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Will My German Shepherd Puppy Stop Biting

Your German Shepherd Is Overexcited Or Fearful

3 SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP PUPPY BITING! – Training German Shepherd not to Bite.

Some dogs will often run away or bite when they are threatened. So, your German shepherd dog may be biting you as he perceives you as a threat.

Its you to discern whether your puppy is biting a lot because hes excited or the dog is biting as a way to repel you.

Nevertheless, dont let your dog grow with such behavior.

Lack Of Bite Inhibition

When youre playing with your puppy and he bites you, hes not being aggressive, he just hasnt learned how to play nicely yet.

If youve ever watched two puppies play, youll notice that they bite each other like crazy, yet no one walks away bleeding.

Thats because they know just how hard to bite each other and still keep it fun. In other words, theyve learned bite inhibition.

For the most part, puppies learn this before they even come to your home, courtesy of their litter mates.

The problem? Even if you pup spent time with his siblings, their bite tolerance levels are likely a lot higher than yours.

So basically, your puppy thinks hes biting at an acceptable level when hes playing with you.

Youll need to either teach him your own bite tolerance levels OR teach him not to bite you at all.

While youd think the latter is the smarter way to go, the former actually works better in the long run. Well see why later on.

Do Teach Them That Biting Means Game Over

If your puppy continues to bite, ignore your puppy by turning your back away from her and tucking your hands in your armpits.

She needs to understand that biting ends playtime and that it does not give her anything in return. Over time, your consistent reinforcement of this will be highly effective to curb your puppys biting behavior.

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How Do I Stop My German Shepherd Puppy Biting Me

The best ways to stop puppy biting and minimize the biting period are training and prevention.

This means training your puppy to be gentle with you and other people, and taking away opportunities for your excited puppy to bite humans.

You may need to go as far as to completely separate your GSD puppy from small children and people who insist on rough play with puppies. We know that this can only encourage biting.

Specific Unwanted Behaviors Of German Shepherds And Ways To Stop

How to Stop German Shepherd Puppy Biting: Do

German shepherd jumping and biting

GSDs jump to greet you but it can knock you down especially if you have an adult GSD. Dont pat your chest to encourage your GSD to jump up because its simply dangerous. Teach your GSD to sit down instead of jumping. If he jumps, ignore him. ;Say no or down then reward him with a treat when he sits on the ground.

German Shepherd biting arms

Try to observe when German shepherd puppies play. When a German shepherd puppy bites his sibling, his sibling yelps so the German shepherd puppy learns to bite gently. So when your German shepherd puppy bites you, you need to yelp loudly. He will understand that youre not having fun. Then offer him something to chew instead of your hands and arms.

German Shepherd biting ankles

GSDs are herding dogs so they usually bite the ankles. If you run or yell when your GSD bites your ankles, he thinks its fun. So manage your reaction and prevent this from happening again. Give your GSD appropriate games to teach him self-control.

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When Will My German Shepherd Calm Down

While the biting phase will inevitably end, you may find yourself asking the infamous question when do German Shepherds calm down!?

I asked myself this question more than once! So dont feel bad if you find yourself wondering the same thing.

Unfortunately, theres no one-size-fits-all answer. It honestly just depends.

At one point, I was assured that Allie would calm down by age 5 well, that didnt happen. Sure, she had her calm moments , but she was still very hyper especially in more excitable moments.

But in the last year, Ive definitely noticed a calmer dog, which means it took 7 years for my German Shepherd to calm down!

Dont get me wrong shes still a firecracker. But she isnt the same level of hyper as she was in the past.

The type of German Shepherd dog is yet another variable that plays a role in its energy levels. Allie is a working line GSD, and they are typically a bit more rambunctious than a show line GSD.

So when do German Shepherds calm down? It really depends on your individual German Shepherd. But hey, after having a high-energy, fun-loving German Shepherd, you wouldnt want a calm dog, right? I know I wouldnt have it any other way!

Bite Inhibition Using Toys

Puppies mouth and bite to relieve their teething discomfort. Unfortunately, this means he may bite at things and people. One way to distract your shepherd pup from biting you or your children is to provide him with plenty of chew toys such as kong, rubber balls, knotted ropes, and so on. He cant bite you while chewing a toy.;

  • Whenever you see your pup getting excited, hand him a toy and tell him, Get this toy. Play with it! and make a big fuss over him when you see him pick up the toy.
  • If your pup ignores the toy and grabs your hand instead, first yell ouch in a high pitched voice. Then stare at your pup as if you were his mother who would correct him when he misbehaved.
  • If his biting stops, praise him and offer him his toys. If he continues to bite, take him to his crate until he calms down.
  • Also read: best chew toys for German shepherds

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    When Your German Shepherd Puppy Is Biting And Nipping Try This

    If you find it cute that your little German Shepherd;puppy is biting your hand, think again!

