8mo old BITING butt and hands social aggression, playful but getting worse

[cliffson1]

You don't ignore this type of behavior, it sends the wrong message to the dog; as you are experiencing. There are some behaviors this strategy may work for, but biting you is NEVER acceptable....it's not your fault cause its hard to differentiate between experienced advice, and works for a couple dogs advice, until you see it is ineffective. Go see somebody and leave us Internet experts alone for this problem!

[RocketDog]

LOL, yes cliff is absolutely right.

It did not take my dog 3 times, nor did he bite me that many times.

Guess I shouldn't have said anything!

[qbchottu]

Originally Posted by cliffson1

Go see somebody and leave us Internet experts alone for this problem!

Best advice so far on this thread.

[Blanketback]

Don't listen to me either, because your dog obviously doesn't understand that "NO" means "Cut it out". I'm sorry that it's so confusing, but just think how confusing it is for your dog too. A good trainer is in order, long drive or not. Are there closer vet clinics that might recommend someone? Someone that knows GSDs?

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted by mbpunt

Thanks for all the advice. I'll see what I can do about q trainer. Here's to ignoring: this morning was a terror. Getting worse. He lunged, growled, bit me about 7 times front and back while I completely ignored him then walked away. Second time, he did same thing as I was walking. I proceeded to make no physical gesture, and repeated NO like a stuck record. This did not work (I wont be doing that anymore). Third time he did same things. I again completely ignored and walked away... Really not awesome ignoring this...he's still doing it. But I'll keep trying this method for awhile -- that is if I don't go crazy first

I wouldn't be ignoring an 8 month old dog lunging, growling, and biting me! What might work to teach a mouthy 8 week old puppy how to and how not to interact with you isn't the best strategy to deal with what sounds like a pretty serious behavior issue in an 8 month old once that behavior is already firmly entrenched.

I don't care how far you are from a decent trainer. This has been going on WAY too long, and you need experienced help.

[mbpunt]

Sorry for double post

[KentuckyGSDLover]

This sounds like normal juvenile GSD behavior that you're going to have to consistently work with. The butt-biting and hand-mouthing as the dog comes up behind you is a form of herding, and you're just going to have to teach him he's not allowed to herd you. When your dog does this, stop everything completely, tell him no, make him sit and not get up until you give the okay command (whatever your okay command is - mine is literally "okay"). Do it EVERY SINGLE TIME and mean it. He'll get it after consistent repetitions, if you stay consistent. The tooth getting hung on the forehead also sounds like juvenile rambunctiousness.

[KentuckyGSDLover]

Originally Posted by mbpunt

Thanks for the advice. This morning was a terror. Here's to ignoring: he lunged, growled, and bit me front and back about 7 times while i ignored him completely then walked away. Second time, he did the same thing. I made no physical gestures, repeated NO every time he bit like a stuck record (this of course does not work). The third time, I completely ignored again


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Ah, I didn't see this lunge, growl and biting one that was posted later. No, this is not what I thought it was from the original post, but more serious and it sounds like you need help with a trainer.

[*Lisa*]

I agree with everyone. Go and see the help of a trainer.

Our 11 month old girl was doing this to me (minus the butt-biting). When I'd tell her a command, or request her to do something, and she didn't agree, she'd bark and nip at me. It wasn't aggressive, but to her was play, but it hurt. She wasn't understanding what I was wanting from her. At 65 pounds, and I'm about 130 pounds, this was very far from cute puppy behaviour. I was being bruised. Ignoring only annoyed/agitated her further and she'd try even harder to get a reaction from me.

We're seeing a trainer, and so far, we've had fantastic outcomes. Jazmyn needed to learn to respect me more, and to do so, her free time was taken away and NILIF runs her life. She is crated at all times, except for when we are working with her on obedience, playing with/exercising her and for bathroom breaks. She needed to learn that I was not a toy, but a source of all good things in her life. In just over a month, we have had huge improvement, and having had a barking/nipping incident (this is no longer tolerated, and would be immediate grounds for going back in her crate).

Jazmyn mouths (can be soft or hard) when I put on her leash or grab her collar. If she does this, I stop and ignore her for a few minutes, then try again. If she's out playing, and she mouths or ignores a command, back into the crate she goes (positively, not in anger).

It's a long process, and it isn't easy, but it's been working. A trainer can help create some structure for you to help with these things. Understanding what is/isn't acceptable, building respect and working on our bond has helped a lot in our case.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by mbpunt

Jakota, yes to everythin and positive attention.

Jag, Each day I'd say he gets an hour to 2 hours of exercise consisting of fetch, find the bone outside, and just plain runnin around outside. We live in country. He doesn't leave the yard. He is an indoor dog. We work full time during the week. So he stays in mud room with his kennel door open. This can be 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Sometimes less. Sometimes one of us comes home for lunch. I always have bones for him and chew toys. Some are always available (like his stuffed animals). Bones he has to work for. So when we are home we don't use the crate much as he has already been hangin in mud room for the day. Wish it wasn't this way but it is what it is.

So if everything I'm doing is wrong, what's right. Seems all even the days with lots of fun things and mental and physical stimulation don't change the biting and acting in control. So then what?
And of course he has good moments and days, but I'm nor as concerned about those..
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Hi! Do not get the feeling that "everyting that you do is wrong" - it isn't!

Don't blame yourself for your dog "biting" you like he does. MANY GSD's are very mouthy and love to use their mouths with their owners. The trick is to teach them when, where and how it mght be acceptable.

Unless you are willing to use CONSIDERABLE force to correct him (and I do not recommend it at all for a puppy who clearly is trying to get you or hubby to play with him); do not use force of any type to correct the behavior as he is very likely to consider you just escalating the physical game!

Redirect him, take away as many opportunities for the bad behavior, and one thing that worked for our very rough playing male GSD was to use the "OW" verbal thing when he did it and then we would ignore him totally (very difficult to do when he is being so cute usually!).

BTW, our now 5yo guy will still try sometimes to grab our hand when we are walking along and he loves to play VERY rough (some neighbors think he is viscious even with us!) when we get him going.

And as a puppy my sister in law came to visit and was playing with him and he got a little rough (about 5 mo) and she got irritated and pushed him with both hands - "WOW" "FUN" you could just see these words in his little doggy brain and he roared and tried so hard to jump on her! We didn't let him, but it was obvious that he thought it would be great to play rough with her!

And today he is so under control that I have a trick with him in that I let him take a 1" long biscuit right from between my lips as I bend down to him!

You ought to see the reaction from people!

So hang in there and keep working with your puppy - this is a fixable behavior!