Quote: debbie fergus

Is there a particular time of the day, when his prey drive rises, when he is more mouthy than other times?
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Please let me know if there is a time of day where his prey drive kicks in. Im interested to know!

I know this is an old thread, but I am really glad you brought that up. In the last few days, my 11 wk. GSD has started his insane mouthiness at dusk or after dark (my schedule is several hours offset from "normal" schedules.) He is much less roused and more controllable earlier in the day.

Helen

I have the same problem with my 9 week GSD. My 8yr old just got bit pretty hard...she really goes for the ankles. I've been doing the cheek thing and she seems to come back more aggressive. She too is in her crate now.

I had a similar experience like yours Jason. My pup would get more aggressive with the cheek grab and I eventually learned to just give her the "shock and awe" treatment when she was beyond the point where we could distract her with toys. IMO, one powerful shake that surprised her was way more effective than the 3-4 mediocre shakes which would only make her more aggressive. Once I figured this out, I had no problem lifting our pup off the ground by her cheeks and holding her there til she squealed and submitted.

On a side note, the cheek grab only worked for us until she was about 14-15 weeks old and then we ended up going to a prong collar for corrections around 4 months.

Cute pup btw!

Yes!
A nagging correction does one of two things- makes a dog behave even worse, OR teaches them to ignore you completely.

One, good correction!

I feel like I am giving her a good one. I guess maybe not if it doesn't change a thing. She just chomped my wife's forearm pretty hard. If you are training or walking she is good, soon as you stop CHOMP.

Can you use an e-collar for this? How early could you start?

Just now I tied her training leash to a pole & tried to pet her at the end of it. She wasn't being jumpy but I just tried it so I could pet her as she was trying to be nippy & praise her when she was calm. Couldn't get my hand close, she bit & I gave her a good pinch, feet off the ground...maybe 20 seconds. The came a thumb ripper as I tried to grab her cheeks for the second time while she was doing the same thing. This time I didn't stop until she stopped screaming...probably a minute. Then I put her in her crate. She can stay there all day tomorrow. We'll see what happens after that...

The cheek grab has never done anything for me but escalate the behavior. It would take playful nipping to attack the hands in 2.2 seconds, even if I did it hard enough to get a yelp.

I find time-outs in the crate or withdrawing attention for a few minutes to work just about every time.

9 weeks is really really young for such a hard correction, no matter what the behavior IMO.

Quitting when it stops struggling/yelling doesn't mean it said uncle. A quiet but tense dog is just waiting for an oportunity. Don't set it down till it has relaxed it's whole body.

 Quote: Bob Scott

Quitting when it stops struggling/yelling doesn't mean it said uncle. A quiet but tense dog is just waiting for an oportunity. Don't set it down till it has relaxed it's whole body.

She said Uncle. lol She had relaxed.

 Quote: Jason Welikoklad

If you are training or walking she is good, soon as you stop CHOMP.

Can you use an e-collar for this? How early could you start?

Jason, she is doing what puppies do (some more forcefully than others! ) which is bite the most interesting thing around. If this happens to be your ankles/forearms, get the bandaids and peroxide ready.

E-collar is not an option on a 9 week old puppy. Puppies bite. She will outgrow it.

What are your goals for this pup? Sport (Schutzhund?) or will she be a family companion only?

You mentioned that she's fine when you are walking or training her; this is important to focus on.

Are you redirecting her to an appropriate toy or tug or rolled up hand towel to bite? Do you move into a training session when she is 'bitey'? These are things that you can do to distract her from inappropriate biting.

Also, keep a light drag line on her; it's much easier to calmly redirect a biting puppy off your ankles with a drag line, than by grabbing a collar.

If she gets too wound up, give her some time in the crate with a stuffed kong to settle down.

Personally, I never had success with the cheek thing either and for me, I'd rather redirect than risk overdoing a correction with a young pup.

PS. She's gorgeous!