GSD Trait????

[Bodi's Mom]

I am the owner of a 10 month old Bernese Mountain Dog who is still in the mouthy puppy stage (Berners take a long time to mature). The other day, Bodi and I met a gentleman who breeds GSD's. My pup greeted the man happily, as he does with everybody, and then started to gently mouth the man's hands, again as he does with everybody. I thought this was just the remnants of the puppy stage until the gentleman voiced that this was called "Culling." He went on to say that his GSD's do this all the time no matter what age and it is a sign of affection. Has anybody ever heard of this??

[Brattina88]

The only time I've heard the term "Culling" is when puppies or other animals are culled (or killed) at birth. . .

GSD's can be a 'mouthy' breed, but can they learn to keep they're teeth to their selves quite easily.
Some dogs (my cocker spaniel does this to me) act like they are grooming their owners, and that's supposed to be a sign of affection. Looks like they are chewin' for fleas lol But I'm not sure if this is what you are referring to or not.

Put simply, I've never heard of it.

[Rosefern]

I've never heard that term before either. But then again, I don't do a whole lot of work with GSDs. I've never owned one, never knew anyone who owned one, and our rescue group doesn't take a whole lot of GSDs, as there is a large GSD rescue nearby.

When your Berner "mouths" you, is it like running around you, jumping, play-bowing, play-mouthing? Or is it when you're sitting there together and he just mouths your arm?

Pepe will occasionally "groom" me, he puts his mouth on a part of my body (usually a hand, foot, or arm) and gently mouth me up and down. I at first thought it was a dominant behavior, but it's not, since he is very submissive. The agility instructor we worked with had a Papillion that used to do that too. She clued me in. My cat will sometimes do the same thing - but only on my hair. She'll sit on my shoulders, or on the back of the couch, and lick my hair and neck.

-Rosefern

[Amstaffer]

Originally Posted by Brattina88

Some dogs (my cocker spaniel does this to me) act like they are grooming their owners, and that's supposed to be a sign of affection. Looks like they are chewin' for fleas lol But I'm not sure if this is what you are referring to or not.
p

Athena does that too

[Jynx]

I've never heard the term used that way before either..."Mouthing",,yes,,not culling.

My gsd's at times were 'mouthy',,using a soft mouth would grab your hand and 'mouth' it, usually for attention, or as a way of showing their affection..

diane

[Julie]

Rocket will mouth your hands arms etc... but only if you instigate it first. She never just goes up to a stranger and does it.

Now Charlie does that little "flea biting" thing if you tell him to. It is hilarious if you just grab a kid and say "Hey Charlie Wanna nibble of this corn" And he will do his "flea biting" on them all the while they are laughing and screaming.. The kids ask us sometimes if they can be the "corn".. Lol

[Red_ACD_for_me]

My GSD husky mix who we just PTS last weekend used to do this all the time and he was very very affectionate. He did it right up to the ripe old age of 12. Culling huh? I grew up with GSD's all my life "purebred" and we did have a couple that did it as well. I suppose there is some truth to it I just called them love nibbles

[bubbatd]

All my Goldens were " mouthy " ....really an endearing gesture of love.

[Miakoda]

To cull is to euthanize a dog.

And I personally don't like mouthy dogs. That's one of the first things I work with puppies on as most strangers wouldn't appreciate a happy American Pit Bull Terrier chewing on their hand......no matter how friendly or innocent the gesture. And I don't want anyone else's dog, no matter the breed, doing that to mine.

However, the nibbling thing--that thing a dog does when you scratch just the right area & he turns & nibbles either on himself or on you...whichever is closer--is absolutely hilarious.

[RD]

Dakota never does the flea-biting, but he will come up to me and very slowly and gently put his mouth over my arm or nibble on my fingers. It's cute, and he has the sweetest look in his eyes the entire time he does it. Pure affection.

He's never done anything like that to strangers.