| There are two parts to bite inhibition: learning to have a soft mouth (don't bite hard), and learning to not put teeth on people's skin or clothes (don't bite at all). I think it's important to work the first part before really drilling home the 2nd because you never know when your dog might be prompted to bite, out of fear, pain, or just entirely too worked up during play-time.
For working on a soft-mouth with a dog that generally isn't mouth at all, you can hold a treat pinched between your thumb and finger rather than in your open palm. If you feel rough teeth when they're going for the treat you give a high-pitched 'ouch' and remove your hand (with the treat) Doggie learns that teeth means no treat and will quickly learn to be extra gentle.
I ALWAYS give treats to our dogs this way so as we're constantly practising bite inhibition and mainting their soft mouth. Though if your neice was tagged in the face by the dog in an over excited state and no skin was broken, I'd say your dog already has a soft mouth and just needs more work on the no bite EVER part.  |