Personally, I call them piranha teeth : small, keen, sharp. Play with a puppy and your arms will look like you fought with a tiger.
Recently, I heard that it had been recommended to crush the puppy's jaws when he mouths the skin to make him understand this behavior is undesirable.
Even though the photo is of an adult dog, it enables you to visualize the vascular system of the dog's head. I draw your attention to the area around the nose. If you follow the recommended advice - crush the puppy's jaws to close it - that's what you're pressing on. Even without pressure, the area is very sensitive ; all the more in a puppy.
It's painful !
I always advise my clients who have puppies not to wait until they feel pain before reacting. From one day to another, from one person to another, we are not as sensitive. One day you are very tired and get annoyed after three seconds ; the next day, you are in great shape and react after ten seconds ; two days later, for other reasons, the latency before your reaction is different again. Your puppy is then confused, unaware of how much pressure is really tolerated ; he tests because he has learned that the limit is not stable.
If you react very quickly, he will learn that you are very very very fragile and that if he wants to continue the interaction, it is important that he uses his jaws carefully, regardless of his emotional state.
His/her need !
Baby teeth grew in ; baby teeth fall out ; adult teeth are showing ; adult teeth grow and become established. Until they are around six or even seven months old, dogs experience the painful experience of teeth being renewed. Suggesting to redirect him to “authorized” objects will soothe your skin.
Why not crush it ?
In your puppy's mind, the scene is : I want to play and I don't have good jaw control (because I'm still learning), I have a bit of a toothache, I'm being a little rough with my humans, and while everything is going well, they grab my jaws and close my mouth (plus, sometimes, they hold it for several seconds, or even press if I start playing again).
Even if you think you won't hurt him, grabbing his jaw like this can induce negative emotions in his relationship with you.
Imagine that because I think that you are holding my hand too tightly, I decide to block your fingers, to hold them, to squeeze them.
By showing him that you understand and adapt to his needs, he will be better able to learn to meet yours.
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