GSD puppy. When will she stop biting?

Hi People.

Thanks admins for the forum.

I've just got a GSD puppy. She's now 10 weeks old.

She is biting like most puppys do. However because her innoculations are not until next week we cannot take her to puppy classes yet.

My daughter who is 10 years old is absloutely scared stiff of the dog. She stands on a chair when the dog comes into the room. She won't go past the dog because the dog tries to bite her. Now we know the dog is only trying to play but Laura (my daughter) is having none of it.

The pup has bitten my son a bit too hard for his liking and he is weary of it.

She's an intelegent pup. I've got her to Sit, Up, Give me a paw, and stay already and we've only had her for 2 weeks. I've been training her for the past 3 days.

Few questions really....

1. When will she grow out of this biting?
2. Is there anything I can do in the meantime?

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Regards
VinceG

yes you can use the word NO, and give the pup a toy to chew
soon it will learn not to chew on the children but only on the chew toys

all puppies bite, you have to teach them what they can and can not bite on
hope this helps

Bonnie

Mouthing play is a very natural thing to puppies, it is instinct to them to do this. If you forbid your puppy to mouth play (at APPROPRIATE times obviously) then your puppy doesn't get feedback as to how to apply his jaw strength. And that puppy can grow up with a hard mouth. It is good to allow your puppy some play bitting at specifically set times (when YOU call playtime only) b/c they learn to keep a VERY soft mouth.

Ex- they want to play, they nip too hard... screech OUCH and turn away. they will learn over time, that if they are too rough, no more play. After a minute resume play again. As they get to be older move this play over to play things, but your pup has learned a VERY valuable lesson, a SOFT mouth.

As for play biting the kids, it is best at this age for you to watch over all interactions taking place and the minute that the mouthing starts, for you to take over and initiate the above mentioned practices. But not a punishment to the dog.

Remember, mouthing is completely natural to puppies, and to scold them for it is telling them to go against their nature, it is hard for them to understand. So instead try making it okay for the time being until your puppy learns a SOFT mouth, then with positive reinforcement, move the play over to play things and reward your pup for playing with the tug toys and etc.

BTW- very cute pup! I'm a shepard fan big time!

She will stop when you show her it displeases you, and you train her not to. and in the meantime work on showing your kids that she isnt doing it to be mean, she just doesnt understand that that play with humans is unacceptable

Yes the pup is a doll. I have to agree with the posts that you have already received, and there is nothing really I can add, just be diligent in your training and encourage your kids to help with the training as your dog when it does get older will sense their fear. Have fun with you pup

Keep other toys on hand to put in his mouth instead of you. I constantly need to have a toy with me for this reason. Slowly it's getting better, but I know teething is coming next with losing the baby teeth.

When she bites grab her tongue and inside her lower jaw with your thumb and hold on. Say a firm growling NO, then release her and give her a toy.

If you allow her to continue biting and mouthing inappropriate things it will only get worse. Make sure she has a lot of toys to chew.

Thanks for the replies people that's very encouraging. Can't wait to go to puppy class with her. It's going to be a family outing. Don't you just love that floppy ear

That's the right way to switch them over to a toy, so it's all positive reinforcement, rather than punishment and negativety. Which they don't understand anyway. Important too, to be careful at this age not to have too many toys around, a pup can't see the difference between his 10 toys and your expensive shoes. Keep it simple to set them up for success. Just a a toy or two so they can easily tell what is theirs.

Oh Lexus, how about giving them a sock to play with - oh no!!!!!

The first time my hubby walked into the room without his shoes on and only socks, it was attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh histarical!!! Hope the poor guy had a sence of humor!

Just make sure you stop it now. I had the same issues with Yukon adn everyone told me positive reinforcement and his chewing on my things went to biting people. Of course Yukon had some abuse issues too, but he needed a firm no, and then re directed. Positive reinforcement does not always work with gsd's but it is a good start.

Chi was an absolute beast when she was that age with the nipping. I did what was suggested by Lex and others... If she nipped too hard I would say "ow!" pretty loud, that always got her attention. Then I'd give her a toy. It took a lot of repetitions to get this down. I think that patience is the key. But you know (knock on wood here) not only did she learn to chew on her toys and not me, I think she learned to only chew on her toys. We've never had a problem with her chewing on shoes or my daughters toys. She'll steal them and prance through the house but she won't chew on them
My concern with grabbing her mouth, jaw, tongue is that she may completely associate you grabbing her mouth with punishment. That could really come back and haunt you in the future.

The absolute best thing that worked for my German shepherd pup and his crazy nipping-- isolation.

Every time he did it, I put him in there (big closet, another room, bathroom, etc.). The next time he did it I raised the time he was in there. Start from around 4 minutes. It worked for me...

Good luck!

It is punishment, that is the point. For every action there is a reaction. Good actions recieve cookies, pets, bad actions recieve a firm growling voice or something that makes them uncomfortable.

It never came back to haunt us, actually it made him a safe dog. We went from a dog that jumped on my daughter and grabbed her by the neck [ 20 stitches] to a dog that keeps his mouth shut near the kids. He is not submissive nor is he aggressive. He is a really nice friendly family dog.

I am not saying to beat the dog that is wrong but I am saying positive reinforcement is not the only answer.

BigDog: Isolation is an excellent idea, espically with a gsd, they are so family and one master orintated that isolation will mean something and that is a real punishment.

Yuck,
I understand what you are saying. I am glad that this method worked with Yukon. I just think that - especially with a pup so young - the least evasive methods should be used first, if they don't work then by all means search out other methods. Why punish a dog for something that he doesn't know he's doing wrong? Mouthing and nipping is part of puppy play, it is what teaches them bite inhibition in the pack and even how to work as a team to bring down a "kill" in the wild. He's not doing it to be bad or malicious, he's doing it because it's what dogs do. I just think that redirecting and teaching him what you expect of him first is the way to go.

I just hope it works because if not there can be some serious biting issues that are much harder to stop later. I know that one for sure because I have been there.

To Ruckus....from another thread that was sent to this one.....
Please don't think I am talking bad about your trainer. I don't know you or your trainer, just what you wrote. I don't like the advice (which you don't have to agree with, but since you posted, I am just giving my 2 cents). First off, puppies are puppies until about 2 years old. Biting and nipping is natural in the pack and puppy play. They are teething and don't understand like a 4 year old dog would. Putting bitter apple on certain things (like furniture, antiques, etc...is acceptable), but not on everything, your pup should have various toys to "teethe" on. When the toys get boring, they will then turn to you to bite on. Much more fun....haha.
What ever else your trainer is telling you, the cotton ball in the mouth with bitter apple is in NO way teaching your puppy not to do what is natural to him/her, which is teething. That is absurd. Sorry. You may want a second opinion from another trainer. (I also am an animal trainer). Bottom line, there is just no constructive, postive reason for the cotton ball thing, I am floored to even hear of that. Good luck to you and your baby.
Amy
__________________

Brilliant. thanks people.

I've also started training her and have been teaching her "off" and to let go of something she gets a reward. I think the isolation thing will work well too.

Here's a picture I took of her on the driveway yesterday.