I like to mention this to folks because it often happens and then people think they’re not making headway when in fact they are about to achieve their goal with the behavior. She also tries to bite. When a German Shepherd is not properly trained, he might start to bite at strangers, visitors, and random household objects. I have trouble walking him, so to give him exercise I throw balls around and run him … (i have read so many books, i thought i had it all figured out? He was then put into a foster home by the shelter and then we adopted him after that. He bites her hands and feet and nips at her face when she tries to play with him. 4 or 5 sessions no more than a minute or 2 each throughout the day will help her learn that even when human limbs are in the vicinity of her mouth, they are not for nipping and biting. But if we have to we can go to a trainer. It keeps whining making sounds like mmm mmm mmm mmm . An aggressive 70-pound dog pouncing on you can get quite ugly fast. Hello, I just got a GS for my family for Christmas after much research, prayer and family voting! Only do this for 5 or 6 minutes in a few training sessions. Amazon has a bunch of good ones – I’ll drop some links below. It might be hard to resist their charm but mind this: when you stop playing with your German Shepherd the moment he nips or bites, he will understand and associate no play with biting. My question is what to do/say when she gets things (like the pee pads or the blanket on top of her crate) and she wants to play tug with them. To begin with you’ll need to find ways to limit the triggers in your boys surroundings and slowly (baby steps) get him used to them. See my recommendations below and work slowly at the pace he dictates, he’ll come around. My question to you is, how long have you spent working with your pup using one of these games? Eventually she slept after she chewed on one specific edible toy . We have done some (not enough) puppy training with a trainer. Especially before she gets too big and hard to handle. This is often where folks feel like they should change tactics and what they are doing is not working. My gsp is 4 1/2 months old and the biting is getting out of control and suggestions ??? It’s more towards my wife and not so much at me especially when she’s alone at home with him. Check out how your pup can show you what her favorite treats are. But teaching a dog to control something as natural as biting takes time and commitment. You don’t say how old your pup is but it sounds like he’s still young and wants to explore. Teach her to not be to hard on the two cats in fear of them getting harmed or scrathcing back at her … Thanks …Jessica. Hot weather can kill dogs. We did buy a shock collar as well to try and help me with the biting. Thank you Gabriella! We will take hime to off leash parks and in summer we will take him swimming all the time. In terms of jumping, my method is to stand dead still and ‘make like a tree’ and just wait it out. Should my son not play with him at the beach? . My first suggestion is to keep your pup from playing with your little one until she’s learned that human limbs are off limits. she is 8wks. Any suggestions in which I can curb her from being too rough with the kitties??? The program will take your girl from pre-school (the basics) all the way through to Einstein (tidying up her own toys). I tell you this so i can be transparent in asking for some advice and help and what to do next. Can you give me an idea of how you’ve worked with your boy up to now on leash walking? Over time, and from questions and emails I've received it's clear that for the regular German Shepherd owner it's not always obvious whether this method is causing more arousal or not. At 10 months, it would be a good idea to get him to understand what manners he needs to have when people are visiting. She is so excited to see them that as soon as they come across the gate (she is not allowed in the hallway or rooms until she is potty trained and not chewing on things) she nips their feet and legs and when they sit down to pet her she bites their hands. I defiantly will try the ouch and walking away when she bites my hands or fingers but what about feet? I know right now she’s sad because it sounds like petting him is getting him all excited and then he starts biting. And oh boy! But only if your persevere, stay positive and encourage your puppy. I also recommend using the nose touch and build-a-bridge game in this article on biting. If he’s grabbing them while you’re wearing them you can use the build-a-bridge’ method or you can teach him nose targeting. Unfortunately I don’t know much about raising a puppy so we let him roam in the Garden quit freely and sleep in the kitchen at night were he pooped and peed everywhere. So my bf and I got a two year old rescue german shepherd who was abused. My other favorite is the nose touch/targeting game which will work well for him since he’s bigger in size. To top it off, your German Shepherd puppy is from strong herding stock so chasing and ‘gathering' moving objects is pre-programmed into their genes. Alongside management, you can begin with training. She is getting pretty good with the Nose Targeting. German Shepherd dogs were originally bred for herding purposes, so they need to be kept occupied both mentally and physically and require at least 1-2 hours of exercise per day to make sure they aren’t bored stiff.. Her bitting issue is still there & now she’s been barking so say she bites me I will stop play time but then she will start barking and