Mouth Handling
Grooming & Handling · 13 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to enjoy having their mouth handled, lips lifted, and restrained.
**Puppies:** Getting your puppy happy about having their mouth handled is wonderful socialization during the puppy window (around 4 to 16 weeks), when puppies learn what is safe and normal in their world. Because a young puppy usually has no fear to undo and soaks up new experiences fast, you can often run this plan in **proof mode** (proof levels 1 and 2, the harder review steps) so your puppy breezes through it faster than an adult dog might need. Keep every rep positive and let your puppy set the pace.
Training steps
Touch the side of the mouth for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
After touching, quickly feed a treat from the other hand while holding your hand in place.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch the side of the mouth for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
After touching, feed treats from the other hand the entire time.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch mouth with both hands for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Touch both sides of Your Dog's mouth and feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch mouth with both hands for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Touch both sides of Your Dog's mouth for 3 seconds and feed a treat immediately after.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch the top of the mouth for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
After touching, quickly feed a treat from the other hand.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Cup your hand over mouth for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Place your hand over the top of Your Dog's mouth and nose so your fingers are touching both sides of their mouth, then quickly feed a treat from the other hand while holding your hand in place.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Cup your hand over mouth for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
After touching, feed treats from the other hand the entire time.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grasp your hand firmly over mouth for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Quickly feed a treat from the other hand while grasping.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grasp your hand firmly over mouth for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed treats from the other hand while grasping.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lift lips for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
With your hand cupped over Your Dog's mouth, lift their lips for 1 second, then feed a treat.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lift lips for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Feed treats from the other hand while lifting.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Part the lips gently
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Lift Your Dog's lips with one hand and gently part their jaws just a little, without putting anything in, then immediately feed a treat from the other hand. This is a small step toward popping a treat inside.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Open mouth and insert a treat
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Lift Your Dog's lips with one hand, and with a treat in the other, pull down their bottom jaw enough to pop the treat in, then release so they can eat it.
Success: Your Dog is happy and calm during handling.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Congratulations! You now have a dog who loves having their mouth handled, which is excellent preparation for tooth brushing and vet exams.
If Your Dog starts avoiding having their mouth handled, that's completely okay! Simply Drop back to a step they're comfortable with and work through the plan again or restart the plan with proof steps. Go at Your Dog's pace and do as much training as they need.