# Puppy nipping/biting hard while playing... cant solve



## Jeeper (Apr 11, 2011)

So Ember is having an issue learning how to play without biting hard... I first tried the loud noise/no/yelp route, and it doesn't have much effect. Then I tried taking her toys away, and ignoring her... but she will just romp off and find something to amuse herself. I then tried the whole grabbing her snout or scruff area around her neck, but ironically she just takes that as play and gets all hyper... So finally I am thinking about just throwing her in her kennel and letting her calm down every time it happens... 

She doesnt mean any harm when she does it, sometimes she bites soft or nibbles, but when she gets really excited, she bites harder, it doesn't break the skin, but it is something i dont want. She grew up with 3 full size German shepherds, so when she plays, she thinks shes a big dog (shes 20lbs now)

I am taking her to obedience lessons by the end of the month, I was just wondering if anyone else has thoughts on how to solve the issue?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Time, patience, EXERCISE and taking the time and having the patience to teach our pups a new way to play with a toy.

Did you get to read this yet? http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-teaching-bite-inhibition.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/163659-oh-my-god-please-help-me.html


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## Bunch of Rascals (Dec 27, 2010)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Time, patience, EXERCISE and taking the time and having the patience to teach our pups a new way to play with a toy.
> 
> Did you get to read this yet? http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-teaching-bite-inhibition.html
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/163659-oh-my-god-please-help-me.html


This! 

We went through the exact same thing with Franks. I'm almost positive all of us did.  It takes lots of time and LOTS of patience but I assure you it absolutely works as long as you are consistent. Your babes will get it eventually, but there will be plenty of nips along the way.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How old is she? This is a process, not something that will magically change overnight, so you're going to see improvement in very small increments.


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## Hermann (Aug 2, 2011)

I have the same issue with my puppy mouthing and play biting, my Vet suggested putting your first 2 fingers deep into the puppy's mouth. It produces a gag response which they don't like and may stop the mouthing..Seems to be helping so far.


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## RebeccaSierra24 (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm having the same problem with Zen at the moment, and I've been assured that it only gets worse before it gets better. He has gotten to the stage where he grabs my hand and shakes it around like he would playing tug. I've bled quite a few times now.

I just open his mouth from my hand and get a toy and rub it in his nose (gently) then pull it away while being excitable saying, "What's this?! What is it?!". I tease him with it and then give it to him and he enjoys it for a little while. 

While she is playing with her toy, keep praising her. Not so much that she comes running to you or you take too much attention off the toy.. just enough to know that she is being a good girl. So say "good Ember... good girl" over and over.

It'll take a lot of patience. Exercise her as much as you can. This is only what has worked best for me. 

Good luck!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Hermann said:


> I have the same issue with my puppy mouthing and play biting, my Vet suggested putting your first 2 fingers deep into the puppy's mouth. It produces a gag response which they don't like and may stop the mouthing..Seems to be helping so far.


While that may help that individual bite to stop.

That does NOT teach our puppy the right way to play with us. And we DO want them to play with us, come to us, trust us, and when we get them, they only know one way to do this.... with their mouths. Cause they are puppies not people.

So we need to TEACH them the right way to play and interact with us, not just choke and gag them to get them to let go.


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## Eagle (Jul 3, 2011)

I have the same issue with my 2.5 month old male puppy. I have this issue when he is in the play mood..usually during night time..no matter what i try he keeps biting my ankles-socks-shoes..if i yell or say no....or push him to the ground and hold him there for 20-30seconds he comes back more excited putting more pressure in his bitings. My hands are full of bleeding marks because of this, maybe it has something to do with the genes of the GSD breed? I didn;t have these issues with my other dog (border collie when she was a puppy).


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Reacting aggressively, like forcing to the ground and holding him there will most likely increase his excitement- I doubt anything good will come from that. I remember stopping all play immediately, crossing my arms and looking away. If he persisted by nipping to get my attention I put him in the crate to break the feeding frenzy. Time and patience...


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

OMG!! Is this not the biggest issue that GSD owners deal with or what?? I have never seen so many threads about any other subject on any other forum like this. LOL :crazy: It's good though. As a new GSD mom with a 11.5 week old, I love reading them all. It helps my patience when I feel like I am at my wits end. And, the NILF group helps me to remain focused when I feel like slapping the heck out of my landshark. It's just like when I had toddler human baby...sometimes your sanity is at stake. Just remember they are BABIES and they are trying to figure it out too. I'm 49 years old and my skin on my arms is thinner. I look like a train wreck right now even though Sasha has made great progress with me. It just takes a little nip for me to bleed. *sigh*

I have read it gets better and my Sasha seems to get a little better everyday.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you hit your puppy so hard that it went into
another and peed. you were told then, stop
forcing your pup to the ground.



Eagle said:


> or push him to the ground and hold him there for 20-30seconds he comes back more excited putting more pressure in his biting


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it sounds like your frustrated. there's no room
for frustration when you're raising a pup. your
pup will learn not to nip with the proper guidance
from you.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

I wrote the following when Shasta was 3-1/2 months old:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/training-our-puppy-basic/140629-i-need-pep-talk.html

And this when she was 4-1/2 months old:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/training-our-puppy-basic/142037-ugh-ugh-ugh.html

And this when she was almost a year old:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/braggs/156363-quick-shasta-update.html

So my best advice is to just hang in there. It _will_ get better. Some things just take time, even if you're doing everything "right."


