# Ouch! Sharp teeth mister!



## Cassie (Aug 25, 2010)

My GS puppy is only about 11 weeks but he is a biter! I know he is mostly doing it out of play and it probably feels good to latch onto my arm for his little teeth. I tell him no and close his mouth and I have even flicked his mouth...but he still does it! Just tonight he made me bleed.. I am not sure what to do to get him to stop. I want to put him in a puppy training class but I think I have to wait till he has all his shots..? Please Help 
- Cassie Hezel


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## piercetc (Aug 23, 2010)

our puppy doing same thing! he doesnt seem to get it- i know its gotta be my communication skills - looking forward to puppy class for help! good luck- this biting stage cant last forever?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Don't hit his muzzle or close his mouth. Teach him how to play properly and how to ask to play. This takes a long time  I think my pup finally stopped mouthing when he was done teething :crazy:

If you do a search of the board you'll find a lot of posts on this but this is the most helpful thread http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/puppy-behavior/85888-teaching-bite-inhibition.html


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

This is very normal puppy behavior. You need to keep puppy toys at hand so you can readily shove one in his little mouth before he gets you.


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## XTOL (Jun 9, 2010)

As Ive learned (the hard way) this is why GSD puppies are called
land sharks. My Abby...15 weeks old today...is a mix of land shark
and Tasmanian devil.

I have a bandage on my left foot...one on my left arm and
my right index finger. 

Hang in there. It will get better. Buy an extra box of bandaids
and a tube of Neosporin oitment. And stuff things other than
body parts into his mouth to chew on.


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## Cassie (Aug 25, 2010)

Haha!!! @ XTOL I feel your pain!!! They have some serious sharp teeth!!!! Puppies are hard work but well worth it!!!


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## draggar (Jul 11, 2008)

Puppies love to bite - there is nothing wrong with this. Just teach them to bite appropreate things. Like toys, etc.

You can learn to read your puppy. Always have a toy on you and if you feel they're going to nip you, whip out the toy and taunt them with it (a little - always let a young puppy win) and let them bite the toy.

Some of our puppies LOVE biting - they even try to bite their metal food bowls. Catch (one of the puppies) will latch onto my pant leg while I'm trying to clean the house and not let go. He might be good at bitework when he grows up.


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## piercetc (Aug 23, 2010)

first of all , we have puppy gates to keep dexter in the kitchen/ family room/ breakfast room area- his crate is next to bigscreen tv- there are 12 toys of different textures laying around for him plus he enjoyed playing with this empty dr pepper 12 pac box- we do stuff toys in his mouth every time he wants to chew on us- i have held his face and looked in his eyes and said no! then give him a toy- have stuffed toys in his mouth as he approaches me snapping- 
we have also gotten worn out after like 20 minutes of toy stuffing and put him in the crate for 3-4 minutes ( only have done this a couple times really)
one thing i read to do in a german shepherd book or magazine was to put my thumb under his tongue with first finger under his chin and hold for 10 sec's as i look in his eyes and say no bite- this never works tho- can do it over and over for 20 plus times and he is still wanting to continue the biting/chewing etc.......
i hope puppy class helps me be able to communicate to him not to do this  because i dont feel like anything else we do is working that well-


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

piercetc said:


> one thing i read to do in a german shepherd book or magazine was to put my thumb under his tongue with first finger under his chin and hold for 10 sec's as i look in his eyes and say no bite- this never works tho- can do it over and over for 20 plus times and he is still wanting to continue the biting/chewing etc


How the crap is this supposed to work? I don't want you to bite me so I'm going to stuff my hand in your mouth? Seriously?


