# Biting/Mouthing Getting Worse



## Nem (Oct 9, 2013)

I've been reading these forums for a while, but this is my first time actually posting. I had a GSD when I was younger and all the way up till I left for college, but I didn't raise/train her through her puppy stages. Anyways, a few weeks ago I got an eight week old GSD puppy from a nearby breeder. At eight weeks the biting wasn't so bad, and I'm guessing it's because she just didn't have a jaw strength to inflict any pain? Three weeks later she has already doubled in size and most definitely has the jaw strength to cause pain now, haha.

I've read the articles about bite inhibition. I've been sticking to the method of blurting out a loud noise and leaving the room. Within the past few days it has seem to backfire. Now when I try to leave the room, she will follow me and bite at my ankles until I get to a room where I can shut the door. Which doesn't seem to have any effect other than her leaving scratches in the door, her finding something to tear up and make a massive mess out of in just minutes, or peeing on the floor. If I tell her no when she's in one of these extremely playful moods, she just thinks I'm playing and barks back. It almost appears that she is challenging me?

I've thought about sticking her in her crate for "timeout", but she already hates it as it is and I've read that you shouldn't associate any negative punishment with it.

So I'm kind of in a lose-lose situation here. If I leave the room, something gets destroyed. If I don't leave the room, I end up with puncture wounds all over my arms and ankles.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## JacksonGSD (Sep 21, 2013)

I can relate to what you're going through! Keep doing what you're doing, consistency over time will help. In the meantime, try to always have a toy handy so your dog learns what IS appropriate to chew on. 

I know some other people have had success using a spray water bottle when their pup bit. My boy just thought it was a game, but it may work for you! 




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## Chantald (Jul 23, 2013)

My pup was a mouthy terror. At 5 1/2 months he still likes to mouth my hands, but it is nowhere near the same intensity! He now only gets nippy when 1) he needs exercise
2) he's overtired but fighting the idea of a nap

Continue to redirect with toys and ignore her after biting, it will pay off! You can use the crate, but never make it seem like punishment, rather just send her to her crate with treats and a happy voice, and just use it as a time for her to settle. Also, exercise lots! A tired puppy is a happy and calm puppy! It made such a huge difference for my guy!

As she matures, she will get better. As I said, my guys mouthing just sort of slowed down and got way less intense and he started getting a bit older.

Good luck with your crocodog! 


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Get an x-pen or a baby gate. Shutting the door just damages your door because the puppy is then isolated. I would not do this. I would put the dog in an x-pen, or in an area baby-gated from you for a while, and then go back. 

I would actively teach the dog GENTLE. Do this with a treat. Start with a treat in the open palm, and say GENTLE. If the dog takes the treat gently, say Good Gentle. Work with the dog a little every day. All treats need to be taken gently. Remind the dog. 

Then make it harder. Cover the treat with your thumb, still open palm. Continue to remind the dog. If the dog grabs your thumb, Eh! Gentle. Try again. When he is doing this well. 

Make it harder put the treat in your closed palm, and tell the dog Gentle. If the dog treats the closed palm gently, Say good gentle and open so he can take it. Good boy/girl. Good Gentle. 

Now, put the treat between the index finger and the thumb. A dog that will snatch will get finger. Don't start this way. Work up to it. Remind the dog intermittently, until he is taking treats every time Gently. Continue to praise him, Good Gentle. 

Now you can use this word when he gets to rambuctious when playing, EH! Gentle with my fingers! Eh, Gentle with the Susie. If he does not reduce the intensity level, then stand up, fingers hands away, and put him in his area for a while -- not isolating, but letting him know that game is over until he is more gentle with his teeth. 

Leave him for 1/2 hour, and then try again. The pup needs lots of play with you. He needs for you to be gentle and consistent, and for you not to over-react. They play hard, dogs, and biting is what they do when they play with littermates. We humans are whimpy, but it is important for the puppy to learn this because we want to be able to say, Gentle with the boy, Gentle with the baby, and know that our dog understands that that means no biting. 

I use the words, "Careful" and "Settle" when I want a youngster to be careful around a baby. They need to control themselves when little ones are around. But Gentle is very important. 

That is what I do, and it works for me. 

Good luck.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

igot my pup when he was 9 weeks old. when my pup nipped i use to gently pull him 
back by some neck fur and say "no biting". after 5,786 tries and my dog aging (6 months old)
i was nipped once a month but wait if i include my GF being nipped the 5,786 of pulling him 
back and saying "no biting" changes to 11,572. our pup was an equal opportunity nipper.
the number goes higher if i include, neighbors, friends, mailman, family and anybody that
touched him.


