# Puppy bites like CRAZY



## Sophiamve (Aug 5, 2012)

I recently got my precious German shepherd when she was 8 weeks. She is now 9 weeks and I think she's biting a lot more than normal. I know it's normal for puppies to bite, but she's just insane. She draws blood daily and she recently cut me very deep. I have tried everything. I've used spray bottles, I've tried holding her lower jaw until she lets go, but with no success. I've also tried completely ignoring her when she bites, but she always goes right back to it. I've added some pictures. Please help.


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## breyer08 (Jul 4, 2012)

Welcome to the world of GSD landshark puppies!! When we first brought Ava home in June, we didn't know that the biting could be so incredibly bad, and we actually thought there was something wrong with her (i.e. vicious and dangerous!). Lo and behold, I found this forum and read this thread: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-puppy-biting-teaching-bite-inhibition.html

Apparently GSDs are much more mouthy than many other breeds of dog as puppies. We tried EVERYTHING that everyone normally recommends, and none of it really worked. We are still dealing with her biting, but the one thing we did find that keeps her in check is Bitter Apple spray. We just show her the bottle now, tell her "no bite" and she will back off and redirect. Make sure you have LOTS of chewable toys for her, and keep one in every room of the house so that if she starts to bite you, you can instantly redirect her energy with the toy and not your arms/legs! I have many, many scars and battle wounds from the past 7 weeks with her, so I know how you feel! You might also want to try to wear longer pants around the house... for me this was a bit difficult, since we live in a very hot area. Also make sure she gets a LOT of exercise every day. We now walk Ava between 2-4 miles each day (once in the morning, once in the evening) and her biting has been getting better. Based on everything I've read here, though, it is something that just takes time.


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## breyer08 (Jul 4, 2012)

I should also add that for us, anything physical (like holding her mouth, tapping her nose, etc.) and also verbal (yelping like a dog, crying in a high-pitched voice) just got her more worked up and energetic. I would imagine your puppy is probably the same way. When she gets into that crazy mood, try being very calm and use a softer voice, all while redirecting her to a toy. Any kind of wild reaction from you will just make it worse! (And all of those reactions were the things I found on every other website for dealing with puppy biting, which is why I thought my puppy was defective! haha!) Patience and long pants will go a long way.


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## minerva_deluthe (May 6, 2012)

I don't know if this helps at all but someone here turned me on to this guy's videos and I think he is great. Here he is on puppy biting:


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

My dog is now 8.5 months. I still have scars from 4 months ago. They may never go away. In a somewhat twisted way, I'm proudly wearing those scars on my hands as memorabilia.


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## m1953 (May 7, 2012)

Lots of good information on this forum about bite inhibition.. It will end but you will have find ways of redirecting your pup when they bite. My arms looked like they were in a meat grinder for a while. Nala is just over 4 1/2 months now and I just noticed today all the teeth scratches on my arms are all healed and while she still grabs me with her mouth when playing she has finally learned how to mouthed when playing without actually biting.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

Nope, sounds normal.

Exercise, exercise, exercise!

A tired puppy is a good puppy.

Have scars from each of mine.

Those puppy teeth are razors.

Remember, they don't have hands... So use teeth.


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## Phoebes (Jul 14, 2012)

I totally feel your pain. My arms, ankles, even my thighs look like I've been served a sentence of 200 lashes. 
There's a chew deterrent spray by Tropiclean that works well for us and I try my best to have a chew toy to redirect him to...with a release command (and I try to think past my pain to praise him when he lets go) which I think he's sort of learned. As his jaws are getting stronger though I got him bones to chew that are more interesting for him to bite than his toys and I.
Hang in there...


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I don't think I like the term "bite ihibition" because you don't want your dog to become uninterested in bite work later if you plan on doing any work like that. I like "bite redirection for puppies" better. It also makes it more clear what you're trying to accomplish and how. I also agree that a tired GSD is a good GSD, no matter the age!


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## Knave (Apr 29, 2012)

Bite redirection is the way I went. Every time Fenris wanted to chop on my fingers and toes, I yelped and then shoved a toy in his mouth instead. If he still tried to go after my appendages, I walked away for a while.

It didn't take too long for him to figure out how the game worked. Admittedly, he still gets mouthy every once in a while but, it's more because he's hit a level of too much energy and not enough external stimulation.

To echo others: A tired puppy is a good puppy.


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## christinemarie.erickson (Oct 18, 2012)

This is true. I have tried to do quick NAHs and whatever, but he just gets CRAZIER. My hands and wrists look terrible...but if I just walk away and ignore for a few minutes, he calms down. It's hard to know what to do when I'm walking him, though, and he gets bitey.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

christinemarie.erickson said:


> This is true. I have tried to do quick NAHs and whatever, but he just gets CRAZIER. My hands and wrists look terrible...but if I just walk away and ignore for a few minutes, he calms down. It's hard to know what to do when I'm walking him, though, and he gets bitey.


You get a chance to read thru ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...wner/188549-puppy-biting-hints-tips-help.html

aw:


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