A dog’s bite inhibition is by no means an innate ability but can be learned by puppies within a time frame of approximately between the 4th and 16th week. Learning bite inhibition, i.e., the ability to control the strength of one’s bite, usually occurs playfully through romping and roughhousing with siblings. During play, puppies nip and bite each other, and those who bite too hard are met with a counterattack or the end of the game. The mother dog also signals to the puppy through turning away or a reprimand when it has gone too far. This way, the young dog learns to control its biting intensity.
Why is it important to learn bite inhibition?
The puppy also needs to learn when its bite is too strong towards humans, as it can cause significant harm to people and especially children. The dog must therefore gently use its biting ability towards humans and fellow dogs, which is also referred to as a “soft mouth.” In practice, this means that the dog owner must set clear boundaries for the puppy so that it learns where the human’s pain threshold lies during play.
If the puppy does not learn to control its bite within the mentioned time frame, it is very difficult and laborious to teach it later on. To ensure optimal development of bite inhibition, it is important for the puppy to have regular contact with other dogs, for example, in obedience classes, and for the owner to train with it. Training in this case does not only mean controlling the intensity of the bite but also teaching the puppy what it is allowed to nibble and bite on and which objects or body parts are off-limits.
Teaching the puppy bite inhibition – Tips
To show the dog that it has become too wild during play and has bitten too hard, you should immediately stop the game and leave the room. This teaches the puppy that the game is over when it uses its teeth during play. For puppies that are reluctant to learn, you can also use a muzzle grab, preferably with a cue word. If the dog bites, grab its muzzle and simultaneously say, for example, “No.” The mother dog also uses the muzzle grab when the puppy has crossed a boundary. After several repetitions of the muzzle grab with the cue word, the dog understands that it has shown undesirable behavior, and you can subsequently only use the cue word to regulate it.
Controlling bite inhibition when dealing with children
Especially in families with children, it is essential that the dog has good bite inhibition and learns to interact with children without hurting them. This is not necessarily an easy task for you as a dog owner because the dog does not see children as higher-ranking individuals until around the age of seven, but rather as puppies that need to be treated strictly within the wolf pack. For this reason, handling dogs and younger children requires constant supervision, which intervenes immediately in case of boundary violations. This applies to the dog as well as to the child. Furthermore, it is advisable to slowly accustom the dog to the child stroking its lips, tail, or ears, which should not be seen as a boundary violation.
In general, always remember: No dog bites without reason! Therefore, precise observation of the dog’s behavior, as well as one’s own behavior, is essential for a harmonious coexistence between humans and dogs.
Bite Inhibition Exercises for Dogs and Children
First, get the dog accustomed to being stroked by you on the lips, ears, or tail. Once it accepts these touches from you as normal, you can practice these gentle touches together with your child. Teach your child not to approach the dog hastily but to handle it gently and not to startle it or be rough during play, as otherwise, there is a risk that the dog may defend itself with a bite or try to regulate the child’s behavior. Generally, bite inhibition training should only be conducted by adults, as dogs do not perceive young children as adults.
Panic biting due to stress and fear
Many dogs react to stress with fear and resort to biting as a last resort. The stress-inducing situation can be triggered by a person unfamiliar to the dog who overwhelms the dog by touching and stroking it over the head, but also by unsettling situations to which the dog is not accustomed, such as being in a crowd of people. In such situations, it is important to identify the trigger of fear, defuse the situation, and train the dog to handle such stressful situations through targeted desensitization. This helps the dog to cope better with stressful situations.
If your dog is a panic biter, make sure it has a calm retreat and a feeding area where it can be undisturbed. For such dogs, it is especially important to seek help from a professional and train regularly.
Biting to establish dominance in the hierarchy
Among dogs, crossing boundaries within the pack is immediately resolved by biting, and the hierarchy is maintained. The same applies to a dog’s position within a human family: here too, the dog should always know its rank and the rules that apply to it. This requires a certain level of authority, which is completely normal for the dog. If each family member has their assigned place within the family and there are firm prohibitions and concessions in place, the dog will not try to achieve a higher rank. However, if concessions are made to the dog beyond its rank, it may try to establish dominance through biting.
If your dog continues to bite despite training, it is advisable to consult a professional animal trainer.
