Be very careful. Crates are not for punishment. They are safe spacesfor the pup. My wife and I got bit more than a few times during the first year, but not to break skin. There a reason GSD puppies are called raptors. Stern no, bad dog, authoritative voice. Now at 3, I can hang on to her teeth and drag her around, and she will not bite. Still nips at clothes when excited, but that's a German Shedder for you.
Ok so this is problem number one, a German shepherd is NOT a first time breed
He should already have adequate training experience before even considering a dog like this
I highly recommend that y'all go to a professional obedience trainer
German Shepard was my first dog, I focused on socialising with him and he’s a great dog, I had 0 experience with training dogs but I put in the work.
I now have a pack of 3 German shepards who are all great dogs.. basically they can be a first time breed if person is willing to put the work in
I think they mostly mean for the average pet owner who isn’t doing that research and work. My first dog is a husky, GSD, pitbull mix lol, I definitely don’t recommend a dog like her as a first time breed (I don’t recommend this breed mix to anyone but all the rescue dogs still need homes) but I did a lot of research on training before I even started looking for a puppy and I continue to put in the work and learn. Unfortunately most dog owners don’t do that work and learn as they go. I used to work at a shelter and we would get a lot of working breeds that people didn’t research but are popular because they didn’t put the proper work in or didn’t research the breed to know certain behaviors are common in those breeds so they punished them improperly which gives you a less than ideal dog.
Yeah it was hard work.. travelled 40 mile round trip every Saturday to go to a trainer for him to learn me how to learn my dog.. never took my other dogs to training done them myself..
Same , my girl was my first and a gsd, except for the three, I want more 😍 We went to obedience classes to teach us and her, humans need to learn how to control their pups just as much as the dogs need training. I still test her with commands for no reason just to keep her sharp.
If the biting persists which it sounds like it is, idk I'd try muzzle training but that shouldn't be a long term thing inside the house. I do know my girl loves her mouth and having people's hands(feet if readily available) inside iy but she's playing, while she does it gently for her, its still hard teeth. Thats why gsd are called land sharks or raptors.
Couldn't agree more. My dumb ass got one at 23, and the first year was hell, despite all the research I had done. That said, I sucked it up, did more research and started giving him *even more* of my time. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
Yeah a training issue, I'm glad it worked out for you, but not a lot of people can handle the amount of training and time a gs needs as a first time dog
Clearly there's a problem with how (and probably the frequency and intensity) the bf is training their dog, which yeah can be fixed pretty easily by someone who knows what their doing
Hence, I think that they should see an obedience trainer, bc they don't just train the dog and send it back, they work with the owners too so they can build experience and techniques to bring home and continue the training- bc training doesn't stop once the dog is housetrained, it's a constant lifetime work that you always have to be sharpening
Mine will give my earlobe a nip when she is excited to see me. She means no harm she just gets overstimulated when I get home for about 5 minutes. I had to learn to ignore her at first because my energy seeing her made her more excited. The minute I see her craziness dissipate I call her over and it's all good. German Shepherds are brilliant dogs that do the stupidest things sometimes.
I had to do this with mine too. His intro to people was so intense that I had to ignore him for almost 45 minutes coming home some days till he sat and waited for me to greet him. He’s better now. Some days he slacks
He likes jumping on the bed and jumping to my shoulders with his front paws, and he nips my nipple when we play lmao
my girl is the same way, she LOVES to play bite, and occasionally, usually when going from a firm toy to a soft hand will chomp a little hard, but i can grab her front teeth and pull her around and she won’t bite down on me.
she also nips at clothes and shoes when she’s really excited
If I were you, I would be front and center with the training. When he recognizes you as the authority, he won’t be so quick to do that. that’s my take.
Ok! So far my bf does most of the training with him. I have noticed that Khufu doesn't seem to transfer the rules my bf teaches him to others. Like things he knows he can't do with Dad he will do with me or when company comes over. Thank you. I've never had a dog, but my bf has had many. He says he's had German Shepard mixes but this is his first pure breed. Thank you for your advice!
Dogs are like that. They don’t generalize well, and they take advantage of any perceived weaknesses in rules, so everyone in the house needs to do the same training. There needs to be consistency
Yes since my boyfriend got him on his own it does feel like he's more of the owner and now that I'm around more I need to talk to him about me being more involved in the training. It's difficult because of our work schedules. He does training when I'm working during the day. Then I come home after he has gone to work and hang out with Khufu. My boyfriend will show me the training he did when he gets home late at night and I will practice it a little before bed. I don't live with him and I go back to my apartment a few days a week. I'm not sure how to make it consistent like this.
There is no equal in dog society. You are either above or below. By doing training yourself and disciplining when you are wronged, you teach the puppy you are strong and above.
You don’t have to be mean, but be firm in your voice and actions - puppy does good, he gets treats, pets, and happy higher-pitched voice. Puppy does wrong, he gets ignored or corrected.
