# Puppy plays too hard with other dogs



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Hi there, I'm new!

I know there are a few similar threads, but I just wanted to get some advice on my particular situation.

I have a new GSD pup (she's my first GSD). She's a really wonderful girl, but is working lines, so she's very drivey and doesn't back down.

She seems to get a bit over-stimulated with other dogs. This includes barking at other dogs, but in puppy class, they told me to just turn her away, which seems to help.

During play time in my puppy class, she plays with the other pups (she's put into the rowdy group lol) but they all seem to play equally hard, it's more bouncing around than biting, so she's pretty good that way.

My problem is I leave her with my mom during the day, while I'm at work. My mom has a wonderfully patient 8YO chocolate Lab, and also cares for my sister's 1YO, nervy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

My pup plays really hard, and she never quits! I feel sorry for my parent's Lab. She will occasionally give my pup a big bark and put her in her place, but mostly, she allows her to hang off her ears, bite all over her face etc.

With my sister's little dog, she acts scared of my pup. She wants to meet her and will follow quite closely when my pup is walking away, but when my pup turns toward her, she will run and hide under a chair. I worry about my dogs prey drive, and that she may hurt her by accident.

I was thinking about putting my pup into doggy daycare at the place we do training, but it's only one day a week and even if they did it every day, I can't afford to do that all the time.

What can I do to make playtime safer and less chaotic with our other dogs? I am so afraid she'll hurt one of the other dogs. As she plays her intensity keeps going up and up. My parent's house is open concept, so blocking with baby gates is next to impossible.

I'm *this close* to getting her a muzzle so she can't bite during playtime, but I would feel bad to do that to a 14 week old pup.

When she's on her own with me, she settles wonderfully inside.

I take her out to flyball twice a week (she's just chasing the tug toy for now), I take her to competitions so she can watch all the chaos, I take her to schutzhund training (we aren't doing anything yet, just watching) and I take her to puppy classes. I feel like I'm doing everything I can to socialize her to the best of my abilities.

I know if I can survive the next year, I'll have a really great dog, but will I make it??? Only time will tell!

Help! :help:


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## Scottharrison89 (Jul 27, 2012)

Im going through the same thing with my little girl. I just don't want her to get aggressive later on in life. When she plays, it can get very aggressive. She bites and just holds on to our other dog. It's worrying me a good bit. 


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

shepherds play hard. shepherds play rough. If you listen to a couple shepherds playing together.... I've had people call the cops because they thought we were dog fighting. Cops show up and start laughing. 

Muzzling a 14 week old, for me, is out of the question and will likely result in your pup being frustrated. Puppies bite. its part of play for them. Taking that away could potentially cause problems because what happens when another pup/dog bites your pup a little too hard and your pup cant correct it? You need to teach your pup control. When things start getting too rough/mouthy, pup gets removed for a few minutes until calmer. Once calmer, back to playing. Too rough again, removed. Its the same situation for teaching bite inhibition. Teach what is okay and how much and that breaks need to be taken so everyone can calm down a bit.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

KZoppa said:


> shepherds play hard. shepherds play rough. If you listen to a couple shepherds playing together.... I've had people call the cops because they thought we were dog fighting. Cops show up and start laughing.
> 
> Muzzling a 14 week old, for me, is out of the question and will likely result in your pup being frustrated. Puppies bite. its part of play for them. Taking that away could potentially cause problems because what happens when another pup/dog bites your pup a little too hard and your pup cant correct it? You need to teach your pup control. When things start getting too rough/mouthy, pup gets removed for a few minutes until calmer. Once calmer, back to playing. Too rough again, removed. Its the same situation for teaching bite inhibition. Teach what is okay and how much and that breaks need to be taken so everyone can calm down a bit.


:thumbup:

You need to step in and curb the bad behaviour, they'll learn quickly they only get what they want (in this instance play) when they behave

Is your dog crate trained? I know you mentioned baby gates are out of the question but a crate will help teach patience and boundaries plus give the other two dogs a break from the puppy madness


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm not going to muzzle her don't worry. I'm just worried that it will escalate.

She is going full throttle the second you put her down with them. How would you curb the behaviour? Correcting her seem to have little effect when she is around other dogs. She might stop for a second, but then she's back at it. Her determination is at the same time what I love and hate most about her. lol

She is crate trained to a certain extent. If I leave her she will cry for a couple of minutes if she's not tired (if she's tired she will usually chew on her bully stick then go to sleep), but settle after a while.

If she knows you are there, or the other dogs are around she will have a tantrum to be locked away.

I do use the crate if I'm out and at night and she's ok in there, but seeing the activity and not being able to join in makes her get upset.

Any suggestions? I want to deal with this now, as she's bigger every day.

Otherwise she's a wonderful little girl, and I do love her dearly. She's smart as a whip, but is starting to feel more independent and confident, so the discipline can be challenging. I do think once we get over these few bumps, she's going to be a wonderful partner for me. I'm just not sure how to deal with this situation and it's made worse that I'm not the one watching her during the work week.

Bah, I'm wondering if I should get the trainer in for a private session. 

