# Puppy constantly biting my clothes - Advice please



## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Hi all, just wondering if I could get some advice on how to deal with a puppy (GSD - 12 weeks) who constantly bites, tugs and pulls on my trouser legs. This is starting to become painful as she usually pinches the skin on my leg underneath.

I have read many articles on how to deal with puppies biting hands/arms etc and teaching good bite inhibition. The usual approach is to yelp, shout ouch and withdraw attention by either looking away or leaving the room and shutting the door behind you. (Ian Dunbar - the bite stops here) Even though I have not actually trained her to have good bite inhibition she seems to always bite softly or just lick hands/arms/skin unless she is exited.

The problem is specifically biting clothing.

She bites full force on my leg if Im not wearing shorts and usually draws blood (small amount) when she gets my leg through my clothing. 
I have read that when she does this, the best thing to do is remain still, do not give any eye contact and wait for her to stop. I have tried this many times but she will just keep pulling and tugging at my trousers and then starts biting my leg through my trousers which hurts.

I have tried the ouch and leave the room method when she bites my clothing but this does not have ANY effect at all. She does not respond at all to ouch no matter how loud I scream. She continues to bite. When I leave the room (if I am able to since she is latched on to my trousers) and come back after a minute or so, she goes straight back to biting.

I have tried waving a suitable chew toy or other toy in front of her when she bites (redirection) but again this seems to have to affect.

Could anyone who has had a similar problem with their puppy and managed to resolve it effectively offer me some advice please? I must be doing something wrong as I have been trying the above methods for almost 4 weeks now and cant see any improvement

Thanks in advance 
Dan

Edit: 22/02/14

So Ive noticed that when playing tug and when jogging or running in front of her makes her want to either forget playing with the toy and bite my leg. Or simply chase me and bite my leg. Her bites now hurt when she gets skin underneath my trousers and its starting to really frustrate me. Ive been following the advice from the previous posts which seems to work. She doesnt really bite my clothes anymore when we are inside or outside and not playing tug or running in anyway.

Could someone with experience suggest a way to train her that biting clothes is not rewarding when playing tug or just playing outside. I have tried standing still when she starts biting but that does not work at all, she just keeps her mouth locked onto my trousers. I cant pick her up and put her in her time out area because she will just bite my hand and start growling.

[youtube_browser]FkcNIEzYIVg[/youtube_browser]

I have included a video above which demonstrates this. Please note two things when watching this video. One is that you will see me place my foot on her paw several times just to see if she would look down and stop biting. I did not apply ANY pressure - it did not work anyway, she just moved her paw out of the way. Also she is attached to a long line so that I am able to eventually get away.

Also can someone tell me if the growl and bark she did when I grabbed her collar is aggression or does she just think Im still playing?

Please any advice would be great.

p.s. please excuse the mess in the garden, several large trees had fallen over due to high winds and we are in the process of cutting them down into smaller logs.

*UPDATE: * 

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-trai...y-clothes-advice-please-7.html#post1063630547

Best
Dan


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Teach her what she CAN tug and bite, with whom, where and when by teaching her the tuggy game.


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## bay20 (Aug 14, 2013)

DL89 said:


> Hi all, just wondering if I could get some advice on how to deal with a puppy (GSD - 12 weeks) who constantly bites, tugs and pulls on my trouser legs. This is starting to become painful as she usually pinches the skin on my leg underneath.
> 
> I have read many articles on how to deal with puppies biting hands/arms etc and teaching good bite inhibition. The usual approach is to yelp, shout ouch and withdraw attention by either looking away or leaving the room and shutting the door behind you. (Ian Dunbar - the bite stops here) Even though I have not actually trained her to have good bite inhibition she seems to always bite softly or just lick hands/arms/skin unless she is exited.
> 
> ...


a few people have had problems with this lately. whilst i cant offer too much advice other than what you have been doing already (and to continue to wear shorts in the house which is one of the things i did) i can say it is a phase that will pass. i remember how frustrating it was and not knowing how to stop it but with time he did grow out of it.


