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!
How To Stop Your German Shepherd From Biting Itself
There are a number of things that you can do about your German Shepherd biting itself.
Below, I will mention a number of things that you can do about it.
Take it to a vet
Often, a dog biting itself will be something that a vet will be able to treat since a dog biting itself often has an underlying medical cause such as a rash.
If you are unsure of why your German Shepherd has been biting itself or you think that it might have a medical cause then the best option for you would be to take it to a vet.
Give it exercise
If the vet has verified that there is no medical issue then it would help to make sure that your German Shepherd is getting enough exercise.
You can do this by walking it for an hour per day, teaching it to play fetch or by getting a dog walker to exercise it for you.
Avoid reinforcing the behavior
If your method of getting it to stop biting itself is to give it things that it wants, it might be the case that you have encouraged the behavior. This is because it might have learned to bite itself in order to get rewards.
Instead, you could try rewarding your German Shepherd when it does not bite itself. When it does bite itself you could try avoiding giving it what it wants if it seems to be doing it to get something from you. You could also try spraying it with a bitter spray to prevent it from wanting to do it.
Why Do German Shepherds Nibble
Nibbling is the gentle bite your dog will make on your body, especially on your toes! This German Shepherd behavior is generally considered an instinctual behavior characterizing puppies of all breeds, especially during teething.
When young puppies play, you will have noticed that they will display behavior consisting of gently biting each other as part of the game. Your doggo can transfer this nibbling behavior to you or your furniture if no other puppies or pets are around, which is why teething toys such as the KONG Puppy Toy from Amazon are essential. You can even stuff it with treats or peanut butter to keep your GSD entertained.
But German Shepherd Dogs tend to bring this growing up behavior into their adult life. Naturally, newborn German Shepherd puppies will explore their world with their mouths before using their sight and smell. And it appears that this instinct is maintained throughout life for important reasons, as shown by some studies.
A study investigating the meaning and emotion associated with nibbling in dogs concluded that the behavior is not related to negative personality traits. Instead, nibbling has two functions:
Despite these facts, nibbling behavior in German Shepherds can also be triggered by several other factors:
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Dog Bite Force Levels Explained
When an animal bites, the reason it does it is usually due to two main reasons:
As mentioned above, the intensity of a dogs bite force varies depending on the situation.
Six levels of severity define the force of a dogs bite. These levels are used to categorize and statistically track dog bites and injuries. These numbers are then used to calculate which dog breeds are the most aggressive and dangerous.
German Shepherd Bite Statistics
- Nearly five million people in the United States are bitten by a dog every year, and the most common victim is children who are bitten by a family pet.
- According to a study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, certain dog breeds bite more than othersGerman Shepherds are #4 on the list of breeds who are most likely to bite. However, this is behind unknown at #1 and mixed breed at #3.
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The Puppy Might Be Overstimulated Fearful Or Anxious
Sometimes puppies lose control of their bite because of overstimulation. Overstimulation can happen during playtime, or when your puppy has become cranky due to teasing.
Your GSD puppy may also bite out of fear. Your puppy has but 2 defenses to run away or to bite. If your puppy feels cornered, then biting is the defense that she will most often resort to.
Work With An Animal Behavior Therapist
For people that may have complex psychological issues, a therapist can help to unravel the ball of yarn, so to speak. The same applies with your dog.
You may be surprised at what a professional dog behavior expert may be able to accomplish with your dog and you together.
So if you feel that your dog is aggressive, take a step back and do not get frustrated. Go through the proper channels, speak with your veterinarian, and speak with a behaviorist.
Chances are there will be a hopeful future.
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Experienced Boston Area Personal Injury Attorneys Initial Consultations Are Always Free No Fee Unless We Recover For You
If you or a loved one has been bitten, attacked or fatally mauled by a German Shepherd dog, mix breed, or any type of dog you need an experienced attorney to pursue a claim against the dogs owner or other responsible parties. Our lawyers have have a proven track record with over 35 years of legal experience in helping dog bite and accident victims pursue civil claims and we are ready to take on your case today.
No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call our law offices today to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at 588-0422 or click the link below to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.
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Deal With Food Aggression
Food aggression is a big deal in dogs, and it starts during puppyhood. Youll notice food aggression when your puppy growls and bites to protect their food or acts aggressively towards anyone near their food.
Food aggression does not only happen while your puppy is eating. Just being near the food bowl is enough, and some puppies even sleep beside their food bowls.
Food aggression can extend to biting when giving treats or biting when getting things out of your puppys mouth. Once your puppy is unlearning food aggression, you can pet them while theyre eating. The following tips will help you recondition your puppy:
- Using separate bowls for each dog
- Hand feeding
- Feeding after walks or playing
- Feeding at the same times every day
- Putting treats into the bowl
- Humans eat first as pack leaders
- Training the puppy to work for the food
- Standing near the food bowl
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Do Huskies Have A Strong Bite
Despite their friendly nature the Husky still has the ability to do some damage with its bite force PSI of 320! Many people know this dog for its talkative nature! … They do well with small children, other dogs, and even strangers. Huskies have a very high energy level and so they need lots of exercise and playtime!
Train Your German Shepherd Puppy To Not Bite Over Food
One of the most common times a German Shepherd puppy will bite is when food is in the equation. Puppies tend to be very overprotective of food, which they learned when in the litter as they had to fight for nutrition.
Unfortunately, it will be behavior that can extend to occur over their food bowl.
If your German Shepherd is showing food aggression, then you need to train the puppy to learn you are in charge and can pick their bowl up and put it back down at any time with no aggression from the dog.
Handy Hint: Here are some ways you can teach your dog to not steal from the table or start begging you for food.
