mouthing at 7 months !

[BrightEyez]

My puppy never use to mouth before..i understood this was mainly something that happened earlier on..say at 2-3-4 months, but 7? He never bites hard or breaks skin but i really hate it. I tell him NO whenever he does it but how long will this last? Should i be doing something else apart from a loud no?
Usually he mouths the most when he is on his back with his legs in the air and getting a tummy rub or when we cuddle, as soon as you place something in his mouth , he stops trying to "grab on" to things like my clothes or my hands. He has this plastic bone that i put in his mouth and he just chews on that...if he gets a hold of my fingers he just keeps them in his mouth and then licks them. Sometimes when hes hyped up he looks as if tho he's really going for a bite, but when he grabs on its gentle.
I want him to quit it, he has quit jumping up and trying to grab on to hands (almost). Do i just keep saying now? Should i say no and ignore him?

[scooterjohansen]

You have already developed a behaviour with the animal. The mouthing if he is not going beyond established limits is a good way to stay connected. If you suddenly over correct it it may have a adverse affect. Reduce the mouthing pretty slowly over 4 to six weeks and it will go away. You have a nice boy!

[Judi W]

What is adverse about not having parts of your body between a dog's chompers? Sounds like the owner is allowing the hand/whatever to simply remain in the dogs mouth. (can't keep them in his mouth as described unless owner allows them to be put there in the first place and kept there) That is facilitating.

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Judi W

What is adverse about not having parts of your body between a dog's chompers? Sounds like the owner is allowing the hand/whatever to simply remain in the dogs mouth. (can't keep them in his mouth as described unless owner allows them to be put there in the first place and kept there) That is facilitating.

Agreed

If the 'chompers' are around my hand I have asked for it. If I have not asked for it then it is an attack. If I have asked for it, it then becomes my decision to continue and my choice to stop. He loves it and applies only the amount of pressue I allow him too.

Novices beware. Don't try this at home unless you know what you are doing. If you do not know what you are doing find out before you decide to put you hand in your dogs mouth. This is something that requires the utmost trust.
i repeat, utmost trust. If in doubt do not do it.

I allow my dog to mouth my hand. If I do not want to let him mouth my hand I stop it. Period. He loves the taste of my skin and I let him lick me. OMG hes licking me now...

[Judi W]

Teeth around your body parts puts the dog in complete control. Whether benevolent or not, dogs at my house are not given that authority.

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Judi W

Teeth around your body parts puts the dog in complete control.

Totally agree with this.

[Patricia Dianne]

I totally agree with Judy W, if your pup is mouthing one human how is he going to know that it's not okay with another human. People are a little wary of our guys anyway without one of them trying to mouth someone's hand, even if the pup only means it in the friendliest way. I have never allowed my dogs to put their teeth on myself or other family members and it has easily extended to other humans. Just my point of view on things, my pup is currently 7 months old right now too and it gets more interesting every day doesn't it?

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Patricia Dianne

I totally agree with Judy W, if your pup is mouthing one human how is he going to know that it's not okay with another human. People are a little wary of our guys anyway without one of them trying to mouth someone's hand, even if the pup only means it in the friendliest way. I have never allowed my dogs to put their teeth on myself or other family members and it has easily extended to other humans. Just my point of view on things, my pup is currently 7 months old right now too and it gets more interesting every day doesn't it?

Very wise.

How is he going to know that it's not okay with another human

Trust and discipline. If someone has not developed a similar relationship as I have with my dog forget the idea.

[mook1620]

Originally Posted by scooterjohansen

Very wise.

How is he going to know that it's not okay with another human

Trust and discipline. If someone has not developed a similar relationship as I have with my dog forget the idea.

But will your dog understand that it isn't acceptable for him to do that to someone else? Or will you have to correct him after he's started chewing on someone else's hand. And how will that person react when your Rottweiler puts his teeth on them?

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by mook1620

But will your dog understand that it isn't acceptable for him to do that to someone else? Or will you have to correct him after he's started chewing on someone else's hand. And how will that person react when your Rottweiler puts his teeth on them?

You don't let him chew anyone elses hand only yours and people he trusts,
This is dangerous and I do not promote it. My technique is working for me. That is not to say it will work for anyone else.

[Judi W]

The difficulty is not how gently the dog does this, but the mental connection that takes place by putting them in such a position of authority. It puts them in the driver's seat when they don't have a license.

[mook1620]

Originally Posted by scooterjohansen

You don't let him chew anyone elses hand only yours and people he trusts,
This is dangerous and I do not promote it. My technique is working for me. That is not to say it will work for anyone else.

I wouldn't permit this, but I am curious about how this is working for you. So do you give hime permission to mouth your hand, before he does it? In other words, encourage him to do it? That's what I don't understand, giving the dog the "authority" if you will, to let him decide if he trusts a person enough to mouth their hand. And then the OP has to trust your dog enough to tolerate this?

[scooterjohansen]

[quote=mook1620]I wouldn't permit this, but I am curious about how this is working for you.
So do you give him permission to mouth your hand, before he does it?

"Yes"

In other words, encourage him to do it?

"Yes"

That's what I don't understand, giving the dog the "authority" if you will, to let him decide if he trusts a person enough to mouth their hand.

"This takes lots of dedication. If he likes it and it is non threatening its ok with me"

And then the OP has to trust your dog enough to tolerate this?

"The OP would not do it if they did not have the trust."

[scooterjohansen]

Originally Posted by Judi W

The difficulty is not how gently the dog does this, but the mental connection that takes place by putting them in such a position of authority. It puts them in the driver's seat when they don't have a license.

agreed
I issue the licence. Thats the condition.

[BrightEyez]

I dont mean to point the finger at anyone but like i said in one of my other posts, i blame my parents. My dad gives the dog meat, and then confidently puts his hand in the dogs mouth just to show my 84 year old grandpa that the dog wont bite (grandpa is scared of puppies mouthing). I think this is beyond stupid and i think they shouldnt be teaching him these things..putting your hands in a dogs mouth while the dog is eating..hmm smart dad.
The dog doesnt bite, just stops and licks the hand.
My mom doesnt pull the hand away when he mouths because they say "just correct him and remove the hand" but if you do that the dog already has your hand in his mouth. I pretty much pull my hand away and yell no at him. He mouths me the least.
I had a talk with them and now they all agreed to correct him.
Its just confusing him because i correct him and they dont (not always anyways).
Hes a good dog and i trust him, im sure he wont bite me, but i dont want him mouthing because if he does it to me he'll do it to people who dont know him as well and they might not be so "understanding".

ALso, my MOTHER does crazy things with this dog. She picks him up and sits him in her lap(and he sits like a human), hes around 70 pounds.
Their relationship freaks me out a bit, they pretty much talk to each other (he just makes odd human like sounds towards her as she talks to him).