My 3 Mnths Gsd Bites My Hands & Barks On Me When Stopped

AMIT

Member
MY 3 MNTHS OLD GSD BITES ON MY HANDS & FEET.HE TURNS AGGRESSIVE & BARKS ON ME IF STOP HIM FROM DOING THIS.I READ SOMEWHERE TO PIN DOWN PUPPY'S HEAD TO MAKE HIM CALM & SETTLE DOWN.I DON THINK IT WORKS.PLEASE SUGGEST AS HE WILL GROW BIG & SO WILL BE MY PROBLEM.
 

mewzard

Experienced Member
Ok first; using capitols is shouting on a forum :) please don't use it for a whole post...it makes it hard to read.
Second; puppies aren't aggressive - if you look at it like that then you will have a even bigger problem.
Dogs bark for lots of reasons -fear, annoyance, frustration,play... I would suggest that your pup is either enticing you to play...i bet he barks then jumps in with a 'snap' then leaps back. OR he is frustrated you aren't playing the only game he knows.. -->dog play.
DO NOT pin your dog...this is like a"forced apology" and will not help you and your dog bond, it's just not worth the trouble...it can also be interperted as play and just excite your puppy more!!
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So what to do then?.... AS soon as your pups teeth contact your skin, cross your arms and look away, if its your feet as you are walking stand still. At first this will make him bite at you more "hey dad! dad!! play! come ...onnnnn! DAD!!" but it does work. Some times yelping "OW" in a high pitched voice works...it didn't for us just made Oka more excited as we sounded like furry animals :rolleyes:, but for some pups it does.
When your pup stops biting at you reward him with a game of tug or with a ball. You must show him what is approapriate to bite and chew at and what isn't...he has no idea!!
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yes your GSD will get big BUT he will also grow up. Oka is 12 months...i remember her at 3/4 months literally hanging from my trousers. How she would mouth (don't be fooled a puppy is not biting you, its mouthing), we would ignore, she'd stop, then start straight back again as soon as we moved. it takes lots of time and patience, He has play puppy/dog games since he was 4 or 5 weeks old. it's going to take him atleast that to realise that humans aren't built for those kinds of games. We sometimes play "rough" with Oka as at 12months she knows how much pressure she can use but even so occasionally she goes too ar and makes a little bruise....but she knows to stop when we say /enough/.
<> oh sometimes they just need a plain and simple; time out, put him in another room and leave him there for a ABSOLUTE MAXIMIUM of 30 seconds, it has to be done the instant that he mouths or he won't understand. Watch to see how long before he take to get "over excited" and then stop playing before that time arrives e.g if it takes 5 mintues stop playing at 4minutes.
 

jackienmutts

Honored Member
Mewzard gave you great advice. Please don't ever ever pin down your puppy's head - that made me so sad. Puppy's go thru so many different stages in their young lives. Remember that puppies, thru their barks and with their mouths, are trying to tell us things in the only way they know how. As dogs grow, they become masters of our body language, learning our different movements - they study us, they learn what we're about to do when we pick up our keys, put on those tennis shoes, close the blinds, sit in the corner chair, pour a cup of coffee, take a shower, the list goes on and on. But a 3 month old puppy is only just beginning. His only relationhip just a few weeks ago, was with his mom and littermates. He's on his own now, he's still a baby, and he's desperately trying to talk to you, and figure you and your world out, and figure out how to fit in. He's trying to figure out how to tell you he wants to play, how to tell you what games he likes to play, he's hungry, he needs to potty, figure out your rules, etc.

Now - you have to help him learn how to play with you. His littermates all had teeth, and would yelp when he bit too hard. As Mewzard suggested, YELP (and do it LOUD) when he bites your hand. Puppy teeth are like little shark's teeth. But do have lots of toys and chews around that he CAN bite at - and immediately stick one of those in his mouth. If he gets really wild and just can't stop, do put him on a time out for a few seconds. Taking away his biggest resource in the whole world - YOU - is not what he wants. Don't toss him someplace, just when he's too wild, say "enough" (or whatever word you choose), and if he doesn't stop, then calmly take him and put him wherever you choose. Baby gates are wonderful things - perhaps you can place him someplace behind a babygate, he's now separated from the people he loves and wants to be with, noooo...... Ok, now he's quiet, he can try again. It will take a few repititions, but he'll catch on. Keep in mind, he will grow up. He's not aggressive, he's a puppy. They bark, they chew, sometimes they're little monsters - they're babies. They're learning all about the world, and a lot of it is with their mouths. Sound familiar? Yeah, us two-legged ones aren't all that different when you think about it. :p

Can you possibly get him in a puppy pre-school class or puppy kindergarten class? If so, I highly recommend it. He and you will learn so many basics about puppies, plus he'll be exposed so other puppies his age and allowed play time with them. One big thing is play time with other puppies - and during that time, a huge thing they learn is more bite inhibition. They've been learning this from their littermates and mom, but playing with other dogs teaches them more than we ever can.

Enjoy your little guy - they grow up so quickly. Give him all the love and training and time you possibly can, and he'll reward you with a heart and a love that's bigger than anything you could ever imagine.
 

Lexy88

Well-Known Member
Your puppy is adorable. Tash and Jackie have given great advice. Good luck with your wee fellow and keep us updated :)
 

AMIT

Member
thanks lexy.well for update,the biting & barking has shifted to my wife which is a grave situation for me more than my lil RIO 'lol!as we both can be out of the house'.but i ve been successful to read his mind when he's mouthing my legs & jeans as hes always demanding something.lets see what hes got in his mind when hes upto my wife now.will update u guys.
thanks agn.
 

mewzard

Experienced Member
I would suggest that he is seeing if your wife will follow the same rules as you - Oka does this with us still (LOL so do both my kids). Everyone has to have the same rules or he will work out quickly he can do X with one of you but not with the other.
 

AMIT

Member
u mean training my wife now.??????thts a tough job.lol.its easy to make my lil RIO understand that well both be out of the house if he carries on like tht..
 

AMIT

Member
started with clicker training as RIO is 3,5 months old now.now wheneva hes lil excited,i switch on to clicker training session.i think it will work to control his mouthing & barking.any suggestions pls ???
 

mewzard

Experienced Member
it will definiately keep his mind active and distract him from mouthing...be careful though as he may start mouthing to get you to do a training session...yes, they are that smart!
 
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