We have a 14 week old rescue puppy that is a gsd/ border collie mix. He is very smart and a quick learner, but our huge issue is his biting us. We have done everything. I have read and read and tried everything. We can redirect 70% of the time with toys or marker training, but other times he's rather have our hand than the toy. We have plenty of toys- we have literally spent a fortune on toys and bully sticks. These help but not cure.... any form of correction whether it be cheeking, or using his lead makes him crazier. I can put him in "time out" but he knows what's up and bites harder on the way to the crate. He has added growling when he bites us. I know it's his prey drive, but my boyfriend thinks its aggression. Today he was chewing his bully stick and Kona walked up to my boyfriend, growled/snarled, and bit his hand breaking the skin. I'm at a loss I know this is a stage, but it's causing huge conflict. I'm worried about ruining my relationship with my puppy if we try any further correction i.e prong collar, but at the same time I don't want him to be out of control and terrorizing our household. At what age would a prong collar be appropriate and what other things can I try?

A little more info. he is marker trained, knows touch, crate trained, and stays on a lead. Housetraining is going well with a few mistakes- that are mostly human error. We have watched the puppy dvd, basic obed, establishing pack structure, and dealing with dominant dogs. He walks for two 30 min. walks a day, and plays with us in the backyard with an orbee ball on a long rope, does several marker training segments throughout the day, and plays with treat toys throughout the day.

I would say that your pup is being just that...a puppy. I am no expert, but I have raised 3 dogs that I own now, and it seems like he's being a puppy.

How long ago did you get this pup? I see that he's 14 wks old and is a rescue. And what were his circumstances before you took him home? Was he at the rescue from 8wks old til you brought him home?

If you can redirect him 70% of the time, keep working on redirecting him and get it to 100%. It does take time, but it's worth it in the end.

Putting a puppy/dog in their crate for doing something wrong for a "time out" isn't a good idea. I can understand if you put him in the crate when he starts getting wild, but after doing something bad-->no. Dog will associate doing something bad with it's crate and not want to go in it.

How much time does he spend in his crate throughout the day? Most puppies need to spend more time in their crate than an adult dog.

I agree that he is just being a puppy. I think my boyfriends concerns of aggression come from the snarling and biting, and the fact that now he is always breaking the skin. We've had him from 8 weeks. He was found outside in the snow and turned in to the rescue, where the puppies were bottle fed. Is some of this behavior because he lacked learning from his mom? Redirecting used to work better than it does now. Even if I get him to pause for a second in a sit, he'll still lunge at my hands.
We keep him a pretty consistent schedule...Up at 630 eat, walk, play. Crate at 0900, and out at noon. Play, walk, train back in the crate at 130. Out again around 4-5. Then usually a timeout at 7 because he gets crazy, and then bed at 10. At this point he loves going in his crate when we tell him too- he always get treats in there. However he knows when he starts biting like an alligator and I pick him up he's going away. Should I stop doing that? Without us putting him in the crate for a nap he won't sleep. Not kidding- he'll keep playing even when he so tired- he just will not sleep out of the crate. He bites more when he's overly tired- or strangely when he needs to poo.

Thanks for the kind words though. I needed to hear he's just being a baby. My boyfriends just so stressed over the bites breaking skin. We'll keep working on it. Thanks!!

When we got our GSD girl, she would do the alligator biting thing too. I know it was because of her prey drive that she'd try to get her orbie and bite our hands. She was as wild as your pup sounds. And we did have a pretty bad accident, my hubby was playing/rough housing with her and then stopped pretty abruptly and since she didn't know they were done, she jumped up at his hand and tore open his pinky finger. He dropped like a brick and he ended up getting stiches and we were alot more cautious playing with her while she still had her puppy teeth (which by the way, have got to be the sharpest damn things known to man! lol) and with the prey drive she had/still has. Just make sure that the toys are a better target for him than your hands by limiting your hand movements.

Tired puppies are like tired kids-->they get cranky, then it's time for a nap

It's a phase, puppies can be brats. Crate his cute lil butt when you don't want to deal with it, don't make a big deal about it either by taking it personally or something stupid like that.

Leash on puppy, hands away, no petting, you are over stimulating.
DO NOT PICK UP THE DOG,,,,,,,,,,,,,redirect to toys.
Simple.........
Happy Training,
Roni

 Quote: Keleah Stull

Tired puppies are like tired kids-->they get cranky, then it's time for a nap

This was my first thought.

Our puppies get extra snarky when they are over-stimulated or tired.