How To Correct Mouthing

Every puppy goes through a mouthing stage. It's usually out grown by the end of teething. That means he needs to chew something to cut new teeth. Provide appropriate items to be chewed.
Everything else is not to be touched. Establish appropriate mouth behavior right from first contact.
There's no excuse for being abused by your dogs teeth until he's finished teething. There's no such thing as being too young to learn any behavior, within the physical limits of his body. His brain is ready to be programmed to learn everything he will ever need to know by the age of 18 days old.

Training your dog is not much different than creating a filing system. Just as you address each page that appears on your screen, each behavior your dog performs should be dealt with before moving on to something else.
Of course, if you are not prepared to cope with a behavior because of, perhaps time restrictions, make note of that behavior and set and appointed time to re create the situation and address it totally. The first instance your dog puts his mouth on you is to be regarded as an issue.

Each time you permit any inappropriate behavior to continue without being address, you are setting the precedent for more of the same behavior. * Technique Subtle. Just be subtle. Whenever you have a situation that needs immediate response, be very careful to not let your dog know you are either upset or going to correct him. Casual. Just as casual as you would be as though you were explaining to your best friend how to find a tool in your garage. If you're friend couldn't find something, you'd just tell him where to look and expect him to try again.

And, if he returned empty handed, you'd probably suggest a better way to find the item. Matter of factly. Just as matter of factly as you would were your friend to return with out the desired item once again. You'd calmly and matter of factly get together and show him how to get it. No big deal. When your dog first opens his mouth toward you, or any inappropriate matter, just say no. Immediately say good! If he refrains from that behavior, continue to praise. If he continues with the malbehavior, repeat no, tell him good. If he continues, use the command "Out!" as you gently remove his teeth from the object, immediately releasing his mouth and praising all at the same time.

Once again, it is necessary to allow the behavior to resume. As he thinks once again, to open his mouth toward an inappropriate item, repeat the above procedure. Understand that this process will require four properly performed repetitions. Observe carefully for the momentary hesitation on his third attempt, and be careful to praise that moment, until the mouthing resumes.

And, Don't Forget, Once You've Successfully Inhibited The Behavior On One Such Item, You Have At Least Three More Occasions For Which This Behavior Must Be Addressed To Permanently Delete It From His Repertoire Of Malbehavior.

Bear in mind, this technique will need to be repeated in four different places, and perhaps with four different items such as people, choose, any item that he may choose to sink his little teeth into. Because this problem of mouthing is so common and difficult, and serious, here is an artificial aid that can be used to insure success. Please use all of the recommended suggestions first, at least to be fair that your dog has had the opportunity to learn through appropriate methods. Dr. Sloan created a liniment that bears his picture on the label.

Guaranteed this will inhibit mouthing or chewing on such items as electric cords, leads, anything. Be sure to avoid contact with eyes, even long after this preparation has been handled. You'll find it on the shelf in any Rexall store, or ask your pharmacist to order it. Sloans' liniment. A little goes a long way, so get the small size, and be prepared to put up with the not unpleasant but pervasive aroma for a few days. In other Words, if he's chewing on your left hand, addressing this behavior for four consecutive occasions will prevent him chewing on only your left hand, and only in that one area. To successfully break this behavior, allow the behavior to resume on the other hand. Next, he'll probably look forward to chewing on your ankle, and following the procedure, he'll try the other ankle. Sure, it sounds like a lot of work, and a young puppy may indeed forget a previous lesson, especially if he is in the process of cutting new teeth. Address each instance with patients, and consistency. Soon you'll see him think of the undesired behavior, and look right at you expecting the praise for having restrained himself.

Remember, any time you show annoyance, you are actually re-enforcing the undesired behavior. At some point in your dogs' early life, it was most likely that is mom at the duty to correct him for something like chewing on her, or taking her food. You'd think mom dogs would share all their food with their puppies. That may be true most of the time, just as most mom dogs won't get thoroughly upset when their babies chew on her too much. But, at some point mom needs to protect herself from her puppies, and furthermore, nature dictates appropriate rules of behavior that she is compelled to enforce.

Mom dogs will bat at them sideways with their mouth, while making a guttural sound much like the word out. Kind of like an umpire might be heard to say. This, if you're pup had ever been corrected by his mom, will have a profound effect on him, much like Pavlov's bell. In many instances this sound will stop a dog in is tracks. If you fail to praise immediately after creating this sound, you will not have the benefits of it. Remember any sound created to address a malbehavior must be accompanied with spontaneous, instant, constant, non physical praise, until the thought process has finished, usually lasting between four to fifteen seconds. Let him think about the occurrence of this sound, and its relationship to his behavior. Allow the behavior to once again begin to occur. As soon as you determine that he's thinking of opening his mouth again, simply create another sound from a different source of origin, and resume praise.

Once again, allow the behavior to begin to start, and before he can complete the act, create another sound followed with praise. This time, your dog should understand the reasoning behind the sounds. He's going to think about the behavior, and pause while he's thinking about the prior instances of this. You must praise this time period that he is processing this information. It's critical that you observe him each time after you have created a sound to interrupt a behavior, to recognize this hesitation period during which he is momentarily refraining from engaging in this behavior. .