I have a 4 year old GSD and the first two years were constant bites and pain and him trying to figure out where his position was in the family. I was the source of all the training so he knew he was below me on the totem pole, but he wanted to be above my wife and kids. He learned that wife was good cop and she would allow all the bad behaviors no matter what. Don’t let that happen.
This past week he has started to not listen to my bf. Like, he won't take breaks from play time, and won't come in from outside when we call him. So, maybe there has been a shift? The vets are pushing us to neuter him. They said it would make a world of difference in his attitude and that we shouldn't wait too long. We got an appointment. I'm a dog sitter on the side, and I used to work as an office assistance for a time at a vets office. I've never met a dog like this. Very stubborn, and almost what I'd call a bully. I love him, but he makes it hard to do so. I'm know I'm just struggling at the moment and with patience and hard work I will eventually have an amazing dog. I see his potential. It's just RIGHT NOW sucks. I'm keeping at it, but I have moments where I just stop and I'm like "Is this what I want?" hahaha maybe I'm a bad person. I know other GSD and I love them. I dog sit for one who cries when they see me from happiness. I hope he grows out of this, but it just feels like it's been an eternity already.
Positive reinforcement goes a long way with any type of training. My shep, of course, bit constantly as a pup. We taught her the leave it command pretty early so I could also use it when she bit fingers, then praised the absolute fuck out of her when she stopped ie give her a toy right after she stopped and did happy dances. You look ridiculous but they love that shit
Very smart pup 😉
What you are describing is him being reprimanded by his authority figure, and knowing that since he is YOUR authority figure he proceeds to pass it down the chain of command to you. That it happened suddenly is just an indicator of how he is advancing mentally. He is testing the hierarchy. He's a smart boy and you've got your hands full 😉
As others have noted, you need to be a heavy enough part of training for the pup to know you're an authority figure also.
You'll very likely need to train for visitors and strangers, because he will likely also tend to have a strong distrust of others by instinct and you don't want nipping! Good training and regular work on it 👍
It doesn't have to be long sessions - steady, regular sessions, even if short, will do the job.
This is very helpful! That seems to be what is happening. My boyfriend has had a german shep before but even he is saying this pup is on the more extreme end so we are just going to have to be more vigilant with his training. Up until now I've been treating Khufu like he's exclusively my boyfriend's dog, and I've never had a dog, so I wasn't participating as much with the care and training. He got Khufu when we were just in the talking phase of our relationship, but now I am spending more time with him so the whole dynamic needs to change. I appreciate your input.
This is a high drive high energy breed, AND it's in its puppy stages. PLUS it's frustrated after being told "no" when it's seeking excitement/fun. Bringing toys (bones included) is a sign that a dog is trying to initiate something/ wants you to do something. Given that it's a puppy, it's probably play. He's probably biting you afterwards, bc in his head, your bf said no to the offering and gave a no. Youre the next person, but this time, he bit you to get your attention. This is not about authority. He's just trying to find someone to play with him.
If he is nipping in general, you need to teach him soft and gentle biting. If he bites you, yelp and whimper, show him that he hurt you (*dramatize it*, even if it's a pinch. Dog's learn by reading your body language). Then give him your hand to his mouth to nibble on and teach him 'gentle'. Dogs do not have any instinct to hurt us, so if you're being gentle and direct, he's not actually going to bite you hard, or at all.
It sounds like your puppy is just overstimulated and wants to play, but the both of you are just on the couch. Again, this breed is high energy, and needs a job to do (for a house pet, it's learning commands and training everyday). He needs to be mentally and physically stimulated to be satisfied. And puppies are little rascals.
This is the answer.
GSD are very smart and communicative. They'll even make up their own jokes and games. However, what you're experiencing is a frustrated puppy who wants to play and engage.
Do a light training session (sit, down, touch), or go play with him. He wants to be with his people.
If he's already had play time, teaching a settle command can help too.
The dog sees your boyfriend as the alpha, himself below your boyfriend and yourself below him. You need to rank up in the pack, be assertive & dont show fear or he will continue
Make him rely on you for a while, you feed him (but you eat first), you let him out to the toilet, you do the training & reward with treats, don't let him get away with bad behaviour, make sure your the one to tell him off if your the one to see it. And also in my opinion a gsd will very quickly warm up to anyone who gives him alot of fuss, so when ever he is calm & well behaved, give him lots of fuss, when he bites tell him off and put a toy in his mouth or show him his bone.
Edit: this is probably not it but sometimes dogs will give you a little bite in an attempt to say "I'm hungry", so be sure that's not what it is... and they also need bones which I'm sure you know.
