Order Your Custom-Sized Bite Block

I started teaching a voluntary “hold” behavior as part of a cooperative care routine with my previous dog, Thor. After a dental procedure, he developed a gum infection and strongly resisted having his mouth manually opened. By teaching him to hold a wooden dowel, I was able to gently get a better look at his gums and monitor healing with far less stress.

With my current dog, Badger, I chose to teach this skill before I needed it. While practicing with a wooden dowel, I realized a different shape would allow for a much clearer view inside the mouth. That’s when I began designing and testing alternatives.

The result is the bite block—a tool that helps you train your dog to open their mouth on cue, making it easier to inspect teeth, tongue, palate, and lips in a low-stress, cooperative way.

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Training
Using a bite block requires some foundation training. Your dog should first learn a reliable “hold” behavior before you ask them to hold the bite block. 

Start simple:

• Begin with an intuitive object like a toy
• Progress to a wooden or PVC dowel
• Then introduce the bite block

The bite block is more challenging because it requires a wider mouth opening and is made of a solid material that’s less naturally appealing to hold. Don’t rush the process—once your dog understands “hold” across a variety of objects, they’ll be able to generalize the skill to the bite block more easily.

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Safety

• This is not a chew toy—do not leave your dog unattended with it
• Do not allow your dog to chew or break pieces off
• Never force your dog’s mouth open
• If your dog spits it out, allow them to
• The dog should voluntarily hold the bite block, they should not have to strain their jaw or have their mouth forced open to use it. This is a cooperative care tool.