How Do I Break My Lab From Biting Me?

Labrador retrievers are violent when they play with one another. Their sparring matches can look like fights to the death. This is because dogs, without the benefit of hands, play with their teeth. They snap and bite and snarl. In most cases, this is just good fun. A Labrador retriever that plays this way with humans will often bite during playtime. Retrievers do not realize that human skin is more sensitive to biting than their own fur, so you should teach your Lab not to bite you when you play together. This process is known as bit inhibition.

Instructions

    • 1

      Play with your Labrador retriever as usual. As puppies, Labrador retrievers mouth and bite at things both to play and explore their world. Keep in mind that biting is natural instinct for your Lab while you play.

    • 2

      Yelp or yell "ouch!" when your Lab bites you hard enough to hurt. Pull your hand away with a jerk. This mimics what your Lab's littermates would do in a sparring match if the game got too rough. The action sends a signal to your Lab that she bit too hard and needs to be gentler.

    • 3

      Stop the game for about 30 seconds. Show your Lab that she will not be allowed to play if she bites too hard.

    • 4

      Resume the game and repeat steps 2 and 3, yelping each time your Lab bites with enough pressure to hurt. She will start to bite more softly in hopes of preventing the game from stopping.

    • 5

      Yell and jerk your hand away when your dog starts to bite just a bit more softly than before. Do not do this until your Lab no longer bites hard enough to hurt. End the game for about 30 seconds before starting again.

    • 6

      Decrease your tolerance for your Lab's bite gradually. Allow her to bite at softer and softer levels until she learns not to put her teeth on you at all during playtime.