# 10 Week GSD Puppy Biting/Licking/Nipping



## omarabbasi (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi,

I've been keeping dogs as pets for the last 15 years and have training them the basic commands myself.
I got a 5 week GSD male pup last month. This is the first time I've got a GSD pup earlier I had only been keeping medium sized terriers.
The pup is very friendly and social and whenever I am working outdoors he comes and jumps around me leaving everything else. 
But he licks a lot and nips and bites a lot. Even if I pick him up he turns around and bites a lot. He had this problem when he was 5 weeks old and now he is 10 weeks old and his teeth are quite sharp. I've been told you only start training a GSD when he's 12 weeks hold. 
What should I do to stop making him biting/mouthing/nipping/licking so much?
I've never had this problem with any of the earlier dogs and this habit of his really stops me from playing with him.
I got a him dog bone but when anyone is working outdoors or sitting in the garden he puts away the bone and starts playing, which eventually turns into biting. You can't even pat him casually cause of this.

I am sorry this got a bit long. I just got carried away.

*need help*

Cheers,


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## Kris10 (Aug 26, 2010)

He was very young (TOO young) when you got him. This is how he would play with his litter mates and naturally learn about bite inhibition. This is normal GSD puppy behavior. You will hear from a lot of folks on this forum about how to deal with this-it is pretty common! I still have an issue with my Max being mouthy (although he doesn't bite hard). I have heard that you should try responding with a yelp, as his siblings would have, so he knows he has gone too far with his bite. 
Please be patient with him, as your time spent playing with him and training him now will be so rewarding when he matures!


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-teaching-bite-inhibition.html

Tons of reading here.


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## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

with hachi i got him very young and he was like this but by ignoring his behaviour, or else sayin no or ouch! Within a couple of weeks he stopped however every now and again while playin he will still nip but once i say no he stops! With roku who is 4weeks younger he is constantly at it but i know if i keep saying no he will stop eventually!


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## Val-Hi King Timber (Aug 26, 2010)

I am NO expert. But I say he didnt even have a single chance to learn bite inhibition from his litter mates as well. I got my GSD at 8 weeks and it was still very difficult. Should I say....IS very difficult. We are still working on that and sometimes it really worries me because I feel like I see the play bite turn into something more serious sometimes when he doesnt want to quit after he has been told. GSD's are by far the mouthiest puppies. I read someone here refer to them as land sharks. By far the truth. 
I just wanted to respond because I wanted to share the other thing that I have also learned about GSD's and this is crucial.
They dont respond to corrections the same way "other" dogs do. And I learned this first with the biting and nipping.
They are much more head strong and spirited than ANY other dog Ive owned. With other puppies Ive raised, all I had to do when they were biting was lightly kind of pop them on the nose with my finger and say NO. 
Im not sure how your baby reacts to corrections but Timber will challenge me anytime I use a hands on correction. I was told by our trainer to get him into the down position, roll him and hold him there until he settled down.
Haaaaa haaaaa haaaaaa!!!! No way! Not me!!! Timber does NOT respond with this method and it almost infuriorates him. The biting only escalates and it turns into a vicious circle. I had a neighbor who protection trains his GSD's and he said no way with this technique as well. He said "You cant fight fire with fire".
So, that brings me back to the begining. I dont have really any advice on what to do as I am searching for the same answer. I dont play tug of war with Timber anymore, I keep myself calm around him, I make him work for his food and toys and treats. I just dont know how to correct the biting in the proper way. His preditor drive is usually highest in the morning after coming out of his crate.
I guess the only positive here from me is chew toys, treat filled kongs and chew bones. As soon as puppy starts to chew on you. Divert his attention to something he is allowed to mouth....like his toys.
Right now with Timber, I say a quick Ahhhh Ughhh, No bite! And hand him a toy. Im just not sure this is really taking care of the problem or if its temporarily putting a band aid on it.
So, I wish you luck and lots of replies!
By the way......Congrats on your baby!!!
~Jennifer and Timber~


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## 48496 (Sep 1, 2010)

Both of our gsd's did this when they were puppies. Well, our thirteen week old is still doing it! We stick a toy in her mouth when she's trying to go for us. We also say no or yelp. From what I've heard in the forum, our puppies are known as "land sharks" at this stage, lol! Our two year old gsd grew out of it so I'm sure our baby (and yours) will too.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

jakeandrenee said:


> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-teaching-bite-inhibition.html
> 
> Tons of reading here.


Make sure you read that link. Most of our GSD pups act like yours, and since you got yours about 2 weeks earlier than recommended, he missed out on SOME of the learning that may have helped from his mom and littermates.


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## Justin0406 (Jun 18, 2010)

No solution - just to encourage you to hang in there... He will out grow it... I learned from this forum the reason gsp are called land sharks... It really does get better... probably a little worse first but he will mellow out... Around 4 months for our dog... whew glad those days are over...


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

What I would do is play with him like normal and when he bites, just get up and walk away. He'll want to play, so after you do this for awhile he'll stop biting. It worked for all my dogs.


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## Val-Hi King Timber (Aug 26, 2010)

Just want to add:

And this is ONLY if your puppy is like mine.
If I yelp when Timber bites me, it only excites him more.
Just use different approaches and find out what works for you and most importantly your puppy.

As far as what the others are saying. I sure do hope mine grows out of this because somtimes he seems dead set on biting. Even after I stop walking, moving and after a command to stop. If there is a toy handy, I will get him to latch onto that instead of my leg or shorts but then as soon as I start walking again....bam....teeth to the legs.
I hope more than anything that consistancy works with my dog. Its the one thing thats worrying me because I have a 4 year old that Timber thinks is a walking talking toy to bite.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

There's always the possibility that NONE of these methods will work with your puppy and you'll just have to wait it out, which is pretty much where we're at with Shasta (she's almost 5 months old) but I promise you, it does get better. She still has her bad days, but it's usually possible, now, to touch her without being mauled.


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## JennyC (Apr 12, 2012)

Just wondering about a year and a half later how you all got on with the puppy biting. I'm going throught this now.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Welcome to Fuzzygator world, JennyC!


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

Here is something interesting I tried that seems to work. Max wants to run behind me and bite my calves..hard. Shoving a toy in his mouth helps, but I really just don't want him behind me as that what gets him chasing and then biting.

So, I have treats in my pocket and I hold my hand down at the left side and let him follow the treat..then he gets a treat for "bypassing " my leg. It really seemed to help by the end of the day. (I was also dragging the toy along my left side to for redirection of his "attack"!)

I dunno..but hey, whatever works!


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