What you do is put a bowl in front of your German Shepherd then quickly remove it again. If your German Shepherd doesnt react with a bite attempt, praise them vocally and reward with a treat.
If you do get a growl and bite, give them a firm no command and keep hold of the bowl.
Repeat the process until you get the response that you want the end game is your German Shepherd viewing you as the dominant alpha who controls the food source and doesnt get bitten.
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German Shepherd Bite Force Facts
German Shepherds are domesticated and dont have to hunt for food for survival. When German Shepherds bite, they are triggered by protection instincts, fear, or aggression.
German shepherds are utilized for various purposes, including companionship and household security and protection, but theyre also trained and used as police dogs.
With a bite force of around 238 PSI, a German Shepherds bite can fracture bones. Smart criminals surrender themselves once they realize a K9 Officer is about to be released on them.
Expose Them To Different Situations
New scents and loud noises can make your puppy excited or feel threatened. A different kind of socialization is exposure to a variety of different places and situations.
This means taking your puppy outside. As they learn to adapt, they will show good behavior and not become an aggressive dog as an adult.
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Discipline At The Moment Your Gsd Bites
You must discipline your German Shepherd at the very moment the biting or nipping occurs so that he will quickly learn and remember that his biting behavior is inappropriate.
Have you ever left your GSD alone for an hour or two and, upon returning, found that hes had a good chew on your possessions or your wooden table leg and then tried to discipline him without success?
Well, this is because your German Shepherd wont understand what he is being reprimanded for as youve missed the disciplinary moment. This is because dogs have a very short-term memory, and they will typically forget an experience in about two minutes.
However, if you train them well, they will remember your commands through associative memory.This means they can remember experiences, people, and places based on different associations.
Heres an example of associative memory when I pick up my car keys, my German Shepherd will go straight to her bed as she has learned to associate the sound of the keys with me going out. She goes directly to her bed to relax as she knows theres no playtime for a while.
What Does This Mean For The Dog
Once it is determined exactly where a dogs bite falls on Dr. Dunbars scale, it can then be assessed how good of a candidate the dog is for rehabilitation.
Here is a breakdown of how the scale is applied:
- The vast majority of dog bite incidents fall within Levels 1 and 2. A dog that fits within these levels is not considered dangerous. Instead the dog is most likely to be out of control or fearful of something, or it may just have an unruly attitude in general.It is highly likely that the dogs biting issues can be resolved with the implementation of basic training.
- If a dogs bite is classified as a Level 3, the owner of the dog must be devoted to implementing consistent bite-inhibition exercises if the dogs behavior is to be corrected.
- At level 4, this is considered a very dangerous dog. Its unlikely that the dogs behavior can be corrected. Here it is considered a given that the dog will bite again, and should be confined to inside the house only. Any outside visits, to the veterinarian for example, will require that the dog be muzzled. The dogs behavior should also be reported to police and/or animal control.
- A dog whose bites are classified in Levels 5 or 6 are considered beyond rehabilitation. They are deemed to be extremely dangerous and euthanization is recommended, as the dog will otherwise essentially have to live out its days in solitary confinement.
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Get Chew Toys For Aggressive Chewers
German Shepherd puppies often bite because theyre playful. You need to give yours some toys to bite instead of you or your belongings.
Have appropriate chew toys nearby and use them to redirect your dog. The next time your German shepherd clamps down on your fingertips, gently remove your hand and offer your dog a chew toy.
Make sure you get chew toys for your puppys age. Giving some variety, such as teething rings and toys with rope and/or bones is also good. Chew toys are a good distraction while someone else is trying to interact with your puppy .
They Were Raised In A Poor Environment
In some cases, the excessive nipping may be an indication of a puppy raised in a very poor breeding environment, where the puppy didn’t get a chance to learn the ABCs of bite inhibition with his littermates and mom and the breeders did little about it.
Some of the worst cases of poor bite inhibition are often seen in puppies removed too early from the litter or singletons. In some cases, the biting may be genetic, due to a poor temperament and weak nerves.
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Distinction Between Aggression And Dominance
I have personally heard many people pass off their GSDs aggression as the dog being dominant. This is simply not true.
It is unfortunate that people do not know any better than to explain their dogs aggressive behavior in this way, because what that unintentionally does is create an excuse for the dog to continue behaving in this manner, while also giving the owner an excuse to continue allowing the behavior.
Do Not Offer Too Much Attention
As we mentioned above, even negative attention can give your German Shepherd puppy what they are looking for. Extra attention can validate their undesirable behavior, making it challenging to break.
Try your best to refrain from reacting to a bite outside of your interrupter cue, and pull your attention away from your furry friend afterward.
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What Is The Bite Force Of A German Shepherd
The bite force of a German Shepherd is said to be 238 PSI which is enough to crush the bones of a human being.
They fall into the top five dog breeds that have the strongest jaw. Therefore it goes without saying that it is not a good idea to be bitten by a German Shepherd.
German Shepherds are listed as dangerous dogs in many countries around the world. They are without a doubt one of the deadliest dogs to ever exist especially with attacks.
Their bites are so dangerous that victims may need serious surgery after an encounter with them.
Not only that but, German Shepherds are ranked 3rd in the list of the 10 most aggressive and dangerous dog breeds. Additionally, the majority of the attacks that ended fatally, in the USA, came from German Shepherds.
German Shepherds have also ranked 12th in the list of top 20 dogs that have the Strongest Bite.
So, it is fair to say that German Shepherds have a powerful jaw which gives them such a powerful bite force. With this knowledge, dog owners need to ensure that their Shepherds are always secure and are unable to harm anyone.
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