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

I would advise against shouting or yelping, as at this stage it's just going to make her more excited as you sound like a squeaky toy or small furry animal.

A stern 'NO', or 'STOP' would be better, followed by completely ignoring her. If she continues to bite leave the room, although this would be best if you have a stair gate as she can still see you and notice that she's being ignored. Also this way you can tell when she's calmed down, pick a really fun toy and play with her for a bit. She needs to learn that biting gets her completely ignored, but calm behaviour means play time!!

Maybe get a nice chewable squeaky toy to try and distract her with. When my pup is getting a bit bored and bitey, I ask her to 'find her snakey!' (A long squeaky snake that she can throw around). She gets excited about playing with her toy as we can play tug and fetch and she can chew away at it to her hearts content.

Remember at this age she's starting to teeth and needs to chew so maybe a nice frozen stuffed kong toy would keep her occupied and sooth her gums.

Hope I've given you some ideas. She's only a baby, she just needs you to be consistent and she'll learn fast what she can and can't do, good luck!


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

smokeybear said:


> Teach her what she CAN tug and bite, with whom, where and when by teaching her the tuggy game.


Hey Smokeybear

Im also doing what you are recommending. I have a specific tug toy that is just for us to play tug together. However, after a few mintues playing tug she starts to go for my my clothing again. She really tugs on my clothing and no amount of waving the tug toy in her face will make her let go. So I try being still, ignore her and dont give her any eye contact.. but this doesnt really stop her and I cant keep ignoring her bites when she pinches my skin through my clothing since it hurts. The only way I can get her off at this point is to grab her by the collar or just push her away. It cant really leave the room and close the door behind me when she is latched onto my leg.

How should I teach the tuggy game properly in your opinion and what rules would you put in place

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

bay20 said:


> a few people have had problems with this lately. whilst i cant offer too much advice other than what you have been doing already (and to continue to wear shorts in the house which is one of the things i did) i can say it is a phase that will pass. i remember how frustrating it was and not knowing how to stop it but with time he did grow out of it.


Hey Bay20, im glad to hear that it was a phase for your pup and he did grow out of it. I hope mine also grows out of it.. soon  ... so many cuts on my ankles and shins 

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Sarah H said:


> I would advise against shouting or yelping, as at this stage it's just going to make her more excited as you sound like a squeaky toy or small furry animal.
> 
> A stern 'NO', or 'STOP' would be better, followed by completely ignoring her. If she continues to bite leave the room, although this would be best if you have a stair gate as she can still see you and notice that she's being ignored. Also this way you can tell when she's calmed down, pick a really fun toy and play with her for a bit. She needs to learn that biting gets her completely ignored, but calm behaviour means play time!!
> 
> ...


Hey Sarah H,

Thanks for the advice, appreciate the help :thumbup:

The whole yelping thing is becoming a little confusing now. There are many sources that say yelping like a puppy will get them to stop and other sources that say similar to what you have said - that is just encourages them to bite harder and more frequently 

I do have a baby gate by the stairs and if she does grab my trousers and im able to get her off I ignore her and walk upstairs for around 15-20 seconds. At first she would just start 'crying' and when she stoped I would come back down ..but she would just carry on biting. However now when I go upstairs or anywhere (and shut the door behind me) she just goes in her bed .. it doesnt seem to bother her at all now 

I usually give her some ice cubes to chew on which she really likes and a frozen kong with kibble inside.. but its too difficult for her to get the kibble out so she just gives up and does something else.

Best
Dan


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

I wouldn`t be shouting at a youngster. Or barking at them (Stop is just a noise, doesn`t mean anything to a dog) really doesn`t help either. Train in an alternative behaiour and use her playfulness to help your bond instead. Keep a tuggy in your pocket, reward like mad when she does what you want. 
I find Sit very useful - just for a second at first - the reward being a chucked balllie.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Sarah H,
> 
> Thanks for the advice, appreciate the help :thumbup:
> 
> ...


