[gypsie rose]

My german shephard puppy is bitting me worse at twelve weeks than ever before. I'm tired of bleeding every time I try to put the leash on her I have no other choice than to use my own method of breaking her of this bad habbet unless some one can give some addvice she is going to get the flyswatter it all was worked with my bird dogs even at a distance.

[shazamataz]

Funny you should bring this up as we are getting a new puppy very soon and bite training is something we will have to work on.

What I do is the "ouch and ignore" method.
The word "no" gets so over used so when a dog or puppy hurts us we make a high pitched "OUCH" sound.
As we make the sound, we stand up and just walk away from the pup, depriving it of any attention.

As for trying to snatch toys or biting when going to put a collar on, I would go to put the collar on and if the pup bites. Make the OUCH noise and just stop completely.
If this fails after a few tries then actually grab and hold the dog (you may need help) and restrain until the collar is on, accompany this with a command word such as "STILL".
Once the collar is on give LOTS of praise for standing still.

[gypsie rose]

Funny you should bring this up as we are getting a new puppy very soon and bite training is something we will have to work on.

What I do is the "ouch and ignore" method.
The word "no" gets so over used so when a dog or puppy hurts us we make a high pitched "OUCH" sound.
As we make the sound, we stand up and just walk away from the pup, depriving it of any attention.

As for trying to snatch toys or biting when going to put a collar on, I would go to put the collar on and if the pup bites. Make the OUCH noise and just stop completely.
If this fails after a few tries then actually grab and hold the dog (you may need help) and restrain until the collar is on, accompany this with a command word such as "STILL".
Once the collar is on give LOTS of praise for standing still.

Tried all that she's been with me for a month she's twelve weeks old and I can't beleve how smart she is she is with me all my waking hours and sleeps in the house and has been easy to house break she sits on command she heels to make a long story short she is amasing but her biting has become totally out of control I have resorted to putting her out on a lead and walking away when she jumps up or bites and she learned not to jump up but she seems to be giving affection with her teeth and now she has started to draw blood and biting every time any one touches her. It ends to day as I'm afraid she will be put down if this continues I feel I have no choice but to start inflecting pain when she draws blood. Any other sugestions.

[shazamataz]

Have you tried enrolling in obedience classes?
Most places that have obedience have a puppy training class... it basically just teaches them manners and socialization with a little bit of obedience.
The coarse I enrolled in was $40 for 6 weeks. The coarse ran on a weekday afternoon or Sunday midday. Shop around as some places do charge a lot.

I would avoid the fly swatter to start with, use that as a very last resort. Dogs like yours may see the swatter as you retaliating for the biting which could make maters worse, not better.

[gypsie rose]

Have you tried enrolling in obedience classes?
Most places that have obedience have a puppy training class... it basically just teaches them manners and socialization with a little bit of obedience.
The coarse I enrolled in was $40 for 6 weeks. The coarse ran on a weekday afternoon or Sunday midday. Shop around as some places do charge a lot.

I would avoid the fly swatter to start with, use that as a very last resort. Dogs like yours may see the swatter as you retaliating for the biting which could make maters worse, not better.

I'v already been checking around but what else can they teach Gypsie already sits on comand comes when called starting to drop on comand she heels realitivly well and has learned what stop means at least on a twenty foot lead and now I'v determand she may be broken from biting as we just had what I hope is our last altercation she got her snout smacked and I'v tried every thing I know that use to make her bite with no suscess. Do you think you guys may be a little too politicly correst and in the long tearm actually making it worse on the dog buy dragging out the inevatable. It stopes in my house today it nice to be able to speak sharply and get results with out exception.

[gypsie rose]

i'v already been checking around but what eles can thay teach Gypsie already sits on comand comes when called starting to drop on comand she heels realitivly well and has learned what stop means at least on a twenty foot lead and now i'v determand she may be broken from biting as we just had what i hope is our last altercation she got her snout smacked and i'v tryed every thing i know that use to make her bite with no suscess. do you think you guys may be a little too politicly correst and in the long tearm actually making it worse on the dog buy dragging out the inevatable. it stopes in my house today it nice to be able to speek sharply and get results with out exception.

OK people gypsie has now just done something I have wanted to do all along and that get a kiss on the ear without the sharp pain of puppy teeth. My wife who just came out of the bed room fearing attack was given permision to defend her self with a slap in the face for biting and behold one smack was enough toget a little love with out teeth my susgestion is to smack them for causing pain or drawing blood and you may save you and your dog a lot of grief.

[Cat1864]

Does she have toys that she can chew on? Try giving her one of those before leashing her so that her mouth is occupied. Give her lots of praise and attention when she doesn't bite. Ignore her when she does.

