# Where to start with an 8 month old puppy?



## chococrazy

I recently got a GSD puppy about 8 months old. It's a pure breed, but has no papers. He's extremely energetic and keeps biting my arm and seems to love following me around. Me and the rest of the family took him to the petstore and I ran off to grab him some collars and he was dragging the person holding the leash to come find me. The problem is I have no idea where to start with him he's overly energetic and is impossible to be an inside dog in my setting (he was an inside dog with the previous owner). We also have a smaller Pomeranian who is 8 and the GSD sometimes nibbles at his ears. He will kind of sit only at specific times, but he's just so energetic it seems all he wants to do is play. I got a gentle leader collar but have yet to try it on him, I also got a clicker. I didn't want to use prong/choke collar as the previous owner had a collar that was way to tight and when I removed it the bottom portion was hairless and raw. I applied some ointment (that was an adventure). I've looked around the forum, and couldn't find much about starting points with new old puppies.


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## MaggieRoseLee

For one thing, he MUST be an indoor dog so he will quickly learn to bond and be a family member. 

Good idea to use a Gentle Leader head collar while his neck heals up.

Exercise exercise exercise. If there is any fenced in area you can throw the ball/frisbee then with him OFF leash he will get a bit tired. 

Get a crate if you need to manage him at night or when he's left alone.

Dog classes are PERFECT to teach you how to work with him....

If this link will open for you there are tons of good ideas... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html

and this is the clicker site and it works for puppies and adult dogs... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html


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## Lilie

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new GSD!


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## MaggieRoseLee




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## LaRen616

MaggieRoseLee said:


> For one thing, he MUST be an indoor dog so he will quickly learn to bond and be a family member.
> 
> Good idea to use a Gentle Leader head collar while his neck heals up.
> 
> Exercise exercise exercise. If there is any fenced in area you can throw the ball/frisbee then with him OFF leash he will get a bit tired.
> 
> Get a crate if you need to manage him at night or when he's left alone.
> 
> Dog classes are PERFECT to teach you how to work with him....
> 
> If this link will open for you there are tons of good ideas... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html
> 
> and this is the clicker site and it works for puppies and adult dogs... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html


:thumbup: I agree with MRL

He also needs mental stimulation! That will help wear him out.

Can you get a Tug-A-Jug and put one of his kibble meals in it? 
Tug-a-Jug - Dog Supplies___

Can you buy an Everlasting Treatball, I love this toy, my dog loves this toy and so do his 2 Doberman friends, it can keep him busy for hours!
Everlasting Treat Ball : Combination Treat Ball & Dog Toy at Drs. Foster and Smith

You can also put peanut butter inside of a Kong. 

You can also play "hide and seek" I play this all the time with my dog and I play "find it" where I take a treat and drag it along the floor creating a scent trail and then I bring my dog into the room and have him sniff it out.

Good luck!


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## chococrazy

Alright I'm a bit worried as it seems like he nearly attacked the little pomeranian we have so we said time out and put him outside for 10 minutes.. We just put the gentle leader on him and are thinking about taking him for a walk but now he seems really heartbroken that we chastised him for chomping at our pomeranian.


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## chococrazy

Also whenever we put him outside to eat after we take him for a walk he starts barking like crazy. This is the first day I've noticed him actually bark.


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## WVGSD

Please try thinking about it from his perspective -
1. His whole world has just changed.
2. He was in the house and now he is outside by himself.
3. There is another dog that is small and "squeaky" when compared to him.
4. No one has given him any rules or boundaries yet (i.e. no training).
5. He is young and needs exercise and lots of it at this stage in his life.

Please consider crate training him by making the crate inside the house a fun place for him to be. Feed him in it (first with an open door and then gradually close the door and let him get usd to it). Put his bed in it and make it his sleeping place, if at all possible in your bedroom. He may cry for a little while, but if you are there with him, he should learn to quiet down.

I also recommend that you use either a baby gate or the crate to keep the Pomeranian safe while they are getting to know one another. If you get a baby gate, get a tall one and use it so that the Pomeranian or GSD has an area that is "theirs" and that they can be safe. 

If You might also consider having another person go with you when you walk your German Shepherd and they walk the Pomeranian. This is often good for neutral terrritory meetings and can help both dogs get to know one another in a positive manner. 

There are lots of others that will chime in ehre with suggestions and helpful advice. German Shepherds need to be inside with their families and they also need structured boundaries and consistency with rules and training. If you can get in to a basic obedience class with him, that will also help tremendously.


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## chococrazy

Well the crate I have is just big enough for him to fit in it, but when I close I feel it's to small for him it's not big enough for him to full stretch out his body. We take them both on walks all the time and they're find, but the little one doesn't get put on a leash and generally walks a little ahead of us. I continually go out and play catch with him, but would it be best if I just kept him indoors?


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## WVGSD

If you want your German Shepherd to be your companion, he needs to be inside the house with you. Going out to visit and play with him is not going to be what he needs mentally and emotionally in order to bond with you. 

It sounds like you need to get a larger crate and bring him inside so that he can be with you when you are home. It is also safer to have our dogs inside as no one can steal them from the yard or poison/hurt them. 

A great opportunity for bonding is a basic obedience training class. Do you have any being offered in your local area?


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## Cassidy's Mom

Training class, now. If you put your general location in your profile it will appear below your username in all your posts. Knowing where you are will make it easier for people to recommend or help you find a good class. He sounds very normal for an 8 month old puppy who has had little to no training, no rules, no boundaries, and no manners.


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