Is your German Shepherd biting you too much? Want to know how to stop a German Shepherd puppy from biting? Remember, it’s a common behavior.
Puppies are generally energetic and like to bite and chew everything they see around that moves, be it a cat, hands or just anything. It is normal for them to chew and bite, but that should not be normalized.
As for German Shepherd puppies, they are notorious for it. They are herding dogs, and it is in their instinct to bite. It is common behavior it does not mean it can be accepted.
Why do German Shepherd puppies bite?
German Shepherds do bite and if left unattended, there are chances that you won’t ever notice any improvement.
The first reason is that they love to bite and chew everything. They bite because they play and practice their prey or hunting skills. It is their first instinct since they were originally herding dogs.
They love to go after anything that catches their eyes. It could be any object that moves.
It is completely normal behavior, but it is something that will not go easily. When German Shepherd is herding, they use biting to keep animals in line, and their habits stay.
It is important to address their behavior at a young age. Otherwise, it seems acceptable behavior in the future.
The second reason they bite is that they are teething. Just like human babies need to chew something when their new teeth come out, it is similar to the German Shepherd puppies.
The biting behavior stops when they get their adult teeth. It could be redirected towards something that they can chew on. Most German Shepherd puppies are receptive.
When will German Shepherd puppy stop biting?
When your puppy is chewing because of teething, you should see improvement in their biting at around the 6-month mark. They should have all their adult teeth by then when they reach this month. This means they should stop biting and have no more teething to worry about.
If the reason is their herding instinct, then the 6-month mark won’t be effective for the puppies and won’t bring any relief. But the root of the problem has been identified, and necessary strategies can be applied.
How to provide teething relief to your puppy?
During their time of teething, they need something to chew on. They need some pain relief when their mouth hurts. If you try to stop them from chewing, they will find another way to chew where you can’t see them. Instead of trying to stop them from chewing, get them some chewing toys like bones and other chewable things as they teethe.
Toys could also be kept in the fridge and let to cool down. It will give even more relief to your puppy when they need it. Make sure you keep an eye on them not to chew on anything and get them the toys to use when they need them.
Training tips to stop German Shepherd puppy from biting
The first training method is that when they start chewing on something that they should not, redirect them to something appropriate to chew on. Give them praise and rewards when they stop biting inappropriate stuff.
Give them praise, especially when they go for toys to chew on without redirecting. German Shepherds love to please their owners, which is an effective way to train a German Shepherd puppy.
Avoid yelling or shouting at your dog for chewing a wrong object which can lead to a negative attitude to the training because they will try to hide the behavior, and redirecting won’t be possible.
When to be a concern?
It is not a major problem as for them it is a common behavior for the first 6 months. They will keep on nipping and chewing whatever they find, so there is nothing to worry about at the very first instance. Therefore, you should have levels of concern.
When they reach the 9-month mark and keep chewing and nipping, you should begin with obedience training or talk to your vet about what can be done.
How to stop a German Shepherd puppy from biting
Start training your dog
Early and focused training is the first important step in stopping your puppy from biting. For powerful dogs like German Shepherd, training at an early age is important because, without training, problematic behaviors can arise, such as becoming aggressive.
Make your dog socialize
This is also an important part of training that will help your dog interact with the surroundings, people, other dogs or animals, and the environment. It will help to learn boundaries as biting too hard can lead to consequences.
Use toys for teething
There are many different toys available, and toys are ideal for your German Shepherd puppy to exercise their teething. Get them a few available toys to chew on whenever you notice them getting the urge to chew.
Keeping toys close by during their training sessions for quick redirection. Offer them gently the chew toys whenever they try to chew on some objects.
Teach them basic commands
Basic and simple commands are important to teach them from a young age because when they get over excited over something and bite down too hard, verbal commands can be of use that catch their attention.
Use the same word when you give a command every time to stay consistent. After giving the command, give the time to process so that your puppy understands that the behavior is unacceptable.
Use the redirection method
The method of redirecting is a useful tool in the process of training, and it is effective in biting too. This method is easy and simple where you redirect your pup’s unwanted behavior to offering them appropriate behavior instead.
Whenever your puppy tries to nip or chew, get them appropriate toys to chew on, which will gradually lead them to chew toys. Squeaky toys are great for this type of redirection training due to the noise it makes, which attracts them.
Reward good behavior
When training, avoid yelling or shouting at your dogs for unwanted behaviors, leading to negative reinforcement.
Positive reinforcements are the best methods to achieve the desired behavior and keep them away from unwanted behaviors. Positive reinforcements do not involve harsh treatment or scolding. Rather you simply reward or praise them for good behavior.
Gradually, they will associate the good behavior with treats and praises and eventually stop the unwanted behavior that gets them no attention.
Conclusion
German Shepherds are large and powerful dogs; they require proper training and exercise to maintain their health and body.
Bite inhibition is an important part of the training. While biting and nipping is a normal part of their growth, it needs to stop at a certain age. They need proper guidance and instructions to stop the behaviour.
With consistency, the behavior will get erased from your puppy. All you need to do is be gentle and patient with your dog.