    GSDs grow-up to become strong and muscular dogs.

    If you encourage them when they bite or make aww sounds, it will adopt biting as a habit. However, once a GSD pup grows, its biting habits are not cute at all. Trust me on this one.

    Contents

    Scruff Training As A Deterrent To Biting

    5 Games to Stop Your German Shepherd Puppy From Biting

    Like the yelping and thumb under tongue training to prevent German Shepherd puppy biting, you can also use the scruff and command method.

    When your puppy bites down too hard, you can grab him gently by the scruff of the neck and repeat the No command.

    You can choose any command that you like to stop unwanted behavior but keep it consistent.

    Consistency and repetition will teach your puppy to control its impulses, making it safe for everyone to be around.

    Read Also: When To Start Training Your German Shepherd

    How To Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Jumping And Biting

    If you watch a little of puppies, you will see them jumping and nipping at each other as part of the play. When things go out of hand and become too rough, his mother intervenes and regains control of the situation by growling at him.

    Now when you brought your new puppy home, he likely wouldnt have any idea how to treat you or your children and mistook you as one of his littermates. Here is how you can stop your shepherd puppy from jumping and biting.

  • Play with your puppy.
  • Redirect The Puppy Biting

    Whenever I was around my puppy Sophia, I always had a toy within reach. Sometimes puppies dont care what they are biting as long as they are biting something. This is especially true during teething. When your puppy insists on biting something, redirect those chompers to a more suitable chew toy rather than your body.

    A note on chew toys

  • Move the toy. Its not enough to just have a chew toy nearby. Puppies like moving objects. If the toy is stationary, but your hand is moving, they will likely go for your hand. Make the toy interesting by wiggling it in the air or across the floor.
  • Puppies have toy preferences. If you try using a toy your puppy doesnt really like, they will probably prefer your hand no matter how much you move the toy. For example, Sophia LOVES soft toys. Like these She will always go for her favorite soft toys over a hard toy. However, other dogs may really enjoy hard chew toys like bones, antlers, or kongs Find your puppies favorite type of toy and keep one handy at all times.
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    What Can I Do To Stop My German Shepherd Puppy From Biting

    Because biting is normal canine behavior and GSDs are a breed that is more prone to it, the goal here is to inhibit the bite, not completely stop it.

    At the end of your training, your GSD should have achieved that lovely soft mouth.

    Below are the dos and donts to keep in mind when training your GSD puppy in bite inhibition.

    Put A Thumb Under The Puppys Tongue And A Finger Under The Chin

    German Shepherd puppy biting my mom

    With persistent biting you could try this tip. It seems to be quite cruel, and admittedly Ive never tried it, but it is used by some dog trainers so could be a fall-back tactic.

    Dog trainers tell you to do the loud squeal when the German Shepherd puppy bites you then quickly place your thumb in their mouth, pressing it underneath their tongue. You can then put a finger under the chin.

    Hold this position for 10 seconds if you can, but not hard enough to hurt the puppy.

    The German Shepherd will not like it, and it could mean they stop biting you and will learn for next time.

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    If You Have Children Do Train Them To Behave Properly Around Your Dog

    Never allow your child to tease your German Shepherd puppy! Acts such as taking away a dogs snack, cornering the dog, pulling its tail, or simply hugging it too tightly can anger the dog and cause it to bite.

    In fact, most dog bite cases in children occurred because of teasing!

    Instead, teach your child to be gentle with your pet, as even unintentional rough play can result in unwanted events. Dogs get cranky too, especially when they get hurt or feel that their privacy is being invaded.

    Never leave your child alone with your puppy unattended. Supervise their interactions at all times.

    Studies show that parents trust their dog around their kids too much that they overlook the signs that the dog is in distress.

    Consider Safe Dog Anti

    If your German Shepherd is chewing valuables, consider using safe anti-chew dog deterrents. These use an aversive association mechanism by causing your dog to associate the object with the deterrent that has an awful smell or taste, therefore, labeling it not good for chewing.;

    Follow these steps to create the aversive association:

  • Apply a small amount of deterrent to a piece of cotton wool or tissue and place it on your German Shepherds mouth or his nose . Your dog will shake his head, retch, or drool if he finds the smell/taste appalling and, hence, create the aversive association.
  • Spray the appalling deterrent on the objects you want to keep your dog from chewing.
  • Reapply the deterrent daily for 2-4 weeks so that your dog permanently associates the object with the smell or taste.;
  • Note that coupling the deterrent with another form of training that redirects your German Shepherd to chew permitted objects such as toys will be more effective in making your dog cease chewing your valuables.

