Timeout for my Land Shark

[Belmont]

My puppy is 7.5 weeks old, and here are the symptoms:

Odin: *bite*
Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! don't bite, I've said NOOOOOOO for the millionth time!
Odin: BUT I LOVE TO BITE! *bite*

Me: Here's a chew toy
Odin: I prefer skin *bite*

Me: *Ignores dog and walks away*
Odin: I've got your ankle, and I'm biting extra hard. Whatcha gonna do about it now? *bite*

Me: Thinks of a good timeout place that isn't the crate.... *light bulb* The Back Yard!
Me: I refer to him as "Shark" when he bites me and take him out
Me: Observes that the dog cries when I take him to the yard,
Me: He doesn't leave the door and scratches it for a few minutes, and he looks incredibly bored.

It's the 5th time that I've taken him out within the last 40 minutes, and it looks like he's now hesitating to bite when I let him in. Let's see how my 6th attempt for him to cool it on the biting works.

The funny thing is that he doesn't bite me or anyone whenever I walk him or when I driving. After 10-15 minutes of walking he tires out, and I have to carry him home, I imagine it's because he's only 7 weeks.

What do you all think?

[Belmont]

Took 10 tries, and now he's chewing on his toy instead of me! Success! I wonder if this will work if I try this out for a week.

I just know one thing. He hates being in the yard by himself.

[TrentL]

Hope your okay with potty runs because chances are he won't go out himself in the giant back punishment pen

[Sunflowers]

Yeah, now he will associate the yard with being banished.

[jae]

I found better luck wearing boots and jeans while completely ignoring my pup when he was sharking around; the second he backed off was an immediate reward - my attention, treats, happy voices.

[MaggieRoseLee]

Glad the yard is working but I wouldn't use it long term. If he starts getting used to the yard (as he matures and gets more independent) it's going to just be another fun place for him so no learning. Like sending your kid to their room as punishment and it's where their books, computer, tv and phone are....

Have you had a chance to look at (click ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...tips-heip.html ) for other hints and tips?

[Belmont]

My dog loves the yard... it's being alone in the yard that he dislikes, and he always gets a treat for going outside and doing his business.

He's not perfect yet when it comes to potty training, but he's only 8 weeks now. When I let him out of the crate, he knows to go outside... It's when I play with him extended hours, he forgets and just goes.

[Belmont]

O

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

Glad the yard is working but I wouldn't use it long term. If he starts getting used to the yard (as he matures and gets more independent) it's going to just be another fun place for him so no learning. Like sending your kid to their room as punishment and it's where their books, computer, tv and phone are....

Have you had a chance to look at (click ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...tips-heip.html ) for other hints and tips?

I've tried everything. I tried Caesar's grab his neck skin and tsssst from his latest book, I've tried the ouch method, I've tried ignoring him in which he just bites harder typically goes for my ankles, I've redirected him to toys, and he is relentless with wanting my skin. My arms and ankles are now chewed up and full of scabs.

When I do the neck skin grab or hold his mouth shut, he growls and shows his teeth to me in which I stare at his eyes until he looks the other way to show that he does not intimidate me. I'm trying to avoid this technique, but he doesn't let go of me unless I do this.

When he isn't in land shark mode, he's practically perfect. He sits and lays on command, he behaves well when I walk him, and he loves to socialize with other people.

I'm going to try the laundry room instead of the yard since potty training is a good point.

Also, I've thought of puppy school at Pet's Mart, but my Vet is against it. She said that even though all dogs are required to be vaccinated, all kinds of dogs enter the pet store that could potentially have parvo.

Not until he has like his third rounds of shots.

[Sunflowers]

Please read more on this forum.

Stop grabbing his muzzle right now. Doing this to a puppy and staring at him will do nothing but make him fear you. He is only 7 and a half weeks old! He growls and shows his teeth out of fear.

Play with your puppy, redirect the biting, and keep training. He will grow out of it, and until he does, have patience.

[gaia_bear]

Originally Posted by Belmont

O

I've tried everything. I tried Caesar's grab his neck skin and tsssst from his latest book, I've tried the ouch method, I've tried ignoring him in which he just bites harder typically goes for my ankles, I've redirected him to toys, and he is relentless with wanting my skin. My arms and ankles are now chewed up and full of scabs.

I had this problem with Gaia as well while she's now mostly past the mouthy landshark phase nothing worked with her, I never tried anything physical and I know it would have just amped her up most. Redirecting worked sometimes, the ouch and ignoring I never had much sucess with.

Instead of placing him in time out what I found worked best was leaving the room for 10-15 seconds and coming back. If she was calm when I came back she'd be rewarded with praise for not attacking me, after a couple of days of her play time abruplty ending she quickly changed her tune and started bringing her toys to me to play instead of thinking my hands/feet were play toys.

In my opinion, by removing him to another room/outside two things are happening, he's getting extra attention from you whether it's negative or not it's still attention and he's going to assoicate those areas as "bad" areas.