# Best ways to break puppy of biting people (play)



## ViciousXUSMC (Feb 2, 2015)

Nova is getting bigger, more energetic, and stronger.

Her common naps are not too common, and her soft biting is now almost skin piercing. She hits moods that last half the day where you cant even pet her without her thinking its time to bite and play, and trying to get her to bite on toys and play tug is not nearly as fun to her so she goes for you instead. 

I am trying the redirection with toys and praise, but I think its time to try a different approach.

She respects me as the leader but "NO!" does not seem to phase her when she is doing something I do not want her to. 

What is your techniques, hints, or methods to get the puppy to listen and help ward this behavior so that its not a problem (esp for kids)


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...discussion-about-correcting-landsharking.html

This is discussed here with a lot of good info and opinions

Me myself believe in understanding the puppies nature and working with it. A dog biting and tugging wants to be trained and is an intelligent animal. It needs you to step up your knowledge of dog behavior. But it can sense very well if you don't know what your doing. Then it will not heed your commands or release and can be annoying and picks on people for it's own enjoyment. You feeling bullied adds power to the pup in it's own view.

I would simply give a pup a jab or a poke if it's doing undesirable biting and never let it escalate. I would want the pup feeling confident biting me while at the same time respecting my commands and skin tissue if that makes sense. Dogs and pups are biters. They are little predators by nature and this tug/play should be nurtured but under your rules.

Some people don't know how to allow things but at the same time put there foot down and stop behaviors at the right time. Also people don't know how to engage with a pup to keep him occupied and satisfied with tug or play. It is a balance people need to learn any ways.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Not that many might subscribe to this.....but since I am a believer in communicating with a dog at it's own level sometimes....yes, I know a dog knows I am not a dog....but we can all still imitate dog body posturing and other forms of dog communication which in my opinion are fully understood by the dog and will solicit the intended response in the dog....the simple play bow is a good example. However, use of the play bow can potentially undermine the rank and file of the proper dog/human relationship....so I have read at times..I never have seen the fallout...yet.

I have chosen certain items from the excerpt posted below and employed them in regards to the 3 GSD pups I have had over the years in regards to the biting problem which is rampant amongst GSD pup owners. My guess is, the upside is...it's a phase and will pass....the downside is...how long this phase lasts in many situations. 

I also would respond to overzealous pup biting by pressing the pup's flews against their upper teeth, creating discomfort appropriately based on the situation. 

As I said, I pick and choose from the article below.....

SuperG


*Why Does a Mother Dog Bite Her Puppies?*


While bouncy puppies receive a lot of behavioral training from their human owners, the process generally starts much earlier for them, when they're still living alongside their canine mothers and siblings. If you ever notice a female dog biting her puppies, you're seeing her strong motherly instincts coming through, via discipline. 


*Biting During Weaning*

Female dogs typically begin to wean their puppies when they're around 4 weeks old, and sometimes even a bit earlier than that. When they do this, they discourage their little ones from nursing, or at least from nursing as frequently. If a puppy attempts to nurse during this period, his mother might react by biting him, or by at least making a show of biting him. This frequently occurs when puppies are between 5 and 7 weeks in age or so. When mother dogs do this, they're trying to teach their youngsters how to do things on their own, more independently.

*Muzzle Biting and Discipline*

Mother dogs sometimes use biting as a technique for general discipline, too. If a puppy is acting too aggressively with the rest of the litter, his mother might bite him on the muzzle to get him to cut it out. If he's asking for too much of mama's attention and time, pushing the other siblings out of her way, she might do the same.

*Bite Inhibition Training*

Although mother dogs occasionally bite their puppies, a big part of their job involves teaching the little guys about bite inhibition. If a puppy gets too mouthy during nursing, his mother might show him that she doesn't approve of it by simply getting up and moving away from him. When this happens over and over again, puppies learn their lesson. Puppies also learn bite inhibition from their littermates. When a puppy bites his sibling too sharply during playtime, the "victim" might stop playing immediately, giving the first one a crucial education in not biting too hard.

