I had five GSDs and I did also Schutzhund training with them. I’m not inexperienced in dog training but my new Mal puppy (11 weeks) gives me a headache.
It is very mouthy and I don’t mind. What I don’t get is that he does’t take ‘NO’ for an answer.
When he chews on something he is not suppose to and I tell him ‘No’ and take him off the item he goes right back to it. He tries also sometimes to nip at my hand when I take him away from the items he likes to chew. I grabbed his checks and told him ‘Knock it off’ but it does not bother him much.
He backs off a little, barks at me and then he lays down looking and growling at me.
Yesterday I was shaking his neck and he was screaming but also this ‘correction’ apparently is not enough because he is doing it over and over again.
I heard that Malinois are more sensitive for corrections that GSD and I’m worried I could be too hard on him. I need some advice. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum Roland. What Aaron said AND please so some reading on Marker Training. It will help you immensley. The Michael Ellis DVDs are worth every penny.

How much exercise is this baby getting?

 Quote: Roland Kaschuba

I had five GSDs and I did also Schutzhund training with them. I’m not inexperienced in dog training but my new Mal puppy (11 weeks) gives me a headache.
It is very mouthy and I don’t mind. What I don’t get is that he does’t take ‘NO’ for an answer.
When he chews on something he is not suppose to and I tell him ‘No’ and take him off the item he goes right back to it. He tries also sometimes to nip at my hand when I take him away from the items he likes to chew. I grabbed his checks and told him ‘Knock it off’ but it does not bother him much.
He backs off a little, barks at me and then he lays down looking and growling at me.
Yesterday I was shaking his neck and he was screaming but also this ‘correction’ apparently is not enough because he is doing it over and over again.
I heard that Malinois are more sensitive for corrections that GSD and I’m worried I could be too hard on him. I need some advice. Thanks.

This was typical for my Mal puppy, too, especially when he hadn't gotten enough exercise. I can only speak from experience with JD, but either re-directing him to something he should chew on in a positive approach helped immensely. I agree that Mal's can be somewhat more sensitive to corrections (however, I have never owned a GSD so my only comparison is to Rotties) but using a positive method such as marker training makes an amazing difference with him.

I also wonder if his response to your corrent corrections is because he somehow thinks you're making it a game? Just an idea. Again, I know it did sometimes happen with JD.

I exercise him whenever I take him out of the crate. Playing ball, tug. I try to get him familier with different kind of toys and walk him daily a short distance. I also take him out every day to different places etc.
The nipping at my hand and legs, pants and chewing on furniture when I'm not watching is something I like to stop. If I say 'No' and take him away from the object he sometimes nips at my hand and protests with barking and growling. Even if 'corrected' somewhat he does not learn.
If he still sees me as his litter mate and he thinks it's a game how do I tell him that this behavior is not accetpable.
I do know marker training. I thought about this behavior as a pack behavior and a "No" would be appropriate for this.
I raised GSD puppies before and it seems to me that they learned the meaning of "No" much faster.
Since I heard that Mals are more sensitive to corrections I like to avoid a mistake.

 Quote: roland kaschuba

I exercise him whenever I take him out of the crate. Playing ball, tug. I try to get him familier with different kind of toys and walk him daily a short distance. I also take him out every day to different places etc.
The nipping at my hand and legs, pants and chewing on furniture when I'm not watching is something I like to stop. If I say 'No' and take him away from the object he sometimes nips at my hand and protests with barking and growling. Even if 'corrected' somewhat he does not learn.
If he still sees me as his litter mate and he thinks it's a game how do I tell him that this behavior is not accetpable.
I do know marker training. I thought about this behavior as a pack behavior and a "No" would be appropriate for this.
I raised GSD puppies before and it seems to me that they learned the meaning of "No" much faster.
Since I heard that Mals are more sensitive to corrections I like to avoid a mistake.

You said that you take him away from the object, but do you give him a toy or whatever that is ok for him to chew on instead? The other thing I found helpful, especially when they are teething, is something called a "chilly bone". You soak it in water and then freeze it. It gives them something to suck on that is soothing to their mouth. Mine loved theirs even when they weren't teething.