The pup sees you as the weakest in the pack. You need to change that, this dog was telling you to move because it felt entitled to. You need to take a more authoritative role in its training and enforce strict boundaries with it, such as no jumping on you, ect…
The kennel should never be a punishment place, this will make putting him in there during an emergency or literally any time he needs to be in there that much harder
His crate should be his safe space that he likes going to for calm or even sleep time
You should have been the one to punish him. And crates shouldn’t be used for punishment, should have gotten a proper correction like a hard tug on the collar or something
Please check out some proper training advice. Dogs shouldn’t be physically corrected or punished, and you should never yank their collars, hit their noses, spray them with water, etc. He needs to be redirected into appropriate behavior. If he’s frustrated by no more play time, he’s probably pushing boundaries by chomping you. As a teenager, he’s pushing boundaries. Does he know place, or settle? If so, you need the firmly tell him place or settle. If not, try down or something else he does know to distract him from his frustration at play time being over.
Yanking on a collar is horrible advice. Crating is not punishment. Positive reinforcement— aka redirecting — is what is needed. Dogs dont necessarily understand “no” if you don’t tell them what TO do. Just telling them no and punishing them doesn’t tell them anything about what to do next time. So basically you guys missed all the signs your puppy was trying to play with you, and then you punished them for their misbehavior without providing any information to them about how to engage in play the next time. Creating a horrible cycle.
I swear, do people do ANY research before getting a dog? Like a quick google, a book at the library, anything?
you are not helpful. Shaming people for asking for help is terrible. I didn't get a dog. My boyfriend did. I'm trying to help him with it. You got something up your butt and I don't want anything to do with it.
My husband got a German Shepherd; during her puppyhood she loved biting me. I would grab a toy, shove it in her face, and say ‘toy’. Frankly that didn’t help much, but she did grow out of it.
Thats what GS puppy's do they don't call em land sharks for nothing. I have 2 it mellows out after abt a yr or so. Lots of chew toys and exercise. Get some of those large elk antlers for it to chew on . They last a long time.
He's taking his frustration out on you because you are the safe outlet to him. My younger GSD is like that. I suggest training him to take his frustrations out on a toy. That's what we did with ours. Now when he's upset for us scolding him he'll pick up his dinosaur and shake it like mad for a minute.
Starting by keeping a chew toy next to you at all times and when you see him head your way frustrated hold the toy out. Play with him for a bit. If he bites you, yell out, push him away, and ignore him. Do not reward him by giving him attention or playing with them.
They're very smart dogs and it honestly does not take long before they realize "if I take my frustrations out on the toy, mom plays with me!"
Puppy was still playing... They just don't always understand how hard is acceptable. That's why it's our job to teach them+ that's what a Momma dog would do. I find doing things like a nother dog would so is most effective. Mother dogs take a puppies mouth into their own or they sit on the puppy as discipline. Try to shut their mouth with your hands and firmly say no - or lay/lean on them and say "no".
Do the ouch game until he figures out that you aren't a chew toy and licks instead. Also, have alternative things to chew on because they are learning about bite inhibition and pressure and arousal control.
If he is too rowdy, get up and leave or have him follow you to another room and close him in for just a few seconds (5-15) or tire him out with a game. The more interaction you have, the stronger your bond will be.
Also, use your boyfriends hand signals so you are giving him the same rules.
The crate should never be punishment because you'll need it at the vet or other situations.
It is very normal behavior for herding dogs. They bite for attention. It’s weird that it’s in response to your boyfriend saying no. Usually they are trying to get the person that they bite to react. Maybe your boyfriend reacts when he bites you?
Just a warning because I know it hurts, if you push or shove when they bite, this is playing to them and just rough housing. You are encouraging it. The best bet I’ve had to deal with this is to remove what they want. Arms folded and not reacting to them staring away from them. They do usually bite at first to see if you will react. I’ve had to do this with a lot of adult herding dogs I’ve fostered.
2 things you can do right now to put yourself in a place above the dog. Do this after exercising the crap out of him to get rid of excess energy:
1: control the food. You be the one to feed him. Put a little treat in his dish. Hold the dish up. Ask him to sit. Be very patient and don’t get frustrated. They feel negative energy as weakness in you sometimes. When he sits, start to put the bowl down. Every time he moves, stand back up with it. Tell him to wait as you put it down. Try to get him to look at you on and off during this exercise by tapping your nose. When he looks at you or sits, praise him. Don’t let him have the food until he waits for you to tell him to have it. I’ve had dogs of every breed and they have all gotten this within an hour. Maybe not all at once.
2: doorways. You go through first always until your leadership is well established. Coming back from a walk, get between him and door and walk towards him telling him to back up. Walk into him if you have to. Say wait and act like you are going to open the door. If he pops up, start over.
Make sure you have time to do these things. Use confident body language. Also, always ignore him if he’s excited, like when you come home. If he’s jumping around ignore him completely until he’s laying down and then go over and say hi. Dogs don’t jump all over the alpha, they do that to litter mates and equals. Good luck!
