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A newsletter dedicated to preserving the human-animal bond through behavior counseling.
October 2009
Volume 2, Issue 4
Mouthiness
So you just got your new puppy and you are having so much fun playing with him, when suddenly “ouch”, he just bit you. Now what do you do? Puppies are mouthy for a few reasons. Since they don’t have hands that they can grab things with, they use their mouths for investigating everything. They may also mouth because they are teething. Another reason is to get your attention so that you will play with them.
If your puppy bites at you, it is very important not to encourage this behavior. When a puppy puts his mouth on you and applies any amount of pressure it is very important to take the following measures. The first is to say a really loud “ouch” or “yelp”. This will generally stop the puppy from what it is doing. At that time you want to take all play away from your puppy and ignore them. They learn that when they bite or mouth they don’t get to play anymore, and that’s not any fun. This also simulates what their littermates would have done. When puppies are playing together and one gets a little bit too rough, the other puppy will yelp and find someone else to play with.
After your puppy has taken his mouth off of you, you may also redirect him to an appropriate chew toy of his own. This teaches him what he is allowed to put in his mouth.
For puppies that are constantly demanding attention by using their mouth it may be necessary to increase their exercise and/or training sessions. This will allow them to expend all of that extra energy. Sometimes when a puppy gets over excited, he will mouth excessively. When this happens it is usually very difficult to get their attention to stop. In these cases it may be necessary to crate your dog until he has calmed down. Usually this happens when company comes over and your puppy is eager to greet them.
It is very important not to punish or hit your dog when he bites you. This will only lead to fear and potentially even worse bites in the future.
Teaching the “off” or “leave it” command is really beneficial for mouthy dogs, too. It is really easy for them to learn, and can be used in an array of circumstances. If you are interested in learning how to teach this command, I would be more than happy to show you. Feel free to schedule an appointment for a demonstration.
A mouthy puppy can be frustrating to deal with. It hurts when they bite at you with those sharp little puppy teeth. This is why it is very important to get this behavior under control while they are still young and before those big adult teeth come in! With some patience and consistency, your puppy should learn quickly that it is not appropriate to bite at you.
Pet Me, Don’t Pet Me
Information on Feline Petting Induced Aggression
Do you have a cat that asks for attention and when you gladly respond by petting, she suddenly tries to bite or swat at you? You aren’t the only one. There are many people who have cats that just can’t tolerate too much petting. This is called petting induced aggression.
These cats will generally seek out attention on their own by crying, rubbing against you, or jumping in your lap. Naturally, your response is to pet them to give them the attention they are asking for. Unfortunately, these cats can only endure so much petting. Every cat’s threshold is different, and it is your job to figure out when your cat has had enough before she bites you.
Signs your cat may exhibit when she has had enough include fidgeting, tail twitching, tensing up, leaning away from you, ears flattening against the head, and hissing. It is very important to recognize these signs so that you can discontinue the petting session before your cat gets irritated.
Once you have identified your cats petting threshold, it is necessary to have frequent petting sessions you initiate throughout the day. The best time to do the training sessions is when your cat is calm and at peace. Avoid training sessions when she’s in a playful or irritated state of mind. Make sure you don’t hold or confine her, allow her to be able to leave. Once you have begun the training session, it is very important to stop petting her before she shows any of the signs that she’s had too much. The length of the training sessions can be anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. It depends on how much your individual cat will tolerate. When you have reached that threshold, you should end the training session by rewarding your cat with a treat and placing her on the floor.
Gradually your cat may tolerate longer petting times once she figures out that she gets a reward when it is all done. Make sure you use treats that she really likes and reserve them only for the training sessions. It may also be beneficial to do the training sessions before meal times. Another important and difficult step is to make sure you don’t pet your cat inadvertently between training sessions.
Your cat will probably never be one of those cats that can be caressed endlessly, but you can at least make it tolerable and avoid getting bit in the process. Keep in mind that just because a cat wants to sit next to you, it doesn’t necessarily want to be petted.
Pet Peeves Periodical is written by Amanda Henry, CVT.
E-mail: amandacvt@centurytel.net
RESOURCES
Overall, Karen L. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals. Mosby, Inc, 1997
Landsberg, G., W. Hunthausen, and L. Ackerman. Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat. 2nd ed. Elsevier Science Limited, 2003
Horwitz, Debra F. and Jacqueline C. Neilson. Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult Canine & Feline Behavior. Blackwell Publishing, 2007
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