As has been said, hitting her will only make her worse because it makes her fearful. A scared dog is a dangerous dog especially if it is afraid of its owner. The hitting makes her feel like she can't trust you. If she can't trust you who can she trust.

If you have to resort to violence to get her to obey, please, find someone else to give her a loving home.

I would also suggest that you read up on what a German Shepherd is bred for and learn how to use the inherited traits of loyalty and trust in training her.

[redhed35]

If she can understand the sit command and understand she needs to let you know she needs t orelieve herself,she sounds like a smart dog.

The ouch method is surely to work if you are consistent,hitting her is teaching her aggression will get more aggression,and make her fearful of sudden movements if playing with a child for example,after a while she will defend herself BEFORE she needs correction.

Teaching her the same as house breaking her takes persistants and praise.

[shazamataz]

I agree Red, if she's smart enough to learn that, she's smart enough to learn not to bite.
It's all in the training.

All of the dogs we have had know bite inhibition... they will 'play bite' but they never, ever apply pressure. When I was younger my parents Great Dane used to grab my wrist in her mouth and lead me around the back yard... she never applied pressure because she knew not to.
She was never hit, poked or smacked, she was taught by saying "ouch" as a puppy and using the technique of ignoring when she bit hard.

[Cat1864]

I dread this pup's life when it starts teething.

[Aurora_Bell]

It's been said, but I am going to say it again.
I don't think that anyone is being too politically correct when it comes to hitting your dog as punishment. Do you punish violence with violence?
Hitting is the best way to make your dog a fear biter, meaning this little playful love bites that he is giving you know, will turn into powerful jaw clenching bone shattering bites to you and God knows who else when he gets older. You need to seek help from a behaviourist, or some sort of professional. Hitting your dog is not the answer.

[Lucky098]

Ok, first and foremost. NEVER under any circumstance hit a puppy. For one, they don't understand. Two, it can trigger a lot of unpleasant behaviors that you'd rather not see come out of a dog.

Puppies bite. Its just what they do. Its called bite inhibition. The puppy is learning his world. Yes it hurts. Yes, sometimes blood is drawn... and yes it can get annoying whenever you're trying to work with your dog, but... everyone on this website has had to deal with this issue as well. And trust me, hitting the dog, though it may seem like it works, doesn't. It puts fear into the dogs mind. The problem is never fixed, and the puppy is just going to get bigger and the bite is going to become harder.

There are some tricks of the trade if possibly making the yelping noises doesn't work for your puppy. One method is cinnamon breath spray. Its completely harmless to the dog, but the sensation of the cinnamon on a dogs tongue is not rewarding. Any time the puppy bites you, IMMEDIATELY spray into the mouth, down onto the tongue and say "NO BITE" loudly. The biting is not exceptable, and your pup needs to learn that. You can also clamp the mouth shut tightly until puppy makes a small squeak and say "NO BITE" firmly. You need to put a consequence to your command. After a few times of this consequence followed by firm, unhappy toned command, the other things won't be needed very long.

You've already said your dog is extremely smart. She should catch on quickly. But, if you're not willing to do the right thing, and are threatening to put the puppy down because of puppy bites, then perhaps you should give the dog up to a home that knows how to deal with this problem correctly. I know that may sound harsh, but your posts are less than ideal for training a puppy not to bite.

As for swatting the pup with objects, once again, the dog becomes fearful and the issue is never corrected. I also know, coming from raising bird dogs myself, that you would never, under any circumstance, swat a bird dog with anything. That is a huge no-no in the bird dog world, especially if you want the dog to be successful in the field.

[gypsie rose]

Ok, first and foremost. NEVER under any circumstance hit a puppy. For one, they dont understand. Two, it can trigger a lot of unpleasant behaviors that you'd rather not see come out of a dog.

Puppies bite. Its just what they do. Its called bite inhibition. The puppy is learning his world. Yes it hurts. Yes, sometimes blood is drawn... and yes it can get annoying whenever youre trying to work with your dog, but ... everyone on this website has had to deal with this issue as well. And trust me, hitting the dog, though it may seem like it works, doesnt. It puts fear into the dogs mind. The problem is never fixed, and the puppy is just going to get bigger and the bite is going to become harder.

There are some tricks of the trade if possibly making the yelping noises doesnt work for your puppy. One method is cinnamon breath spray. Its completely harmless to the dog, but the sensation of the cinnamon on a dogs tongue is not rewarding. Any time the puppy bites you, IMMEDIATELY spray into the mouth, down onto the tongue and say "NO BITE" loudly. The biting is not exceptable, and your pup needs to learn that. You can also clamp the mouth shut tightly until puppy makes a small squeak and say "NO BITE" firmly. You need to put a consequence to your command. After a few times of this consequence followed by firm, unhappy toned command, the other things wont be needed very long.