charge at me haha. It’s a force-free and science-based way to train and communicate with dogs. If she yelps or barks just ignore the behavior. Also, different things trigger drive in different dogs. It took a few weeks, though. A simple puzzle game with a muffin pan, plastic cups and a few treats will create a fun puzzle game. I will pull her off the bed and put her in her cage for time out for between 5-10 minutes. Keep at it until she has it down with you. And always be involved in your pup’s training. But that does not mean that a dog cannot be taught through positive experiences and training to accept new experiences, people, objects, and situations. I was just wondering if you had any advice on other things we could try. And thank you for your excellent articles. Our puppy is 10 weeks and we’ve had him since 3 days old. She knew nothing when I got her from humane. I suggest at least 4 to 5 sessions a day, of no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Even if she’s not nipping at your hubby or son, she still needs to learn that biting and nipping the limbs of any human are out of bounds. Feel free to drop any questions about the bite inhibition training I detailed in this post, I’m happy to help. When dogs are over their excitement threshold you could waive a piece of rare fillet steak at them and they wouldn’t even notice. I’ve shared this method in the comments to other readers with more detail so I’ll direct you them to read about it. Ignoring or encouraging biting behavior can lead to it spinning out of control. These are low excitement games. He will also throw temper tantrums where he’ll bite and latch on to whatever body part is closest. This breed is a medium-sized, short-coated dog that occurs in two main colour forms.It has either brown or black hair distributed fairly evenly through a white coat, which gives the appearance of a "red" or "blue" dog. And make it different to the command you’d give to get off something like furniture. German Shepherds have been my constant companions. I’ve taken him to puppy training class in hopes that would help but not at all. The videos are of methods I no longer recommend and I’ve not had a chance to make new ones. 1-Year Old: 1-year old German shepherds will have a slower metabolism. My advice is to start with the build-a-bridge game. It might not be the case here, but it’s worth finding out if there’s something you can use to protect his tummy and gut. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions either via email or the comments section. He needs to learn that when he offers a behavior you like, he gets something good. And as with all dog breeds, when they get older, many problems start to show. thanks in advance for any tips or tricks that you may have for me. If you keep at it, you’ll see results and you won’t regret it. Thank you so much!! She’ll need to have all 4 paws on the ground so she can eat them. I have a 2 year old nephew who lives at my house also and I just get so scared my dog is going to bite him cause he almost has before. Let me know if you have any other questions, I’m always around and happy to help. German Shepherds have extremely high prey drives, so they love anything that moves fast! And it sounds like you’re on the right track and know what you’re doing which is fantastic. Barks at me and still goes after feet try to put lead on andcshe bites your hand. His play bitting is very aggressive. And then, of course, there’s the trusty nose targeting that your puppy is already experienced with. I’ve had some porblems with my internet connection for a while and was not able to upload or email anything, hence my late reply to your comment. If she jumps up at your chest, back or sides, turn your upper body and face in the opposite direction. I would also highly recommend using an online training program that uses games to tap into our dog’s natural intelligence and teaches them how we would like them to behave. Thanks in advance. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Of course at the point where your pup nips, you will be withholding the treat and going back to the point in training where your pup did not nip. And also the nose touch. I have a 3 month gsd. I have a 13 week old german puppy that bites and bites hard to break skin I have been working with him daily, and have been following all of the advise. It’s going to take some time because puppies explore their worlds with their mouths, it’s a natural behavior you’re working on changing. There are different ways to stop your German Shepherd from biting or nipping. I have read all your suggestions about training him to stop biting with the games and I will try all of them. Your right the whole ouch thing doesn’t work along with the lip pinch thing the breeded told us to do, it just makes him go even harder. And you should use this method to teach her what you want. It sometimes means extra sensitivity to strangers starting at around 2 years old, as well. will she out grow this? Megan, I’m so pleased to hear that your pup is responding so well to the bite inhibition games! I am starting to think i need to give it back but i dont think it is fair on the dog and i already love this dog and i am just in general a person who finds solace with dogs. Get started with this as soon as possible, she’s already 6.5 kg and she’s going to grow larger and stronger. You can use any of the games in this article, they all work. These games really work. If your German Shepherd has been biting you then you’re probably wondering why and what to do about it. It means the behavior gets worse before it goes away. The potential for a German Shepherd to become aggressive begins at a young age. Thanks for your comment. 