# 5 month old GSD pup won't stop biting my wife



## Zeus's Daddy

We have a 5 mo. old GSD who has been in our home since he was 8 weeks. He is doing very well on the majority of his training and has no issues when it comes time to listen to me, however he has a big problem of stopping his mouthing and nipping at my wife, daughter or pretty much any females when they are with him.
For the most part, he accepts males quickly and stops unwanted nipping when told to do so with males, but when it's a female....forget about it.
My wife has worked with him tirelessly and we also work with him together trying to stop this activity toward her, but thus far, no luck.
Any advice as to why he interacts with her and females in this manner?
Thanks! This pic kinda sums it up


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## Debanneball

Hi, I have a friend who Fritz literally treats her as one of his toys! Thats the best way I can explain it. He chews her, bites her, tears at her clothes.  She talks to him in a meek tone, I tell her to say OFF or LEAVE IT with a bit more force.. She doesn't have it in her.. He does this with no one else..... So, be more forceful!


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## Susan_GSD_mom

How brave is she? I had a very mouthy pup once who ignored all the usual methods for dealing with his mouthiness. And it wasn't just mouthing, he would take my hand and start to trot away with it, as you said, as though it were his toy. Finally in desperation I took a good hold on his whole open lower jaw, with my thumb near the back of his mouth holding his tongue down. He never bit down, he didn't like me holding his tongue down and he would open wider and try to pull away. I would hang on just enough to make it unpleasant for him, let go, and redirect to a toy. With persistence it worked. Your wife will have to trust him enough, though, that he's not going to really bite down. I don't think he will, I am sure he's not going to want her turning the tables on him. It worked for me, but watch closely the first time she tries it.

Susan


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## car2ner

Gals have to stand up and do the Wonder Woman pose, then use the deepest voice they can with a strong sharp clip. A girly, nonono won't do it. Take it from me, I've lived it. And when he really gets rambunctious he goes to his crate for a few minutes...not in anger. Just enough to let him calm down and realize we are going to let him herd me away somewhere just cause he wants something.


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## Zeus's Daddy

*Love the advice!*

Thanks for the info and it makes us feel better knowing what Zeus or "Z" as we call him ...is going through is not an isolated personality disorder.
We love this little guy to death, but hope to get this issue resolved soon.
My wife is taking him to puppy school beginning Saturday also and I am hoping that helps.
He is very smart and trains well.....except....for...the attacks on Mom.


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## lauren43

I don't know. I read this and I think it's odd. IMO your wife and kids are inadvertently rewarding this behavior. I really don't think it's because they are push overs or not "tough" enough.

That's just my take on it. I am female and have a 16 w old and he can be nippy sometimes. I am not tough. I raise my voice at him infrequently. But he seems to know when enough is enough, and when he doesn't redirection has worked wonders.


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## joneser

Susan_GSD_mom said:


> Finally in desperation I took a good hold on his whole open lower jaw, with my thumb near the back of his mouth holding his tongue down. He never bit down, he didn't like me holding his tongue down and he would open wider and try to pull away. I would hang on just enough to make it unpleasant for him, let go, and redirect to a toy. With persistence it worked. Your wife will have to trust him enough, though, that he's not going to really bite down. I don't think he will, I am sure he's not going to want her turning the tables on him. It worked for me, but watch closely the first time she tries it.
> Susan


This has worked for me as well. One other thing is that as soon as he opens his mouth/touches his teeth to ANYTHING he's not supposed to, you need to verbally give him an "OUT" or "LEAVE IT" and redirect to something he CAN chew. Sometimes they continue to challenge, but eventually he'll start to learn. If he already does it with you, it's just a matter of consistency in messaging from your wife/kids.


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## Nikitta

I have heard that if ,when the puppy bites, you, in a loud voice, say," OW." German shepherd puppies are land sharks. Personaly, and 1000s here disagree with this method, but I slap their nose. I've own 7 GSDs and that's how I taught them to stop biting.


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## car2ner

The nose slap never worked for me. It just made him think I wanted to play rough and tough. Part of the issue is that the pup is still young. Human kids take time to learn expectations, communications and self control. Dogs do learn faster than kids but it still far from overnight. 

Keep at it. The pup wants to herd. Your family's job is to teach your young pup how to channel that desire.


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## Zeus's Daddy

*Appreciate all the advice folks!*

My wife and I just sat down and read over the various ideas and plan on working at it again this evening. :gsdsit:
Right now our boy is out racing around the backyard enjoying the first snowfall of his young life! :snowflake: He's having a ball.
Take care all and I'll update how things are coming along soon.


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## Lilie

Your picture of your wife and your pup tells me exactly why your pup is biting your wife. Your wife allows it. He does it to other females because it's learning from your wife that it's an accepted behavior. 

You don't have to slap your pup, or shove your thumb down it's throat. You just have to not allow the behavior. Your pup already gets the idea - it doesn't do it with you. You don't allow it. 

Stop it by re-directing. Giving your pup something else to play with besides your wife's flesh. 

What do YOU do?


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## sehrgutcsg

Pecking order mismanagement. 