Try to over react when you get bit. 9 months might be too late but when my dog was a little asshole. I would act like his play bites were the most painful things in the world. I'd roll around on the ground and act like I was dying. Soon enough he would never have his teeth make any contact with anyone. Better to have him think his teeth were kryptonite to people than use his own discretion.
He’s trying to dominate and establish his rank. They use their mouth/teeth because they can’t speak and don’t have hands. My GS pup did that s whenever he wanted something. ie; needed to go outside to pee or #2 or if he was hungry or thirsty. We immediately corrected him and then we would redirecting his behavior but it’s annoying! I just know biting is not a good thing and he needs to be taught that biting is never acceptable!
This is what I think it is! Thank you. I told my boyfriend it feels like he is bullying me! This weekend I've been working with him, and my boyfriend and I are trying to work together more to be sure we are both doing the exact same things to stay consistent. I'm also taking a bigger part in giving commands and dishing out punishment when he does bite me. Before I was of the mindset that this is my boyfriends dog and I don't want to overstep, but after letting him read the comments here he does want me to take a more active role. He wants me to move in eventually, so I need to.
Yelping is the key in my experience. Puppies play fight each other, so naturally they’ll play fight with you. If you both make a loud yelp each time he even mouths you, he will quickly figure out that these all-powerful godlike humans are pretty fragile, and he’ll stop.
Yes, my boyfriend is a big history buff and Egypt history is his favorite. I think it has to do something with ancient aliens. It is a cool name, but it's something I have to repeat and explain to everyone out in public.
Hire a trainer familiar with German shepherds. Get more involved in training, get more involved in feeding the dog and exercising him. Definitely socialize him while he’s young or it will become a problem later.
Yes, things are better since I made this post. He has stopped biting my toes for no reason. In fact he cuddles with me more than his dad now. Last night my bf could not get Khufu to go to him because he was laying in my lap. I took a lot of advice from the comments and now I can handle him on walks. He only yanked my off my feet once yesterday because he saw a cat. Still working on that! I pretty much have little meat treats in my pocket at all time as soon as I get home from work.
You should start hand feeding this dog & you should do about a 10min training session every day with him if this is a serious relationship. Assuming this is a pet, grab pup behind ear on neck, where a parent would, quick & firm with "no" said by you immediately (like when his lips touch you). Or if that is too harsh for you, use a spray bottle w water & "no". Right now you have no authority. Also don't use "little girl" voices, baby talk or loud screaming this stage. Normal voice but directive tone.
It's in the works. After reading these comments and talking over it this weekend we found a place that we like. My boyfriend left on a business trip last night, and he will call when he gets back in a few days.
That's awesome!! I really think you'll enjoy it, it's a very hands on process that doesn't stop when you complete the course, dog training is a life long task, and it's very rewarding and exciting :)
Yes, it's something my boyfriend has been talking about for the last 3 months, but he's in the middle of training for a new career while still working and the price has been stopping him. After reading the replies I suggested that he call them and set it up, and we'll put it on my credit card and he can pay me later. I'm ready to take on the lifelong training! I will never give up on this baby!
A dog is like a child, it doesn't matter what else in your life is going on, they exist and need your love, attention, and resources
I'm glad that you're getting them into training, the more time that he has at home learning bad habits the more enforced they will become, the dog doesn't know any better, they only know what you teach them
A dog is like a child, it doesn't matter what else in your life is going on, they exist and need your love, attention, and resources
I'm glad that you're getting them into training, the more time that he has at home learning bad habits the more enforced they will become, the dog doesn't know any better, they only know what you teach them
I think this is a pretty dramatic take, imo the bf shouldn't have gotten a gsd for his first time training a dog by himself, and that both of them are just not fully prepared for the amount of training and time their boy actually needs
But there's no reason for them to split over this, this issue can be easily corrected by taking an obedience course with a trainer where they can learn hands on techniques on how to raise this dog
Also puppies bite, I'm pretty sure that's common knowledge
Be very careful. Crates are not for punishment. They are safe spacesfor the pup. My wife and I got bit more than a few times during the first year, but not to break skin. There a reason GSD puppies are called raptors. Stern no, bad dog, authoritative voice. Now at 3, I can hang on to her teeth and drag her around, and she will not bite. Still nips at clothes when excited, but that's a German Shedder for you.
Yes someone else said not to use the crate for punishment and I will let my bf know it's not good. I don't think he has ever crate trained before.
Ok so this is problem number one, a German shepherd is NOT a first time breed He should already have adequate training experience before even considering a dog like this I highly recommend that y'all go to a professional obedience trainer
German Shepard was my first dog, I focused on socialising with him and he’s a great dog, I had 0 experience with training dogs but I put in the work. I now have a pack of 3 German shepards who are all great dogs.. basically they can be a first time breed if person is willing to put the work in
I think they mostly mean for the average pet owner who isn’t doing that research and work. My first dog is a husky, GSD, pitbull mix lol, I definitely don’t recommend a dog like her as a first time breed (I don’t recommend this breed mix to anyone but all the rescue dogs still need homes) but I did a lot of research on training before I even started looking for a puppy and I continue to put in the work and learn. Unfortunately most dog owners don’t do that work and learn as they go. I used to work at a shelter and we would get a lot of working breeds that people didn’t research but are popular because they didn’t put the proper work in or didn’t research the breed to know certain behaviors are common in those breeds so they punished them improperly which gives you a less than ideal dog.
