# Accidently Hurt My Puppy and Questions



## Theman441 (Jul 31, 2012)

Today I was with my puppy and she lunged at me in a playing
matter however she really bit me I pushed her away a little bit and
she attacked me (It was a very small light push just to let her know
that it hurt)

Anyways I had enough and I got her leash and walked her out to the dog house and put her in there. She escapes and ran away I tried again but still.
So I tried 5-10 Minutes later but right when I tried to put her in she violently
started pulling on the leash choking herself. She was to fast and strong so I couldn't react in time.. She started to cough. Is she gonna be okay?
I feel bad that I didn't do the right thing.

PS (Read)

I'm not sure what to do she always cries and whines when I put her in the cage. There's no other way to punish her like I can't just let her attack me there HAS To be some sort of punishment. The neighbors always complain,
and she goes on crying for HOURS AND HOURS it just goes on and on all the time. It gets on my nerves because I'm worried that she will attack me or do bad things when she grows up, I don't have money for a trainer and there's none in my area. This is gonna be hard .

- Thanks


----------



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

How old is she now? What kind of training have you done so far? What area do you live in? (If you edit your profile to include a general location people won't have to ask you this.)

I saw you've started several threads about problems you've had with her, have you taken any of the advice? Are you working on teaching bite inhibition? Putting her in the dog house or confining her in her crate isn't teaching her anything. Even if you can't afford a trainer, have you looked for group classes? They're usually much less expensive. Have you read any books, watched any videos online?

All of this is pretty typical untrained puppy behavior and none of it will go away if you don't teach her what you DO expect of her. It would also be easier if you continued posting in your previous threads rather than starting new threads with the same problems.


----------



## Theman441 (Jul 31, 2012)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> How old is she now? What kind of training have you done so far? What area do you live in? (If you edit your profile to include a general location people won't have to ask you this.)
> 
> I saw you've started several threads about problems you've had with her, have you taken any of the advice? Are you working on teaching bite inhibition? Putting her in the dog house or confining her in her crate isn't teaching her anything. Even if you can't afford a trainer, have you looked for group classes? They're usually much less expensive. Have you read any books, watched any videos online?
> 
> All of this is pretty typical untrained puppy behavior and none of it will go away if you don't teach her what you DO expect of her. It would also be easier if you continued posting in your previous threads rather than starting new threads with the same problems.


Well I only have started her basic commands like. Sit, stand, down and stay she really gets distracted after awhile I bought her very expensive dog treats (special) she still gets distracted and I live in the Brant area (Ontario)

I'm planning on buying her a muzzle so if she attacks me I put it on her that basically the only way. Ill try to keep it off her but I don't have a choice.

and she is around 5 months almost


----------



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I'd get her into training classes ASAP.

Never use the crate as punishment, that's not what it's for. I will use it sometimes for a time out, but it does not replace proper training.

Really, training classes are FUN, I look forward to them every week. It's gets my pup out and helps with socializing but it's also a fun way for us to spend time together and the instructors are great as jumping on little warning signs that things are about to go wrong, which really helps stop a bad behaviour before it starts (easier than correcting!)

ETA: how old is she? it's normal for GSD puppies to bite and play hard, I would not punish her for this, but try to redirect her to a toy. If my pup gets too strong, then playtime "(with me) is over until she settles. Crating and muzzling are only going to frustrate your pup and make it worse.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

How OLD is she? Puppies have no attention span. She does not understand what you spent for expensive treats. It sounds like she might be scared of you and that is why she is reacting and biting.


----------



## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

Have you tried crate games? Don't push her into the crate anymore. Can you use baby gates in the mean time till she learns to be more positive towards the crate? 

Is she food motivated at all? You don't have to buy expensive treats. Just boil some chicken, a lot of dogs like that. Or buy a good quality (low in sodium to the extent possible and as simple as it can be) sausage. Sometimes I buy sausage for my dog and I end up eating most of it. Then do crate games with it. Throw the treat into the crate. She goes in to eat it, say "yes" right away. Then let her come out (on her own), and repeat. If she won't go in, lure her with the treat hand into the crate and give it to her right away when she goes in with a marker like "yes." There are various crate games you can try. Try also feeding all her meals in her crate. You can do a search for crate games on youtube for some demonstrations. At her age, train thru games is easier for them to digest and stay engaged. If you just stand there and make her sit, stand, down... it's very hard to keep their attention. At that time, I carry treats and train thru constant motion.


