30/10/2026
Sharkies/ Mouthing / Bite inhibition
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫
“It’s just the Sharkies! They’ll grow out of it.” Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and between roughly 12 weeks and 6 months, teething can make them particularly mouthy. Those needle-sharp teeth find their way into hands, ankles, clothing and furniture. It’s normal puppy behaviour, so we’re often told to redirect them onto a toy, forgive the biting and wait for the phase to pass.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐫
Is that actually good advice? Growing out of teething isn’t the same as learning bite inhibition. By four months of age as Truffle in the video is, bite inhibition education should already be well underway. Puppies need opportunities to learn how much pressure their jaws exert, that human skin is sensitive, and that biting isn’t an appropriate way to get everything they want. When we repeatedly excuse biting because “he’s only a puppy”, we may allow a behaviour to become increasingly rehearsed and very effective. By 10 months old, when those jaws are considerably stronger, we’re no longer dealing with a teething problem. We’re potentially dealing with a dog that hasn’t developed control over how it uses its mouth.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥
I distinguish between stopping a dog from biting and teaching a dog to inhibit its bite. In the video, the pup is gently mouthing my skin without applying pressure. He has the physical ability to bite harder, but has developed inhibition. Consider what happens between puppies: biting too hard may cause a playmate to withdraw, protest or end the interaction. The puppy receives information about the consequences of its behaviour. Humans tolerate repeated biting, and sometimes inadvertently reinforce it by providing attention, movement or access to something the puppy wants. A young dog can discover that using its teeth changes human behaviour.
It’s about developing behavioural control, appropriate social boundaries and the capacity to respond differently, even when emotionally aroused.