Sorry, I probably sound like an incompetent dog owner. I've just never owned such a strong willed dog before, so it's a learning curve for me. I'm working really hard with her though.


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## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

Few things and I have the same type pup, and actually wanted one like this because as you said they make FANTASTIC dogs later on .

Rough play. It is going to happen with a working line dog. That is just how they are. You can do a few things. Let out a yelp (a loud one and try to sound hurt) when they bite you or are too aggressive with another dog (other puppies will yelp when bit hard), and if that doesn't work, make sure they know it's not ok. A calm, firm correction will do.

Work hard on the "leave it command" and sit/down/stays. Also the smaller dog needs it's confidence built up. It running away is the problem. 

Run from working line GSD and it is on. This can be corrected over time, but it is going to take awhile, and it is going to take a decent amount of training. So I would say the GSD is fine. It is just doing what it is supposed to do. The bigger problem is the smaller dog. Once you can get the GSD under control everything will be fine as long as the little guy isn't always in flight mode.

Try to feed them treats close together. Eat close together (might take awhile if the puppy is aggressive). Associate good things with being around eachother.

Perhaps walking the smaller dog, behind the GSD pup on walks (2 people), to get them used to each other.

Probably the biggest thing? Have that dog on a leash in the house for a bit, when the little guy is around. Corrections when prey drive kicks in, until he has learned the "leave it" command.

And last? Give them things to chew. Bully Sticks are wonderful. Avoid china/india made ones. Deer Antlers work well also. Working line pups will bite metal lol. Ice cubes work well also.

Also the baby gate idea is a good one. You may only need it temporarily to build up the confidence of the smaller dog and get it used to the puppy's play and so that it can feel safe for a nice nap etc.


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## Woof_Terrorist (Aug 3, 2012)

My boy turned 11 months 2 days ago. See my user name? Guess why?

He terrorizes my parents, my wife and every doggie he sees. But he cant terrorize me, because I dont back down. 

Some tips:

1) Get a prong collar when pup hits 6 months. It works and it is useful.
2) Relax, a 14 week old pup wont do anything dangerous. GSD pups are called land sharks. At that age my pup was more aggressive, he has mellowed quite a bit and he is still under a year.
3) "Ouch" when he bites you is hit or miss. Some dogs come harder when you show weakness. Push a toy in his mouth, push him back forcefully. No need to be namby pamby (But dont be violent - just make sure he understands you are not willing to play at that time and in that way).
4) When he goes at another dog, tug back and release. NEVER let the strain on the leash be taut. Tug release with a sharp NO. And when he backs down, tell him "Good dog".
*Your dog has to know when he is doing wrong, but he also needs to know when he is doing it right.*
5) Rough house with your dog, he loves it... grab him, hug him,... romp with him. Its therapeutic and your dog learns you are not afraid to get physical and you are are boss!

But most importantly recognize why the dog behaves like he does.
Could be:

1) High prey drive - aggressive : usually never the case.
2) Wants to play : Usually always the case
3) Protective : you are nervous when you see another dog coming from a distance, your dog feels it and gets "ready".
4) Owner is too easy going : pup can do what he want without much fear of repercussions. 


Solutions:
1) When taking dog out : NEVER put the leash and collar on when dog is excited and is jumping around. Ask him to sit, relax... then the collar / leash. A walk is a type of exciting opportunity and thus a form of reward. Good behavior is rewarded, not rowdy behavior.
2) Who walks out of the gate first? You or dog? Can you guess who should be first?
3) Have you taught your dog to walk? Check youtube for numerous walking lessons on loose leash. This is the toughest of all the training. Tougher than potty training.
4) Learn and teach "Recall" and "Get off" commands.
5) When you go for the walk, remember 2 things: You are enjoying the walk, the dog is coming along. So YOU come first, dog always comes second. And, if going to walk your pup, walk.. dont have any objectives (like groceries, etc) when you are teaching dog to walk. Stop several times, call his name, give him treats when ever he looks at you. LEASH MUST BE LOOSE.
6) When I see another dog coming, I stay cool. If I see my dog getting taut, I tug release the leash to let him know I am BOSS and I got it under control and he needs to chill. I talk or do my thing, I ignore the other dog and the owner - unless of course I want the dogs to socialize (which you dont want to, since your dog wont have full set of shots until 4 months of age).
7) My only discipline is tug release... i dont need anything else. It works, teach the dog tug release.
8) When meeting new dogs butt sniffing is hit or miss. Honestly my pup is too excited. 
9) Know your dog's limits, I know my pup wont bite. But he will play rough. Some owners may panic, I just keep a close eye on him and his newest play mate. If the other owner panics, I call off the play session. GSD's are big aggressive dogs, they like to be alpha. And they play rough. If the other owner cant take the heat, let him stay out of the kitchen.

I cant comment on doggie day care, since I have never used it, but maybe the attendant there can help ease your dog in to it. Also when you take your dog to training with other dogs, he can learn to be more social.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

they are like this when young but they too change with age and turn gentle with pups when they start to mature 

dont worry just protect the other dogs for now and make sure they can handle your dog


we muzzle dogs in protection to create frustration and then let them bite after lol like kzoppa said worst choice


I find unruly very rough pups are often taught how to act in dog play by stable strong older dogs that are safe at the sametime


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

a prong on a six month old working pup? i dont agree with that.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Think you need to just know GSD pups do frequently play too rough, so we need to calmly teach them to quiet.