----------



## gaia_bear (May 24, 2012)

I don't have much experience, I'm on my first 6 month old puppy myself but I highly doubt she's attacking you. Puppies are very very mouthy and will continue to be so unless you teach them otherwise, this isn't something you need a trainer to show you how to do, there's a ton of advice on this forum and if it's worked on in a positive and consistant manner you'll have the problem under control in no time. 

Be happy, silly, engaging when you're training her not only will your bond become stronger but you'll have a better dog in the longrun. Something I learned really fast is to reward the positive and ignore the negative, putting her outside or in a crate when she's being bad isn't teaching her anything other than to hate her crate/dog house which ever you are using. When she begins to assoicate good behavior with good outcomes you'll almost be able to see the lightbulb go off in her head. 

Just my opinion, instead of going on and spending money on a muzzle why not place the money aside and save up for a training class, they are a lot of fun and you'll learn a lot on how to be a better handler.


----------



## Theman441 (Jul 31, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> How OLD is she? Puppies have no attention span. She does not understand what you spent for expensive treats. It sounds like she might be scared of you and that is why she is reacting and biting.


Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


----------



## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I do believe that some people just aren't cut out to raise shepherd pups. PLEASE contact your breeder. Do NOT put a muzzle on a puppy for playing and doing what is normal for them. Chaining to a dog house also isn't appropriate. I think you may want to start with an adult dog of a different type. It's been a constant power struggle with you and this pup, and you aren't willing and/or able to do what needs to be done for the good of the pup. This is probably going to lead to a truly aggressive dog at some point. Don't let it come to that. Contact your breeder!!


----------



## gaia_bear (May 24, 2012)

Theman441 said:


> Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
> her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


Have you tried replacing your sock w/ a toy or bone? Pushing her away is giving her exactly what she wants..attention..so she's not going to stop.


----------



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

Theman441 said:


> ...I live in the Brant area (Ontario)


Could you put that in your profile? That way it will appear under your username in all your posts. Maybe someone in your area can recommend a good class. 

You seem way over your head, and if you're actually considering putting a muzzle on an almost 5 month old _puppy_ because she's acting exactly like a typical puppy would, then you can't do this without some help - WAY more help than asking questions on the internet.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Theman441 said:


> Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
> her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


That is just play pure and straight. Learn to play tug with her and give her a good game that you can control. There are some good resources on that. Maggieroselee where ARRRE you with your Micheal Ellis links? Seriously search "the power of playing tug"


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Don't put a muzzle on a 5 month old pup--that does not solve anything. Puppies bite and chew because that is the way they play, and they grow out of it. Instead of thinking about punishment and muzzles, why not get a tug toy and PLAY with her? When she goes for your hands, simply plug the toy into her mouth and play tug-of-war. Pretty soon she'll learn that biting the toy is much more fun and rewarding than biting your hands.

You might also try spraying your hands with Bitter Apple or similar bitter-tasting product. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't, but I'd rather see you spend money on a bottle of Bitter Apple than on a muzzle.

Your puppy is not being "bad", she is not trying to hurt you, she's just being a puppy and doing what puppies do. It's NORMAL. My pup went through a phase where you couldn't even touch her without getting bitten--it's frustrating, I know, but they do grow out of it.

Pushing a puppy away will actually encourage her.


----------



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Pushing on her, to her, means you're playing with her

If you push a GSD they will come back harder. That's why they make good police dogs 

REDIRECT her to another toy.


----------



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Not sure where in Brant you are, but I go to McCann Professional Dog Trainers - Dog Training Hamilton/Flamborough/Dundas - Serving Southern Ontario

They aren't cheap, but they are really good.


