11 mo puppy biting

LyndsayBottichio · 01-04-2012, 10:59 AM

So I have a rescue dog who was a cruelty case. Didn't live in the house, didn't get human attention, wasn't around littermates...and subsequently was starved and tied to a chain outside where she became trapped and had to chew off one of her own back legs. Due to this...she has a lack of manners and appears to be going through a lot of puppy issues now, as an almost 1 year old dog...

The biting is the worst. I am an experienced GSD owner and this dog is making me want to beat my head on the wall. Have tried everything...toys, time outs, no's, holding lips against teeth...she always comes back for more. What is worse is that because she is a large dog and not a puppy, her biting is doing damage.

A lot of exercise is a limited option as well in my home because of her only having the one back leg....she is still getting used to this as they had to amputate the rest of the leg about 8 weeks ago. I cannot take her for extended walks (and its snowy/icy here) because her musculature is not ready for it. HELP!!

AthenaClimbs · 01-04-2012, 04:36 PM

How long have you had your pup? Trust in a new owner takes a while to build up, it'll take a lot of commitment on your part. Also, this is not just an issue of "lack of manners" your pup is in a perpetual fear stage and has every right to be weary. Right now, I would focus on building her trust and establishing a bond. Good news at this age, she could get better. Have you hired a private trainer? I would almost suggest a private consult before puppy classes. Unless you know how'd she react.

As far as exercise, do the best you can physically but try to wear her out mentally as well. Play games with her, such as tug or find it. How is her basic training?
Good luck with her and I admire that you decided to take in this pup.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 01-04-2012, 05:46 PM

You aware this is SO common in our breed we have a sticky on it? click this --> Puppy BITING!!! Teaching Bite Inhibition

We feel your pain. GSD's ARE worse than most other breeds. So you aren't going crazy.

General vast amounts of exercise. Tons of tug toys all over the house. TEACHING a new way to play and interact w/o the use of teeth.

AND DOG CLASSES!!!

LyndsayBottichio · 01-04-2012, 07:41 PM

I read the sticky, but it doesn't really help because we've tried all of that short of classes (I'm friends with a few trainers who are at a loss, too).

If she is fearful, she has an odd way of showing it...as its not fear biting...its definitely puppy biting like...play with me and I think this is the best way to do it. There are rope and tug toys EVERYWHERE which she does enjoy playing with...but that doesn't seem to stop or help the issue. She also likes to play bite when she is trying to get attention...which is frequent. If you tell her no, she likes to bark in your face (which everyone ignores including my older dog) and eventually tires of that...but I cannot ignore a mouth full of teeth.

She's a handful because of her past, but its worth it. When she is sweet, she is super sweet...and when she is naughty, she only does it because she doesn't know better...yet. Its just harder to manage some of the puppy issues when she is the size of an adult dog...but others have come off super easy. Already housebroken, has learned sit and down, working on stay pretty well...but it all goes out the window with the biting. She just gets this overwhelming urge to play bite and then she forgets she knows anything.

RocketDog · 01-04-2012, 09:10 PM

Seriously keep a tug toy or a soft stuffed toy on you at all times. I do think, IF you can stand it, that FREEZING, then turning around when she lets go and ignoring her for a minute is your best route, but engaging her EVERY time with a toy too, will help her understand that she plays with TOYS, not your skin/arms/legs.

Good luck, kudos to you and she is a very lucky girl.

01-04-2012, 10:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
LyndsayBottichio Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Worthington, OH Posts: 28	11 mo puppy biting So I have a rescue dog who was a cruelty case. Didn't live in the house, didn't get human attention, wasn't around littermates...and subsequently was starved and tied to a chain outside where she became trapped and had to chew off one of her own back legs. Due to this...she has a lack of manners and appears to be going through a lot of puppy issues now, as an almost 1 year old dog... The biting is the worst. I am an experienced GSD owner and this dog is making me want to beat my head on the wall. Have tried everything...toys, time outs, no's, holding lips against teeth...she always comes back for more. What is worse is that because she is a large dog and not a puppy, her biting is doing damage. A lot of exercise is a limited option as well in my home because of her only having the one back leg....she is still getting used to this as they had to amputate the rest of the leg about 8 weeks ago. I cannot take her for extended walks (and its snowy/icy here) because her musculature is not ready for it. HELP!!

01-04-2012, 04:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
AthenaClimbs Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 137	How long have you had your pup? Trust in a new owner takes a while to build up, it'll take a lot of commitment on your part. Also, this is not just an issue of "lack of manners" your pup is in a perpetual fear stage and has every right to be weary. Right now, I would focus on building her trust and establishing a bond. Good news at this age, she could get better. Have you hired a private trainer? I would almost suggest a private consult before puppy classes. Unless you know how'd she react. As far as exercise, do the best you can physically but try to wear her out mentally as well. Play games with her, such as tug or find it. How is her basic training? Good luck with her and I admire that you decided to take in this pup. __________________ Athena 6.09.2011

01-04-2012, 05:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,215	You aware this is SO common in our breed we have a sticky on it? click this --> Puppy BITING!!! Teaching Bite Inhibition We feel your pain. GSD's ARE worse than most other breeds. So you aren't going crazy. General vast amounts of exercise. Tons of tug toys all over the house. TEACHING a new way to play and interact w/o the use of teeth. AND DOG CLASSES!!! __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde*

01-04-2012, 07:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
LyndsayBottichio Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Worthington, OH Posts: 28	I read the sticky, but it doesn't really help because we've tried all of that short of classes (I'm friends with a few trainers who are at a loss, too). If she is fearful, she has an odd way of showing it...as its not fear biting...its definitely puppy biting like...play with me and I think this is the best way to do it. There are rope and tug toys EVERYWHERE which she does enjoy playing with...but that doesn't seem to stop or help the issue. She also likes to play bite when she is trying to get attention...which is frequent. If you tell her no, she likes to bark in your face (which everyone ignores including my older dog) and eventually tires of that...but I cannot ignore a mouth full of teeth. She's a handful because of her past, but its worth it. When she is sweet, she is super sweet...and when she is naughty, she only does it because she doesn't know better...yet. Its just harder to manage some of the puppy issues when she is the size of an adult dog...but others have come off super easy. Already housebroken, has learned sit and down, working on stay pretty well...but it all goes out the window with the biting. She just gets this overwhelming urge to play bite and then she forgets she knows anything.

01-04-2012, 09:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
RocketDog Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 1,270	Seriously keep a tug toy or a soft stuffed toy on you at all times. I do think, IF you can stand it, that FREEZING, then turning around when she lets go and ignoring her for a minute is your best route, but engaging her EVERY time with a toy too, will help her understand that she plays with TOYS, not your skin/arms/legs. Good luck, kudos to you and she is a very lucky girl.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement