Overall Description/Definition:
Jumpy, mouthy dogs are usually puppies or adolescents that jump energetically jump up and put their mouths (open mouth with no pressure) on people (usually people’s arms and legs). This behavior is very common in shelter dogs because many have not had the opportunity to learn consistently how to play and interact with people when they were puppies. Unlike biting, the jumping and mouthiness is rarely performed to do harm. While biting is a form of aggression, often accompanied by growling, teeth baring and snapping, jumping, and mouthiness is not aggression.