I agree with Sarah H about the yelping, especially given your pup is a GSD.

I've had much the same behaviour from some of my collie pups over the years (another herding breed).

Personally I teach 'leave' pretty quickly.


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## Kchip (Jan 2, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hey Bay20, im glad to hear that it was a phase for your pup and he did grow out of it. I hope mine also grows out of it.. soon  ... so many cuts on my ankles and shins
> 
> Best
> Dan


Read through my previous biting thread, some really good advice on there. I really did look like a self harmer for a while, and still getting the odd nip but much better. It was dreadful for a while, I understand your frustration. Everyone told me it would get better. I didn't believe them... turns out they were right.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> I wouldn`t be shouting at a youngster. Or barking at them (Stop is just a noise, doesn`t mean anything to a dog) really doesn`t help either. Train in an alternative behaiour and use her playfulness to help your bond instead. Keep a tuggy in your pocket, reward like mad when she does what you want.
> I find Sit very useful - just for a second at first - the reward being a chucked balllie.


Hey ClaireandDaisy

Thanks for the advice. How would I go about training an alternative behaviour for biting ? She knows sit, down, stand etc. Do you mean asking her to sit whenever she bites and reward the sit with a treat ?

Best
Dan


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## Anwat1982 (Feb 11, 2014)

Respond immediately each time your puppy bites clothing or a body part. Respond firmly to the puppy every time it bites on you or your clothing. Give your puppy a timeout period when it does not respond to your "ouch" response. Continue this process, briefly punishing the puppy every time it bites in a way you want to discourage. Spray a bitter product on clothing the puppy continues to bite and chew. Seek professional help if all else fails.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Anwat1982 said:


> Respond immediately each time your puppy bites clothing or a body part. Respond firmly to the puppy every time it bites on you or your clothing. Give your puppy a timeout period when it does not respond to your "ouch" response. Continue this process, briefly punishing the puppy every time it bites in a way you want to discourage. Spray a bitter product on clothing the puppy continues to bite and chew. Seek professional help if all else fails.


Hey Anwat1982,

Thanks for the advice, but I have been doing this for over 4 weeks now and it has no effect on her at all. When I give her a timeout she just comes back and does the exact same thing. Its really starting to frustrate me ! Im trying to use positve reinforement all the time but this just isnt working for me I must be doing something wrong. She has now started to bite hands a bit more often but whats worrying is that she bites HARD now and tugs on fingers/hands etc ...

Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> I agree with Sarah H about the yelping, especially given your pup is a GSD.
> 
> I've had much the same behaviour from some of my collie pups over the years (another herding breed).
> 
> Personally I teach 'leave' pretty quickly.


Hey Twiggy,

I have been teaching her 'leave it' from early on and 'no mugging' (Kikopup - youtube) which she is really good at now. Im able to place food on the floor even when she is exited and say 'leave it' and she will. Ive got her up to 3 minutes now. But how do I use this when she is biting my trousers ? She does not leave it when I ask ..

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy,
> 
> I have been teaching her 'leave it' from early on and 'no mugging' (Kikopup - youtube) which she is really good at now. Im able to place food on the floor even when she is exited and say 'leave it' and she will. Ive got her up to 3 minutes now. But how do I use this when she is biting my trousers ? She does not leave it when I ask ..
> 
> ...


So if you put one of your socks on the floor and said 'leave' would she?

I personally can't see the point of working up to 3 minutes leaving food on the floor. It's a good exercise in impulse control but won't register with your pup not to bite your trousers.

You would be better to move on to an old sock or glove now. Start with it simply placed on the floor and ask her to leave. Once she understands that, start moving the sock/glove about and ask her to leave. That will give her a better understanding about not attacking your trousers. Make sure you tit-bit and praise when she does leave.

