my young pup is mouthing us

I was merely making an explanation as I see it.  Your ego has gotten in the way if you think it was specifically directed at you.  It was not.
You are entitled to your opinion, and I to mine.  We have both expressed them.  Up to the readers to choose how they wish to manage their dogs.  As for me, in 40+ years of dog ownership, I have never had dogs who inappropriately mouth human skin beyone early puppyhood, so I must be doing something right.  Hope you can say the same.  In training classes, in viewing hundreds of dogs, it always seems that the folks who make noise, clamp the dogs mouth shut, etc. (again, not saying you do this) are the ones who have rude, mouthy dogs far beyond puppyhood.

BTW, the example in your quote refers simply to the difference between being rude and being explanatory - and I do go on to say that dogs are capable of learning that certain sounds (outside) mean certain things.  If you consider that to be anthropomorphic, I don't.  Dogs can learn up to 400 words and phrases if they are taught in a context that they understand.
My pup can bring me the ball or the tug, and she knows the difference between them.  Not because she is brilliant, which she may be, but because she has made associations due to reward-based training.  If I say ball, and she brings the tug, no reward.  If I say ball and she brings the ball - jackpot.  Simple as that.
Read the Culture Clash and you will see how I tend to view dogs - Jean Donaldson is ever so much more clear in the book than I am in a few quick sentences.

I'm gonna agree that dogs understand FAR more than we give them credit for.
 
An example....my RV has moved exactly ONE time in the past year.  It came from where we were parking it to our house in town, got loaded up and came out to THIS house in August.  Hasn't moved since.  Recently, since we are moving yet again, the realtor was coming to show the house.  For the showing I put the dogs in the RV.  I opened the house door and TOLD Sheba, "go get in the RV".  She did.  Down the stairs, and DIRECTLY to the RV.  The DOOR on the RV is often open but she does NOT go in it.  Ever.  But, when I TOLD her to "go get in the RV" she did immediately.  She UNDERSTOOD exactly what I wanted her to do.  Thor did the same, as did Shadow.  The younger three have never gone places in the RV but the older ones KNOW what I mean when I tell them to "go get in the RV".
 
Even the youngest guys know what I mean when I tell them to bring me their ball, bring me their stuffy, bring me the tug.  They don't neccessarily understand all the extra words we put in,but there are certain KEY words that they DO get.
 
Another good example is giving meds.  I do NOT try to hide meds.  I'm VERY upfront with my dogs when they need a pill.  Recently my boomarang foster needed antibiotics for an abcessed tooth.  I got a slice of cheese from the fridge, gave him a smidgen for his first bite and TOLD him, this is just cheese.  Then I wrapped his pill in the SECOND bite, and told him, this one has the pill that Dr. Pam said you NEED to make you feel better.  Down the hatch, no problem, no hesitation.  Just took the darned pill.  THEN he got the rest of the slice.  This is the way I have ALWAYS done meds.  It makes no sense to try to hide the pill...they know its there..they can SMELL it....so I TELL them I'm giving them the pill and why.  And when I say Dr. Pam said...that's all it takes.
 
Dogs are VERY capable of understanding lots and lots of things that we don't THINK they understand.  I tell them "moms going to see grandma"...they know gramma is a long car ride so that moms gonna be gone for longer than usual.  I tell them "mom's going to the store"...they know going to the store doesn't take as long as going to see gramma.  I've tested this...left DS home, told the dogs that I'm going to the store and actually gone to grammas.......they get restless after the first hour or so passes, cuz mom said she was going to the store and that means she should be home by now.
 
And no, I'm not being anthropomorphic either.  I SEE the results.

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs
Your ego has gotten in the way if you think it was specifically directed at you.  It was not.

It has nothing to do with ego, rest assured.  I was merely making sure those specific examples were not in reference to my posts is all.

Hope you can say the same.

Yes, and I actually already did.

