# Do you wrestle with your GSD?



## ruger123 (Feb 24, 2016)

Allowing play biting etc


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

**** yeah....especially when she was a pup and bringing it on....seemed like the obvious thing to do..... I took a few shots but she learned bite inhibition and some rules of engagement.


SuperG


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Heck no!I sit in the shade and sip iced tea while my dogs wrestle each other


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

dogma13 said:


> Heck no!I sit in the shade and sip iced tea while my dogs wrestle each other



LOL.....yeah...don't fuel my fire of getting another dog....however, chances are... it would just end up as a 2 against 1 wrasslin' match if I should get another dog.

SuperG


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

Nope, I do not wrestle or rough house with my dogs. Since I do IPO with my dogs or Patrol work, I do not encourage bite inhibition with my puppies. Wrestling is not a game that we play. Plus, with the types of male GSD's that have owned or own currently this is something I wouldn't do. I never want my dogs to think that biting me is ok or even rough housing is ok. I do play tug of war, but it is clear that the game is over the toy. I also always let my dogs win when playing tug. 

I do a lot of training and working with my dogs. The vast majority of what I do is motivation based and fun for my dogs. I just don't see the need to rough house or wrestle, especially when I own dogs that will stand up for themselves and may be a little too determined to win.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Slamdunc said:


> Nope, I do not wrestle or rough house with my dogs. Since I do IPO with my dogs or Patrol work, I do not encourage bite inhibition with my puppies.



Slam.....if your dogs weren't involved in the specific arenas which you use them for....and were strictly companion dogs....would you take the same position or modify it a bit???


SuperG


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

SuperG,
No, it's not my cup of tea. I do play games with my dogs, but it is structured and revolves around training. The dogs don't know it, they just think it is fun. I would rather spend my spare time petting my dogs than wrestling. I will lay on the floor with a young dog and play with a ball, I will let the dog run over me and jump on me, but it is with a toy. I am always looking down the road and I never encourage my dogs to bite me even in play. I know that sooner than later they will be 60, 70 or 80 lbs. That is not the time that I want to deal with a dog that thinks it's fun or acceptable to put it's teeth on me. 

That is just me. If people have no issues with their dogs and like to rough house, I do not have a problem with it. It is just not my way of playing with dogs.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Slamdunc said:


> SuperG,
> No, it's not my cup of tea. I do play games with my dogs, but it is structured and revolves around training. The dogs don't know it, they just think it is fun. I would rather spend my spare time petting my dogs than wrestling. I will lay on the floor with a young dog and play with a ball, I will let the dog run over me and jump on me, but it is with a toy. I am always looking down the road and I never encourage my dogs to bite me even in play. I know that sooner than later they will be 60, 70 or 80 lbs. That is not the time that I want to deal with a dog that thinks it's fun or acceptable to put it's teeth on me.
> 
> That is just me. If people have no issues with their dogs and like to rough house, I do not have a problem with it. It is just not my way of playing with dogs.


Slam,

Appreciate the response.....but the main reason I asked the question was because of a comment you made in your first reply to this thread which was " ..... I do *not* encourage bite inhibition with my puppies.". This makes sense to me based on the work your dog(s) are involved in...however as a companion dog owner, like many in here....teaching bite inhibition at a young age is rather important unlike your situation but for somewhat the same reason mostly....I'd rather take a hit or 6 from a GSD as a pup while it's learning the ropes regarding bite inhibition rather than later. Personally, I think my approach to rough housing with a pup, which inevitably leads to an overzealous or misplaced bite by the younger dog creates a response by the human which is genuine and the dog learns is not acceptable and therefore modifies it's bite pressure...assuming the human teaches the appropriate lesson at the appropriate time. Once again, I understand this is not your goal since bite inhibition is not your desire for the work involved. I guess if I wanted a hard hitting dog such as your pursuits require, I wouldn't teach bite inhibition either and play fighting would run the risk of tempering the dog's reactions and output when it really mattered. We are somewhat at opposite ends of the spectrum in our intended goals so it would seem....both based on what is best for the dog and it's purpose.


SuperG


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

I agree with you. With puppies I ignore the biting and redirect to something that is appropriate to bite. If I was to rough house with the puppies that I have had the biting would become extremely intense. My wife does not like any biting and she will let me and the puppy know quickly. I reinforce and reward the behaviors that I like and they are usually repeated. The most I do for biting with a puppy is a stern verbal reprimand. I haven't had any problems with dogs learning bite inhibition.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

Hubby does. I do a little now that he is two. My five month old doesn't want to wrestle with me without nipping so she's a no.