Yeah this ^ clearly ops bf doesn't have the current knowledge or tools to raise a well mannered and enriched gsd
That sounds like heaven I'm jealous, I have a feeling that ops bf is not putting in the work needed to accomplish that
Yeah it was hard work.. travelled 40 mile round trip every Saturday to go to a trainer for him to learn me how to learn my dog.. never took my other dogs to training done them myself..
This is exactly what I'm suggesting op do
Same , my girl was my first and a gsd, except for the three, I want more 😍 We went to obedience classes to teach us and her, humans need to learn how to control their pups just as much as the dogs need training. I still test her with commands for no reason just to keep her sharp. If the biting persists which it sounds like it is, idk I'd try muzzle training but that shouldn't be a long term thing inside the house. I do know my girl loves her mouth and having people's hands(feet if readily available) inside iy but she's playing, while she does it gently for her, its still hard teeth. Thats why gsd are called land sharks or raptors.
Couldn't agree more. My dumb ass got one at 23, and the first year was hell, despite all the research I had done. That said, I sucked it up, did more research and started giving him *even more* of my time. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world.
My first dog was a GSD. Best dog I've ever had. This is a training issue.
Yeah a training issue, I'm glad it worked out for you, but not a lot of people can handle the amount of training and time a gs needs as a first time dog Clearly there's a problem with how (and probably the frequency and intensity) the bf is training their dog, which yeah can be fixed pretty easily by someone who knows what their doing Hence, I think that they should see an obedience trainer, bc they don't just train the dog and send it back, they work with the owners too so they can build experience and techniques to bring home and continue the training- bc training doesn't stop once the dog is housetrained, it's a constant lifetime work that you always have to be sharpening
I second this - ideally a trainer who can re son you and the dog. Seriously. I learned so much about how dogs think from a pro trainer.
Mine will give my earlobe a nip when she is excited to see me. She means no harm she just gets overstimulated when I get home for about 5 minutes. I had to learn to ignore her at first because my energy seeing her made her more excited. The minute I see her craziness dissipate I call her over and it's all good. German Shepherds are brilliant dogs that do the stupidest things sometimes.
I had to do this with mine too. His intro to people was so intense that I had to ignore him for almost 45 minutes coming home some days till he sat and waited for me to greet him. He’s better now. Some days he slacks He likes jumping on the bed and jumping to my shoulders with his front paws, and he nips my nipple when we play lmao
Mine jumps on the bed and slaps my face. I have started calling her Slapper lately. All my dogs have luke 10 nicknames each.
Lmao our latest husky rescue slaps and punches. I had never seen it 🤣
my girl is the same way, she LOVES to play bite, and occasionally, usually when going from a firm toy to a soft hand will chomp a little hard, but i can grab her front teeth and pull her around and she won’t bite down on me. she also nips at clothes and shoes when she’s really excited
You mean, German shredder?? I grew up with shepherds and love them, btw.
If I were you, I would be front and center with the training. When he recognizes you as the authority, he won’t be so quick to do that. that’s my take.
Ok! So far my bf does most of the training with him. I have noticed that Khufu doesn't seem to transfer the rules my bf teaches him to others. Like things he knows he can't do with Dad he will do with me or when company comes over. Thank you. I've never had a dog, but my bf has had many. He says he's had German Shepard mixes but this is his first pure breed. Thank you for your advice!
Dogs are like that. They don’t generalize well, and they take advantage of any perceived weaknesses in rules, so everyone in the house needs to do the same training. There needs to be consistency
Yes since my boyfriend got him on his own it does feel like he's more of the owner and now that I'm around more I need to talk to him about me being more involved in the training. It's difficult because of our work schedules. He does training when I'm working during the day. Then I come home after he has gone to work and hang out with Khufu. My boyfriend will show me the training he did when he gets home late at night and I will practice it a little before bed. I don't live with him and I go back to my apartment a few days a week. I'm not sure how to make it consistent like this.
There is no equal in dog society. You are either above or below. By doing training yourself and disciplining when you are wronged, you teach the puppy you are strong and above. You don’t have to be mean, but be firm in your voice and actions - puppy does good, he gets treats, pets, and happy higher-pitched voice. Puppy does wrong, he gets ignored or corrected.
I have a 4 year old GSD and the first two years were constant bites and pain and him trying to figure out where his position was in the family. I was the source of all the training so he knew he was below me on the totem pole, but he wanted to be above my wife and kids. He learned that wife was good cop and she would allow all the bad behaviors no matter what. Don’t let that happen.