Will your puppy play with you? When she makes a grab for your trousers, if you had a rag/rope tuggy toy in your hand, would she play with that instead?

I took on a 12 week old rescue pup two years ago and I already had 3 collies, one of which was 14 yrs old and becoming frail. The first lesson the pup had to learn was to leave the old girl alone - not to jump on her, attempt to play with her, steal her toys, etc. Every time the pup attempted anything more than a polite sniff at the old dog I said 'leave her' and either picked the pup up, or offered her a toy instead. Obviously I was repeating myself constantly for the first week but the pup soon learnt.

So will your pup if you're consistent.


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## bay20 (Aug 14, 2013)

DL89 said:


> Hey Bay20, im glad to hear that it was a phase for your pup and he did grow out of it. I hope mine also grows out of it.. soon  ... so many cuts on my ankles and shins
> 
> Best
> Dan


She will stop eventually have faith. But I wold Say as you are still not having much luck try a professional. A lot of dog trainers will do home visits for one to one training and then£30 or so it will cost you will be worth it as its always better for people to see it in action. Good luck


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

bay20 said:


> She will stop eventually have faith. But I wold Say as you are still not having much luck try a professional. A lot of dog trainers will do home visits for one to one training and then£30 or so it will cost you will be worth it as its always better for people to see it in action. Good luck


Hey Bay20

The techniques that we have been trying are from a reputable dog trainer who visits once a week. The methods are the same as mentioned by other trainers/behaviourists like Ian Dunbar etc. Everything that we have learnt from the trainer like sit/down/loose leash walking etc has been going really well its just the biting issue. We are doing what he tells us but were not getting anywhere it seems.

Best
Dan


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## bay20 (Aug 14, 2013)

DL89 said:


> Hey Bay20
> 
> The techniques that we have been trying are from a reputable dog trainer who visits once a week. The methods are the same as mentioned by other trainers/behaviourists like Ian Dunbar etc. Everything that we have learnt from the trainer like sit/down/loose leash walking etc has been going really well its just the biting issue. We are doing what he tells us but were not getting anywhere it seems.
> 
> ...


Hmmm it's a toughy if you've had the trainer in it could just be a patience and waiting game, sorry I can't help any more. I know how frustrating it is. I lost about 4 pairs of trousers to puppy needle teeth


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

I know some people are averse to them but have you tried a squeaky toy? As you said that the 'yelping' wasn't working but winding her up then maybe using a squeaky toy would help to distract her?

You can get them quite cheaply, and try and find one with a nice loud squeak (you'll get funny looks when trying them out in the shop!). Plant them around the room you're in within easy reach, then, when you can see that she's about to go into bitey mode give the toy a really nice squeeze to distract her. Give the toy a name too so say her name to get her attention, then use the name of the toy (I have one for my pup called 'snakey' - it's a long squeaky snake ) and give it a nice squeak to distract her.

Don't use her name if you don't think she'll respond to it, which she might not if she's distracted, just give the toy a squeeze and use its name. You need to try and read her body language and catch her BEFORE she goes into bitey mode, it's much easier to distract her then than after she's started ragging your leg 

Sounds like you're doing really well in all other training though, keep up the good work! She'll stop eventually, it's just annoying while it lasts


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> So if you put one of your socks on the floor and said 'leave' would she?
> 
> I personally can't see the point of working up to 3 minutes leaving food on the floor. It's a good exercise in impulse control but won't register with your pup not to bite your trousers.
> 
> ...


Hey Twiggy

Thanks for the reply. Your right about leaving food for that long. Its not really necessary and wont be doing that again from now on.