2) I’ve tried the first game you recommended with tossing the food over my legs. She gets bored of a game very quickly, and I’m running out of things to do with her. How do I get your course? We have tried the ouch method and it only seems to encourage him and makes him be demanding and bark. he can come out and tell her right away and she will stop. Feel free to check it out and drop any questions or comments, I’m always around to answer questions. A German shepherd who wants to kill you is absolutely going to be able to, unless you’re armed. I’ll certainly look into Goughnuts, they sound great. That was the first thing that came to my mind after reading your comment. I have a clicker and have been doing these with her but she’s still biting me a lot. You could cordon off a section of a room where he’s still part of the family by using a barrier like a play pen for dogs. I no longer recommend the ‘ouch’ method anymore. If at any point your pup turns to nip or bite, take a few steps back to the point where this was not happening and go forward from there again. I have an 8 week old GS, he likes to bite, a lot! And if she’s cottoned onto doing the unwanted behavior to get a treat, I’d definitely start introducing clicker training as soon as possible. I found with my pups the later I fed them the higher their energy levels when it’s bedtime. However, we give him TONS of toys – take him on 3 walks a day and have a quarter-acre yard for him to run around in. He will start actively losing his teeth from 14 weeks, so he’s probably already started feeling the irritating pain although he’s not started losing his milk teeth. The bottom line is you’ve got to keep at it. Check out this guide on crate training which will help him get over the whining phase. Third, is to say the same command, turn away from the dog and ignore him/her. It’s natural for him to get excited, but you can work with him to help him control his impulses and level out his excitement. Here’s a rundown and detailed review of the best chew toys for German Shepherds. What are you thoughts on that as well? Try them all out and pick one that works the best for you. But just until you’ve got a handle on his behavior. Do you know how to stay safe and still break up a dog fight? And it sounds like you’ve got a little of that in your situation too. We are finding it hard to train him. I am trying the method of putting my thumb under its tounge and finger under its chin but this encourages him once i have my hands out. Far from it, actually! I read your article but I have tried those methods and they don’t work – the barking just getting excessive and so does the biting. I’ve detailed the steps in this article. If we tell him “no” he starts to get more riled up and bites harder. hi, I have problem my puppy thor, he keep biting all need and sometimes ripping the wall from outside and biting me with skin. She likes to give kisses. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, high pitched yelping is not a smart way to teach bite inhibition. We took this german shepherd x labrador on because someone was trying to sell the dog because she could not look aftewr it. They only have a pecking order among themselves, not between themselves and humans. I really recommend having a look for a sturdy one with a gate for easy access. You’re absolutely right in wanting to get her on a set schedule. My favorite method is redirecting with toys. Thank-you so much Gabriella! And it’s like a time-out to help her slow her roll so she’s not in a puppy frenzy anymore. I also have small children who are being bit. It’s a program I use for all my pups and even rescue adult dogs. Then move on to the next pair. I have a family member who uses Wafarin and I know how easily bleeding starts and how difficult it is to stop. I love this program because it uses games to tap into our dog’s natural intelligence and this filter into naturally altering their behaviors in a positive way. The only time you withhold treats when teaching something is if your pup got it wrong. If you’re going to go the crate training route, I recommend starting over a weekend and letting your housemates know what you’re doing so that they can be prepared for any whining that might occur in the first few nights. I can’t stress enough how important it is to use this game first to get your pup used to hands, feet and arms in close proximity without wanting to nip at them. And the trainer who put it together is one of my dog training heroes. . And it’s all online, so you can start right away and train anywhere you like. It’ll be almost impossible for you to know what kind of bad experiences, so your best bet is to socialize, socialize and more socialization with people, other animals, and situations. But he is on full tilt all day and always biting. Crazy. We are trying to understand why, so we can fix it. Before we get to the how, we need to look at the why! The playpen keeps your pup from following you or grabbing onto your leg or foot – which happens often during bite inhibition training. and we’re so happy to have him to ourselves now to love unconditionally! You want your puppy to walk across your legs to retrieve the treat. But in my opinion, it works well only for pups that have a mellow character. I’ve got a few videos I made with my pup Lexi, I’ll pass them on to you using the email address you used to post this comment. And as