[Shepmom531]

We have a sweet 19 month old girl. We have had her since 7 weeks old. So far, she has done fairly well with training / obedience. She has mellowed out in the past 2-3 months. BUT, here recently, if I give ANY attention to any person or God forbid even my phone, she nips at me and barks at me. This is especially true if my daughters dog (with whom she plays with quite nicely) seeks my attention by wanting to sit next to me. My dog goes crazy. She has never been this way. Why is she doing this all of a sudden? *she doesn’t growl, bite, or become aggressive with others, but I take this matter serious as she nips my hands pulling on me and yes… it hurts!

 

[Buckelke]

teenagers!

 

[peachygeorgia]

Put her in a place stay or correct her so she knows its unacceptable

 

[Shepmom531]

Put her in a place stay or correct her so she knows its unacceptable

I’ve tried to put her in her “place” (bed) but this girl is STUBBORN. I’m just not sure WHY she is doing this.

 

[tim_s_adams]

Testing boundaries is an age-related thing. They ALL do it...

 

[WNGD]

How are you correcting it so that it doesn't happen the 2nd or 3rd time? Don't allow it.
It's not unusual for a 5-6-7 month old dog to test limits and even regress but this is too old for jealousy/resource guarding or nipping

 

[Shepmom531]

How are you correcting it so that it doesn't happen the 2nd or 3rd time? Don't allow it.
It's not unusual for a 5-6-7 month old dog to test limits and even regress but this is too old for jealousy/resource guarding or nipping

I put her back in place, correct verbally. She understands I won’t tolerate it, but then she gets jealous again and again. Usually, I thought they would get nippy with other dogs or people, but that’s not the case. She nips me if mouths my hand and pulls away. Then barks at me. That’s when I correct her.

 

[SFury]

Just keep correcting the behavior. Things will improve in time. All puppies have certain life stages where they regress to test boundaries.

 

[Shepmom531]

Just keep correcting the behavior. Things will improve in time. All puppies have certain life stages where they regress to test boundaries.

She is 19 months…. Ugh…. Hoping it gets better!!

 

[jarn]

I dunno, at 19 months and continuing behaviour, I think I'd be looking at more than a verbal correction if this is happening over and over again (look at me talking like my dogs are well-behaved haha). Can you give her a leash correction when this happens (even if it means she wears a leash in the house for a little bit)?

 

[Shepmom531]

I dunno, at 19 months and continuing behaviour, I think I'd be looking at more than a verbal correction if this is happening over and over again (look at me talking like my dogs are well-behaved haha). Can you give her a leash correction when this happens (even if it means she wears a leash in the house for a little bit)?

That's a great idea!

 

[jarn]

That's a great idea!

Inspired by something I think it was @WNGD said once (to me) - one hard correction is better than a thousand nagging ones. He's 100% right on that.

 

[Shepmom531]

Inspired by something I think it was @WNGD said once (to me) - one hard correction is better than a thousand nagging ones. He's 100% right on that.

I love that!!!!!

 

[WNGD]

I put her back in place, correct verbally. She understands I won’t tolerate it, but then she gets jealous again and again. Usually, I thought they would get nippy with other dogs or people, but that’s not the case. She nips me if mouths my hand and pulls away. Then barks at me. That’s when I correct her.

If "she understands" up the correction until it's meaningful. No teeth on me the 2nd time. Immediately no anger and move to obedience. Then fun.

 

[Sunflowers]

She has reached the teenage butthead stage and is testing the boundaries.

She needs corrections for this behavior. It is resource guarding, and is unacceptable. As soon as she does this, she loses what she wants (aka you.)
As was said above, place command is very useful.

 

[Emilia C]

I’ve tried to put her in her “place” (bed) but this girl is STUBBORN. I’m just not sure WHY she is doing this.

If she ignores your place command do a follow through get the leash and collar and put her on her bed she needs to understand you are the leader of the household and what you say goes ,that the bed is not a choice it’s a command and if there is no follow through with that command a gsd will try to get away with it. Use a collar and a leash if gsd ignores bed/place command still put it on bed/place by leash and collar and do more bed place training under different scenarios.

 

[Sunflowers]

I’ve tried to put her in her “place” (bed) but this girl is STUBBORN. I’m just not sure WHY she is doing this.

Because you are not communicating that you mean business, and your corrections are not enough to make her behave.
She doesn’t respect you.

 

[SMcN]

Perhaps get the collar and leash on in scenarios where this typically happens BEFORE it happens. You don't want to be chasing her around the room to try to get the collar/leash on after the transgression. The correction will be way too late.

Yes, this is resource guarding. Yes, this can/will escalate if you don't finalize it sooner rather than later. Yes, she is blowing you off. Not something you want a GSD to be comfortable doing.

I also liked @WNGD's description of correction, immediately go neutral (don't hold onto your anger or frustration) and then have fun. When the pups do something annoying it is very easy to have missed the first couple of transgressions until it builds to a point where something painful happens. THEN you are angry (yes, speaking from personal experience here). Apply the correction, but then immediately let go of the anger/frustration and respond to their compliance with whatever is appropriate for you and your pup.