[yorkietalkjilly]

I haven't read through the whole thread so I don't know if this has been suggested before and if it has, I apologize.

I do rough play with dogs - especially terriers - and they love it. But I teach them boundaries for what is allowed during that play and they are smart and learn how to rough-play. One of the quickest ways to get a message through to a nipping, play-biting dog is to get up and walk away from them the moment you feel a hard bite. In time, they learn exactly what it is that caused all play to stop - a hard bite. Young dogs would rather play than eat so removing yourself and your attention from them is a huge statement from you that hard bite = stopping all play. I know it is tiresome to keep doing this but in time the puppy "gets it" and starts to connect a hard bite with your stopping all play. Amazing how fast - within weeks to a month - even a young puppy can learn to get a soft mouth. But remember, to keep teaching - dogs forget and revert to their old ways if you don't keep up the teaching until they have committed the lesson to their permanent memory. And still, because they are dogs, one will occasionally playfully hard-bite as an adult during rough play or very exciting play. Just say "no", stand up and walk off. Always remain a teacher with your dog.

Redirecting them with other toys, saying "uh oh" or "no", pushing your hand or arm further back into their mouth than is comfortable for them and takes control from them, squealing out in pain are all effective, too, with some dogs. Other dogs get excited by the squealing and bite harder - I had one of those! Tibbe loved the squeal. I personally don't recommend squirting them with water or scents, etc., as it can cause some nervous dogs to become fearful of you and/or sprayed things or water but works for others.

By the length of this thread, it looks like you've gotten loads of good advice so use what works for you and your dog and change it up as necessary. Eventually all obedient dogs do get soft-mouthed and only those with no clear teaching in this area or perhaps with an owner who isn't a strong authority figure to them will keep up hard-biting as an adult.