with all dog breeds, when they get older, many problems start to show. So the work you’re putting in is disappearing. Worse with my daughter. Check out my recommendations here. Of course they can’t help that, I mean, a puppy is just sooo exciting! But breaking skin is a no-no. So I used that method. And one more question: is it important to teach him to stop biting fist and then teach him commands like sit etc? The build-a-bridge game is the one I always recommend first. But I’m not sure if these toys are safe for her. Since your puppy is still so young, I’d avoid trying the tug method to redirect from biting. So you’ve figured that’s only going to make her bite harder. I can’t stress enough how important it is for her to get used to having human limbs moving around. In fact you could train one of these games until Arya has mastered it and then teach the next game and then the next. And then start training him to do other things like hi-five, spinning in circles or anything else you’d like. And have you picked one game or are you changing from one to another? And by the sounds of things, what he’s got now is far better than what he’s ever had. If I put him up, when I let him out he gets excited and starts to bite. I can give this dog back to a 19 year old girl who lives with her grandmother in a few days with hardly any outside to play and with a girl who works two jobs, does not get to see him much at all and lives outside. I’ve tried literally every single method in the book and my GSD won’t listen! I know the theory behind it is to stimulate blood flow which some folks believe will encourage their ears to perk up. She bites all the time, has drawn blood a few times already. Just confirm here in a comment that you’re okay with me using your email address to email you outside of the comments. Thank You so much for the response! And there’s a good chance that she had some bad experiences with humans and probably other dogs too. First I was afraid for the dog to travel while he was eight weeks old , so I decided to buy the puppy and then have him wait where he was until he gets four months old so he is not as scared as he could’ve if I shipped him earlier . Sure, they know when it’s time (a built in clock like when it’s dinner time) but only I initiate. Thank you. They are great games for young pups and tend not to rev them up like toys would. Put your forefinger gently but firmly beneath your puppy’s chin. Thank you for the steps to stop puppy biting. Any questions – I’m here to help. She’s got to learn how to interact with you and your daughter and a very important part of that is bite inhibition. You will also have to be your dog’s leader and not a friend of the same level. When he starts biting your hand, say “No” immediately and pull your hand. But as many people who wrote here to you before we have the puppy biting problem! Give your GS treats as a reward whenever he learns something. But the nose touching game is pretty chilled out and you can make it more or less exciting by how fast you move, your body language and your voice. I’m going to get our puppy a playpen today and follow the method you shared with other owners in the comments. He is 4 months old when we adopted him from a rescue centre. As soon as her bum hits the ground you click to mark that’s what you want and reward her. When it comes to treats it’s the same principle. Never mind the fact that doing this to a puppy will cause life-long issues when it comes to human limbs near their face. Then after he’s awake he starts his biting. I’ve a 7 weeks GS puppy. And I’m sorry to hear that your pup is hurting your wife too. Speaking of dens, dogs are den animals and do need a place where they can go that’s theirs, so to speak. She will do this because she really wants you to come back. Is it possible that you can take 2 walks? The methods you’ve described like grabbing her snout, sticking thumbs in her mouth will freak Arya out. I know it doesn’t feel like it now but you’re going to have a ton of fun with her! I’ve written about my experience and opinions about the program. 2) You can try using the food as a lure to begin with for this game. Both of these have a ton of good information on how to successfully work with your pup in a no-force way. For German Shepherd puppies, nipping and biting is a game they love to play. When this happens where i am around, I step in between my GSD and kids/wife and he stops. It does work. But in the meantime, you can invite friends over to your home for her to meet and greet. Also, here are a few articles I urge you to read. We followed your above methods and they have worked extremely well. I’d recommend a Kong toy with some yummy organic peanut butter (no salt, sugar or artificial sweetners) – no puppy alive can resist peanut butter. Happy to help! We are starting puppy classes in a week as well. You can read about the dog pyramid I use here. One day he was exceptionally a good boy. I have a 14 week old gsd who is biting an older dog on the legs during play or to start play time, the biting is overly hard causing the older dog to yelp and limp. Every toy I get him he ruins. Boy, it sounds like you have your hands full there! How to Stop A German Shepherd Dog Biting. If your pup’s paws lift off the ground – no treats. I do not want to give him back as i know he would be my sons best friend in a couple of years and would be an exceptional dog. Even when children are a bit older I always recommend supervised interactions. It might not be this yet, but it will happen if you keep on with the training.