Best way for me has been just ask them the settle, if they don't then I calmly go over, pick up the puppy and quietly crate them for the next 5 or 10 minutes. This is NOT a punishment or correction, just an opportunity to teach the puppy to quiet/calm ITSELF by removing the too exciting other dog.

I also tend to hike/exercise my pups for miles to GENERALLY tire them out and make them less likely to get into over-the-top-crazy-puppy-land. So clicker/trick training is a HUGE help.

Teaching a trick is the least important part of teaching a trick <--click that





 
and


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

give your pup some crate time when she's at your parents.
train and socialize everyday. what do you mean "if i can survive
a year, will i make it"? when you get a dog there's one choice to 
be made and that is you're going to train and socialize your dog
so it becomes another one of the best GSD's.



blackshep said:


> Hi there, I'm new!
> 
> I know there are a few similar threads, but I just wanted to get some advice on my particular situation.
> 
> ...


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## Milkshakes00 (Jun 28, 2012)

I have the same problem with my 5 month old.

He is defensive of his territory, which I guess is just fine, but when we're out and about, at say, Petsmart, and he sees another dog, it's go time. (Then again, he'll pee himself in excitement to see any person, really..)

He'll bark, whine, play position, leap (which unfortunately for him ends up with him being standing mid-air choking himself,) and he'll start getting freaked out if he can't play.

What I've noticed is that it's not so much that he WANTS to play rough, I think he just doesn't get how big he is. He's a husky/GSD that is absolutely huge for his age, so he does the play jumps and nips, and doesn't realize that his 'nips' engulf the entire other dog's face, or that his paws are the size of most of their heads. Lol.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Milkshakes00 said:


> I have the same problem with my 5 month old.
> 
> *He is defensive of his territory*, which I guess is just fine, but when we're out and about, at say, Petsmart, and he sees another dog, it's go time. (Then again, he'll pee himself in excitement to see any person, really..)
> 
> .


For a 5 month old, to make an 'excuse' and say he's being defensive makes us not deal with what is actually is going on. This isn't defensive. 

It's just over excitement and WE need to step in and WE need to teach appropriate behavior. Be like having a 4 year old child that always runs over and punches the other kids and just nodding and saying 'oh she thought the other kid was going to steal her toy, so that's ok' 

WHAT!??????

Our puppies need to be taugh appropriate behavior and MANNERS just the way children do. We can't make excuses or feel that it's just something normal we have to live with. The world is full of other dogs and unless I want to isolate my dog and leave them at home for the rest of their lives, I need to HELP my puppy and TEACH them to behave around other dogs. I hate parents with rude children and likewise owners with rude dogs!

With a puppy, it's just that they haven't been taught the proper way to behave and they REALLY REALLY want to go over to the other dogs!

How is dog class? What does your instructor recommend in a room full of handlers and other dogs and a safe environment? Can't imagine they wouldn't help you with this. It's one of the MANY reasons we all go to dog class in the first place.

Plus, the fact our dogs ignore us and drag us around like a weight at the end of the leash means there is a break in our training and relationship to our dogs. We want to be more important and fun than that other dog. And not because we are punishing and correcting, but because we are the best thing in the world!

How's the trick training going? Teaching a trick is the least important part of teaching a trick

How is the clicker training going? http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html

How is the engagement training going? http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I'll read them through over the next day or so.

We were at a schutzhund seminar yesterday, she got a chance to tug with the helper.  She did pretty good for her first try, I think.

I'll try some of your suggestions. Woof Terrorist, thanks for all of those suggestions. Yes, walking on a loose leash is a bit challenging at this point as well, we are working hard at it. She's not bad, but every now and then she want's to lead the way, so I try to pull her back just behind me and say "back" and carry on. She's not bad, it will get there.

I'm just about to head out to a park so she can see some kids, car, bikes other dogs etc.

She does want to bark at other dogs soemtimes, my puppy class trainer told me to just turn her away, so she doesn't get rewarded for that behaviour. I'm also trying to feed her, not out of a bowl, but I make her work for dinner, walking beside me etc, she's got a good handle on sitz and platz, and mostly comes to her name. She still gets distracted sometimes though.

I signed her up for the next class at the dog training so we will continue to expose her to other dogs and work on the training. I keep a line on her in the house (A leash I cut the handle off) so she's easier to catch/correct. Correcting her seems to be a bit of an issue too, maybe I'm too nice about it as it doesn't seem to phase her much. 

It's really comforting to know this is all normal with her. I don't want you to think she's a holy terror, she's actually really wonderful with a lot of things. She just gets herself really ramped up at times and then it gets a bit challenging to get her back. I don't want to be contantly correcting her. 

Please dont' think it's all doom and gloom, I'm lucky that I've found a whole bunch of dog people in different dog sports that have all been really helpful, so that has been really great.


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