Feedback must be predictable
When teeth become painful, stop movement and interaction. A consistent quiet pause is easier to understand than changing between laughter, shouting, and rough play.
Reinforce the behavior you want
Return with a toy, reward gentle engagement, and notice moments when the puppy chooses licking, sniffing, or a softer mouth.
Management supports learning
Sleep, barriers, appropriate toys, and lower-energy play prevent the puppy from rehearsing hard bites when regulation is already lost.
What to avoid
Keep the response gentle.
Avoid deliberately allowing painful bites as a test of progress.
Safety boundary
When to get more help.
Bite inhibition practice is not appropriate as the only plan for guarding, fear-related bites, or injury-causing behavior.