If I put a sock on the floor and ask her to leave she doesnt understand and just tries to tear it apart. I will now teach her to leave it (the sock, trousers etc)

She does play tug and really does enjoy it ..for a few mintues but then she just starts tugging on my trousers and sleeves if im kneeling down. At this point no amount of waving the tug toy will get her off ... even trying to put it inbetween my trousers and her mouth ... she wont take it. At this point I have to give her a time out for a minute or so. But soon after I let her out she will continue biting, its like she doesnt care that shes just had a time out 

How would you recommend I get her off me once she starts biting. At the moment I am grabbing her by her collar and walking her to her timeout area but she really struggles and tries to bite my hand when I do this. Plus I dont like doing it because I dont know if its hurting her or not. I also try to remove myself from the room, again very difficult with her latched onto my leg. How should I go about doing this properly.

How long did it take your pup to leave the old one alone. 1 week ? :thumbsup:

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy
> 
> Thanks for the reply. Your right about leaving food for that long. Its not really necessary and wont be doing that again from now on.
> 
> ...


Yes it did only take about a week to stop my pup but I've been training dogs for nigh on 40 years so have a bit of experience....LOL

OK. Play tug with her and if she then grabs your trousers say 'leave' in a firm but calm voice. Don't grab her collar but put your hand in her collar and hold her away from you slightly and keep her there for about 20 seconds to give you time to say something like "good leave" in a soothing voice and then give her a high value tit-bit from your other hand.

I don't like grabbing puppies collars and it might be better to put a very short old lead (with the handle cut off) about 12 inches long to hold instead of the collar.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Yes it did only take about a week to stop my pup but I've been training dogs for nigh on 40 years so have a bit of experience....LOL
> 
> OK. Play tug with her and if she then grabs your trousers say 'leave' in a firm but calm voice. Don't grab her collar but put your hand in her collar and hold her away from you slightly and keep her there for about 20 seconds to give you time to say something like "good leave" in a soothing voice and then give her a high value tit-bit from your other hand.
> 
> I don't like grabbing puppies collars and it might be better to put a very short old lead (with the handle cut off) about 12 inches long to hold instead of the collar.


Hey Twiggy

Thanks for the advice. I will give this a try from now on. I may have to use the leash because whenever she is grabbing my trousers and is in that state of mind, she will go to bite my hand.

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy
> 
> Thanks for the advice. I will give this a try from now on. I may have to use the leash because whenever she is grabbing my trousers and is in that state of mind, she will go to bite my hand.
> 
> ...


OK just tried this and got my hand bit hard..she rarely ever growls but she did this time. Will try the leash


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

DL89 said:


> OK just tried this and got my hand bit hard..she rarely ever growls but she did this time. Will try the leash


What will she do if you have a toy in your other hand?

House leashes/lines can be very useful, but what you don't want is a puppy that sees you going for the lead and then learns to jump or run out of distance.

I know it sounds impossible, but redirecting her onto a toy while she is in this bitey stage - even just getting her attention and throwing it for her to fetch - is inifintely preferable to having a dog that is leash/collar shy.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> OK just tried this and got my hand bit hard..she rarely ever growls but she did this time. Will try the leash


If she growled and bit you hard then you need to employ different tactics and not the method I suggested. She is warning you she doesn't like it.

Different methods work with different dogs I'm afraid.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> If she growled and bit you hard then you need to employ different tactics and not the method I suggested. She is warning you she doesn't like it.
> 
> Different methods work with different dogs I'm afraid.


Well she snaps and sometimes makes contact whenever anyone goes to pet her on her head. Unless she is tired

Im assuming she doesnt like it, is it aggression ? I feel really bad because I may have made her this way but I dont know what ive done. My mum doesnt like being home alone with her anymore because she bit her again last night

Best 
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

MerlinsMum said:


> What will she do if you have a toy in your other hand?
> 
> House leashes/lines can be very useful, but what you don't want is a puppy that sees you going for the lead and then learns to jump or run out of distance.
> 
> I know it sounds impossible, but redirecting her onto a toy while she is in this bitey stage - even just getting her attention and throwing it for her to fetch - is inifintely preferable to having a dog that is leash/collar shy.


