Our GSP is 11 weeks old. He will literally be sitting there or playing with a toy, and he does, what we call, a staredown. He looks at us like 'try and come over here'.

I want to mention, he is a heavy biter, and its like he intentionally is trying to grab parts of our bodies.
My husband says it's not a game for him, he feels its more.
I didnt want to - but I agree with him.
The staring us in the eyes is scary.

When we try and redirect to a toy, he jumps further over the toy, to get the hand, and he will stare right in our eyes, before during and after we get him off our hands/legs, etc.

Does anyone think we have a dominance issue here?

Thank You,
Debbie

Debbie, time will tell with such a young pup. Also, isn't your pup a GSD (German Shepherd Dog) ? GSP is often translated to German Shorthaired Pointer

I recommend tethering the puppy to you at all times when not in his crate if you don't already. Eye contact is not uncommon depending on the puppy, I personally am used to it Are the pups ears up/forward or back/sideways when he 'stares' at you?

Does the puppy growl over its food or during feeding or is it possessive over toys/food bowl/treats/chewies etc? Regarding the hand biting it just sounds to be like your hands are the most fun toys right now. Jerking hands and body parts away is exciting, it brings out prey drive and makes a pup want to play more - and if he thinks your hands and/or body parts are the ultimate toys he's going to try harder to get to those ellusive fast moving toys.

Does he have access to the toys you try to redirect him to all the time? I don't leave toys down all the time and I keep a couple special toys nearby me just for redirection. You can use nummy chewy type treats too... I find pups like frozen rolled up towels even when they are not teething, and frozen filled kongs are great (I have several filling recipes) or just softer chewy treats for puppies that wont hurt their teeth. Part of this will be just putting up with it. Ignore it and don't react, don't jerk away definitely do not yelp or talk to the pup, go limp and be very uninteresting and when the pup chills out redirect.

Thank you for your advice ... You are a blessing on the board!

I have him tethered to me when he is not in the crate, however, he sinks his teeth into my legs, and wont let go.
Then I find myself holding the leash, FAR AWAY from my legs, and then he concentrates on getting to my legs.

Toys for redirection are not working.
He jumps for the hand, anything that is part of our bodies!
In my opinion, it's not puppy play.

He got my husband on the inner forearm last night, and my husband had to grab the back of his scruff and turn him over to get him off of him.

I am not going to do the redirection with a treat, because then he thinks he is being rewarded for the biting - this I feel cuz he goes back for more biting, waiting to get more treats!

Im really at a loss here - I know Im going off topic a bit, but after last nights issue with my husband, were getting really frustrated.

Thank You Again...

Debbie

Have you done any "Pack-Leader" type of work. How do you greetthe puppy?? I used to hav the same problem with the dog wanting to bite hands,and acting dominant.

When I come home or take out of the crate, I ignore the puppy for a few minutes, nothing too exciting for her. Grab by her scruff more often and maybe a bit more forceful?

for the hand biting, I know this might agitate some people, Iread it in an old-school book, for the hand biting, I take my finger and stick it down her throat!! They bite, I stick finger down throat, makes them gag and they don't like it.

There is dnager in doing this though!!! It is really more of a pushing down of the back of the tounge, not so much down the throat. ind of like pushing tooth brush too far back our own mouths??

worked for me

Adam, Debbie has given the puppy back to the breeder, this was discussed in good detail and at length in Debbie's other thread

I don't like the idea of forcefully scruffing a young pup for being a puppy. I'm not sure where you were coming from or in what context you mean to scruff more often?

Also, stcking fingers down a pups throat does not always work and as you mentioned there is a possibility of hurting pup if you forcefully insert your finger into their throat. Usually just pressure on the lips works well. I have had the most success with redirecting puppies and just not being a play item. If a pup has an interesting toy or chewie, squeekies or sound making puppy appropriate supervised toys, the toy should be more fun and interesting than you if you don't react. It can be difficult as puppy teeth hurt like heck but a lot of chewy nippy biting puppy behavior is play based and if you as the human do not act like a toy (no squealing, vocalizing in any way, moving quickly) then the toy that moves and makes sound is a lot more interesting and satisfying.

IME.

Molly had a habit of biting fingers instead of toys too but in her case she learned that was a good way to get the toy away from me. She'd nip my finger and I'd turn the toy loose. To stop it I would just stop playing and put the toy up whenever she bit my hand. Worked quite well for the biting. Now however she's learned that I have a bad shoulder so she always plays pull on my left side. Darn dog's too smart.