please help

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Alma
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:46 pm

please help

Post by Alma »

My adult son brought a german shephard puppy to live with us. She is adorable and appears very smart.
Except for her relentlessness of biting(I realize it is teething but it is getting bad) and her relentlessness with playbiting my small bichon who doesnt like it.
Help. Is there any way to speed up this biting period. Is it always this way with german shephards?
Alma

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Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 12:46 pm
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Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: please help

Post by Nettle »

Hi and welcome to the Board.



It's normal behaviour for almost all pups, though individuals are more bitey than others.

You can't speed it up because it is a developmental phase, so it's all about management.

Your priority is to separate your other dog so that he isn't treated like a squeakly toy. GSDs love to provoke a reaction, and can really torment other dogs.

I have to go out soon, but others will be along to help, and I can type a longer reply later. Meanwhile:



Don't feel alone :) we can help. Lots of us have had seriously bitey puppies!

Did she come from a breeder? Good breeders are a fount of helpful information.

Give the pup plenty of safe things to bite on - cardboard boxes without staples, big raw vegetables, hard rope toys, kongs filled, moistened and frozen, anything else you can think of. I'd normally say a raw meaty bone but with 2 dogs this might be a problem.

Make sure nobody gets the pup over-excited, so NO rough-and-tumble games, no teasing, shouting, running.

Never use anything like a laser pen for her to chase - this is seriously bad for all dogs but can cause health issues in some types including GSDs.

Keep all clothes tucked in so no flapping material to excite her.

Tell us how old she is and how/when/what you feed her, what her average day is like etc. no detail too small.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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JudyN
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Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: please help

Post by JudyN »

Have a read through this thread, which should help: https://positively.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=20898
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Theo400

Re: please help

Post by Theo400 »

Hiya

its not a GSD thing its a puppy thing the link JudyN gave is a good read. I use to redirect Theo to a toy and that helped but 80% of the time it was me having to keep clam and be patient with him. my brothers Labrador was awful at puppy biting until he turned 2 and has never nipped since :wink:
Alma
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:46 pm

Re: please help

Post by Alma »

Yes she is from a breeder. She was 14 weeks as of last Friday. My son does a much better job with her than me. (Maybe my 67 year old skin has less pain tolerance). I think we are doing all the right things as far as people go. (saying no, giving her something she can chew on etc.) Sometimes it seems like it so constant,I get exasperated. I really worry about her play efforts with my Bichon. My Bichon is 19 pounds(hefty for her breed) and she does not want to play, She is socialized and we go to the dog park for small breeds often. She loves it. But she is not one of the constant players. Once in a while she connects with a dog she likes and plays. Otherwishe she romps and has fun smelling all the dogs.(and people) So to have our GMS who at 14 weeks is already bigger than her try to play(biting her neck, ears or head) scares me. I want that to stop but do not know how. If we are giving out treats both can stand next to each other and not play or be fearful. They can be in the same room, one on a chair and one on the floor at times. But there is a relentlessness about the pup who keeps thinking she is a toy. Ideas????

ps thanks for the responses. It helps sharing this and getting feedback.
JudyN
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Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: please help

Post by JudyN »

Alma wrote:Sometimes it seems like it so constant,I get exasperated.
It is constant! And it is exhausting even if you're a spring chicken :wink: It is really important to protect your Bichon because it's not fair on her and may well result in her getting snappy. Try putting a house lead (a lightweight lead with no loop on it) on your GSD - that will make it easier to lead her away when she starts trying to play with the Bichon.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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