Hey MerlinsMum

When she has started biting she wont stop for a toy no matter what ..unless is a new you that she has not seen before then its 50/50

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> *Well she snaps and sometimes makes contact whenever anyone goes to pet her on her head. Unless she is tired *
> 
> Im assuming she doesnt like it, is it aggression ? I feel really bad because I may have made her this way but I dont know what ive done. My mum doesnt like being home alone with her anymore because she bit her again last night
> 
> ...


Had you mentioned that originally I wouldn't have suggested holding her collar.

Can I ask if you've ever had a puppy before?


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Had you mentioned that originally I wouldn't have suggested holding her collar.
> 
> Can I ask if you've ever had a puppy before?


Hey Twiggy

Sorry I forgot to mention that. No this is our first puppy.

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy
> 
> Sorry I forgot to mention that. No this is our first puppy.
> 
> ...


I see. I assume you've had her from about 8 weeks old?

Try and take into account that your puppy has been honing her skills play biting with her siblings for several weeks before you collected her and, believe me, they play very rough games. All of a sudden she hasn't got her playmates any more and you are her substitute. She doesn't understand, and hasn't learnt yet that it's not acceptable to bite and tug at your clothing.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> I see. I assume you've had her from about 8 weeks old?
> 
> Try and take into account that your puppy has been honing her skills play biting with her siblings for several weeks before you collected her and, believe me, they play very rough games. All of a sudden she hasn't got her playmates any more and you are her substitute. She doesn't understand, and hasn't learnt yet that it's not acceptable to bite and tug at your clothing.


Hey Twiggy,

Yes we have had her since she was 8 weeks old. Its sad really because I know shes not really doing anything wrong, its my inability to teach her properly. I tend to get stressed out quickly in general and I wonder if this is somehow having a negative affect on her.

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Very possibly. Try very hard to remain calm and matter of fact.

Personally I wouldn't get hold of her collar at all for the time being as she's already showing signs that she doesn't like it, hence the growling yesterday.

Try picking her up under her tum (wear a thick pair of gardening gauntlets/gloves if need be to protect your hands).

It sounds as if she's one of those puppies prone to temper tantrums when she can't get her own way, much the same as some small children.

I've also had a few like that but I promise you providing you are firm, fair, consistent and remain calm things will improve.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Well she snaps and sometimes makes contact whenever anyone goes to pet her on her head. Unless she is tired
> 
> Im assuming she doesnt like it, is it aggression ? I feel really bad because I may have made her this way but I dont know what ive done. My mum doesnt like being home alone with her anymore because she bit her again last night
> 
> ...


I was wondering if its possible to train a dog not to bite/snap when you pet their head/body etc. Ive noticed that she doesnt actually bite hard, its actually a very soft bite and she doesnt growl when petting her. Just wondering if its possible to train her that petting is a rewarding experience rather then annoying.

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> I was wondering if its possible to train a dog not to bite/snap when you pet their head/body etc. Ive noticed that she doesnt actually bite hard, its actually a very soft bite and she doesnt growl when petting her. Just wondering if its possible to train her that petting is a rewarding experience rather then annoying.
> 
> Best
> Dan


I wouldn't attempt to stoke her head at the moment. Lots of puppy don't initially like being stroked - they would rather play rough games instead.

She will like being stroked as she gets older but I'd leave it for now.


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## Scabbers (Jul 26, 2013)

I just kept stuffing a ball into his mouth. Each and every
time.

I would just divert his attention onto that. If that failed I would put him in his lil play pen. He could see me ignoring him.

Get a play pen https://www.google.co.uk/#q=puppy+playpen&tbm=shop&spd=17591255065737870915 something like that.

If he bite me he would immediately go into his pen. for about a minute or so or when calm again.

