Glossary

Mouthing

A dog's use of its mouth on hands, clothes or people during play or greeting, without intent to injure.

Also called: puppy biting, nipping, play biting, nibbling

Mouthing means holding or nibbling with the teeth without biting down hard. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, play with them and use them during teething, which runs from about 3 to 6 months. Some adult dogs, especially retrievers and herding breeds, keep mouthing hands in excitement.

It is normal but not welcome. Redirect it to a toy, stop play briefly when teeth touch skin, and reward calm, gentle behavior. Shouting or rough handling can make a puppy more excited or fearful.

It differs from aggressive biting, which comes with stiff body language, growling or a hard stare. If mouthing becomes painful, if it does not fade with age, or if a dog bites out of fear, seek help from a qualified trainer or behaviorist.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Bite inhibition A dog's learned ability to control the force of its mouth, which puppies normally acquire through play with littermates and people. Chewing A normal behavior in which dogs gnaw on objects to explore, relieve teething, relax or burn off energy. Puppy kindergarten An early group class where young puppies learn basic manners and meet other puppies and people in a supervised setting. Jumping up A dog's habit of putting its paws on people when greeting them, usually kept going by the attention it gets.