Okay, so we have a 6 month old GSD. Our goal is for a family companion dog. Not a working dog. We might have made the wrong choice in a breeder since he comes from a german show line with Sch mother and an american show line father. Anyways.

Since 8 weeks he has been a biter. At first we used toys to redirect him. When he wa that young it seemed to work. As it got older he did the "why do you keep moving the toy, so I'm gonna bite your hand." or "your hand is much more fun than the toy."

The yelping didn't work. That made it 10x worse. The ignoring him was just as bad. We can't walk away whne he bites, he keeps coming harder. I don't believe in putting him in his crate because I want that crate to stay positive.

So the last resort we've been doing for the last month or so is just immediately put him in a down/stay when he bites right away. Sometimes it will work immediately, other times it will take 5 times in a row for him to get the hint or other times it will not work at all. No scruff shakes or holding the mouth. That keeps it up.

All his baby teeth are out but adult still growing in. These last 2 weeks the biting has been ten times worse.

What is next? do I go back to redirecting to toys? Do I keep telling myself this is a phase or is this the one true dog that won't stop biting?

He gets exercise, he gets playtime. He went to puppy classes and starts in Obedience in 2 weeks.

Should I get a private trainer this early? Have any of you had this type of puppy where NONE of this worked? I mean I was consistent with everything and it just didn't work. I know I'm doing something wrong beacuse hes a puppy and I'm his leader. Everything else he excels at but this. He picks up on everything right away and he's the puppy I want but this is just so frustrating because it makes my wife cry and my family doesn't like him because he has to stay in a crate when visitors are over because he just wants to bite them. Playfully.

What's your resort? Do I just keep sticking with down/stay or rredirecting for a few more months? Private trainer?

P.S. he goes crazy when we talk on phones. does yours do that? its cute but if he knows we are home alone talking on a phone and not to him, he bites immediately.

These podcasts are a good place to start,
http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm

Specifically,
http://www.leerburg.com/podcasts/puppiesthatbite.mp3

Will have to check it out when I get home. Can't listen to it at work.

Thanks.

Got them to work. All what they say is what I've done and it hasn't worked.

There are also eBooks on many of the same topics.
http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingebooks.htm

It sounds like you are doing many of the right things. Is your family doing these things too or are you the only one who is trying to handle the issue.

If your dog is exclusively a family pet and not a sport or working dog, then you can correct for biting. It sounds like this is a playfull/attention-getting behavior, and not aggression...am I right?

6 months old is old enough to correct for inappropriate biting, IMO. It's one thing when the pup is really young, but at 6 months old he really should be familiar with the rules of the house. Just my opinion.

I would be sure to praise and reinforce good behavior along with correcting the dog, and make sure your corrections are fair, well-timed, and at an appropriate level. This won't ruin your bond with your pup if done correctly.

There's a great article by Ed on corrections but I don't have it bookmarked...let me see if I can find it...

It's just my wife and I. We both do the same things.

Here's the article on corrections:

http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/theoryofcorrections.pdf

Oh yes, sorry. It's all playfulness. No aggression at all.

 Quote: mike rastall

Oh yes, sorry. It's all playfulness. No aggression at all.

Well that's great! It's a lot easier to fix than aggression! I think you'll find that article to be a big help. It is okay to correct a 6 month old dog that's inappropriately biting you and your family...that's a pack issue and not an obedience issue.