Saying Hello and help with an ill-mannered puppy?

[whiskey_n_rye]

Originally Posted by Pat4dogs

Behavior is not really my field, but 3 months is just 12 weeks. Heck, he still had his puppy teeth. I have let dogs chomp on my arms because like you said he isn't bearing down and all of mine have grown out of it. One other thing I might mention is GSDs are scary smart dogs. So that said, I think you might be expecting a little too much from this pup. His attention span isn't that long so actively training might be an exercise in futility. My vet told me to put my pups in a baby hold. In your arm belly up. You hold them firm for about a minute, then let them go. He might be too big for that now though. But over all, I think you are doing fine by him. Since he hasn't had all his shots yet, I would avoid interaction with other dogs, but after that you might consider letting him around other dogs to help with the socialization and the other dogs will teach him a thing or two

Well, I definitely don't expect perfection since he is still such a baby.
My main concern with the biting was is this just normal GSD/puppy behavior that he will grow out of, or should I be actively discouraging it? Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this subject. Some say its just puppy behavior that he'll grow out of, and others say that its a dangerous thing to allow because a puppy that bites will be an adult that bites. A puppy bite, while painful, isn't nearly as damaging as an adult GSD's 238psi scissor bite.

At this point I'm going to chalk it up to being a puppy as well as a rather stubborn little booger. He doesn't chomp down to hurt me, he just doesn't quite realize that regardless, I dont want any piercings on my forearms and ankles lol

Most of the dogs he associates with are dogs I already know, friends' and family's animals that I know are healthy, as well as my husband's miniature wiener dog. I do take the vaccinations into consideration, though. I don't let him play with just any old dog that wanders by, guess I should have clarified that before.

[whiskey_n_rye]

Originally Posted by Typhoon

One thing I did think of, GSD's are very territorial. One of the fun things for me bringing a new puppy home has always been watching him first become accustomed to his new surroundings, then slowly making them his own.

I've known pups to always be very tentative in new surroundings...and it might just be worth remembering he's more than a little out of the typical GSD element by being a Gypsy. Wouldn't be out of the question that that could cause him to act up from time to time.

I do agree with that. He has been in the same truck with me since I got him and I do think he associates it with "home." But it isn't the environment in which anyone would generally raise a dog.

I'm hoping to come off the road and find a local job soon. Wish me luck on that because I'm tired of being away from home as much as he is!

[whiskey_n_rye]

Just figured I'd give a quick update for anyone following or reading this thread.
Rye is now almost 4 months old and we've definitely made some improvements in his behavior. The older he gets, the more of an understanding he and I come to about the boundaries and rules of this canine-human relationship.

He still bites, but its become very obvious that its not a bite meant to hurt, but rather a playful "mouthing" which I also attribute to him being in that terrible teething stage. It does become annoying at times when I want to pet him and he immediately puts his mouth on me, but he's learning, slowly but surely. Having read other posts and researched, I'm plenty sure he'll grow out of it. His bite inhibition is very good, but his teeth are still dang sharp!!

One HUGE tool that has really improved our lives is the e-collar. I know many people HATE this tool, but in my particular situation it works wonders. Unfortunately, on-leash walks weren't cutting the mustard anymore for his exercise needs. Since investing in the SportDog 105S E-collar, he is able to be allowed off leash in rest areas, and large open grassy spaces that are not fenced in.
Its worth mentioning, that he already listens quite well off-leash for a 4 month old puppy. The reason that I went ahead and began using the collar is to give myself peace of mind when I let him off leash because if he gets a wild hair in his butt and decides mom is less important than person/dog/squirrel/random leaf blown down the road, I can't catch him anymore....he's too darn fast. I put it on a low stimulation setting and if he is refusing to listen to a recall command, its great for redirecting his attention. I've rarely had to actually push the button: a sharp whistle or recall command is 98% of the time, enough to get him running back full speed.

So....we are still in puppy mode...aka psycho dog mode....but we're getting better all the time and I see a long and beautiful friendship blooming between us

Disclaimer: for those who think the collar is abusive/cruel/mean etc...I have shocked myself on the highest setting before and this particular model isn't very bad at all....