Hi. I have an 11mth old IW and he mouths people when they visit. He very rarely does it with us. He puts peoples arms on hands in his mouth or sometimes nips their arms. He is a very affectionate dog, very loving. Don't know if it's the excitement of people calling on us.
He did this when he was younger and it just stopped, but it has started again. I have tried distracting him when he does it. He stops doing it then goes back to it. But after visitors have been in 5 minutes he stops. We have tried turning our backs to him when he does it but he sometimes thinks we're playing and attempts to put his paw on your back as if he's trying to give you a paw. He is an attention seeker for affection from you. He follows me especially, all over when he isnt sleeping. Thanks in advance.

He doesn't have any Munsterlander friends does he? ;) This is what my breed does to say hello. The only thing I can say is to make sure that there are toys/treats by the door, so that when someone comes in he is given these, instead of someone arms OR, try ignoring him. I know it's not easy when your arm is being dislocated :) or made extremely wet with slobber, but if he doesn't get a reaction then he might learn to give up. Squealing might help (as a little yelp) or it might just excite him more.

No no Musterlander friends! I have also been told this is a sign of dominance? He's a very in your face dog. (obviously coz of his height!). Wanting attention all the time of the loving sort. Never had a dog like him before. He licks you to. If he's walking past you he will give your feet a quick lick. Or if he is laid at your feet and your feet are bare he'll lick. He's just licking my wrist as i'm typing! Had no other problems with him. Comes back when called, never chewed anything. A pleasure to own. Just the nibbling and mouthing. Had an electrician here doing some work and didnt realise my IW was nibbling his arms. He wasn't too pleased by it. I apoligised and said he doesn't mean him any harm but he was still annoyed. I can understand that with him being the size he is and I should have prevented it, but I know he isn't vicious and wouldn't hurt a fly but he didn't. If you make noises he thinks your playing and he gets more excited. Thanks again.

When you say "nibbling" could he be grooming?  Two of my BSDs, one in particular, have been obsessive about "grooming" family and friends which takes the form of a "nibbling" action :)   If so and under the same circumstances it's very much the opposite of dominance as it's done in deference to a select number of lovingly regarded people.

Not sure if that's any help!  Teri

The best thing might be to keep him behind achildgate or in a crate to start with when visitors are at your home :)

After about half an hour, allow him out but immediately distract him with something like a well stuffed kong which he has to work on to get the treats out. If he does go to "mouth" (and although it may be quite innocent, not everyone willl be comfortable with it as you say) calmly say "ah ah" and walk him outside the room for just 5 minutes. Not any more. Bring him back in calmly after this 5 minute period.

YOu may have to do this quite a few times but keep calm each time. Also you may have to do this with different visitors. Give lots of reward and treats/praise when he chooses not to do this.

Regarding tradesmen etc, I always keep them away from my dogs unless under my direct supervision - not because of the dogs but because they may have tools etc around and also because not all are going to be good with dogs or may be scared of dogs. In a way I feel I'm protecting my dog from them ;)

Hth a bit,

Lindsay
x

My little TT does the grooming bit as well.  Nibbling as if working on on knot.  She also does this with the Beardie puppy and seems to do it when she feels comfortable with visitors.  Doesn't hurt but can give you a shock if you're not expecting it.  She has learned to pick up a toy and present it to us instead of the grooming, it works a treat although she still 'grooms' us on occasion (we obviously need it)

Hi all. Thankyou for your comments. He was in the garden with me when the electrician came out to ask me a question and he ran over to him and started with the mouthing. We have moved house 5 weeks ago and it needs a lot of work and we have had builders in every day since apart from weekends. Maybe its the change of house and all these different people in and out all the time. He is used to it just being me and him all day. After 5 mins he couldnt care less if they are there or not. It's just this initial meeting that it starts. Maybe it is what you said and he could be grooming. I do have a child gate so might get it out. The regular builders that come every day love him and he mouths them and when I tell him off for doing it they say "he's ok, he's just playing, we don't mind". Am fighting a losing battle with them! Thanks again.

I think this comes down to what you and others find acceptable. 

