biting GSD

Hi all,
I am having a GSD. I and my family members like to have him with us. We brought him to our place when he was 1 1/2 months old. Now he is 5 months old. The problem with him is that, he starts biting every time when he does see any of the known person (not only our family members, but also my friends and relatives). We tried a lot, like a NO command, ignoring him for a while... but it didn’t work. He is undergoing the obedience training. He does listen to sit and stay command, but its not that he listen to me or my family members all the time. He just sometimes ignores and do what he likes..... We regularly exercise him, take him for outing, but he dies the same over there. He bits very badly that ha takes out the skin. And about his health, he is very fine we do regular check-up... so he is also not having any problem related to health.

The biting problem is raised in such a way these days that no one from my family except me and my dad dares to go in front of him. He keeps quite and behaves very good when the trainer comes in front of him. I am really confused what to do.

Please guide me, because its really hard to control him...

Thanks
-Nilesh

Have you discussed this problem with your trainer?

It sounds like you got him before his mother had a chance to teach him not to bite. That's something that puppies typically learn from their mothers between 6 weeks and 8 weeks of age.

I really encourage you to get professional help from your trainer since you have one already.

Hi and thanks
Yes I have discussed the problem with my trainer. He suggested me to take a more of exercise session, and also to take more attention towards the two commands like 'sit' and 'stay'. But as I told, when he tries to bit, he does not hear to the commands, else he does listen.

Thanks
-Nilesh

When you say biting do you mean play biting? I've known a few young GSD's to be really "mouthy" like this. They don't know how strong they are sometimes, and they need to be taught. I'm glad your going through obediance training, but be sure to reinforce it at home. I'll suggest putting a leash on him and let him drag it through the house until he starts to listen better, maybe. When you tell him to sit and he turns the other way you can grab the leash and make him sit. He'll learn that its okay to ignore you if you say sit and he does what he wants. Maybe you could try spraying bitter apple on your hands (that'll discourage him from biting them, its nasty stuff really) or get a Halti head halter. This type closes his jaws when pulled taught, and also brings his head to you so maybe you can get his attention. (Ask your training and make sure you get one that fits properly because it could be disasterous if used wrong if you decide to do this)

Hi

Yesterday I tried with dragging him when he do not listen to the ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ command. He did listen to me very fine, but the next time when I tried to hold his leash he grabbed my hand. I tried a lot, but he just rest himself down on his back and try to avoid me taking hold of his lease. This problem also comes when I try to put on the chain. He don’t allow me to put on his chain, I praise him (like Good boy, Very Good boy) when he do the things that I expect, but suddenly when I praise him he starts biting me. As of this no one dares to put the leash on him nor dare to take him out for a walk. Also while I take him to walk, he jumps on the coming vehicle, or on the people those are walking around. I tried to stop him by ‘NO’ command, but in vain. He just stop for the while, but again when another vehicle comes on he again jumps over it.

He do listen to the trainer. I even tried with having the trainer with me and taking him to walk, but at that time he behaves very well. He listen to all the commands nor he jumps on the vehicles or the people around. That’s amazing!!! And once the trainer leaves then he is again with the old mischief’s.

These two problems viz. biting and jumping on the vehicles seems to be dangerous to me. How can I get rid of these problems.

Thanks
-Nilesh

It sounds like your pup is willing to accept the trainer as leader, but not you - yet. He may even be regarding you as another puppy right now since the trainer is directing both of you.

I deal with extremely large, willful and dominant dogs - plus my "little" German Shepherd/wolf mix (a rescue, I really don't condone these mixes typically as it is can create an animal that is unsuited and unhappy in a domestic situation and they're usually bred for all the wrong reasons - but that's for another day!).

There are two techniques I've used over and over again and have had (so far) unfailing success with:

First: I have them give me their belly. Think about how dogs establish dominance. The submissive dog always rolls over and gives up its belly to the dominant dog. With my hands on the dog's shoulder (a dominant position), I gently, but firmly, press the dog into a laying position, then roll it over on its back, holding it there for a few seconds with my hand on its chest. After the dog has laid there quietly for a few seconds, I rub the belly and praise, then release. I do this not only when I'm training, but at odd times, like when play starts to get rough, or I have to scold or discipline, and sometimes I will even just call the dog to me and do it for no apparent reason - just the way it would happen in a canine pack.

Second: I share my last bite of food with the dog. NEVER, never the first or anything in between - just the last. In a pack, the alpha dog eats his fill first, then shares with the others. This not only reinforces my alpha status, it also increases the "pack bond." It tells my dogs, "I am your leader; you are my pack, and I will take care of you."

Also, make your dog do something you tell him before you give him his food. And make sure it's something that requires him to wait before he's allowed to eat. Make him sit or lie down at a short distance from where you are going to put his food and don't let him rush the food bowl until you tell him it's okay.
Once you've established your alpha status with him, the training should become much easier for the two of you. But do it now; as Serena says, the German Shepherd dog will assume the lead if he senses an opportunity to do so!

Hi,

Thanks and will try out the points you have mentioned.

Thanks once again

-Nilesh

Hi,

I have posted my experience in a new thread. Could you please guid me through the things. I have posted it at

http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2474#post2474

Thanks
-Nilesh