The Dog Bible Q&A
Tracie welcomes any and all questions about cats AND dogs on both her live radio shows. Call in to DOG TALK on Saturdays from 11-Noon (EST) to 800-394-8830 or Wednesdays 8-9 PM (EST) to CAT CHAT 866-675-6675. (You don't need to have Sirius to call in!)
Play Biting
We have a shih-tzu/bichon mix puppy, about seven months old. He hasn’t yet outgrown his play biting phase. Whenever he greets anyone (when you come to our home, or wake up, or are just playing), he constantly bites and licks at you. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s really annoying -- even the licking. Sometimes you can’t reach to pet him without getting an open mouth. We don’t want to have to douse ourselves in bitter apple to get him to stop mouthing. What do you suggest? Thank you.
From: Art, contacting us at The Dog Bible
Dear Art,
All that oral stuff can get way out of control, and the longer he practices doing it, the more it becomes an ingrained habit.
You have to put a stop to it by asserting your "parental authority" over him, as his mother (and his litter mates) would, which is a zero tolerance policy.
There are two aspects to doing this. One is, never allow this behavior to initiate; practically, this means the dog should have a small short piece of leash dangle off his collar at all times in the house, so that when he goes to leap/lick/bite, you pull him off with a sharp, short quick tug on the leash piece, and a very firm and startling NO!, but then instantly drop the leash and ignore him completely. No lingering annoyance. Just freeze him out.
For a while, he'll make other attempts, which should get the same quick snap of the leash piece (not a long, pulling, tension-on-the-neck; more like the bite or snap his mother would give him), and you'll say NO! in a sharp, serious way again. Then, the cold shoulder.
This has to be a 100% consistent recation to any "mouthy" behavior by him, on anyone, at anytime.
No licking. No biting. No wiggle room.
The second part of this is to satisfy his oral need for an outlet for his excitement. Please read about my little invention of the "towel burrito" in THE DOG BIBLE, and how, by keeping them around the house (especially by the doors), and in your car for homecoming excitement, you can give him something to put his mouth on other than your flesh!
I'd like you to know as well that my radio show DOG TALK THE RADIO SHOW will stream live from your local NPR station, starting December 9, 2006, from 8 - 9 am Pacific Time. You can certainly catch it on www.wliu.org. And, you can call in, at 800.394.8830. I'd love to hear from you with your results!
Tracie Hotchner
Tracie welcomes any and all questions about cats AND dogs on both her live radio shows. Call in to DOG TALK on Saturdays from 11-Noon (EST) to 800-394-8830 or Wednesdays 8-9 PM (EST) to CAT CHAT 866-675-6675. (You don't need to have Sirius to call in!)
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that the advice I give on the air or in emails – or those you see posted here – are not intended to take the place of a veterinarian's advice or expertise. I say this to protect myself from being misunderstood or from your over-reliance on my advice in situations where your pet may be seriously ill and you would mistakenly delay seeking medical intervention. While I am confident in the research-based facts and common-sense advice I can offer, it is never meant to be used at the exclusion of trained, accredited and board certified professionals. But I also have this disclaimer to protect your dog – because what you learn from me is not intended to take the place of medical care or professional evaluation – on the contrary, my desire is to equip you with information that will allow you to enjoy your pets to the fullest, and also to encourage you to seek professional medical attention whenever there are physical symptoms or an overall change in your pet's attitude.
The information contained in the answers posted on this board comes from THE DOG BIBLE: Everything Your Dog Wants You To Know, and from DOG TALK® The Radio Show, broadcast live, Saturdays, from 11-12 noon EST, on your local NPR affiliate. All emails are answered personally and then posted, sometimes in abbreviated form.