----------



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

Theman441 said:


> Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
> her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


Of course she does! She's playing, and she thinks you are too. Have you ever seen a litter of puppies play? They chase each other, they play growl, they bite, just like your puppy is doing to you. It's the only way she knows how to play, and it's up to you to show her a different way. Pushing her away is basically inviting her to continue playing - dogs will bat at another dog with their paws to engage them in play, and to her, your hands are the same as her paws. So while you're getting frustrated and pushing her away to try and get her to stop, you're actually sending her the exact opposite signals. You can say "NO" all you want, but your body language is saying "let's play!"

Have you tried playing with her with a toy, so she can bite and growl at THAT instead of YOU?


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Theman441 said:


> Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
> her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then *she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me* Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


She is trying to engage you in play. Lakota has a foot thing too. Since my girl is a bit on the quiet side I decided not to discourage her "game" with my feet. Get a rope tug toy or something and give that to her. She is not "attacking" you she wants to play. What kind of exercise is she getting?
Please do not "punish" her for wanting to play. You do not have to buy expesive treats you can get a nice piece of steak for a fraction of the price of expensive treats. I taught Lakota the word "out" which means she must let go or drop what she has in her mouth.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/179763-out-my-foot.html


----------



## Maxx (Jun 23, 2012)

Theman441 said:


> Today I was with my puppy and she lunged at me in a playing
> matter however she really bit me I pushed her away a little bit and
> she attacked me (It was a very small light push just to let her know
> that it hurt)
> ...


She should be ok... But, don't do that again.

I agree with everyone else here. You don't want to punish ordinary behavior. She has to learn there's a right time to play (and other times, not) but it's good she has energy. It's healthy. I would suggest trying to engage her and see if she can tire out a bit. But, only do this when you have time. I think the posters saying distract her with a toy or whatever it is, so she isn't trying to bite you or whatever, sounds like the right way.

But, also praise when she's good and I'm not sure what 'school' people subscribe to here, but some ppl suggest giving a treat. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not but anything is better than locking in a crate, I think.


----------



## apenn0006 (Jun 22, 2012)

GSDs play well with bully breeds because they play so rough. You are playing in her eyes and she is giving back what she is getting. If you want her to stop, simply turn your back and ignore her. Walk away and don't touch her. My boy plays so rough with my husband and it's because he wrestles with him, and then complains about being bit too hard. He doesn't do this with me because I have chosen not to sacrifice my body parts for his entertainment. 

It would be better for you to play with her in a different manner like the others are saying, but ignoring was a method we tried when ours was really mouthy. It is so easy to lose your cool but you need to keep it together. You need to do MORE research. If you are not willing to spend the money on formal training then you need to read everything you can on the breed, watch you tube videos, search this site through and through. Don't be lazy...actually get up and try the things people suggest. Make sure you are exercising her...seriously, you're probably not even coming close to what she is needing. We have the best training results after we've exercised our boy.

Lastly, we've spent I don't know how much trying to find the treat our dog responded the best to...turns out it was the cheese in our fridge. He will do anything for that stuff  Take the advice given on this site...it can only get better at this point.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Google "(your city) & obedience club." Then contact whatever clubs you find to ask about the cost of puppy classes. You might be surprised how reasonable a club's puppy class is -- often significantly less than private trainer-run classes.


----------



## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Have you attempted to follow any of the advice given in your other threads? Unless you are willing to back way up and start over with this pup in a different mindset, I don't see the relationship between you and the pup improving. 

I understand that you don't want to return the pup, but at this point that should be something to give some hard thought to. Then when you are at a place in your life where you can afford the training, then consider another pup.

If returning her still isn't an option for you, then please stay with the thread, follow the advice being given without the arguing about it and keep updating the progress.


----------



## KatsMuse (Jun 5, 2012)

:thumbup:


Jag said:


> I do believe that some people just aren't cut out to raise shepherd pups. PLEASE contact your breeder. Do NOT put a muzzle on a puppy for playing and doing what is normal for them. Chaining to a dog house also isn't appropriate. I think you may want to start with an adult dog of a different type. It's been a constant power struggle with you and this pup, and you aren't willing and/or able to do what needs to be done for the good of the pup. This is probably going to lead to a truly aggressive dog at some point. Don't let it come to that. Contact your breeder!!


:thumbup: I'm sorry but, I have to agree with this. Or find a way to get her and YOU a trainer, please!


