My GS pup is about 6 months old I am waiting for the leg grabbing to lessen but it's not. He is after everyone, he can't walk past someone without trying to grab their pant legs (I restrain him from it). When he gets out of control I lay him on his side and ask him to calm down, when he appears calm I let him up but bam! he's back at it so we do the whole process over. Any suggestions???? I know he needs a huge energy outlet but am having difficulty figuring out something for it. He goes for walks but doesn't tire him. I can't let him go run in a field because he's horrible with recall. I let him run a little at my horse stable but he hasn't learned respect for horses and I don't want him to get hurt. My last shepherd would just follow me when I rode (sometimes 6 hours a day) and he was NO PROBLEM to exercise but this one tries to hang on tails! It's all in play but not safe at all! Is the leg grabbing just pent up energy or is there some kind of way to discourage it. He's learned if he grabs your tendon and squeezes it you can't walk. If I let me guard down for a minute he's attached to someone's leg!

He sounds like a nice drivey pup My almost 5 month old will grab pants, shoes, hands, shirt tails etc....ANYTHING he can grab. And he is relentless about it & will not let go. I walk around the training field with him 'attached' to me alot of the time. I can't even pull him off if I try to. I would have to literly pry his mouth open to get him to let go. I just keep walking & try to redirect his attention to a ball that I toss or a stick etc. I also take my dogs to the barn when I go to see my horse, but I don't let them out in the fields alone with the horses. I am always with them & the pup is on leash at all times there. So your pup sounds normal to me

Edited to add.... that if you are planning on useing this pup for 'work' I would not discourage the prey drive that he shows with the pants chasing...I would try to redirect it...I am always looking to do things that build more drive into my dogs not discourage it. I don't think that you can ever have too much drive....JMO

Kathleen,

If you're not raising him to be a working dog, then this stage might be really frustrating. At 6 months old he's not ready for an eCollar, and also not ready (physically) to follow your horse and you around for 6 hours.

I'm *assuming* that you have tried a ball, and a leather rag for him to chase and other such items? I know he has a laser ball, is that still working for him?

You posted when you first got him and didn't get much of a response. Have you ordered any of the obedience video's yet? Many times doing OB will help wear out the dog physically and mentally.

Do you have a fenced yard? If not, where you board your horse, can you move the horses out of the pasture for a short time so he can just run around for a little while?

Sorry for the long response, I guess I'm looking for more info from you to help out.

As for the mouthiness, it's pretty typical. Remi was that way and would even grab the oven mits off my hands and run around with them at that age...lots of exercise and strict OB helped him gain control over himself.

Jen.

Both jennifer and Ann have great ideas and I want to add that maybe you can play with a big tug or sack and drag it for him , let him hold a tug instead of a mouth that is looking to bite at everything he can,he'll hold his tug and everytime he drops it throw it, make him forget about legs and feet and be crazy for his tug or sack.That's what I did with mine , he's a year old but he loves to have something in his mouth at all times and drives me crazy at times, especially when we want a down time and watch a movie.Well now that he is a year old if his tug is not out, he goes and gets my sons' dirty socks(cause my sweet son does not put his clothes in the hamper properly) and puts it right in my face, nice ,but at least he is done with the feet and pants biting.

Thanks for the replies. I do try to redirect him and that works until we are in a situation where I can't (like in a store or at work). It's kind of embarassing when someone walks by and he's trying to get their pants (most people don't realize he's playing).

For what type of 'work' would I not want to discourage this behavior. I would like to get into something, but just not yet decided what. Defineatly will do obedience, maybe some tracking, agility, therapy .... would LOVE to try herding but not much of that around here! Trying to arrange to go out and watch training recommended from my last post.

I have not yet bought any video's or started a obedience class. He's doing very well one on one but needs the benefit of distractions.

I do have a fenced in yard and do take him to the barn where there is a 10 acre field he can run in. Take him out to run in the field and he lays down and just rolls and chills in the sun, but put him in a 10 X 10 room and it's time to run all around the furniture.

Tonight we went for a nice long walk and I put my rhodesian's halti on him, it was an instant miracle. We could walk and he couldn't grab my legs, he still could hold the leash in his mouth which is ok with me as long as he keeps walking!