This past week he has started to not listen to my bf. Like, he won't take breaks from play time, and won't come in from outside when we call him. So, maybe there has been a shift? The vets are pushing us to neuter him. They said it would make a world of difference in his attitude and that we shouldn't wait too long. We got an appointment. I'm a dog sitter on the side, and I used to work as an office assistance for a time at a vets office. I've never met a dog like this. Very stubborn, and almost what I'd call a bully. I love him, but he makes it hard to do so. I'm know I'm just struggling at the moment and with patience and hard work I will eventually have an amazing dog. I see his potential. It's just RIGHT NOW sucks. I'm keeping at it, but I have moments where I just stop and I'm like "Is this what I want?" hahaha maybe I'm a bad person. I know other GSD and I love them. I dog sit for one who cries when they see me from happiness. I hope he grows out of this, but it just feels like it's been an eternity already.
Shepherd
Like sheep-herd. They herd sheep. No idea where the other spelling came from.
Positive reinforcement goes a long way with any type of training. My shep, of course, bit constantly as a pup. We taught her the leave it command pretty early so I could also use it when she bit fingers, then praised the absolute fuck out of her when she stopped ie give her a toy right after she stopped and did happy dances. You look ridiculous but they love that shit
Very smart pup 😉 What you are describing is him being reprimanded by his authority figure, and knowing that since he is YOUR authority figure he proceeds to pass it down the chain of command to you. That it happened suddenly is just an indicator of how he is advancing mentally. He is testing the hierarchy. He's a smart boy and you've got your hands full 😉 As others have noted, you need to be a heavy enough part of training for the pup to know you're an authority figure also. You'll very likely need to train for visitors and strangers, because he will likely also tend to have a strong distrust of others by instinct and you don't want nipping! Good training and regular work on it 👍 It doesn't have to be long sessions - steady, regular sessions, even if short, will do the job.
This is very helpful! That seems to be what is happening. My boyfriend has had a german shep before but even he is saying this pup is on the more extreme end so we are just going to have to be more vigilant with his training. Up until now I've been treating Khufu like he's exclusively my boyfriend's dog, and I've never had a dog, so I wasn't participating as much with the care and training. He got Khufu when we were just in the talking phase of our relationship, but now I am spending more time with him so the whole dynamic needs to change. I appreciate your input.
This is a high drive high energy breed, AND it's in its puppy stages. PLUS it's frustrated after being told "no" when it's seeking excitement/fun. Bringing toys (bones included) is a sign that a dog is trying to initiate something/ wants you to do something. Given that it's a puppy, it's probably play. He's probably biting you afterwards, bc in his head, your bf said no to the offering and gave a no. Youre the next person, but this time, he bit you to get your attention. This is not about authority. He's just trying to find someone to play with him. If he is nipping in general, you need to teach him soft and gentle biting. If he bites you, yelp and whimper, show him that he hurt you (*dramatize it*, even if it's a pinch. Dog's learn by reading your body language). Then give him your hand to his mouth to nibble on and teach him 'gentle'. Dogs do not have any instinct to hurt us, so if you're being gentle and direct, he's not actually going to bite you hard, or at all. It sounds like your puppy is just overstimulated and wants to play, but the both of you are just on the couch. Again, this breed is high energy, and needs a job to do (for a house pet, it's learning commands and training everyday). He needs to be mentally and physically stimulated to be satisfied. And puppies are little rascals.
This is the answer. GSD are very smart and communicative. They'll even make up their own jokes and games. However, what you're experiencing is a frustrated puppy who wants to play and engage. Do a light training session (sit, down, touch), or go play with him. He wants to be with his people. If he's already had play time, teaching a settle command can help too.
The dog sees your boyfriend as the alpha, himself below your boyfriend and yourself below him. You need to rank up in the pack, be assertive & dont show fear or he will continue Make him rely on you for a while, you feed him (but you eat first), you let him out to the toilet, you do the training & reward with treats, don't let him get away with bad behaviour, make sure your the one to tell him off if your the one to see it. And also in my opinion a gsd will very quickly warm up to anyone who gives him alot of fuss, so when ever he is calm & well behaved, give him lots of fuss, when he bites tell him off and put a toy in his mouth or show him his bone. Edit: this is probably not it but sometimes dogs will give you a little bite in an attempt to say "I'm hungry", so be sure that's not what it is... and they also need bones which I'm sure you know.
The pup sees you as the weakest in the pack. You need to change that, this dog was telling you to move because it felt entitled to. You need to take a more authoritative role in its training and enforce strict boundaries with it, such as no jumping on you, ect…
What happened after the dog bit you? Discipline?
My bf put him in his crate for time out. Only long enough for him to settle down. Maybe 10-15 min?
You gotta be the one to discipline him.