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## Cassie (Aug 25, 2010)

I guess every dog responds differently. I know if I was to shove my fingers in Bandits mouth he probably just bite more. He is already getting better when I tell him no and immediately give him a toy.. so we shall see


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

The more you say no and try to make them stop the more your body language is saying more this is fun. If you shove something in a mouth that wants to chew they will chew- this includes your finger. The pup says huh she put it there I guess I should gnaw on it. I shoved many a ball or toy in Zoe's mouth during this stage to no avail- they simply grow out of it honestly. One thing I did was immediately take her out to run and run some more when she was over excited and not calming down- it usually redirected her energy to something positive and acceptable. At almost 10 months she will forget when we are playing and pull a face lunge here and there- she even punctured my ankle pretty good last week, but all in all this is a rarity she is growing out of it


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I played alot of tug with my pups when they were so oral. It wears them out mentally as well as physically.
When they start to teethe you have to stop or just be more gentle. 
They will also not feel the need to mouth everything once teething is complete.


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## Pleopard (Aug 21, 2010)

My pup is now going on 19 weeks old and is just lately started to quit most of the mouthing. It's just a long process that you just have to keep training them not to bite and redirect them to something they can chew on.


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## Pleopard (Aug 21, 2010)

We also rubbed peanut butter on our hands - which lead to him licking our hands and we said "kisses" when he licked and then told him "no" when he bit. This definitely helped a lot!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Pleopard said:


> We also rubbed peanut butter on our hands - which lead to him licking our hands and we said "kisses" when he licked and then told him "no" when he bit. This definitely helped a lot!


A VERY COOL idea! my dog LOVES PB!


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## Cassie (Aug 25, 2010)

Yes the peanut butter is a GREAT idea!!! I will have to try it!!!  Thank you everyone!!! I am learning so so much!!


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## Dennq (Jun 21, 2010)

When my puppy starts to bite me I say no and the game is over. It takes time. By ignoring him he will stop. Then place an appropriate toy for him to chew on in his mouth.


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## JuliePgh (Aug 29, 2010)

I read somewhere (maybe in this forum??) that if you say "ouch" each time the GSD bites, the GSD will begin to learn that "this human is fragile" and will instinctively tone down the intensity of the biting each time. I've been trying this for about 5 days, and I have seen noticeable improvement, though she hasn't stopped biting all together. I expect she'll continue biting while she's teething, but I do think she's learning to use less pressure in the bites. I'll even tempt her, so to speak, by putting my fingers/hand by her mouth a lot, giving her opportunity to bite, just so I can give my emphatic "ouch". My GSD, btw, is almost 14 weeks (we've had her for nearly 2 weeks).


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## moore.danicaa (10 mo ago)

sagelfn said:


> Don't hit his muzzle or close his mouth. Teach him how to play properly and how to ask to play. This takes a long time  I think my pup finally stopped mouthing when he was done teething :crazy:
> 
> If you do a search of the board you'll find a lot of posts on this but this is the most helpful thread Puppy BITING!!! Teaching Bite Inhibition


my german shepperd can jump so high she jumps on me her nails are so sharp🦴🦴🦴


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## moore.danicaa (10 mo ago)

moore.danicaa said:


> my german shepperd can jump so high she jumps on me her nails are so sharp🦴🦴🦴


we keep my german in a cage


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## moore.danicaa (10 mo ago)

myn is only a year old👶


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## moore.danicaa (10 mo ago)

Elaine said:


> This is very normal puppy behavior. You need to keep puppy toys at hand so you can readily shove one in his little mouth before he gets you.


lol my puppy is 1 and she still does that.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

This is a 10 year old thread. Lots of more current ones (like 4 this week) if you use the search box above for "puppy biting".

Please STOP crating your dog for jumping up. Teach it not to. Search videos or start a thread with your issues; your dog is 1 (not a puppy) and jumping/biting/nipping should have been dealt with months ago.


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

aubie said:


> How the crap is this supposed to work? I don't want you to bite me so I'm going to stuff my hand in your mouth? Seriously?


Does not work with a young pup, I stopped biting and mouthing on several dogs over the years with this however, it is not thumb under tongue, it is thumb on the tongue finger under the jaw and hold. This is not to cause pain but they find it uncomfortable. 

It requires consistently, everytime you put mouth and teeth on, it is unpleasant and not rewarding. Then give them something they can bite and praise.


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