Hello everyone.  Please advise (again).......

My new pup is a great joy.  He loves to chew (he's only 7 weeks); however, sometimes, he likes to use me.  The bites aren't painful but I don't want to encourage this behaviour.  At the same time, he is only young and from the article "the Bite Stops Here" I get the impression that it's important for dog's to understand how to use their mouths......

I spoke to the vet today about this and she said I should emulate the mother and hold his mouth shut together and say "no" in a deep voice.  Well, I tried it.  Puppy and I were playing (albeit quite boisterously) when he started "biting" me.  I tried the vet's technique and I got a big shock.  My puppy started squirming and resisting.  I let go, he "bit" again, and I gently clamped his mouth again and said "no."  Well, this time, he growled, got aggressive, and got a wild look in his eye.  I backed off.  One thing I did learn from all of this was that when things get too boisterous and puppy is getting too "bolshie" I need to take it down a notch so no one gets hurt.

Well, I tried a different approach this evening.  We played again and when he "bit" I yelled ouch, pushed him off, said "enough" in a deep voice, and stopped playing with him.  He yelped a bit, came up to me, but I just ignored him.  A minute later, when he settled down, we played again, and I noticed he was a lot more careful about what he was doing.

I felt so much more in control in the second scenario, where I didn't clamp.  But am I doing the dog a disservice by not asserting pack leadership?  You know... the "show 'em who's boss" idea....it's confusing. 

Dogs only have one pack leader if any - and that's another resident dog ;)

Glad you've realised that your vet's advice was ridiculous - you will find success following the bit inhibition article and using positive and reward based methods for all training :)

Best wishes, Teri

I spoke to the vet today about this and she said I should emulate the mother and hold his mouth shut together and say "no" in a deep voice.

Vets!!! (I miss the smiley that rolls its eyes, I need it now.) Could you ever imagine a situation where a bitch would hold her pup's mouth shut and tell it NO? No, I can't either......for a start, how could she? She has no hands. :) Bitches DON'T get physical with their puppies. It's all done with body language. I know that because I breed, so I watch bitches with their pups. Most vets have never done this.

Well, I tried a different approach this evening.  We played again and when he "bit" I yelled ouch, pushed him off, said "enough" in a deep voice, and stopped playing with him.

That's better -except you should not push him off. As he grows bigger, he might ENJOY being pushed -lots of dogs do. All mine love it! So if you push, he will only do it more and more and more. But saying ouch and stopping the play, that's hwat counts. :) What breed is he?

I felt so much more in control in the second scenario, where I didn't clamp.  But am I doing the dog a disservice by not asserting pack leadership?  You know... the "show 'em who's boss" idea....it's confusing.

Not at all, all that pack leadership stuff is old theories that were founded in the 1940's and have since been proved to not be true at all. Your dog wont see you as a pack leader because you're not a dog, nor do you need to try to be one. :)

In addition to the advice already received have a look at your 'play'.  Some 'flapping hand' activities are more likely to generate biting, mouthing, chewing and you can simply change your play style as appropriate.

As a puppy, one of my dogs would love to greet me with some over enthusiastic hand holding.  I would just say 'ah ah' and place my hands flat on my thighs.  We were clicker training by then so as soon as he offered me an alternative behaviour I'd mark it and reward.  Nowadays he just likes to bump his nose on me then show me how smart he is with a range of more acceptable alternatives.  Very bright these dogs aren't they?  My youngest learns so fast I have to be really careful what I do for fear I might inadvertantly teach the wrong things!!

Oh my goodness!  Thank you everyone for your advice.  I have followed it and I just can not believe how my little pup responds!  It's amazing.

The biting/nipping thing is so much better, and it has only been a couple of days!  I did exactly what you all advised and it works!

So when my son and I are playing with our puppy (who is an english springer spaniel) and he bites/nips, we simply say ouch, pick up his toys, turn our backs, and ignore him (marianneB, so right about the pushing off thing.  our puppy thought it was a game).  He most certainly gets upset and starts to cry (ah, breaks our hearts).  Not long after, we start play again.  If he does it again, we do the same thing.  We start play again, and by the third time, he is so gentle and I swear, seems to get the message that he bites/nips, play stops.

And more importantly, we have learned not to instigate rough play...that only encourages him to get boisterous.  Don't get me wrong, we play loads but when things start getting a bit too excited, we take it down a notch and puppy seems to understand that!

It's just amazing.  I am so excited about it.  Thanks again.

You have just found out the thing that hundreds and probably thousands of people found out before you.
Although the average pet dog owner thinks vets know about dog training and behaviour, they actually usually dont.
It is a common misconception.
Vets take a 5 yr degree to be vets, but their course contains hardly any modules on behaviour. Additionally, vets do not run dog training classes.
Outside of medical matters, the only experience most vets have with dogs is simply owning them as pets.
So when it comes to training and behaviour, vets are actually at the same level as yourself.
They need to go to dog trainers or behaviorists to sort out their problems as well.
Unfortunately, in the public consciousness, the opposite is believed.
Some good vets will tell you that aren't qualified and refer you to a trainer or behaviourist. However, some will help perpetuate this misconception by giving out 'advice', which, as you have found, is quite often the same old knee jerk comment that you would get from some guy down the pub.
It would be like a dog trainer or behaviourist giving out iffy medical advice.
Vet would soon hit the roof if that started happening.
HOWEVER - the vets i have worked with have been brilliant and never done this.
Also, some vets ARE trainers/behaviorists, as after their degree they took a Masters in Behaviour, and have continued studies and experience afterward.

Although her advice is still incorrect.

If you think about it - by squeezing her mouth closed and saying no harshly, you are performing an aggressive act, so it stands to reason she would react aggressively.
No offence intended, just making a logical point.

edited and deleted out line earlier by mistake:
your vet could have post degree behaviour qualifications, but her advice still isn't good.