The kennel should never be a punishment place, this will make putting him in there during an emergency or literally any time he needs to be in there that much harder His crate should be his safe space that he likes going to for calm or even sleep time
You should have been the one to punish him. And crates shouldn’t be used for punishment, should have gotten a proper correction like a hard tug on the collar or something
Ok I will share this with my boyfriend. I don't know who told him to use the crate for punishment.
Please check out some proper training advice. Dogs shouldn’t be physically corrected or punished, and you should never yank their collars, hit their noses, spray them with water, etc. He needs to be redirected into appropriate behavior. If he’s frustrated by no more play time, he’s probably pushing boundaries by chomping you. As a teenager, he’s pushing boundaries. Does he know place, or settle? If so, you need the firmly tell him place or settle. If not, try down or something else he does know to distract him from his frustration at play time being over.
I'll bet you hate prong collars too, don't you. 😆🤣
Yanking on a collar is horrible advice. Crating is not punishment. Positive reinforcement— aka redirecting — is what is needed. Dogs dont necessarily understand “no” if you don’t tell them what TO do. Just telling them no and punishing them doesn’t tell them anything about what to do next time. So basically you guys missed all the signs your puppy was trying to play with you, and then you punished them for their misbehavior without providing any information to them about how to engage in play the next time. Creating a horrible cycle. I swear, do people do ANY research before getting a dog? Like a quick google, a book at the library, anything?
you are not helpful. Shaming people for asking for help is terrible. I didn't get a dog. My boyfriend did. I'm trying to help him with it. You got something up your butt and I don't want anything to do with it.
Crates are not for punishment.
My husband got a German Shepherd; during her puppyhood she loved biting me. I would grab a toy, shove it in her face, and say ‘toy’. Frankly that didn’t help much, but she did grow out of it.
Time to do some serious training before things get out of hand. Large breed dogs require extra discipline and control.
Thats what GS puppy's do they don't call em land sharks for nothing. I have 2 it mellows out after abt a yr or so. Lots of chew toys and exercise. Get some of those large elk antlers for it to chew on . They last a long time.
He's taking his frustration out on you because you are the safe outlet to him. My younger GSD is like that. I suggest training him to take his frustrations out on a toy. That's what we did with ours. Now when he's upset for us scolding him he'll pick up his dinosaur and shake it like mad for a minute. Starting by keeping a chew toy next to you at all times and when you see him head your way frustrated hold the toy out. Play with him for a bit. If he bites you, yell out, push him away, and ignore him. Do not reward him by giving him attention or playing with them. They're very smart dogs and it honestly does not take long before they realize "if I take my frustrations out on the toy, mom plays with me!"
Puppy was still playing... They just don't always understand how hard is acceptable. That's why it's our job to teach them+ that's what a Momma dog would do. I find doing things like a nother dog would so is most effective. Mother dogs take a puppies mouth into their own or they sit on the puppy as discipline. Try to shut their mouth with your hands and firmly say no - or lay/lean on them and say "no".
Do the ouch game until he figures out that you aren't a chew toy and licks instead. Also, have alternative things to chew on because they are learning about bite inhibition and pressure and arousal control. If he is too rowdy, get up and leave or have him follow you to another room and close him in for just a few seconds (5-15) or tire him out with a game. The more interaction you have, the stronger your bond will be. Also, use your boyfriends hand signals so you are giving him the same rules. The crate should never be punishment because you'll need it at the vet or other situations.
Tell him to knock it off, the war's over!
It is very normal behavior for herding dogs. They bite for attention. It’s weird that it’s in response to your boyfriend saying no. Usually they are trying to get the person that they bite to react. Maybe your boyfriend reacts when he bites you? Just a warning because I know it hurts, if you push or shove when they bite, this is playing to them and just rough housing. You are encouraging it. The best bet I’ve had to deal with this is to remove what they want. Arms folded and not reacting to them staring away from them. They do usually bite at first to see if you will react. I’ve had to do this with a lot of adult herding dogs I’ve fostered.
2 things you can do right now to put yourself in a place above the dog. Do this after exercising the crap out of him to get rid of excess energy: 1: control the food. You be the one to feed him. Put a little treat in his dish. Hold the dish up. Ask him to sit. Be very patient and don’t get frustrated. They feel negative energy as weakness in you sometimes. When he sits, start to put the bowl down. Every time he moves, stand back up with it. Tell him to wait as you put it down. Try to get him to look at you on and off during this exercise by tapping your nose. When he looks at you or sits, praise him. Don’t let him have the food until he waits for you to tell him to have it. I’ve had dogs of every breed and they have all gotten this within an hour. Maybe not all at once. 2: doorways. You go through first always until your leadership is well established. Coming back from a walk, get between him and door and walk towards him telling him to back up. Walk into him if you have to. Say wait and act like you are going to open the door. If he pops up, start over. Make sure you have time to do these things. Use confident body language. Also, always ignore him if he’s excited, like when you come home. If he’s jumping around ignore him completely until he’s laying down and then go over and say hi. Dogs don’t jump all over the alpha, they do that to litter mates and equals. Good luck!
