Here’s a not-so-trivial question for you: Of all the things your young puppy needs to learn right away, which is the most important?
- How to interact with friendly adult dogs.
- To avoid eating foods that can make them sick.
- To control the pressure of their bite on human skin.
If you chose #3, congratulations—you deserve a gold star! If you thought #1 or #2 was the most important, keep reading!
One of the biggest areas of confusion for pet parents is whether they should allow their puppy (under five months of age) to bite their hands so they can provide feedback about bite pressure. If you’ve ever watched a litter of puppies playing together, you’ll notice that biting is a natural part of their interactions. However, if one puppy bites too hard, their playmate will yelp and disengage, teaching the overly rough puppy that too much pressure leads to lost play opportunities.
This learning process should continue when you bring your puppy home, especially if they were a single pup without littermates to teach them these lessons. Teaching bite inhibition is essential because, under the right circumstances, all dogs can and will bite. Let me repeat that: ALL dogs, given the right situation, are capable of biting. Your adorable puppy is no exception.
By teaching your puppy to bite gently without applying pressure, you increase the chances that if they ever bite someone, the damage will be minimal or nonexistent. This is why bite inhibition training is critical.
Understanding Bite Pressure
When evaluating dog bites, people often focus on whether the skin was broken. While this is a useful indicator, it is equally important to assess whether there were contusions (bruises). The presence and timing of a contusion provide valuable information about the pressure exerted during a bite.
We can’t eliminate a dog’s instinct to bite, but we can and should teach them to control the pressure of their jaws.
Training Bite Inhibition
To do this, allow your puppy to mouth your hands (not your face, hair, or clothing) during play. If their bite is soft, praise them and continue playing. However, if they bite too hard, immediately exclaim “Ouch!” and disengage from the interaction.
This should be practiced daily with as many family members as possible. Older children can participate under close adult supervision.
Bite Pressure Rating Guide:
1 – You can feel it, but barely. 2 – There’s some pressure, but it’s mild. 3 – Those little teeth are sharp, but it’s tolerable. 4 – That hurts and might leave a mark. 5 – Ouch! That really hurts, and there’s bleeding.
For one week, time out your puppy if they deliver a level 5 bite. The following week, correct anything at level 4 or above. Continue until your puppy consistently delivers only level 1 bites.
Consistency is key! Walk away every time your puppy bites too hard.
What About Older Puppies and Adult Dogs?
If your dog is older than five months, can they still learn bite inhibition? The answer isn’t entirely clear. While you can teach older dogs to avoid using their teeth during play, there is no conclusive evidence that this training translates to softer bites in real-world scenarios.
For example, if you’re playing tug and your dog’s teeth make contact with your hand, immediately end the game and put the toy away for 24 hours. This teaches your dog that playtime stops if their teeth touch human skin. However, there is no guarantee that this will influence how they apply bite pressure in different situations.
Final Thoughts
While there is no concrete data on whether a dog that learns bite inhibition with humans will also use softer pressure when biting another dog, we do know that human skin is far more delicate than a dog’s skin. Training bite inhibition is a crucial step in raising a well-mannered and safer canine companion.
Start early, be consistent, and set your puppy up for success!