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How To Stop Your German Shepherd From Biting

Dont React To Biting By Playing Back

How To Stop Your GERMAN SHEPHERD BITING

If you want your German Shepherd puppy to stop biting you, dont react back to them when they nip. I made this mistake with my own puppy, as would push him away playfully, but that just encouraged the biting more.

I think its because you are mirroring the fun back to them and reacting in a playful way. They will want more of the play, so will bite back again.

How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy To Stop Biting

Use treats for positive reinforcement.

When your puppy does something wrong, give him a pre-selected command to express that you are not happy with what hes doing. A simple no will do the trick.

When he responds favorably, give him treats, pet him or allow him to have time with his toy. This response is much better than raising your voice or using other unfavorable training methods that only serve to make the dog resent you.

If youre still having behavioral issues, theres a better than average chance that youre not giving your dog enough exercise.

Increasing his physical activity can go a long way toward curbing any behavioral issues that might still exist.

How Do You Discipline A German Shepherd For Biting And Nipping

Follow these steps to discipline your German Shepherd for biting or nipping you.

To discipline a German Shepherd for biting or nipping, make sure you correct them during their bad behavior by saying Ouch!, pulling your hand away slowly to not excite them more, and redirecting the biting and nipping to an interesting chew toy. If they still continue to bite and nip, calmly get up and walk away to let them calm down. You can also get your puppy to stop biting by working on their impulse control.

Never use physical punishment, yell at your dog, or cause them to fear you. Instead, use reward-based training to teach your GSD what behavior you want them to do instead.

There is also extra information you need to know about disciplining your German Shepherd for biting, such as:

  • Why your puppy bites and nips you
  • How to avoid biting and nipping in the first place
  • And what not to do!

Lets quickly talk about disciplining your German Shepherd, since its such a controversial topic in dog training and many owners are concerned about using corrections.

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How To Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Biting

Adrienne is a certified dog trainer and former veterinarian assistant who partners with some of the best veterinarians worldwide.

Is your German Shepherd puppy’s biting driving you nuts?

If you are blessed with a German Shepherd puppy, you may at times feel at your wits’ end when it comes to those constant nipping behaviors. Don’t feel badyou are not alone. This breed is indeed notorious for nipping, and those sharp puppy teeth hurt! If your arms are covered with bruises, scratches and teeth marks, you surely are upset about it and are looking for a way to decrease the nipping and finally allow those wounds to heal.

Dont Use Force Coercion Or Any Type Of Physical Punishment

How to Get a German Shepherd to Stop Biting While Teething ...

Some people use coercion-based methods such as the Alpha Roll to teach the dog that the human is the dominant one in the relationship.

In the Alpha Roll, the human pins down the dog on the floor on his side or back and holds that position to exert dominance.

This stemmed from early studies which deduced that wolves maintained a hierarchy in the wild where one member of the pack is an alpha.

In truth, this concept has been debunked by wolf experts of today who observed that wolves volunteered to pose submissively as a retreat.

Besides, it has also been proven in many studies that dogs have very different behavior from wolves.

The alpha roll is therefore an outdated training method that should be scrapped and never used on your pet, as it only leads to more behavioral problems.

Pinning your dog will cause him to freeze out of fear, which can also turn into aggression. It also teaches your dog that physical touch is something to be feared.

Your dog may never trust you this way, and you dont want this to happen if you want to form a healthy bond with your pet. Nobody wants to be punished by hand, not humans and certainly not dogs either.

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The Key Takeaways Here Are:

  • Your German Shepherd puppy’s natural instinct to bite sets the stage for the perfect training opportunity.
  • Your puppy won’t know what you want want him to do unless you teach him first.
  • Use play sessions to take charge of your German Shepherd puppy biting.
  • Always apply the 4 rules to puppy biting inhibition.
  • Roy

    I forgot one thing. Another thing I am trying to teach him is, outside is for play, inside is for relaxing.

  • Lori

    Hello,We just adopted a Male GSD Puppy he is now 1 yr. we brought him home about 3 months ago. He was given up 2 times and sheltered for 3months until now. We also have two other GSD that he is getting along fairly well with. We are getting thru the bitting and nipping. He is learning commands. Not quite listening to his name. I believe he had many. BUT, enjoying life as he has it now. We live on a Acre, lots of things to explore. Problem though He has become quite aggressive towards anyone that is not in our pack. NOT GOOD. He is quite the Stinker! We are very social people, and our Dogs are too. But, this pup wont have anything to do with it. And this Pup is growing Fast and Strong. This is our 11th Shepherd and he definitely has attitude. I am walking, but with a muzzle, I just dont trust him. Trying to socialize him. At first he was great, we could have ppl over, but as time has past he is more possessive. Any advise? Thanks

  • Your German Shepherd Puppy

    Getting a German Shepherd puppy can be exciting, but particular challenges present themselves when you decide to add a new best friend to the family. In most cases, saying that there is an adjustment period for the entire family would be an understatement.