You've already said your dog is extremely smart. She should catch on quickly. But, if you're not willing to do the right thing, and are threatening to put the puppy down because of puppy bites, then perhaps you should give the dog up to a home that knows how to deal with this problem correctly. I know that may sound harsh, but your posts are less than ideal for training a puppy not to bite.

As for swatting the pup with objects, once again, the dog becomes fearful and the issue is never corrected. I also know, coming from raising bird dogs myself, that you would never, under any circumstance, swat a bird dog with anything. That is a huge no-no in the bird dog world, especially if you want the dog to be successful in the field.

At fifty five years old this is the first time I've read any thing on dog training and have tried all the tricks and advice. If only dog read the same books then maybe we could expect these tricks to work all the time but dogs don't read people do and dogs don't make decisions based on any thing except what happning at the moment they fell cold and they look for warmth they fill hot they look for cold they fell thirsty and look for water and so on Gypsie rose is smarter than any dog I've ever owned so I have to at this point be very carfull how I proceed with her training. I don't beleve that a dog should be hit with a fist, kicked , nose rubbed in pee or poop and I certainly don't beleve a dog should be disapliend before it knows the rules but I do beleve that once its determand that play biting is turning into snapping and biting to get in the last word such as when I'm scolding and correcting its time to take action. Just so you people can understand this dog has a problem with poop she becomes uncontrolable when she has to go relieve her self and bites and jumps on me and attacks my feet and legs. At eight weeks I realized when she started acting up I had to take her out and then I read to give her chew toyies to stop her from biting and give ice cubes to stop her biting frozen rags will stop her from biting hold her mouth shut and say no bite and most cruel thing you can do is a thump on the nose. Now just so you will know holding her mouth shut will get you bit a thump on the nose will cause blood to flow from the hand and rewarding her with toys and ice cubes only reinforces bad behaviour her reward for biting until yeasterday was a playful trip out of doors and chewing on funiture was rewarded with a toy or dog bone and at twleve week gypsie rose had became the terror of the house she has bitten my dear old mother and my wife and I have to keep her away from small children and cats. This all started to change as of yesterday morning when I was trying to put the leash on her to take her out and was bitten three times bleading in three places and still I wasent sure what to do. In the old days I used a fly swatter at an early age only once and had a dog who new he was in troble when it was seen even at a distance it allways worked in all situations dogs know when they are missbehaving and will try to find out how far they can go they will try to take over if you allow it Gypsie has only one untolarable bad habbet and it isn't puppy play biting at this juncture its bitting to stop me from putting on the leash or stop me from checking for ticks or bathing brushing or just petting. She started snapping at us if we make her get off the funerture, a day for her is like a month to a child she learns so quick and any mistakes on my part is never missed by her if she learns I will chase her to get an object she's not soposed to have she will use it against me if she wants attention if she learns ill snatch my hand away if she bits me hard enough she will bite hard yesterday she learned I'v had enough when she got smacked sharply across the chops it has to be done exatly at the right time she bites and I smack her with the other hand if you notice you dog flinches when you raise your hand you did it wrong and at the wrong time like the fly swatter it has to be at home and at the right moment to get the desired effect and as with children never strike when you are angery. And end the lesson with prais even if its not deserved.

At chistmas a toddler was killed by a pit bull puppy of six months for no reason then picking up a dog toy from the floor. Now the dog is dead and so is the child I almost changed my mind about getting a dog... biting will not be tolarated in my house hold any longer even if it requires a sharp smack across the chops as my hand is allways handy not like a spray bottle of meant or something. Dog can not understand decipine given even secoundes after missbehaving it has to be done emedieatly. One again I have determaned I need to trust my on judgment and not let this wonderful dog become out of hand due to political correctness. Thank you one and all for your advice its all been taken in to account except giving an uncontrollable dog away to some unsuspecting loving person. Get real

[Cat1864]

Then why did you come for advice when you don't want any?