*Other Disciplinary Methods*

Biting is not the only way that mother dogs discipline their youngsters. Other common canine maternal disciplinary methods include barking, growling, snarling and staring intently. Mother dogs typically start out by growling deeply at their puppies. If the puppies ignore the growling and don't stop whatever it is that they're doing wrong, the mother dogs generally move on to snarling and staring. This type of training is especially crucial for young pups who display especially dominant, assertive and forceful temperaments.




*Biting During Transportation*

Not all "biting" by mother dogs is related to discipline. Like mother cats, mother dogs frequently use their mouths to transport their young offspring from one spot to another. When they do this, they pick the little ones up from behind their necks and then go on their way. Mother dogs typically lift their puppies as a means of taking them to more secure, quiet locations.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

What has worked for me in the past is to make a fist and push into the pups mouth just enough to be uncomfortable for him.I don't say NO and may not even look at him.It's just an unpleasant natural consequence for him.If my pup was a leg biter,I would walk around and shake him off rather roughly so he would go tumbling,not looking at him or engaging with him at all.When he stopped then we would play.Lots of good suggestions already,one of them will work for you I'm sure


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## ViciousXUSMC (Feb 2, 2015)

I think my issue is I want to make sure I am not being too "aggressive" I know positive reinforcement is all the rave now.

I do not mind grabbing her by the scruff and growling at her, or popping her on the nose but I just want to make sure that is approved methods especially since my other half screams at me every time I have to take such actions with the pup. 

I believe there is a time and place for all things, and while I love to comfort and love, when she is being bad and not listening I think that is when authority must take a higher priority than comfort.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

ViciousXUSMC said:


> I think my issue is I want to make sure I am not being too "aggressive" I know positive reinforcement is all the rave now.
> 
> I do not mind grabbing her by the scruff and growling at her, or popping her on the nose but I just want to make sure that is approved methods especially since my other half screams at me every time I have to take such actions with the pup.
> 
> I believe there is a time and place for all things, and while I love to comfort and love, when she is being bad and not listening I think that is when authority must take a higher priority than comfort.


How old is she now?

What's helpful to remember is that she's basically a toddler at this stage. It's not that positive reinforcement is all the rave, it's that you can't really expect a toddler to understand what physical corrections mean. There isn't going to be a quick fix and scruffing/nose popping is going to do more harm than good (at best, it gets them even more amped up, at worst it can cause issues with your relationship). It's unlikely that she'll really understand corrections. With the mouthing, really the only way out is through... be patient, be consistent. Utilize the crate if she gets too wound up. Teach her what's appropriate, instead. It's a phase, and a long one. Hang in there!


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

LoveEcho said:


> How old is she now?
> 
> What's helpful to remember is that she's basically a toddler at this stage. It's not that positive reinforcement is all the rave, it's that you can't really expect a toddler to understand what physical corrections mean. There isn't going to be a quick fix and scruffing/nose popping is going to do more harm than good (at best, it gets them even more amped up, at worst it can cause issues with your relationship). It's unlikely that she'll really understand corrections. With the mouthing, really the only way out is through... be patient, be consistent. Utilize the crate if she gets too wound up. Teach her what's appropriate, instead. It's a phase, and a long one. Hang in there!


Exactly this!


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## ViciousXUSMC (Feb 2, 2015)

LoveEcho said:


> How old is she now?
> 
> What's helpful to remember is that she's basically a toddler at this stage. It's not that positive reinforcement is all the rave, it's that you can't really expect a toddler to understand what physical corrections mean. There isn't going to be a quick fix and scruffing/nose popping is going to do more harm than good (at best, it gets them even more amped up, at worst it can cause issues with your relationship). It's unlikely that she'll really understand corrections. With the mouthing, really the only way out is through... be patient, be consistent. Utilize the crate if she gets too wound up. Teach her what's appropriate, instead. It's a phase, and a long one. Hang in there!


12 Weeks.

I'll work on it, I try not to crate her when she is "bad" because that is yet another thing I read is never place the puppy in the crate as punishment. But I suppose its all about the delivery. 

A here you go, and a couple of treats is way different than a loud upset shove in the crate and slam of the door.