    Puppies are a lot of work. They arent house trained. They tend to chew on practically everything they can get near and cry a lot. These are just some of the things that you have to prepare yourself for when you have a new puppy.

    German Shepherds are among the most loyal, brave, and intelligent breeds of dogs out there. While they are very protective, they dont tend to be vicious unless they have been abused or very poorly socialized.

    That said, they do tend to be quite headstrong. Some dogs of this breed can be neurotic. As a result, they must be mingled with both people and other animals.

    In addition, they need to go through proper obedience training. If youre concerned about what seems to be aggressive biting or nipping as puppies, you must know that German Shepherds dont really have a tendency to bite more than any other breed as a puppy.

    Most German Shepherd puppies bite quite a lot, and others dont display this behavior as much. The critical thing to remember is that all breeds of puppies typically tend to bite. That does not mean that you have a vicious dog on your hands, but it does mean that you have a dog that must be taught proper boundaries.

    Recommended Reading: Training German Shepherd Puppies

    German Shepherd Herding Instinct

    German Shepherds were initially bred to herd sheep the clue is in their name! They were selectively bred as working dogs in the late 1800s, having outstanding traits such as strength, loyalty, bravery, dedication, and intelligence. These are the traits that still make German Shepherds great pets today.

    If you already own a German Shepherd, you will have no doubt experienced nibbling or biting, especially at the expense of your ankles! GSD bite and nip ankles due to their natural herding instinct and strong prey drive. Its in their genes, and occasionally they cannot help their strong desire to herd sheep, which may mean you!

    My German Shepherd puppy loved to nip at my ankles during playtimes. I used to think it was kind of cute until her teeth got bigger and sharper! Thats when I realized I should be disciplining her for this behavior and training her not to do it, not laughing and encouraging it.

    Even now, as an adult, her strong herding instinct still surfaces. Heres an example. After running around and playing with her, if I walk back inside the house, but she wants to carry on playing, she will come up behind me and gently nibble at the back of my ankles. Its her way of saying, Hey! Stay and play!

    Teach Your German Shepherd Bite Inhibition

    Leash Training and Stop Biting Tips – German Shepherd Dog
    • When your puppy bites you during play, say ouch or ow to let them know it hurts. You dont need to squeal or use a high-pitched voice since these sounds can excite your dog even more say what you normally would if you got pinched and hurt.
    • Slowly move your hand or leg away from them.
    • Dont jerk your hand away quickly, because this could cause them to bite harder. Try to relax your hand and body so that your puppy is less interested in holding on with their teeth.
    • Stop all play and interaction for five seconds.
    • Then resume activity, but remember no interaction means no talking, no eye contact, and no petting.

    Sometimes, those sharp puppy teeth are too painful or break the skin!

    For those times, youll need to use a different correction technique.

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    Always Remember To Rewrd Gd Behviur With Trets

    If yur dg is ding well nd fllwing yur mmnds, dnt frget t give it tret.

    Trets re kind f rewrd tht yu nly ffer yur dg when it lerns smething.

    Mke sure yu hve enugh trets with yu when yu trin yur uy.

    When yur uy sts biting yu n yur N mmnd, give it tret. Tht wy, yur GSD will lern tht n bite mens tret.

    In the lter stges f yur uys trining, yu n rele trets with hugs r smething tht yur uy reites.

    number f nxius wners visit GSD trining entres t get rid f their dgs behviur. But if they dt effetive bediene trining strtegies, they will be ble t ntrl their dgs behvir.

    n Germn Sheherd Kill Yu? Tis t rtet yurself.

    Your German Shepherds Natural Herding Instinct

    Your dog still has its herding history and the urge to nip at ankles.

    Your German Shepherd comes from a long line of working dogs that were originally bred to herd sheep. These instincts still remain with your dog to this day.

    Youve probably already experienced the biting and nipping at your ankles and legs. German Shepherds bite and nip your ankles due to this natural herding ability and powerful prey drive. This need to herd is in their genes and, unfortunately, your ankles will have to do when there are no sheep to round up!

    While you might think this ankle-biting is cute or funny, imagine what damage this will do to your skin when your puppy grows into a strong adult.

    Its best to learn the skill of disciplining your GSD for biting behavior instead of laughing and encouraging it unintentionally.

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    How To Discourage Biting Behavior

    While the German Shepherd puppy biting phase is a rite of passage, there are some ways you can discourage bad biting behavior without harsh discipline.

    • Say Ouch! whenever your puppy bites you, even if its not hard. This is one of the most effective ways to teach your German Shepherd bite inhibition or how to be gentle with her teeth.

    Think about when your pup was rolling and playing with their brothers and sisters if your GSD was too rough, their sibling would let out a yelp. Thats the language that puppies understand, so use this to your advantage.

