# Puppy lunging and biting



## Cassie44 (May 3, 2012)

In the last few weeks my 3.5 month old GSD has starting lunging and biting at me when she gets excited. It happens about once a day, usually in the evening....like a switch. If I take something out her mouth that she shouldn't have she will sometimes lunge at me, often clenching onto my hand or arm. It feels like she is suddenly very frustrated and needs to attack something. I'm hoping this isn't the beginning of aggression...and more of a puppy behaviour. Its like she's testing my authority and patience. 

My dog trainer showed me how to pin her on her side and its seems to work most of the time, however the odd time it seems to aggravate her. I really don't want her to become aggressive and it can be really scary at times.

Has this every happened with anyone else? She gets plenty of walks and play so I don't think its a physical frustration.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

This is puppy behavior. Keep chew toys close by, maybe even carry 1 or 2 around the house. Each time she tries to nip you, offer the toy instead. They do grow out of this phase, just keep redirecting her.

Please don't pin the puppy. She isn't challenging you or becoming aggressive, just being a puppy. What the pinning _may_ do is cause problems with her trust in you.


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## Cassie44 (May 3, 2012)

Pinning is the wrong word for this. Its just laying her gently on her side so that she can get used to me touching her paws/mouth etc. Its not aggressive pinning like it sounds, just puts her in a position where she has no choice but to relax. I've tried giving her chew toys but it is very much directed at me, so she will go around them to get at me. Its not the typical puppy nipping that she was doing a month ago.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

My puppy did the same thing. He's 6 months old now and thankfully he stopped! What I had to do was take him out for a quick walk, nothing else would calm him down. I played ball too, but this revved him up. He just had too much energy to deal with. He was quite the brat, in a lovable, possessed kind of way.


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## Cassie44 (May 3, 2012)

Possessed! That is exactly the word I would use. She can be amazingly well behaved most of the time and then a switch will go off and she can't attack something fast enough! I'm trying not to take it as a personal attack but I am the one she spends most of her time with. Do they change quite a bit by 6 months?


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Try turning from her and ignoring her when she's out of control. Behavior that gets a reaction is sometimes repeated just to get attention.

Give her plenty of exercise and attention for good behaviors.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

It doesn't matter what you call it really, pinning or holding the puppy down will just frustrate it.
If you do want to "pin" or hold her down, do it with a leash and your foot. Attach the leash then stick it under your foot, and give her about a foot of leash. 
As SOON as she calms herself, let up. Only do this once a day or so.

For the "hyper" times, it is normal puppy behavior and she probably just wants to play more, if you can, get a tug and work with her, getting her energy out instead of trying to squelch it.


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## Lakl (Jul 23, 2011)

Cassie44 said:


> Lakl said:
> 
> 
> > I'm gonna be honest here, and this is based just off what you told us here and in your other post, but this may not be the breed for you, and perhaps rehoming her is the right thing for both of you. It kinda bothers me that at 4 months old, she "frightens you" and is "kinda scary". GSD pups are known for this type of behavior, and it's not something you should be ashamed of, but you just may not be equipped to handle it.
> ...


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## Cassie44 (May 3, 2012)

Lakl said:


> Cassie44 said:
> 
> 
> > Don't get me wrong, I think if you found your footing and bond with this pup, it would be a wonderful thing. My comments were related to what you yourself posted earlier in the thread about thinking she'd be better off with a family that had other dogs.
> ...


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## Lakl (Jul 23, 2011)

Don't stress yourself out over this! She will grow out of it. As they get older the mouthing gets softer and softer. I never had to use physical corrections. From personal experience, the word "No" is absolutely useless. I always used a sharp "Aaah!". I use it with my dogs and my kids, stops everyone in there tracks, or at least grabs their attention, and then you can re-direct them. You need to discover a high value treat or toy that she absolutely loves and use that to help correct the behavior. You use it to reward her when she listens and she will pick up quickly on what behavior gets her the favorite toy or treat. When she does good, be REALLY enthusiastic about it. At this age, you want her to associate you with rewards and good things, not corrections. This will help build the bond.

When I said you need to correct her, I meant redirect the behavior. Use more appealing good things to get her to stop the negative things.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I agree with Lak...this is a normal puppy behavior and should be redirected. 

Basically, with all puppy things - chewing, digging, piddling in the house - your goal is to help them realize the correct place/thing to chew/bite/dig/piddle.

You have to be firm with her but kind and loving and teach her, not try to discipline this away. 
You could scold a puppy all day for pottying in the house, but until you show it where to potty, your time is wasted.

In that fashion, you can scold her all day for chewing on you but until you give her something to chew on that is more appropriate you'll all just be frustrated. 
She isn't "lashing out", she just wants to bite. Teething stimulates their gums and hurts, and they are very mouth oriented because of that, and because of their breed. Most herding breeds tend to be more mouthy/nippy. 

We just fostered that amputee that, when I met her, she reached up and grabbed my forearm. Gently. But still. Some folks would freak out over that. It was her "symbol of affection" and she was a lover, a very submissive girl. But she liked to grab forearm gently with her teeth.
That's just the breed. Our job is to teach them more appropriate mouthing. It's important to understand that to develop bite inhibition, you have to allow her to bite some so she realizes it hurts and you won't play with her any longer in that manner if she does it. 

Tomorrow, go get one of those CUZ toys if she doesn't have one. 
Make it her little "carry around" toy. 
Or a water bottle holder you can place an empty water bottle in. 
Something she can carry around, or that won't get too far away, that you can get her excited about so she likes biting it more than she likes biting you.


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## GSD Momma (Dec 28, 2010)

Good luck Cassie, it definitely sounds like this is normal puppy stuff. Our puppy was very similiar and she has grown out of it. I highly recommend a tug type toy if you don't have one. Even though she's going to try to get around the toy to you, she will eventually give in and go for the toy. The lure of the tug is too great... LOL

My arms had claw marks during months 4-6 with our pup with this similiar behavior. It's just to be expected, unfortunately. I do find a quick knee to the chest does stop the jumping, but it's needs to be timed perfectly meaning you need to be watching for the behavior and nip it as soon as possible. She will likely growl, bark and get ticked, but she needs to learn not to jump at you. I used to scream OW!! whenever she would nip at me too and she quickly learned that it means to knock it off. 

Keep your consistency up. You're NOT going to "ruin" your dog by training it properly.  I think someone told me on this forum once that agressive dogs are not that common and it's often assumed agression when it usually isn't. That helped set my MIND that this behavior was TRULY normal. I think once you change your energy things will improve as well. KNOW that she is not being agressive, if you catch my drift.


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## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

My 4 mon old Aussie is doing the same thing. He is also teething so everything is up for grabs. I turn away from him and this seems to work the best. 
I make sure he is getting a lot of exercise and freeze hot dogs for him to get his teething action on properly.
Best of luck...pups are a handful but loads of fun.


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## Cassie44 (May 3, 2012)

Its been a week now and the lunging and biting seems to have stopped with the techniques I've been using. I'm still worried that Cassie and I don't have a very good bond as she doesn't come to me the same way she does with other people. Any advice on building a new bond with a puppy?


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