I have a rescue GSD who uses mouthing as a sign that you have been accepted into his 'circle of trust'. Obviously this takes time and so is never a problem with new people or short-term visitors.  However a neighbour of mine (who recently had a dog PTS because of aggression) has become a regular visitor spending time with my two and paying particular attention to Zak (GSD). After a couple of months of this Zak finally took her hand gently in his mouth - and she leaped out the chair and flattened herself against the wall.  For him it was 'Hello, Friend' but for her it was a flashback to flesh being ripped from bone.

We sorted it out but it made me aware that mouthing means different things to different people and that, if you own a 'mouther',you need to be aware of the possible implications.

   

ooooow!  Can I borrow him for when the in-laws come, he can mouth their arms and being his size can then drag them back to the front door. I guess that would be funny for me, but can understand why your visitors would be upset.  It may well be his greeting as suggested or his way of saying this is my home and I'm in charge.

The idea of a toy or bone straight in his mouth when a visitor arrives is the best option or the dog gate and slow introduction suggestion. They would be my first choices.

Other people don't appreciate or love our animals funny little ways the way that we do, so our animals need to always be curteous.

Though his party trick would sure see off a burglar or two.:-D

My youngest SWD does this to me!!  She is also a very full on dog, with a large brain to go with it :d  I feel like a corn on the cob sometimes when she nibbles up and down my arm.  When you look into her eyes you can tell that she's really enjoying it :rolleyes:

Our 4 month old puppy mouths us constantly, me in particular, but he does lick my OH face every morning for about 2 minutes, I'm not sure why he is so confident that his ears or nose don't get a nasty bite, but he is really gently I'm assured!!   The other thing he does is hump me, no-one else just me, and I stop him immediately then the next chance he gets when I have my back turned he's at it again.
He doesn't display any of these behaviour patterns to anyone else - which is good but I'd like him to stop the humping!

If some of the builders are happy with it then this is part of the problem - :) - it's important to be consistent or he will just see men in the house as people to be mouthed for fun.

Decide on your plan of action as it were, and stick to it (often the hardest part) and if necessary explain to the other men why. Give the dog toys etc maybe to take to people instead, it might help a bit, good luck :)

Jack Russells tend to communicate teeth first - with Nips a gentle hold of your hand is a sign of friendship - but I worked particularly hard on bite inhibition when he was a little pup because it was essential to transform puppy biting into this gentle use of his mouth. Even so, I don't expect visitors to tolerate his teeth and especially I don't expect tradesmen/postmen and other strangers to put up with them. Not everyone is a dog lover and there are people who will interpret what you know to be a friendly greeting as potential aggression. Thus the words "no teeth!" have been regularly repeated over the last year!  I also take care to keep him out of the way of anyone doing work in the house even if they are dog lovers because he's a terrible thief and makes off with any tools he can get his teeth around. Given that a workman is trying to get a job done, I could see how easily they could get fed up with this trick and lose patience so I don't let the situation develop in the first place.

If there is a stranger in the house diversion is often difficult because the stranger is much more fascinating than a boring old everyday toy and it may be that the only solution is to provide a physical barrier.

I don't think dominance has much to do with your dog's sudden decision to start mouthing again (who would he be trying to dominate?) but it may be that the general disruption of moving house might cause a bit of a reversion to puppyhood.

I so enjoy your post about Nips, It seems Jack is following him along the way. I had to change 'no teeth' to 'no biting' as my daughter pointed out she has to say ' teeth or good teeth' when showing him. Jack isn't a JRT though.

Thankyou all for your comments. I did start with keeping him away from the builders when they first started coming round. But the builders wanted to see him and didn't want him kept away. I have been offering him a toy when they come but he is that pleased to see them he isn't bothered about the toy and wants to fuss them. Like you say its more fun to meet poeople than have his toy!

My youngest Lab Dudley has always done this :)

It seems to have increased since we have started feeding her on Barf We think it maybe her way of tenderising me :D

We think it maybe her way of tenderising me  

:P

Hope not!!!! :D

Lindsay
x

My dobermann mouths when we come into the house - but he only does it to our immediate family, and he cries also, its an excited sort of whining.  He doesn't do to anyone else though, only our family members.  When other people enter the house he sniffs them, but that's all, there is no excitement at all.

Our RR mouths me when she is pleased to see me.  She only does it to me, and just looks at me with so much love in her eyes when she does it :D  The first time she did it I was so pleased as she is a rescue and was very subdued when we got her.  Any display of emotion from her is such a step forward!