    Some of the anti-chew deterrent tastes/odors you could consider include those with a bitter apple/lemon flavor, apple cider vinegar, or cayenne pepper. However, be careful with the latter as although the pepper is not harmful to your dog if swallowed, it may irritate his eyes if he gets it on his paws and then rubs his face.

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    How To Tell When Jumping And Biting Is A Sign Of Aggression

    While in most cases your pup jumping up isnt going to be a sign of aggression, its important to spot the signs early.

    Afterall, german shepherds are big dogs, and if they do ever attack someone theyre going to do a lot of damage as well as risk being put to sleep.

    Positive Body Language

    If your German shepherd is happy to see someone before jumping up at them, therell normally be accompanying body language. This can include:

    • Excited Crying.
    • Being Full Of Energy.
    • Dropping Down On Their Front Legs

    Weve all seen the tell-tale signs of a happy dog and those are what you should be looking for if your dog is jumping up and biting in a non-threatening way.

    Negative Body Language

    However, if your dog is showing negative body language before jumping up and biting then you have a problem. Negative body language includes.

    Growling: This may be when someone touches them, as someone approaches them, or if your dog starts walking towards them.

    Snarling: Similar to growling, if your dog starts to bare their front teeth at someone, before jumping up and biting then its definitely aggressive in nature.

    Barking: While dogs can bark when theyre excited, they can also bark when theyre aggressive. Barking of this kind will normally accompany other signs of aggressive behavior.

    If You Have Other Pets Do Encourage Your Gsd Pup To Play With Them

    STOP puppy biting!!! with German Shepherd Man and Jae

    This will expend your dogs energy and make her less prone to biting. By doing this, you are also socializing your puppy with other animals an essential skill to learn for a well-rounded behavior.

    That being said, do not completely write off playing with your puppy! Playtime is still an excellent opportunity to bond with your dog, but make sure to keep it safe and fun by establishing boundaries.

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    Use Pet Safe Baby Gates

    If your pup bites you aggressively when you and your family walk past you, then use an exercise pen or pet safe baby gate to contain them.

    Use the items during busy times in your home to keep your dog calm and out of areas that might increase their excitement and biting or nipping.

    When they remain calm in their exercise pen or behind their baby gate, reward them and tell them good dog. Only let them out when theyre showing calm behaviors, such as lying down quietly or sitting calming.

    If you let them out while theyre whining or excited, youll also encourage them to stay in an excited mental state and this increases nipping and biting.

    What To Do If Your Dog Is Jumping On Your Guests

    As well as jumping on your the chances are your german shepherd is also going to jump and bite guests you invite to your house. Not only is this embarrassing, but if theyre scared of dogs it could frighten your guests.

    If you have guests coming over then you should pre-warn them that youre trying to teach your dog to stop. And if they could, follow the training that youre doing, by offering your dog a treat when they sit patiently and wait.

    Lastly, if your guests dont want to, when they enter, get your dogs attention with treats if he starts jumping up. Once youve got his attention follow the guidelines above. Once your dog sits down patiently you can then give them the treat and attention.

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    Why Is My German Shepherd Getting Aggressive

    If it becomes overly possessive German Shepherds are extremely overly protective when it comes to their family and owners. Thats why a GSD becomes aggressive, starts barking and charging at the person. This is a common behavior problem of a GSD as it is a loyal dog and cannot see its family in danger.

    Putting Your Thumb Under Your Puppy’s Tongue

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

    Yeah, I know where is the logic in that? I mean you’re basically setting your thumb up to be bitten and at the same time encouraging biting.

    But you won’t believe how many folks have emailed me desperate to stop biting and detailing this method as something they have done frequently.

    I’m not even sure what the idea behind this silly method is, so suffice to say please don’t do this!

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    Diversion Tactics Deter Your Gsd Puppy From Biting

    You can stop your puppy from biting your hands by distracting him with a toy or game. Puzzles and similar games are especially effective if your pup is biting from boredom.

    Training Methods

    • Crate You can avoid using your pups crate as a place of punishment or isolation by placing your pup inside it with a favorite toy. Keep the puppy and crate in the same room as you.
    • Tether Tethering is helpful if your puppy likes to bite your ankles or chases you when you attempt to ignore her. Similarly to the crate, do not use a rope to isolate your pup.

    Games

    Your training with games is most effective when you train the desired action with food rewards and then add the cue or command.

    For example, you offer your dog a tasty morsel for dropping the ball after fetching it. Once your pup begins to bring the ball and give it to you automatically, you add a cue such as drop it. You would use the same process with other games for the desired action, which is usually releasing the toy.

    Toys

    Toys are simple diverters. If your pup starts nipping, you substitute a toy for your hand. Toys are more effective for hand biters than ankle chasers.

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