Again, we agree to disagree - if everyone were the same the world would be boring ! []

I think before we "agree to disagree", it's perhaps something that all trainers can commit to -  that some dogs are more sensitive than others, hence the need to be judicious in choosing any training method.
Doberman owners, for example, often cite the sensitivity of that breed - even the slightest indication that their human is upset can make quite a few of them cringe as though, as one poster on another thread put it, you were "ripping their heart out with a spoon".  Conversely, a lot of Labs will just look at you puzzled, and not really care that you dropped six hundred penny cans on the floor - they just think it's raining toys. 
[sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]
 
The herders can be a bit more sensitive to clatter.  Of course, that is not to say they all will.  Just that you have to know your breed's propensities and your individual dog's temperament to assess that.  This is often difficult for new or relatively inexperienced owners, and the truth of the matter is that they get into less trouble, and trouble that is more easily fixed, when they employ non-aversive training methods.
Experienced trainers can invoke a non-harmful leash pop, while novices often end up with a dog with a damaged larynx (Before I get mail, I'm not recommending choke collars, just citing this as an example).  So, to me, the prudent choice for beginners is not necessarily what a more advanced trainer might choose as a method.
I am always intrigued, though, by the tenacity with which some folks hang on to aversives, even in the face of mounting evidence that a more progressive method works very well in most cases.  Seems to me these people would have quite a lot of trouble if they were training lions rather than dogs.  But, as I've often said here, I don't have to live with anyone else's dog! []

Thanks for all your help people!  i very much apprecate it....  Let you know how we get on..[]

I just wanted to pipe in and say that despite the differences in opinion on these forums, I've learned alot and hope to continue learning. 
 
So thanks everyone! []

Sorry to say, but how long does this mouthing go on?  I am trying all that youv'e suggested and she is still coming back for more, she is also diving at my little boys legs and hurting...  plus others that come to the house...   She tends not to take notice of anything we do! or say!   very persitant. 
  We are all giving her sign's that this is not exceptable, but she doesn't really care, and comes back for more...  There has got to be a way to nip this in the bud, before it gets out of hand, any more idea's?
  Thanks Lance....

When she starts LEAVE THE ROOM.  If she starts when you go back, LEAVE THE ROOM.  When guests are coming, crate her since she clearly doesn't know how to behave with company.
 
Anne will have some better ideas, but do LEAVE THE ROOM.

I was thinking, means we can get the dog to come, sit, lay down on command, through positive reinforcement, is there a way to turn the word NO! into a positive word rather than a negative word.
  After all we are looking for the dog to leave alone what ever he is doing at that moment, so is there a way that the dog hears no!  he thinks praise, rather than negative!   or if we train this, will he think that every time he does something wrong its good (would it be reinforcing bad behaviour)  only a thought....   do you see what i am getting at?  
Any views?

I see what you're trying to say....not sure how to answer that.  If you want him to leave something alone, tell him "leave it".  You need to teach a reliable leave it anyway so start now.
 
I can tell that you really want to do things right with this pup.....please get him into a training class.  That's gonna teach YOU to train your dog and really strengthen your bond.

I think I understand what you are saying - and some trainers say if you give a dog a command to stop doing something wrong, you shouldn't reward or praise the dog when they listen because they shouldn't have been doing the bad thing is the first place, and that, worst case scenario, the dog learns to do the bad thing and then stop on command to get a reward.  Now, I am not sure I think a dog would think like that, but he might, so what our trainer told us to do, and what many people here say to do is to give your dog a positive command after you have redirected away from the bad behavior - and then praise and reward the dog for obeying the positive command.
 
That was probably a little obtuse - so for example:  a dog is mouthing or jumping up, you give the command "leave it" or "off" or whatever, dog complies by looking at you or stopping, you immediately give a positive command like "sit" and as soon as the dog does, reward your dog.  This way, the dog is learning that there are some behaviors that get nothing good, and there are others that get praise, treat, playtime etc.  The dog is then not learning that he/she gets rewarded for stopping bad behavior (so there is nothing in it for them to continue bad behavior) and is also learning that appropriate behaviors yield good things.
 
This is, to my understanding, what Gleda and others say about not just telling a dog not to do something, but also telling the dog what to do...  It is not always necessary, and of course a lot of people can just say "no" or "eh eh" and their dogs stops an inappropriate behavior and that is it, but, for you, since your dog is probably just super excited and inappropriate in his play, showing your dog what is appropriate and what pleases you is a good thing. 
 
I also agree about getting your dog into a positive reinforcement puppy obedience class asap.  The trainers will probably be able to give a lot of good advice by watching you interact with your puppy.