# Is it mouthing or Biting?



## DBerger04 (Mar 23, 2010)

I have a 15mo GSD. his name is Jerry. I am convinced he is bi-polar.

When I come home from work he will run to me jump up or put his flank against my legs so I can pet him. He likes to grab my hands with his mouth and then lets go a second later.

When I play fetch with him or even try to put his leash on he always grabs my hand. When I ignore him to show him that this is unacceptable he comes over and just nipples my arms, under arms, belly.

More often than approriate he comes over and growls barks and just bites my hands and trys to rip them like Tug of war. I do not play tug of war with the dog ever.

I have tried the bitter apple spray, screaching ouch and pulling my hand out. The new thing that works somewhat is folding his jowels into his mouth and squeezing them against his teeth while he cries and whines, telling him no bite. Still he thinks its a game.

Will he grow out of this? It is getting out of hand. I live at home and the parental units are getting a bit angry with his behavior.

He gets roughly 2 hours of excersise at night and my dad has him outside all day on the line or with the invisible fence.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I'd call that mouthing. I've had some success with fosters that were mouthing by stickin my hand down their throat when they grab my hand in their mouth.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I agree- Stosh does the mouthing thing when I put his leash on him or brush him, sometimes when I'm petting him. If your dog nips to the point of injuring you that's something different entirely.


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

At 15 months old, he's not going to grow out of this. It's the kind of thing that young puppies do and that should have been worked on a long time ago. What kind of training have you done with him? Other than exercising him what sort of household rules/manners stuff have you worked on?


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## fgshepherd (Sep 1, 2010)

My dog is three years old and he'll _occasionally_ do that. Not ever biting or nipping, I think he just gets excited and sometimes can't handle it and my hand ends up in his mouth. He doesn't ever clamp down or growl or anything. I'd be scared if he did!


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## Deuce (Oct 14, 2010)

Stosh said:


> I agree- Stosh does the mouthing thing when I put his leash on him or brush him, sometimes when I'm petting him. If your dog nips to the point of injuring you that's something different entirely.


Agreed.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

My dog is a 'mouther'. Never bites but uses her mouth a lot. She is also 15 months and if she gets carried away we just tell her to take it easy and she comes and licks our hand. As a younger dog we also did the hand down the throat routine with some success. Also, try withdrawing your hand, get him to sit and make him lick your hand (if you can). A lot of dogs are mouthy out of exuberance and since they have no hands can only 'grab' you with their mouths. They have amazing control of their jaws and how they use them.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Sometimes Balto would pinch me when he wanted to play. That hurt! He's older now and doesn't like to hurt me anymore.


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## Roxygsd (Sep 8, 2010)

It's mouthing. Roxy still does this too. She gets very excited when we come home. We tell her no bite and refuse to pet her until she settles done. At 18 mos. she finally will mostly lick our hands.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Roxygsd said:


> It's mouthing. Roxy still does this too. She gets very excited when we come home. We tell her no bite and refuse to pet her until she settles done. At 18 mos. she finally will mostly lick our hands.


 
Same thing here.
She usually quits and lies on her back for a belly rub.


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