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## Chantald (Jul 23, 2013)

Selzer, I really like the idea of teaching gentle! Gonna work on that with my boy, who most definitely is a treat snatcher!


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

> I've been sticking to the method of blurting out a loud noise and leaving the room.


This doesn't address the problem at all, and as you see the situation is escalating with this method. To me, the yelp or making a noise when a dog bites you is a sign of weakness. Walking a way makes no sense to me. Making a sound in this situation should be a warning to the dog it is gonna be corrected. Then in future the noise is the correction and the signal to stop. You have to learn how to deal with the situations as they arise and teach the dog it will be corrected for it's inappropriate actions. 



> Now when I try to leave the room, she will follow me and bite at my ankles until I get to a room where I can shut the door. Which doesn't seem to have any effect other than her leaving scratches in the door, her finding something to tear up


You should never leave a dog in an excited mood or it will scratch and tear things up. Best to teach the dog to go to a place and instruct it to go there before you leave the room. It might be the dogs bed.



> If I tell her no when she's in one of these extremely playful moods, she just thinks I'm playing and barks back. *It almost appears that she is challenging me?*


The dog is challenging you. It senses your weakness or lack of understanding of dog behavior and it is trying to manipulate you. It is tough but that's what some dogs do naturally. They need to be put in their place or be brought up with a clear understanding of who is in charge and who is controlling the situation. They will assume they control the situations if you let them.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

First I think you need to go back with the crate training. Have the crate beside your bed at night. Make it a place your pup feels safe and content in. I only use mine at night, when I'm not home, and for TIME OUTS like it sounds like you need. Sometimes we all need a break.

Have you seen this DVD? Huge help because it's actually about training our pups PLUS gets them more into the crate.





 
Other huge help to me is to plan my pups life/day to manage them and prevent the boredom and over excited energy that a normal GSD pup can otherwise have. There's a great reason many of us find those puppy classes. The car trip tires them/socializes them, the room with new people/dogs socializes/tires them, the one on one time out and about bonds the pup to us, PLUS we get some learning and training in for the pup (and us  ). It's a weekly regulated thing we can plan on and practice the homework so both mentally and physically the pup gets worn out.

Socialization ideas are fantastic. Another opportunity to pack the pup in the car, go out and... http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ialize-i-want-photos-videos-puppies-dogs.html


I also need to find OFF leash activities, so whether you find a friend with a great dog to play with and a huge fenced yard, or go on hikes like me.... I take home a tired pup who's well behaved for the rest of that day and usually thru the next.

click this ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/development-socialization/111084-proper-exercise-puppies.html


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## Oakley's momma (Oct 9, 2013)

selzer said:


> Get an x-pen or a baby gate. Shutting the door just damages your door because the puppy is then isolated. I would not do this. I would put the dog in an x-pen, or in an area baby-gated from you for a while, and then go back.
> 
> I would actively teach the dog GENTLE. Do this with a treat. Start with a treat in the open palm, and say GENTLE. If the dog takes the treat gently, say Good Gentle. Work with the dog a little every day. All treats need to be taken gently. Remind the dog.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this!! Going to start this with my 8 week old!


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## lmdurco (Sep 30, 2013)

My 13 week old pup bit us something awful!! Tore pants when we were walking etc. The more I tried to say "no" the more she came at us (playfully) but hard! I tried distraction, loud noises to startle her but it finally took "ONE" spray of water from a spray bottle while saying "no biting" that fixed it and I mean like a miracle!! Now when she bites playing it's much much easier and if she gets too rough, all I say is "no biting - easy" and she stops. I also noticed just showing her the spray bottle during other bad behaviors such as chewing furniture, tormenting my cat etc, seems to do the trick! Who knew?! One squirt! Worth a shot for ya!! My house is so much calmer and my arms no longer look like I got tied up in a barbed wire fence! 


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

I only used the can of pet corrector -- canned air for pets. I'm still on the same bottle I got when we first were dealing with mouthing. Now all I have to do is say "air" and it stops. But I'm lucky...Roxy doesn't get mouthy very often. Good luck.


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## DieselPup (Aug 13, 2013)

My pup is now 16 weeks old, he was the same way as a puppy, he would try to "bite" however it was softer after correcting him. Last week though he started to bite very hard, we tell him "nice" and he stops, it only lasted a week roughly and he stopped. 

The spray bottle can work for discipline, we use it on him when he is outside and is eating dirt or trying to eat rocks, we tell him no and spray him. He knows he is in trouble when he hears it squirt. You can try the spray bottle, however with the biting issue I would be concerned it may piss him off and make him bite more. 

Like others have said, always try to have a toy around for him. My pup loves his bone we bought him, its too big for him, but it definitely keeps him occupied. 

Best of luck!


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