The main problem is that you got him at six weeks. Puppies should stay with their mom and littermates until minimum 8 weeks, they learn a lot of social skills in that time, including bite-inhibition. Even then, puppies will bite a lot and it takes time and patience to teach them otherwise. So getting a GSD so young, your work and patience needs to quadruple to help him catch up on all the developmental disadvantages he started his new life with.

Yes, lineage, and the parents' temperament and personality are inherited. He may be more like his mom, more like his dad, or a balanced mix of both. However, you should not think of puppy biting as aggression, nor should you deal with it as aggression. In puppies it is nothing but play and exploratory behaviour, and is needed for their normal development.

There are a lot of threads about puppy biting and puppy "aggression" if you want to read a few more posts about how to deal with the bitey stage. They do apply to your situation too. Puppy just does not know that this kind of biting and holding on is painful, to pup this is normal play. You will have re-program him to play in more acceptable manner. Always have a TON of toys, tug toys lying around, and at hand. puppy wants to bite, play tug, shove toy in mouth and play!!! Over and over and over again. A zillion times a day. Reprograming a puppy brain takes time and work, especially on that was separated from mom too soon!

Be ready to have arms, hands, clothes shredded. Normal. Biting stage is over around six months old - so like I said, LOTS of patience! Regardless of what you read on the internet about puppies being aggresive and trying to be dominant, it does not apply to your relationship with him. It may if left to figure out his place with his littermates, but he is not with littermates anymore, and he knows it! You are a benevolent magical giant that provides all good things in his life, and he will respect you for it. The biting (sorry about your wife's ear, I can just imagine how painful that was!) is play for him, NOT an attempt to overthrow the government!!! He would have learnt more self control had he been left with his littermates a bit longer, but too late for that now. He will still be okay, but you and your wife are in for a bit of a rough time!

 

Ohhh, I wouldn't lay down with my puppy!! He would do that for sure!!

I doubt this is aggression. There are lots of current and old threads about our loverly alligator puppies on this board.

I guess it is a shock to folks not expecting it. We just redirected to a toy, put in pen, played out side, put in crate... all sorts of creative things to busy or contain the "killa pup". You can harm your pup and damage your relationship if you take the wrong tactics and the wrong understanding of this normal behavior.

Please don't put your head down around the alligator baby! I have seen all lines of GSD puppies bite more than your other breeds of pup. The drivier pups bite more.

When my new pup started ripping clothes, grabbing arms and legs, causing that feeling of warm blood to run into my shoe... I knew he was a good one. Don't be mistaken, this pup is very attached to us and I can tell he will grow into a great companion. This puppy biting is not about that at all. Now that teething is over, it doesn't happen very often.

You can begin to work with your little pup to learn behaviors. Small soft treats to lure sits and downs. Calling him to you for treats, etc. This will begin to establish the relationship of working with you. Once your pup is old enough to have learned "sit" well, then you begin to ask for that sit before the pup gets things like his food or toy etc. This starts to establish things for your puppy though "sit to say please". Of course, this takes time and gently working as the pup has a baby brain rignt now.

 

German Shepherd puppies are very mouthy. This is not aggression at all at this age. It is how they play and explore the world. Usually their mothers teach them bite inhibition. When they bite their litter mates to rough in play of offended pup yelps and walks away so the rambunctious pup learns to tone it down a bit if he wants his litter mates to play. If he bites mama too hard she will growl and give him a scruff shake. If the pups leave their mothers before 8 weeks they may not have learned bite inhibition and we have to help help them. You can try substituting a chew toy, saying "ow" in a growly tone and then ignoring the pup for a second. Always show them with praise when they are gently mouthing. There is a lot of info on this site if you do a search on "mouthing" Do not mistake this for dominance or aggression. At 7 weeks it is sheer play for the pup, though not for you!

None of the suggestions worked perfectly for me but the mouthing stage passes. From 7 - 12 weeks Benny grabbed and sometimes tore pant legs, constantly latched onto my legs and those of family members who nicknamed him "Jaws". When we told him No or walked away he just thought we were playing and latched on harder, sometimes growling. After about 14 weeks the mouthing began to decrease and now at 6 months Benny plays very gently.

 

i agree.....

also, want to add that it would be a very important step to take him to puppy class between as soon as he gets all his shots which is usually at 12-15 weeks. he will learn alot by interacting with the puppies alot about biting, etc.

 

Not all tactics work with all pups. That "no" or squeal "owww" thing really wound ours up. With a look of glee he reared back and came in harder. They think you really like this playing stuff!

This actually isn't bad behavior. It is not a bad sign. It is normal. My friend who rescued a GSd pup recently had no idea. The pup she got was rather mild mannered and still her arms looked a fright. She came to me wide eyed-----how do you shepherd people do this?!!

 

I have yet to have a GSD puppy that hasn't drawn blood...so I'm inclined to say it's pretty normal. I usually get caught in the legs or the hands though.

They have to learn that it's not acceptable to play that way with people. All I usually do is reinforce playing with toys and keeping toys in their mouth and ignoring/walking away/time-out if they get too rough with my person. Puppy are teeth are really sharp, usually by the time they get their adult teeth they have grown out of that stage and have also learned that I don't play that way.

