accidentally pull his fur when grooming him.

This is what we have done with Errol (and also were clear to recognise 'grooming' from 'mouthing, because he will nibble as a mutual grooming thing), and so when i groom him now if i get to an ouchy bit (which he gets being so long coated) he will put his face to my hand and gently mouth and nibble as if to say 'ooh... ow that bits a bit hurty ill help'....

Which is infinately preferably to 'OW - BITE'.!