Our dog bit my wife on the arms at a younger age with baby teeth, but the established pecking order is out of whack. If it was me, I would do the nasty on the dog, send him to his crate tail between the legs about 6 times...He will bounce back with a new respect for the females of the household, right quick..

SGCSG


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## Zeus's Daddy

Lilie said:


> Your picture of your wife and your pup tells me exactly why your pup is biting your wife. Your wife allows it. He does it to other females because it's learning from your wife that it's an accepted behavior.
> 
> You don't have to slap your pup, or shove your thumb down it's throat. You just have to not allow the behavior. Your pup already gets the idea - it doesn't do it with you. You don't allow it.
> 
> Stop it by re-directing. Giving your pup something else to play with besides your wife's flesh.
> 
> What do YOU do?


 Oh, I wouldn't assume from a pic that she allows it...lol Believe me when I tell you that is not the case. 
It is an ongoing correction from the start when he first approaches her to play. Toys are used for redirection, even leash training is done to distract for awhile. Playing ball helps for a bit, but he will eventually go after her hands.
We've tried sour spray on the hands...no luck.
Actually, we have tried many of the ideas presented so far and yet, he still seems to enjoy challenging and mouthing with her.
Does he do it with me? Sure, but I can get him to stop by raising my voice..... but it takes a few.
My same voice being used to get him to stop when he is focused on my wife....is not effective.
He wants to play with her, he just plays rougher than I'd like. 
I can agree with one poster about the fact that if he gets a smack on the nose it simply encourages him to get wound up more and play harder.
We'll get there. He has made great strides in being part of our home for only 3 months and I know with time, he'll be ok.


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## Lilie

Keep in mind that he has all this canned up energy buzzing around his brain & body. It's difficult for him to focus on a specific behavior that you attempting to enforce. 

You want to encourage interaction. You want to encourage play. So it's up to you to find a way to encourage the right kind of interaction & play. 

I stated many times (on this forum) that I find using a puppet to play with a mouthy puppy really helps the pup to focus on the TOY and helps me encourage them to play with the toy and not my hand/arm/toe/face.


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## Debanneball

Our boys are the same age, the biting has really slowed down... For the teething, I froze water, took a plastic container (eg sour cream size), half full of water, this kept him entertained for a while, he didn't bite me, the only downfall was the watery mess.. Give me mess over bites  anyday!


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## lauren43

sehrgutcsg said:


> Pecking order mismanagement.
> 
> Our dog bit my wife on the arms at a younger age with baby teeth, but the established pecking order is out of whack. If it was me, I would do the nasty on the dog, send him to his crate tail between the legs about 6 times...He will bounce back with a new respect for the females of the household, right quick..
> 
> SGCSG


Do the nasty on the dog?

I seriously wonder sometimes about the advise on this forum.


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## Kyleigh

OH Boy! The puppy stage! I loved it, but don't always miss it!!!

Remember this statement when dealing with your puppy - an adrenalized dog usually makes bad choices! And repeat this constantly when dealing with your hyped up 5-month old puppy. "Adrenalized - meaning pumped, hyped, not listening, just being a goof." Compare it to giving your 5 year old child a pound of sugar and telling them they have to sit still! LOL ... good luck with that!

You've been given some great advice ... one I will state which is SO WRONG IMO ... swatting the dog on the nose to get them to stop biting. 

I did this ONCE and it was purely out of reflex (I was just as adrenalized as Kyleigh LOL) ... We were roughhousing in the back yard with one of her toys and I was teasing her with it (you know the "I've got it and you don't come and catch me game") when when jumped up in the air to get it (very impressive leap I have to add!) and snagged it down ... we were tugging for a couple of seconds and she was losing her grip and went to grab it again and got my finger at the same time - without even thinking my other hand came down to swat her on the nose. 

Her response? She dropped the toy and came at my other hand with gusto. It wasn't aggression it was a bad choice made by a pumped up hyper puppy. 

My next response? I simply turned my back and froze and completely ignored her. It took her a couple of minutes before she calmed right down - to laying down beside me on the ground waiting ... 

Next time we played, I made sure I had a bigger toy!

Tug is such a fun game for puppies (and dogs) but with the puppy stage make sure the toy is big enough for both of you! The pup is learning where to put its teeth / how hard to bite / to pull, etc. Set the pup up to succeed, not fail!

You wrote: Actually, we have tried many of the ideas presented so far and yet, he still seems to enjoy challenging and mouthing with her.

Of course he does ... he's a puppy - keep doing the ideas presented and at some point the light bulb will go off and he'll get it! 

Have fun with him, and lots of luck!


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## Zeus's Daddy

Kyleigh said:


> Tug is such a fun game for puppies (and dogs) but with the puppy stage make sure the toy is big enough for both of you! The pup is learning where to put its teeth / how hard to bite / to pull, etc. Set the pup up to succeed, not fail!


 Great point! Bought a newer and much longer tug toy last night. He has outgrown the first one and I can see where hand hits were pretty unavoidable during play.


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## Kyleigh

Awesome!!!! Have fun, and keep us posted, we like to hear about progress too!


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