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## JulieBays (Jun 26, 2011)

paulag1955 said:


> I wrote the following when Shasta was 3-1/2 months old:
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/training-our-puppy-basic/140629-i-need-pep-talk.html
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reminder. And, I would like to tell the moderators that a sticky won't work for this subject. New GSD puppy moms/dads need current stories. It really helps us. Reading a sticky is sort of sterile. IMHO.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

JulieBays said:


> Thanks for the reminder. And, I would like to tell the moderators that a sticky won't work for this subject. New GSD puppy moms/dads need current stories. It really helps us. Reading a sticky is sort of sterile. IMHO.


Sticky threads are rarely locked, which means that people can add to them at any time. The best stickies _have_ current stories, along with a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

Making them a sticky just means they're easy to find because they're at the top of the forum.


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## Gracie's My Girl (May 27, 2011)

I hear you! I have a nice bloody little slash across the back of the leg that our puppy gave me tonight. It's hard at times to keep a cool head and remember all of the right things when sharp teeth are biting. I am far from an expert, but I always say "No!" loudly and then try to redirect her attention with a toy and plenty of praise. I also try to anticipate situations that encourage her bad behaivor and avoid them. Like you, I am hoping that this stage will end as quickly as possible.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Sticky threads are rarely locked, which means that people can add to them at any time. The best stickies _have_ current stories, along with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
> 
> *Making them a sticky just means they're easy to find because they're at the top of the forum*.


Some of the best sticky's are FULL of stories so people can read up and know they are not alone!!!! And know that right away. Many newbies may post and not get a response right away and feel unloved :crazy: and unhelped. It's much quicker for me to link them to the sticky to at least start getting some information if I only am on the board for a few minutes.... rather than not post AT ALL cause I don't have time to get all the information out that they need!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Stosh said:


> Reacting aggressively, like forcing to the ground and holding him there will most likely increase his excitement- I doubt anything good will come from that. I remember stopping all play immediately, crossing my arms and looking away. If he persisted by nipping to get my attention I put him in the crate to break the feeding frenzy. Time and patience...


Think we all need to re-read that daily with a new puppy!!! :wild:


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## Redhawk (Jul 8, 2011)

Hi Jeeper,

I'm going through the puppy nipping stage as well and as I am learning more things, very, very slowly it is getting better. If it's pretty bad right now I recommend not petting or playing with your pup with hands until you can get it under control, it's just asking for trouble.

I try to never approach the pup without a toy or chew stick in my hands, so I can redirect. You have to think BEFORE them about when they want to chew and the best thing is to direct their attention to it before they nip you, so you are actually directing, not redirecting.

If you wear shoes and jeans and spray shoes and jeans with bitter apple when around the pup, it's easier to just stand up and stop the playing immediately. If you have bare feet or socks you are s*r*w*d because you can not immediately stand up and stop the play. I really recommend a small puppy proof room that is baby gated you can leave immediately if it gets really bad.

I tried yelping, saying a loud no and neither of them have worked for me, the pup thinks it is a sound which means I want to play more. So is any kind of physical correction from you - it just means the pup 'wins' because it thinks its getting you to play. Either redirecting or leaving the pup in a room like laundry room with baby gates or crate is what works for me. They will get it eventually if you are VERY consistent about the rules of play (biting = no play/human time). If you aren't consistent, they may never get it.

Puppies get hyped up after walking, when hungry and when tired, like human children. You need to learn to anticipate their cranky times before it turns into a problem and deal with it before they get a chance to take it out on you. For instance, I learned my pup has a very difficult time calming down after off-leash walks. If I tried to pet her or even have her in the the same room as me, I know she would be nipping my feet and shoes. So the second we get home, after a drink of water, I put her in the crate for 1 hour. When she gets out after her nap, she is usually good as gold, but I had to learn this about her. 

When are your pups cranky times and how can you help her/him calm down, rather than bite you during them?

The most important thing I learned about all this - the more frustrated you get, the worse s/he will get - GUARANTEED! The more personally you take it, the worse s/he will get - GUARANTEED! 

What helped me was to look at it like a science project, force myself to observe and learn what the pup will do next and reward myself with a good pat on the back when I can predict her behavior correctly. Prediction, and being proactive, rather than correction is the way to go to stopping the behavior, in my opinion.

I'm not an expert, but am going through the same thing right now. If you look at it as a challenge to learn how to redirect pup it will get better. I have seen a lot of changes all ready in mine.

Good luck, let us know what you are finding is working and what is not.

RH


PS - Exercise and mental stimulation. Should be self explanatory.


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## Redhawk (Jul 8, 2011)

Some qualification on the way I have handled corrections - 

Now I only make the 'no' sound if I can immediately reinforce it with removing myself from room or standing up immediately to stop play. When you say no and she has a chance to immediately bite again it removes the power of the 'no'. After they have associated 'no' with you immediately stopping play, then you can use it more, but that may take a few days - a week.


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## danehdee (Jul 31, 2011)

I've tried everything with the no biting/nipping... He has stopped with the ankle biting though!

When we first got him my arms were so bad I had to wear sweaters out (in the summer) Lmao :S

I tried, NOOOO! OUCCHH! Holding snout, spray water bottle (he loved that one...) he'd go searching for the bottle to play with it after lol... 
But they only thing that kind of works for me now is to stop playing, and ignore him or give him a toy.. but that doesn't always work..

If he's biting a little too much, I will try to calm him down by petting him and say "Nooo.. kisses only" and he will lick my hand... then bite it  then we will try again..


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## JennyC (Apr 12, 2012)

Gracie's My Girl said:


> I hear you! I have a nice bloody little slash across the back of the leg that our puppy gave me tonight. It's hard at times to keep a cool head and remember all of the right things when sharp teeth are biting. I am far from an expert, but I always say "No!" loudly and then try to redirect her attention with a toy and plenty of praise. I also try to anticipate situations that encourage her bad behaivor and avoid them. Like you, I am hoping that this stage will end as quickly as possible.


....a year later - did it end?


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