[gypsie rose]

Then why did you come for advice when you don't want any?

talking to people like you make makes me think and here this is what's wrong with the primis never strick your dog its simply that if the mother dog dident strick out with teeth in a more visous way than man should ever do puppies would not make it out of the litter. Here is the deal Gypsie still bits but after one session of serious consequenses for causing pain and making me bleed she now has a timmed feel to her bites more like I really doint want to do this. I can tolrate this but to be snapped at and bitten at every juncture I won't tolrate as of this morning I can play frisbee and make her sit and stay until rleased we just had the most wonderful time playing how ever yesterday this couldent happen I was trying to pry her off me saying no bite bad dog remember no one is saying beat the dog actually she neverd even wimperd from her opened handed smack it took three for her to even relize I was serios. Now I say no bite and it has defeniat meaning stop with the crap or get the hand and she changes her actions now instead of basecly saying so what you going to do give me a toy if I don't. Now when I say get off the couch and reach for her if she doesent mind and getting bitten and I mean seriously betten she puts her teeth on me in a almost expermental way and I raise my hand and she gets down no fuss. Prity cool isn't it. You have to realize some dog are thick skined especially smart ones and this is my secound gsd I had forgoten how fast they are at learning to take advantage of any weekness in there handler. To ansewer your questions you are the lucky ones to get my response to all these fancy methouds that only work with dog that can't think for themselves at twelve weeks, not so a twleve week old gsd is smarter than most grown dogs of any other bread. I never had a bird dog or hound dog (yes I use to hunt with dogs and was raised on a farm) that had a bitting problem how ever I had a doberman for his life time. He bit every thing and every one that moved at four months he bit a little old lady before I had time to relize he was going too. Nothing would stop him until I needed stiches he was choked out from being hung up by his choke chain until he passed out and his eyes rolled back in his head. He never drew blood again and went on to become an exalent companion and member of my family when children came around he would fall over on his side and play dead until allowed up. The worse biter I had and the most feard dog of animel control is the lab they generally give little or no warning if they are biters. Once again I had to choke this dog out he was six mounths and bit my nephue in the face. Once again I had him around for his life time he passed a couple years ago all I'm saying is don't be to forgiving to your dog making excuses it might be to young to understand or you my have serious problems with and animel that learns to bite to get its way.

[gypsie rose]

It's been said, but I am going to say it again.
I don't think that anyone is being too politically correct when it comes to hitting your dog as punishment. Do you punish violence with violence?
Hitting is the best way to make your dog a fear biter, meaning this little playful love bites that he is giving you know, will turn into powerful jaw clenching bone shattering bites to you and God knows who else when he gets older. You need to seek help from a behaviourist, or some sort of professional. Hitting your dog is not the answer.

look around and you decide if the adage that to spare the rod is to spoil the child is not correct. And to answer your question yes I will attack my attacker. Smacking your dog is not hitting or beating but it has been a method for longer then some breeds have been around my granny kept a news paper rolled up for young dogs and kids I got more than the dog but we all knew when it came out it was time to pay attention. On the farm there was since to be made of the old saying first you have to get the mule's attention I think a two by four may have been mentioned. An old farrier I once held horses for could teach a horse to stand on three legs in two secounds if the owner wasent about. The large flat steel rasp would find its way along side the animals mid section and wasent needed to be applied twice. Old clifford pointed out a little known fact given the proper teaching and an animal will remember its lessons. There is a fine line between a smack across the chops on occasion and beating your dog.

[J_9]

I can't believe I read all of this!

Puppies are like children. They have to learn to be socialized. Hitting/smacking a dog is just as terrible as hitting/smacking a child! I think I'm sick!

[Cat1864]

I repeat my question: Why did you come here if you didn't want advice?

If you came here to convince me to smack my dog to get her to stop biting, it's not going to happen. I have other methods for training her. In all of your stories there is ONE common denominator to the cause of your problems: YOU.

You can't cause the issue then claim to have fixed it by almost killing the animal (I am not referring to your current animal, however, with the history you have given, I wonder how truthful you are being). That is what 'choking out' is.

I am not going to fight with you. I am going to recommend that anyone who uses your training methods make certain that their homeowners policy is up to date and that it covers dog bites.

[shazamataz]

nothing would stop him until I needed stiches he was choked out from being hung up by his choke chain until he passed out and his eyes rolled back in his head. He never drew blood again and went on to become an exalent companion and member of my family

Wow... just, wow.
I'm just wondering what your intention behind your original question were... were you looking for conformation that smacking (striking) was OK to do or are you suggesting that all of us here are just 'too soft'?

[J_9]

he was choked out from being hung up by his choke chain untill he passed out and his eyes rolled back in his head. he never drew blood again

I think I just puked! Of course he didn't draw blood again! He had brain damage due to lack of oxygen. I'm really surprised you have never been reported for animal cruelty.

I pray to God that this person has never laid a hand on their children.

My dogs are my children too. They are just a lot furrier than my human children. I have never laid a hand on any living thing, and never will.

I'm starting to wonder if this is a troll because this is just too sick to be true.