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Bite inhibition
Animal behavior management / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Bite inhibition, sometimes referred to as a soft mouth (a term which also has a distinct meaning), is a behavior in carnivorans (dogs, cats,[1] etc.) whereby the animal learns to moderate the strength of its bite. It is an important factor in the socialization of pets.[2]
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Bite inhibition is typically learned as part of juvenile play behaviors, when the animal is still in the company of its mother and siblings: by biting each other during play, the young animals learn that biting a companion too strongly leads to the abrupt termination of play activities.[3]
Bite inhibition is an important factor in the socialization of pets because many breeds do not innately have the ability to moderate the strength of their bites. In addition to its role in domestication, bite inhibition is also a significant part of the development of dominance hierarchy in wild animals such as wolves.[4]