6 month GSD problem/question

Zeus12 · 12-07-2011, 02:42 PM

So my German Shepherd puppy recently turned six months old. So far my wife and I have managed to train him very well -- he does what we ask without the incentive of a treat at this point, won't eat his food until we say it's okay to, etc... In general he seems very eager to please us. But we (more specifically, I) am having a problem with his biting.

I understand he is a puppy and should be biting and teething to an extent, but it's seeming rather excessive lately. This is the first dog my wife and I have owned, so I researched online what we can do. I found several techniques such as redirecting his attention to one of his toys, making him believe he is hurting me when he bites, applying a "rotten apple" spray we purchased from Petsmart... The list goes on. None of it seems to be working.

A few things to note; he used to be really big into chewing on the furniture and our socks and that sort of thing, but has done exceptionally well at avoiding those things the last two months. Although he still does chew on things he's not supposed to, his primary focus seems to be my hands and feet.

He also knows that what he's doing is bad, but doesn't seem to care. I'll scold him if a bite is especially bad and he'll back off for a minute, but then get right back to it.

Lastly, he bites me much more than my wife. She is more gentle with him than I am, which I can see being directly related, but he still bites us both.

So I guess what I'm really asking is is there a potential behavioral problem here, or am I just not utilizing anti-biting techniques enough?

Thanks for the help.

squeakermama · 12-07-2011, 03:07 PM

Hi. Well I think that for the most part it's normal to be "mouthy" at this age. Sometimes I find that puppies actually enjoy chewing after they get their adult teeth in, like they enjoy using the new pearly whites

But I understand that is not your issue with him though I do feel that is why this behavior is created. Some puppies began a habit of becoming mouthy to get attention and the behavior becomes ingrained and difficult to ignore. Though it's probably just to get attention, it can become a more dominate issue as the dog ages. My suggestion is to really work on stopping it now before it becomes more than it is now. I would suggest keeping a lead on at all times while around people and simply giving a tug and pull to stop it. I wouldn't even give a command at all while doing it. You could use a chain link collar to add some nice sound to help and get some attention while correcting. Keep in mind that it takes a lot of time and consistency to rid of a bad habit

Once training has begun it's wise not to give him an opportunity to get away with it again for a good long while, like a few weeks or so. So the lead well become a part of you and him. Once you see that he is consistant of not mouthing you can let up on using the lead. If he's a bit more stubborn, you could use an e collar but hate to suggest that one such a young pup. I would use a very light touch, just enough to get him to snap out of the behavior and move on. Again I think it's important that you never say a word just stop him from doing it. Most dogs do move away from this behavior and it just a part of development but if it seems to be happening more and more I would nip it in the bud. Best Regards.

PaddyD · 12-07-2011, 03:15 PM

This topic/problem has been addressed so many times in this forum that it should have its own heading. Search on biting and/or mouthing and you will see hundreds of threads with thousands of replies and suggestions.
All this is to say that your dog is (probably) normal. Nearly ALL of us went through it. I certainly did to the point where we sometimes thought of driving our puppy back to the breeder's in the middle of the night and tying her to their front door.
But we (nearly) all get past it. There are too many remedies to mention and you can
find them in your search. The most important things are patience and persistence without hitting or being too hard on the pup.
Good luck!!

NarysDad · 12-07-2011, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaddyD

The most important things are patience and persistence without hitting or being too hard on the pup.
Good luck!!

This is very important even though there are time he can really strike a nerve. We have all went thru these stages and it all part of raising a pup

12-07-2011, 02:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
Zeus12 New Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	6 month GSD problem/question So my German Shepherd puppy recently turned six months old. So far my wife and I have managed to train him very well -- he does what we ask without the incentive of a treat at this point, won't eat his food until we say it's okay to, etc... In general he seems very eager to please us. But we (more specifically, I) am having a problem with his biting. I understand he is a puppy and should be biting and teething to an extent, but it's seeming rather excessive lately. This is the first dog my wife and I have owned, so I researched online what we can do. I found several techniques such as redirecting his attention to one of his toys, making him believe he is hurting me when he bites, applying a "rotten apple" spray we purchased from Petsmart... The list goes on. None of it seems to be working. A few things to note; he used to be really big into chewing on the furniture and our socks and that sort of thing, but has done exceptionally well at avoiding those things the last two months. Although he still does chew on things he's not supposed to, his primary focus seems to be my hands and feet. He also knows that what he's doing is bad, but doesn't seem to care. I'll scold him if a bite is especially bad and he'll back off for a minute, but then get right back to it. Lastly, he bites me much more than my wife. She is more gentle with him than I am, which I can see being directly related, but he still bites us both. So I guess what I'm really asking is is there a potential behavioral problem here, or am I just not utilizing anti-biting techniques enough? Thanks for the help.

12-07-2011, 03:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
squeakermama Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Rockwall, Texas Posts: 28	Hi. Well I think that for the most part it's normal to be "mouthy" at this age. Sometimes I find that puppies actually enjoy chewing after they get their adult teeth in, like they enjoy using the new pearly whites But I understand that is not your issue with him though I do feel that is why this behavior is created. Some puppies began a habit of becoming mouthy to get attention and the behavior becomes ingrained and difficult to ignore. Though it's probably just to get attention, it can become a more dominate issue as the dog ages. My suggestion is to really work on stopping it now before it becomes more than it is now. I would suggest keeping a lead on at all times while around people and simply giving a tug and pull to stop it. I wouldn't even give a command at all while doing it. You could use a chain link collar to add some nice sound to help and get some attention while correcting. Keep in mind that it takes a lot of time and consistency to rid of a bad habit Once training has begun it's wise not to give him an opportunity to get away with it again for a good long while, like a few weeks or so. So the lead well become a part of you and him. Once you see that he is consistant of not mouthing you can let up on using the lead. If he's a bit more stubborn, you could use an e collar but hate to suggest that one such a young pup. I would use a very light touch, just enough to get him to snap out of the behavior and move on. Again I think it's important that you never say a word just stop him from doing it. Most dogs do move away from this behavior and it just a part of development but if it seems to be happening more and more I would nip it in the bud. Best Regards.

12-07-2011, 03:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
PaddyD Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MassaCHEWsetts Posts: 5,222	This topic/problem has been addressed so many times in this forum that it should have its own heading. Search on biting and/or mouthing and you will see hundreds of threads with thousands of replies and suggestions. All this is to say that your dog is (probably) normal. Nearly ALL of us went through it. I certainly did to the point where we sometimes thought of driving our puppy back to the breeder's in the middle of the night and tying her to their front door. But we (nearly) all get past it. There are too many remedies to mention and you can find them in your search. The most important things are patience and persistence without hitting or being too hard on the pup. Good luck!!

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