# 12 week gsd showing early signs of aggression?



## nwyatt71 (Nov 30, 2010)

My puppy Riley was off to a great start when I got him. He was completely potty trained within 2 weeks at 10 and a half weeks old with a lot of positive reinforcement and has been going out and socializing with a lot of different people and dogs at a local dog park. He was somewhat nippy when I got him but it seemed to get worse and I began to try techniques such as instantly stopping play and ignoring him for a short duration and then resuming play. I did this consistently for a long time but it seems whenever I stop he gets angry, growls and barks very menacingly, then proceeds to bite at whatever part of my body is showing. In the last week he has left around 30 cuts and puncture marks all over my hands legs and even face. I do not know what else to try. I tried holding him on his back firmly until he stopped struggling. When I would let him go he would swiftly bite my hand and literally latch on and not let go till I pry him off with my other hand. I try to take him everywhere and give him a lot of praise if he does something good. I just can't stop the biting. 

Oh and on a side note, he is extremely friendly and well behaved around other people and dogs. Is this normal for a puppy his age, and if it is how should I handle this?


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Sounds like a very normal little GSD puppy (known as land sharks for good reason). My advice would be to keep working with him - with toys that he can bite when you redirect himto them and also what seemed to help with our little guy was saying "OW" in a very hurt tone and stop playing with him and turn away. Eventually he learned to stop biting and start licking the object of his interest (usually my hand or arm.


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## nwyatt71 (Nov 30, 2010)

codmaster said:


> Sounds like a very normal little GSD puppy (known as land sharks for good reason). My advice would be to keep working with him - with toys that he can bite when you redirect himto them and also what seemed to help with our little guy was saying "OW" in a very hurt tone and stop playing with him and turn away. Eventually he learned to stop biting and start licking the object of his interest (usually my hand or arm.


Phew, I was starting to get a little worried. I'll definitely try that out. Thanks!


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

I feel for you. I truly do. I remember those days vividly. 

I've read a lot of posts with this question. The consensus seems to be that this is not aggression just normal puppy behavior. There are tons of posts on this issue offering great suggestions on how to eliminate this behavior. Good luck and congrats on the new puppy.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

one thing you can work on as part of training is you have some treats and you have a stick of butter. You have a treat in one hand and you rub the butter on the edge of your hand. You offer him the butter hand and say kisses. When he gives kisses aka licking the butter, you praise and treat and repeat a couple times. Like any training you have to keep up with it. When he goes to bite you, you correct and say something like ah-ah kisses only! and you crate him for a time out. then you try again a couple minutes later. but you have a perfectly normal landshark!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

i also want to point out that the barking and growling he's doing at you when you stop playing when he starts getting too mouthy is what he would do to try and entice his litter mates to start playing with him again when they back off because someone was too rough.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

Perfectly normal GSD pup. Do a search on biting and you should find lots of great advice.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

KZoppa said:


> i also want to point out that the barking and growling he's doing at you when you stop playing when he starts getting too mouthy is what he would do to try and entice his litter mates to start playing with him again when they back off because someone was too rough.


Perfectly written! This is puppy PLAY and not aggression. So you have to treat it like PLAY and teach him (not correct him) a new way to play with humans. He only knows how to play with DOGS! 

We have an entire sticky on this cause it's so common for all of us not to know how to play with our puppies. 

Click on this -> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/training-our-puppy-basic/134407-teaching-bite-inhibition.html


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)

Just remember that unless you teach the pup what a toy is, he thinks YOU are his toy. Keep a tug or stuffy on you at all times for when he starts, and remember to stuff the toy in his mouth and play with it. Flirt poles are great too.


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