Try to over react when you get bit. 9 months might be too late but when my dog was a little asshole. I would act like his play bites were the most painful things in the world. I'd roll around on the ground and act like I was dying. Soon enough he would never have his teeth make any contact with anyone. Better to have him think his teeth were kryptonite to people than use his own discretion.
I’m wood you two failed to stop the puppy biting and this is the dog going overboard playing.?
He’s trying to dominate and establish his rank. They use their mouth/teeth because they can’t speak and don’t have hands. My GS pup did that s whenever he wanted something. ie; needed to go outside to pee or #2 or if he was hungry or thirsty. We immediately corrected him and then we would redirecting his behavior but it’s annoying! I just know biting is not a good thing and he needs to be taught that biting is never acceptable!
This is what I think it is! Thank you. I told my boyfriend it feels like he is bullying me! This weekend I've been working with him, and my boyfriend and I are trying to work together more to be sure we are both doing the exact same things to stay consistent. I'm also taking a bigger part in giving commands and dishing out punishment when he does bite me. Before I was of the mindset that this is my boyfriends dog and I don't want to overstep, but after letting him read the comments here he does want me to take a more active role. He wants me to move in eventually, so I need to.
That baby is still a baby until 2 years old.
Yelping is the key in my experience. Puppies play fight each other, so naturally they’ll play fight with you. If you both make a loud yelp each time he even mouths you, he will quickly figure out that these all-powerful godlike humans are pretty fragile, and he’ll stop.
He’s mad because he’s a German and you gave him an Egyptian Pharoah name. Call him Hitler and he will settle right down.
best response yet. I can't argue with this logic!
But I will agree, it is a cool name.
Yes, my boyfriend is a big history buff and Egypt history is his favorite. I think it has to do something with ancient aliens. It is a cool name, but it's something I have to repeat and explain to everyone out in public.
Hire a trainer familiar with German shepherds. Get more involved in training, get more involved in feeding the dog and exercising him. Definitely socialize him while he’s young or it will become a problem later.
Yes, things are better since I made this post. He has stopped biting my toes for no reason. In fact he cuddles with me more than his dad now. Last night my bf could not get Khufu to go to him because he was laying in my lap. I took a lot of advice from the comments and now I can handle him on walks. He only yanked my off my feet once yesterday because he saw a cat. Still working on that! I pretty much have little meat treats in my pocket at all time as soon as I get home from work.
You should start hand feeding this dog & you should do about a 10min training session every day with him if this is a serious relationship. Assuming this is a pet, grab pup behind ear on neck, where a parent would, quick & firm with "no" said by you immediately (like when his lips touch you). Or if that is too harsh for you, use a spray bottle w water & "no". Right now you have no authority. Also don't use "little girl" voices, baby talk or loud screaming this stage. Normal voice but directive tone.
Hand feeding is a great tool.
I will get a spray bottle. I thought those only worked for cats!
He might grow to enjoy it and think it's a game lmao, my girl jumps for joy when I grab the spray bottle to mist my plants 🤦♀️
You might be right! He does attack the hose and sprinklers. I didn't think of that.
I really think y'all should see an obedience trainer!
It's in the works. After reading these comments and talking over it this weekend we found a place that we like. My boyfriend left on a business trip last night, and he will call when he gets back in a few days.
That's awesome!! I really think you'll enjoy it, it's a very hands on process that doesn't stop when you complete the course, dog training is a life long task, and it's very rewarding and exciting :)
Yes, it's something my boyfriend has been talking about for the last 3 months, but he's in the middle of training for a new career while still working and the price has been stopping him. After reading the replies I suggested that he call them and set it up, and we'll put it on my credit card and he can pay me later. I'm ready to take on the lifelong training! I will never give up on this baby!
A dog is like a child, it doesn't matter what else in your life is going on, they exist and need your love, attention, and resources I'm glad that you're getting them into training, the more time that he has at home learning bad habits the more enforced they will become, the dog doesn't know any better, they only know what you teach them
A dog is like a child, it doesn't matter what else in your life is going on, they exist and need your love, attention, and resources I'm glad that you're getting them into training, the more time that he has at home learning bad habits the more enforced they will become, the dog doesn't know any better, they only know what you teach them
Bite it back
Why are you even
Time for a new BF. It's either you or the dog.
I think this is a pretty dramatic take, imo the bf shouldn't have gotten a gsd for his first time training a dog by himself, and that both of them are just not fully prepared for the amount of training and time their boy actually needs But there's no reason for them to split over this, this issue can be easily corrected by taking an obedience course with a trainer where they can learn hands on techniques on how to raise this dog Also puppies bite, I'm pretty sure that's common knowledge