Bite inhibition, sometimes referred to as a soft mouth (a term which also has a distinct meaning), is a behavior in carnivorans (dogs, cats, etc.) whereby the animal learns to moderate the strength of its bite. It is an important factor in the socialization of pets.

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.

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.

Modern dogs learn bite inhibition for the same reason that their ancestors, the wolves, did: in order to establish an effective dominance hierarchy. It allows for tranquility in large groups when each individual knows its place. Dominance hierarchies may be formed in groups of canines through intense displays of aggression. However, this type of vying for dominance has only been observed in forced groupings of captive wolves. In the wild, this trend is less common, as wolves tend to group off into family units instead of unrelated adults. Therefore, the alpha male and alpha female would simply be the parents, and the offspring would submit readily. Bite inhibition, then, naturally occurs as the pups learn not to bite their siblings and parents too hard.

Austrian scientist Konrad Lorenz explains that the inferior animal shows its most vulnerable part to the superior animal as an act of submission. The superior animal could, in theory, kill the other immediately, but instead shows mercy to the inferior animal. Submission was thought to reduce losses for an animal that knows it cannot challenge the other.

A few years later, this idea was challenged by Rudolf Schenkel, who suggests that, contrary to Lorenz's beliefs, the inferior dog is the one with his jaws open near to the superior's neck. The superior canine remains growling and his posture is erect, as though to prepare for an attack. Schenkel suggests that the bite inhibition in this instance is shown by the inferior to show that he does not dare to bite the superior.

Testosterone has a major effect on aggression in animals. Dogs with excess testosterone are found to act out violently, and are far less likely to practice bite inhibition, especially without proper training.

In observations of a wild population of gray wolves, or canis lupus, levels of adrenal glucocorticoid (GCs) were found to be elevated in dominant wolves. GCs affect the stress responses in vertebrates, redirecting energy from systems such as the digestive and reproductive to the senses and heart to eliminate immediate threats.