Mal's do learn quickly, or at least it seemed mine sure did. I'm just wondering if he's not getting it because he's not being directed to something that is ok for him to chew on. Try marker training him and rewarding him when he stops chewing on inappropriate items and/or rewarding him when he chews on the right stuff (does that make sense?)

i.e., tell him "no" and when he stops reward him then give him the right chew toy. Hope I'm expressing this right. Help anyone?

Just a suggestion as to what worked well with mine.

Hope it helps.

Dana

In my opinion, you don't correct an 11 week old puppy - he has no idea what he is doing is wrong; in fact to him - it is perfectly normal and what all 11 week old puppies do.

Have you ever heard Mal's called "malligators"? They have that nickname for a reason - they bite like little alligators. It is part of their drive, and why many folks LOVE them for working line dogs. I'm sure in your research before getting this breed, you may have read or heard that they can be high drive dogs and require lots of energy on the owners part to train them how to channel that energy.

The pup is biting and chewing because he is teething, has excess energy, and it is what he is going to do at 11 weeks of age. When he is chewing on somthing he should NOT be chewing on - redirect him and give him something he CAN chew/play with. Soft tugs, appropriate toys, chilly bones, etc... He can't simply NOT be chewing on anything right now - it is WHAT HE DOES. When he nips on your hand, you could try a "ouch! no!" but NOT correct him with face grabbing, etc... (You already see this is not working). Immediately give him something he can have in his mouth. Keep in mind that sometimes, just like human babies, when they get tired is when they are the most out of control, and it might be a good time to simply put him in his kennel for a nap (NOT punishing him by doing so, however).

If he is chewing on furniture - he is not being supervised enough. (I know, it is non-stop at this age). Do you have room for an x-pen so that he has somewhere he can play and have toys but can't get to the furniture?

My dog did similar things as a young puppy. She was always one to put up a little protest if she didn't get her way or if I was being unfair. I have found that keeping it cool is the only thing that works with her.

What Aaron says is completely right. The puppy dosen't know anything at all. You should probably stop using those kind of corrections. If it has been innefective than its better to try something else.

Keep things as cool as possible. Get a drag line and make good use of it. If he is doing somthing "bad" simply pick up the line and redirect him to do something right.

I still use a line in the house at times I know my dog is likely to act up, and I will even go back to tethering her to me for a few days when she gets too pushy. She is well trained enough now that for the most part she dosen't even wear a collar in the house anymore, but I find no shame in admitting that her training has required maintenence.

There are a million other ways to do it, but for innapropriate mouthing the thing that worked best with my dog when she was a pup was to stand straight up like a statue while interupting her with a loud "ahh!" noise. Then redirecting her to a toy, and following it up by praising her. When she was a little older I started to use a collar correction for innapropriate mouthing and pushy behaivior.

Scruffing or holding her muzzle NEVER worked with her, and in fact would make her come back withmore intensity.

For chewing or destroying things prevention was the key. I never had to really teach her. Just keeping the house puppy proofed and having her on a line was enough. By providing her enough approprate chew items she learned by the time she was about 6 months old without ever having to correct her.

I lost a few pairs of shoes, a book and a car key, but I considered it all my fault!





Edited by Lauren Jeffery (02/02/2011 01:48 PM)
Edit reason: clarification

Thanks, Barbara.

This is what I was trying to say (but not quite so eloquently).

This is exactly what I did with JD and never had a single problem (ok, that's probably exaggerating) with him chewing inappropriate items. But, I did make sure he had a ton of things that he LIKED and was ALLOWED to chew on. Made all the difference in the world.

He did do a little "shoe shopping" in the closet, but never destroyed anything. The only thing he loves to get ahold of now and tear apart are paper towels or kleenex.

They are definitely "malligators" but that is exactly what I wanted. I did my research - even writing papers on the breed, so I had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. But even with all of that I grossly underestimated his needs. I just adjusted my lifestyle and what I was doing for and with JD and he's turning out to be an amazing dog (even with all of my mistakes!)