Controlling That Pup! Here's a few useful pointers from Simon, the Dog Guru, our puppy class teacher. Sometimes our wonderful puppies just want to get our attention and they will do it any way they can.

These tips are when your puppy, with the lovely puppy teeth, is biting just a little bit too much.

They are sourced from Ian Dunbar a behaviourist in America and a
pioneer in the training world. We went through these steps with you at the training and
I find these notes just pin point the next steps.

Step One – Minimising Pain
It is not necessary to hurt or frighten your pup to teach her that biting hurts. A simple
"Ouch!" is sufficient. If your pup acknowledges your "ouch" and stops biting, praise her,
then resume playing. If your pup ignores the "ouch" and continues biting, yelp
"Owwwww!" and leave the room. Your puppy has lost her playmate. Return after a 30-
second time-out and make up by lure-rewarding your puppy to come, sit, lie down, and
calm down, before resuming play.

Do not attempt to take hold of your pup’s collar, or carry her to confinement; you are
out of control and she will probably bite you again. Consequently, play with your puppy
in a room where it is safe to leave her if she does not respond to your yelp. If she ignores
you, she loses her playmate.

Step Two – No pressure at all, No Pressure
Once your pup's biting no longer hurts, still pretend that it does. Greet harder nips with
a yelp of pseudo-pain. Your puppy will soon to get the idea: "Whooahh! These humans
are soooo super-sensitive. I'll have to be much gentler when I bite them."

The pressure of your puppy's bites will progressively decrease until play-biting becomes playmouthing.
Never allow your puppy to mouth human hair or clothing. Hair and clothing cannot feel.
Allowing a puppy to mouth hair, scarves, shoelaces, trouser legs, or gloved hands,
inadvertently trains the puppy to bite harder, extremely close to human flesh.