Mouthy dogs routinely grab at peopleusingtheir mouths without causing injury. This often happens during play, exercise, and whenever they are overexcited.
While puppies under five months tend to explore the world with their mouths, dogs past this age are considered adolescents and should no longer be play biting.
Follow these guidelines to teach your dog to be gentle with his mouth:
Avoid physical or verbal punishment
Punishing your dog can create the very problems you’re trying to solve. Physical or verbal punishment can provoke aggression in any dog, particularly in one that is aroused or overexcited.
Avoid any methods involving force and intimidation, such as alpha-rolling, scruffing, muzzle-grabbing, and leash jerks. These do not teach the dog what he should do, and could lead to serious behavior problems. Focus on removing the things your dog likes as a consequence for mouthy behavior.