 

Try to reassure your child the puppy is just a wee wee baby and doesn't know what it did. Try to educate your child to be aware of the nipping. And watch your noses when holding it! I got a nip in the nose once........

It is not uncommon for a puppy that age to be seen *hanging* by its teeth off of its mother's neck. Like the people above have mentioned, the mother corrects this.

The breeder should have kept the pups a bit longer.

Try to never ever get down to the puppies level. They see you as a litter mate when you are down there.

 

The bright side is you are walking the puppy!!!!!!!!

 

Quote: It is not uncommon for a puppy that age to be seen *hanging* by its teeth off of its mother's neck. Like the people above have mentioned, the mother corrects this.

check if there are any photos still around of Halo hanging off Keefer's neck - almost every pic that Cassidy's Mom took of Halo & Keefer together, showed Halo attached to some part of Keefer: many adult dogs are very tolerant of puppy antics.

 

So many psycho puppy threads lately ...

 

Originally Posted By: CKThe bright side is you are walking the puppy!!!!!!!!

Except the puppy is 7 weeks and how many shots---I know, I can't stop myself---parvo...

Welcome to the board and enjoy your puppy! They grow up way too fast. Use positive methods (adult dogs do this as well) of ignoring and replacing the thing that they want to bite with something appropriate. If you know someone with REALLY good adult dogs who are used to puppies, and who are healthy, they are truly the best teachers and can teach in one hour what takes us weeks. But the goal is not to have a puppy who doesn't bite, but one who understands what biting is, what bite pressure is, and who gets that you don't do it even if you want to.

(psycho puppy: http://www.bigpawsonly.com/dog-images/psycho-dog.jpg )

 

I'm getting my puppy next friday. Watch - it's will be just my luck I am going to get the one who doesn't bite. If that happens, the breeder got some explainin' to do GRRRRR

 

I know, I can't stop myself---parvo..

Maybe our climate protects us here in Canada or something, but I wouldn't let nuclear war stop me from walking my puppy! Mind you, I am picky about what and who my puppies sniff! You guys must have had bad luck with parvo.

Without malice or mace or being a smart butt.

Worms worry me more. I have shared that problem with dogs! More than once. Always a rescue too! *sigh* Rescues , they were still worth it!

The sooner on a leash the better. Not that I am trying to pick a fight. I just know when I have got rescues, PB 2 or 3 year old wild things, The leash was the enemy. I have one arm longer than the other to prove it! Where as an 8 week old puppy...... those are the best leash walkers!!!

Again, personal choice.

 

Originally Posted By: Alto

Quote: It is not uncommon for a puppy that age to be seen *hanging* by its teeth off of its mother's neck. Like the people above have mentioned, the mother corrects this.

check if there are any photos still around of Halo hanging off Keefer's neck - almost every pic that Cassidy's Mom took of Halo & Keefer together, showed Halo attached to some part of Keefer: many adult dogs are very tolerant of puppy antics.

 

Thank You

 

A pic is worth a thousand words! And puppy teeth hurt! Anyone every find a puppy tooth? That fall out? I swear they have a tooth fairy!

 

I agree with everyone that says this is normal puppy stuff.

When mine start nipping or mouthing, I stand up, puppy on the floor and stop the game. If they latch on to my legging in an evil attempt to salvage the play, I will pick them up and put them on the other side of a baby gate or x-pen. The GAME has to stop. (I do not punish puppies by crating them.) Actually, I am not punishing, I am removing myself from the situation.

I do use the words, "Gentle" or "Don't hurt the Susie." If they ease up I praise them, then I redirect their little chompers onto something they can chew on.

Good luck, and do sign up for puppy classes.

 

Thanks for the help everyone, this was all very helpful. It is unfortunate that we got him early as mentioned. Partly our error for not doing a little research, we just went on the breeders word.

Happy to know this is normal. Other than this he's a smart little puppy. He's sitting on command now and starting to figure out how to play fetch. We have a cat who plays fetch and she's teaching him the ropes. He plays very nice with them and never bites. He seems good with other dogs on his walks as well. It was amusing, he peed himself when a poodle dog came over to say hi today. In his defense the owner had him dressed up for Halloween as a doll and was quite funny looking.

Thanks again for all the comments, it's very helpful!

 

Good puppy! Now we need pictures!

 

Here are a couple pictures of baby Nootka on the day we first brought him home.

 

That is a great looking puppy!

 

I don't feel I can add anything that others haven alrady stated, but out of curiosity...why did you get a dog in which on parent is known "aggressive" and what do you mean by that?

 

Gorgeous pup...A real looker!

I've gotta admit, I'm also curious as to why you'd take a pup where one parent is aggressive. Even if you wanted an aggressive dog, wouldn't you prefer that both parents were aggressive? I'm also curious as to exactly how was the father dog aggressive???

 

don't fret. my GSD pups were very bitey. My mutts never. I got three of my dogs at six weeks, it won't ruin them for life. he is not too young to start simple commands like sit. when he gets older enroll in puppy class and find a puppy friend. beautiful baby. I literally have scars on my face from Paige as a pup .

 

PS not all dogs have perfect breeding. he was born and he is here now and what you need is good training.