# Mouth Popping



## cramey1 (Dec 14, 2008)

Good morning, I wanted to ask if anyone has encountered this with their dog. When I give my 6 mth working line male ob commands (sit, down, heal, etc) sometimes he will pop his mouth at me. Is this a way of saying fu in dog language or what? 

Thanks


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Do you mean he is snapping his jaws? Is he trying to bite you, or just making noise?

I would think that he is in drive and the jaw snapping is an expression of restrained energy. Good job for training him!! Shows that he is excited and motivated to work. 

So nothing personal against you! Make sure you give him a release for all that pent-up drive with tug games and retrieves, or whatever he likes to do.


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## Karin (Jan 4, 2008)

Heidi does this too (chomping/snapping at the air is the only way I can think of describing it) when she's really excited and/or frustrated. I think it's just her way of expressing herself and it seems harmless enough. But I'm not sure...







Maybe it's one step away from mouthing (which she used to do a lot of when we first got her).


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## jimmym1981 (Dec 5, 2008)

my guy is only 8 weeks old and he does this regularly!!! I think that its just puppy behavior. I give him tugs to play with, and it keeps him occupied. Sometimes if you are talking to him, he will chomp at your face, but i say no and replace with a toy. i know he is going to be one great working dog!!!


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: jimmym1981my guy is only 8 weeks old and he does this regularly!!! I think that its just puppy behavior. I give him tugs to play with, and it keeps him occupied. Sometimes if you are talking to him, he will chomp at your face, but i say no and replace with a toy. i know he is going to be one great working dog!!!


That's just normal puppy nipping. Different than the jaw-snapping of an older dog being worked in drive.


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