    This trick worked great with Allie! Just make sure to be consistent until your pup gets the idea and learns to master the power of her jaws. Also, if your furry pal is just mouthy but NOT using her teeth, dont scold her. Puppies will be puppies!

    • Redirect the biting to an appropriate toy. For example, when your fuzzy friend latches onto your ankles, give a little puppy-like yelp, and then whip out a toy and encourage your dog to chew on that instead.

    Tug-of-war is the perfect game for the puppy biting phase. This is a non-contact game that satisfies your pups urge to use its mouth.

    If your puppy is teething, heres a pro tip. Use a frozen KONG toy filled with peanut butter to help with your pups teething woes.

    As a bonus, lots of playtime will expend some of your German Shepherd puppys energy!

    Teach Your Dog Impulse Control

    How To Get A German Shepherd Puppy To Stop Biting

    Puppies love games, and particularly when you are involved as a teacher and leader of the game.

    And this game is great because it will teach your dog a necessary life skill. Practice the game several times a day for 2 to 3 minutes at a time.

    During the game, your puppy learns impulse control and this translates into their ability to stop themselves from biting you. Read below for simple instructions.

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    Biting And Chewing As A Behavioral Problem

    If the biting persists even after his teething period, it important to know how to stop your German Shepherd from biting. One good reason why a German Shepherd bites a lot is: he most likely did not receive proper training as a youngster. Sometimes owners can be a bit too gentle and lenient towards their puppies, leaving unwanted behaviors such as nipping and biting ignored or encouraged.

    When a German Shepherd is not properly trained, he might start to bite at strangers, visitors, and random household objects. This behavior should be corrected and controlled immediately or somebody might end up hurt.

    For German Shepherd puppies, nipping and biting is a game they love to play. They bite and nip their brother and sisters and this is usually harmless. Sometimes puppies can hurt their playmates unintentionally and this will result in a sudden and loud puppy cries. This sound is a sign that you should intervene for a time out.

    How To Stop German Shepherd Adult Dogs To Bite

    With Adult German Shepherds, the problem can be Different because they are not puppies.

    An adult German Shepherd You have may have had a problematic past.The previous owner has abused it.Maybe he is not socialized and trained correctly.

    The first step to take is finding out the cause of the behavior. You can ask your Breeder or the rescue shelter from where you rescued the Dog.

    Tell them about his biting problems or aggressive behavior and ask about the background of the German Shepherd Dog.

  • Did his previous owner abuse him?
  • Has he been rescued or he was homeless?
  • Can He behave like this because he has been alone for a long time?
  • Was he acting the same when he was at the shelter?
  • Is he feeling uncomfortable with new members?
  • After you have Found the Cause of his biting behavior, you can go ahead for finding a Solution.

    Never Think that you should not rescue a Dog. Dogs from shelters can be excellent companions. People who work in Shelters love animals, And they try their best to keep them happy and safe.

    A Rescued German Shepherd Can Suffer From Separation Anxiety. If you have rescued a German Shepherd, he might not feel much comfortable in the new house. Some Of them Bite new people because they do not Know Them.

    Some Rescued Dogs need time to adapt but Do not Worry He will. You can use some training methods like giving him safe toys to chew.

    If you think you have Some Budget to Spend For Your Dog Then go ahead with a professional trainer.

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    Hw D Yu St Germn Sheherd Frm Biting Nd Niing

    There re severl wys yu n trin yur uy nt t bite r ni. If yur uy bites beuse f gums, its nt rblem.

    But if yur uys biting hbit is getting ut f ntrl, dt the fllwing strtegies t get it under ntrl.

    The first ste is t tell yur dg tht biting is nt etble.

    • ull yur hnd wy nd sy N.
    • Wlk wy frm yur uy nd st lying.
    • When yu st lying with yur uy the mment it bites, it will nt ssite ly with biting. Yu will d this using vie mmnds, bdy lnguge nd hnd signls.
    • If yur uy bites yu, let ut nd s sund.
    • Reet this exerise whenever yur GSD bites r nis.
    • It will hel yur GSD lern tht biting nd niing re nt reited.

    If this methd desnt wrk nd yur GS uy still bites, try this:

    • Strt lying with yur uy more
    • Let it tke hld f yur hnd nd s sn s the uy bites, sy N in n uthrittive tne.
    • ut yur thumb in yur uys muth nd under his tngue.
    • ut yur ther finger lightly under the hin.
    • Yur uy will nt be ble t bite yu nd in this unmfrtble situtin it will try t get its fingers ut f its muth.
    • This is n effetive tehnique tht will mke yur uy feel unmfrtble nd it will vid biting yu.
    • Remember tht yu will hve t reet this tehnique severl times until yur uy bslutely htes t ut its hnd in its muth.

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