# 1.5 year old still mouthing/nipping



## JacksonGSD (Sep 21, 2013)

Hey Everyone!

Jackson is a year and a half old GSD, who still continues to mouth/nip when he gets "riled up". He ALWAYS mouths the hands/wrists, never anything else (and he isn't biting down). This seems to happen mainly in 2 occasions:

1. He'll come up for attention (often with a toy or something else in his mouth), and if you ignore him he will persistently push the toy at you or start to mouth your hands. At this point he becomes deaf to the "leave it" command, and results in having to be put in his pen to settle down.

2. After he's been caught doing something he shouldn't (like grabbing a shoe to or something else to chew on). I'll take whatever he has, and then he'll respond by mouthing my hand/wrists.

Couple things to note - I've been extremely persistent since he was a puppy about all the bite inhibition tips that are posted on this forum/recommended by my trainer. The "yelping" thing never helped, just got him more excited. Ignoring him worked for a bit, but now it doesn't do anything. Carrying a bitter spray/water helps, but thats not a long term solution IMO.

If he's on a leash this never happens, only off leash in the house. Any ideas to help curb this behavior?

Thanks in advance!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Management before this happens is so much better then punishment.

Your dog sounds EXTREMELY predictable so you can head all this off.

He's doing it when he's bored and wants your attention. So just upping his weekly exercise and play time will start to help immediately.

Teaching him alternate fun behaviors he can be rewarded for and either enjoys more that the mouthing (like by getting treats) or instead of the mouthing (like playing chuckit).

Since you don't want to teach him that A (being annoying) = B (getting a fun reward) this is how you have to head all this off at the pass and exercise him BEFORE he's bounding around. Doing fun training/engagement activities BEFORE he comes to pester you.

This is such an easy fix by planning and changing your day because you own a dog! More exercise for the dog. More fun activities for (with ?) the dog. PRO-active planning by putting activities ON YOUR CALENDAR that are about the dog.

When we decide to get a breed that is brilliant and full of energy, we need to commit to the fact that it's going to be more of an impact on our lives than a lower energy 'love to sit on the couch' 24/7 type of dog.

How much were you able to focus on ---> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html rather than 'obedience' training?

And if you current trainer/classes don't seem to be cutting it (not that there is anything wrong, just maybe time for a change) how about joining some agility, or nosework, or tracking, or trick, or flyball, or herding or or or or or or....


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## WolfsOwner (Jan 16, 2015)

"He's doing it when he's bored and wants your attention. So just upping his weekly exercise and play time will start to help immediately."

This...

My family doesn't believe me that she needs a lot of exercise- and when she is bored she is desctructive. They think she is just a dog and needs to get over it. I get it, she is a dog, but she is a GSD- they need exercise.

Anyways, that was a tangent. When Wolf Lady starts nipping and wants attention - a few sprints in the backyard and a speed walk (when I'm short on time) will send her into a nap . 

Just nervous energy in my opinion


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

:bump:


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