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## MagicHorse (Feb 3, 2016)

We just got our GSD & he's about 75 pounds & not fully grown yet. We are still learning a bunch about each other. He is a protection dog & we do not want him to ever think it's ok to bite at us. 

My other dog is a husky & I do play with him, but he knows that biting is not allowed, we mainly run at each other & jump around.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

My husband occasionally does.max can get super mouthy when hyped up, so any wrestling sessions are quick.


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

Jenny720 said:


> My husband occasionally does.max can get super mouthy when hyped up, so any wrestling sessions are quick.


This for Bruno.

Mayzie is a lot better wrestling partner because she has good bite inhibition and is very careful to be gentle.

Bruno gets wound up and forgets.


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## shedogs (Feb 24, 2016)

I play with them, but do not wreasle with them.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Never. I can not communicate with them as well as they can with each other in that department. I know how strong her bite is as well.....


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I voted no - just because Molly does not like to wrestle. But our previous GSD mix enjoyed it a lot her whole life.


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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

I do wrestle with my dog. It is a bonding agent. Rules must be learned. Reinforce the off button. Your dog should be able to shut it off any time you say. Your hands are for comfort and trust. If your dog is shying or flinching at the hand movement slow down or you will make him wary. If your dog doesn't trust your hands it is a terrible miscommunication and needs to be corrected. I use light gloves depending on the weather and a tug sometimes whether we are on snow, dry land or in the lake. Dog understands he has one wrestling partner. Never had a dog that didn't get my ouch, almost as to say he is sorry. Mouthing is OK with no or little pressure. It is all about good control during play time.


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

HOBY said:


> Never had a dog that didn't get my ouch, almost as to say he is sorry. Mouthing is OK with no or little pressure. It is all about good control during play time.


How do you teach this? My rescue dog does not understand ouch. He was 2-3 years old when I got him and very mouthy - like an overgrown puppy who was never taught to be gentle. Especially when excited. 

We have greatly reduced this by ending play / turning our backs and ignoring him or putting him in a time out when he gets out of hand but he still sometimes will get wound up and clamp down too hard or he will accidently grab my hand instead of his tug or ball. 

But I can yell OUCH but he has no concept that he did anything wrong or that he hurt me. He doesn't feel bad like my other dog that I have had since she was a puppy.


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## kaslkaos (Jan 15, 2003)

I did with my 1st Gsd, and she was awesome. It was very physical anything goes; just don't hurt me. She could have been a stunt dog, lunging, growling, snapping, biting without landing anything. She could modify her "bite" from air on skin, to something more on a thick sweater, and perforate my husband's leather jacket (he let her). She made it look easy and it sure was fun, but it is only many dogs later that I am realizing the complexity and finesse required of a dog to play that way so my hats of to Misha, best playmate ever, will probably never play that way again. I'm happy with tug now but will always miss full-contact wrestling with Misha!


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## Tulip (Jul 31, 2012)

I don't wrestle with my GSD only because he gets too excited and rough/mouthy. I even have to be careful to watch my fingers when we're playing with a toy cause sometime's he'll accidentally catch one along with the toy! He's a 3 year old, intact, 69 pound shepherd, so he's pretty strong. He's always been extremely excitable, so I generally try not to hype him up anyway.


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

I used to with my first GSD. We would wrestle, or hug, or roll around silly. She was mouthy as a small pup, but learned quickly. She would put the fronts of her teeth on me and sort of nibble in a tickling way. She never, ever hurt me.

My current (and still new) GSD is a big 1-year-old & he's only just learning to be gentle with me. He's given me some serious bruises just playing fetch with a ball, so I'm not about to wrestle him.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

Wrestle? Only when I'm trying to get him in the tub for a bath. We also wrestled a bit at the groomers when he was getting his nails clipped. He does not like the dermal filing at all. We do dance together though.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

I used to with my previous pups until they were 6 or 8 months of age. Then I quit because I never wanted them to look at people in general as something they could "take on" if they felt the need.

My latest and greatest so far, only has two switches, off or on. She doesn't intentionally bruise me, but the intensity of her play and her size and her adolescence makes other forms of play much more desirable.


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