----------



## marshies (May 18, 2011)

I have to agree. Find a trainer. They really ARE NOT that expensive. If you can afford to keep a dog, you can afford to get a trainer.


----------



## TrentL (May 10, 2011)

This is the closest I could find to you: *K9CASE Training and Recreation Centre

*Seems to be about 25 minutes from your town without taking the 401 (Traffic heavy) All the courses seem to be 175$.

The biggest thing I've learned as being a parent of two wonderful kids, and a soon to be puppy owner.

Be willing to accept mistakes and take ownership of them. (My god have I made some HUGE HUGE mistakes)

Then do not be scared to ask advice, listen take in what you want and ignore what you don't. 

Its okay to argue about advice that's a good way to work things out, but not to be rude in it. 

My suggestion ... READ a book about Puppies.... and you'll get a GREAT idea of how to deal with.

I've asked 100's of questions and I've only liked about 70% of the advice, the other 30% I've asked questions about and moved on if I didn't like the answers.

But I think honestly that 175$ will be the BEST money you and you pup will spend together.


----------



## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Theman441 said:


> Shes just around 5 months and no, shes not scared every-time she see me
> her tail goes crazy also she tries to bite my socks LOL. so I pull her collar a bit then she keeps going for the socks or the feet and i push her a bit like a said then she goes to play mode and jumps on me i push her again and she growls and attacks me Ive tried other things to like water spray bittles still won't work.....


 
Would you punch or slap or kick a 4/5 yo child for trying to jump on you or even slap you?

Your puppy is a baby and trying to play with you like she would with another puppy.

Either revise your approach (and get some help from a good trainer) OR return your puppy to the breeder!

You can't physically punish a puppy for trying to play and at the same time develop a good relationship with her!


----------



## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

From what you are describing your pup thinks that you are playing when you push it away. 

When my boy was a puppy I told him "NO BITE" any time he acted like he was going to mouth on me, and at the same time I would put one of his toys in front of his face. Redirecting from my body to his toy seemed to work for me and my boy. 

Good luck with your pup, it does take a lot of work but it is worth it.


----------



## jnr (Feb 3, 2012)

*Positivity!*

Oh wow. I agree with finding group or individual training, but I would like to re-emphasize something that folks are trying to tell you. The most important thing that you can do with your pup is to have clear, consistent POSITIVE interaction with her.

This does not mean letting her do whatever she wants. If she is bitey, try as much redirection to toys as possible. Do not set her up so that you are yelling at her for what she is not doing right. If you are going to need to control her in a situation, have a leash on her inside or out IF she is supervised. Do not play tug with the leash or let her drag you around with it - this is primarily a means of getting to her so that you can redirect her. Use lots of treats to REWARD good behavior, and never chain her unsupervised. If you must correct her for biting, pulling, etc., short crisp corrections with the leash should occur WHEN the behavior you are trying to correct occurs, NOT afterwards and should be released immediately.

The crate or kennel should be a positive place - put treats in it every time you place your pup in it for now, and PRAISE her for going in. Never use it for punishment. Sometimes you may need to put an overtired pup I the crate or kennel for some quiet time to calm down, but NOT as punishment. And you can and must provide your pup with a crate or kennel that she cannot escape from. 

Also, many GSD pups have a huge amount of energy and need lots of exercise. Different for each pup, but a tired pup is usually a happy and compliant pup. 

This is a lot of work. And even folks who have had many GSDs will need help with traing. Please, please, please get her into a basic obedience class with folks who understand high drive dogs.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

this isn't breed specific. some people aren't cut out
to raise any kind of dog.



Jag said:


> >>>>> I do believe that some people just aren't cut out
> to raise shepherd pups. <<<<<
> 
> 
> PLEASE contact your breeder. Do NOT put a muzzle on a puppy for playing and doing what is normal for them. Chaining to a dog house also isn't appropriate. I think you may want to start with an adult dog of a different type. It's been a constant power struggle with you and this pup, and you aren't willing and/or able to do what needs to be done for the good of the pup. This is probably going to lead to a truly aggressive dog at some point. Don't let it come to that. Contact your breeder!!


----------