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## Newbies (May 9, 2015)

I am having the same problem with my 10 week old. We are using nothing but positive methods and it is not working, he does not see us as the alpha and attacks us at random times.. We have tried every method he is only getting worse I feel it is time to take a more assertive approach but I am scared to effect his trust... Any other ideas besides the same old walk away, give him toys bla bla bla... He is not just playing a puppy he is overly aggressive please help


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## BadStarter (Apr 29, 2015)

For me Bite control is very important as I have lotta kids around. GSDs anyways don't exactly look like labs, and a 14 week old GSD may be a puppy for the owners, but for majority of others it is bigger than an adult dog of some other breeds.
So my guy hates the crate anyways, doesn't want to get in it. Now I do this several times a day, during his play time extend my hand purposefully for him to bite. He does, he gets the crate. He does not, he get the treat.

Seems to work for this guy.


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## Pretzels (Aug 11, 2014)

I think it's fine to give an appropriate physical correction for biting if that works for your pup. It's what a mother dog would do to her pups, or what one dog would do to another. I think the attitude you have when giving a physical correction can make all the difference. If you do it with an angry/frustrated attitude that's when it will hurt your relationship imo. 
The usual way I would teach puppies not to bite would be a firm no and a little pop on the nose maybe... And it generally worked great and they understood it without really taking offense. This was until I got my GSD. 
Physical corrections absolutely did not work for my pups biting, it would either be rewarding for him, or just amp him up. The ONLY thing that worked for this pup was abruptly getting up and leaving the room without a word when he would bite. He would be so stunned when it happened that he would just sit there and think about what he did, so it really got the message across lol


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## Blkgp1 (May 2, 2015)

Getting up and walking away, the physical corrections..... All seem to jyst excite my pup. She started some bitework training- now she has an excellent bite but now she thinks it is ok to grab stuff snd run with it. Hoping she will figure it out.


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## ViciousXUSMC (Feb 2, 2015)

Same boat as you Blkgp1.

I have taught her "no bite" but she seems to understand my body language more so than the verbal command.

So if she is mouthing me I put my hand flat in front of her mouth and if she bites me I just lightly pop her on the nose and say No Bite! after doing this just a few times it was quick that she stops biting me or starts to do it really soft.

The issue is she only associates this with my hand, so if she really wants to play and bite at me, she will just go bite my arm or my leg :/

As for games/fetch she will usually bring stuff to me, but especially when outside or with the kids she plays keep away rather than return and loves it. If she has something she knows she is not supposed to have she never comes she always runs and does keep away.

As with most things with Nova I am sure its just a phase and will pass, I just keep reinforcing good behavior and training and try to get through the phase faster.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Just like LoveEcho posted. Its good to save that post and reread when you need to because it is a long haul and when they do stop you will barely notice because it is so gradual. Its good idea to leave the leash on so you can do a jiggle/pop of the leash then redirect with toy. If mouthing/biting continues and you find you are in a cycle of repeating correction and redirection time for pup to chill out in crate. They short circuit just like little kids when getting over tired and need quiet time to become grounded again. During the winter we all had colds i was using vicks on the kids. I noticed my pup hates the smell of vicks. When he got carried away i would bring out the jar of vicks -closed and just held it in my hand so he saw the vicks jar. I didnt even have to open the jar and he would stop right away. Then all i had to say Im going to get the vicks and he would stop right away depending on the level of excitement- sometimes I had to get the jar and let him see it. The leash and vicks gave me hope their was some light at the end of the tunnel but patience is what makes it all work.


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## graciesmom (Jun 10, 2006)

Another thing you might want to try when your puppy is biting is to teach "gentle". Put some treats/food in your hand and close it making a fist. Let your puppy sniff it and try to get the treat. The puppy will try biting your hand. Tell them "gentle" and only open your hand when they stop biting and instead lick your hand. This is not the only thing I did through the landshark phase, but one of many things and it really helped them to understand.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

When I taught my pup how to play fetch I made a big big deal when he ran to catch the ball then would call him over in a very excited way and would give him huge excited praises and gave him a treat in exchange for the ball and saying "give". Treats are eventually phased out when he sees continuing the game was a bigger reward. When he does take somthing he is not suppose i swap it out with a toy or treat and say a thank you in a firm voice.


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