I would bring him out and play tug with him. Put him in his pen when he starts again and repeat it till he gets the message. Might take about a week but it works.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Try scratching your pup gently on her chest area and between the front legs, dogs go a bit dozy and quieter when you do that. If she's really hyped up don't bother, wait for a time when she's being quieter. Once she realises it's enjoyable she will want you to scratch her there. I found, quite by chance, that my pup likes being gently rubbed and scratched under her chin


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Very possibly. Try very hard to remain calm and matter of fact.
> 
> Personally I wouldn't get hold of her collar at all for the time being as she's already showing signs that she doesn't like it, hence the growling yesterday.
> 
> ...


Hey Twiggy,

Thanks for the advice. I think I may have had a breakthrough 

Yesterday morning when she starting biting my trousers I simple made a sound (shh), picked her up and put her in her room, shut the door and left her for a minute or so. I did this a 3 times and in the evening I noticed that she attempted to go for my trousers and shoes again .. but she when she tried she did that sneeze thing that dogs do when they exhale and shake their head from side to side. I noticed her attempted a few more times that evening and did not bother to bite. I guess she was testing me 

Only issue I have now is that whenever I pick her up to put her in her room. She bites and chews on my hands. It doesnt hurt that much so I just try to ignore it but make the same sound (shh) whenever she does bite maybe she will get the messege .. I dont know.

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Scabbers said:


> I just kept stuffing a ball into his mouth. Each and every
> time.
> 
> I would just divert his attention onto that. If that failed I would put him in his lil play pen. He could see me ignoring him.
> ...


Hey Scabbers,

Thanks for the advice. This is what im doing now  But I dont have a playpen at the moment. I used to have a specific space for her time out but a the stairs cupboard was behind it and she was blocking access  So now im just using her room (utility room)

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Siskin said:


> Try scratching your pup gently on her chest area and between the front legs, dogs go a bit dozy and quieter when you do that. If she's really hyped up don't bother, wait for a time when she's being quieter. Once she realises it's enjoyable she will want you to scratch her there. *I found, quite by chance, that my pup likes being gently rubbed and scratched under her chin*


Hey Siskin,

We also found this out by chance. Our pup loves to be scratched under her chin. Usually she will just sit there calmly for a mintue or so and let me scratch/rub her under her chin before casually walking off 

Best
Dan


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## WiggleButt (Jan 19, 2014)

Lots of good advice in this thread  

Teaching a good solid leave is invaluable I think for any dog/puppy. Also something that may work is spraying your clothes (not on pup or while pup is present!) with a chew deterrent, bitter apple spray etc. This may help to teach your pup that biting clothing is not rewarding. I'd do this along with redirecting on to a toy, or yelling 'ouch!' and removing yourself from play and of course teaching a good leave. Make sure you don't get any deterrent spray on your hands and then in your mouth, it's not nice  Be warned though that some pups don't actually mind the taste. Also wellies are good for young children to wear to protect their feet/legs. 

Shouting, grabbing etc are usually non productive.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy,
> 
> Thanks for the advice. I think I may have had a breakthrough
> 
> ...


Hi all,

Well its been 2 days of no biting clothes at all. She still likes to bite hands sometimes when petting.. but the bites are definitely inhibited and she doesnt hold on or try to chew 

There are a few other issues that I would like some advice on but they are not related to biting so Ill make a new thread for that and leave this one specific to biting

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Well its been 2 days of no biting clothes at all. She still likes to bite hands sometimes when petting.. but the bites are definitely inhibited and she doesnt hold on or try to chew
> 
> ...


Well done - that's progress...


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Well done - that's progress...


Whoops spoke to soon. She starting biting today again after playing Tug with her. Actually over the last few days I have not been playing tug and she hasnt been biting. Could playing games like this cause her to become agressive and start biting ? From what I have read playing Tug is a good thing to teach a dog whats acceptable to bite and whats not ... ??

Best
Dan


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## Kchip (Jan 2, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Whoops spoke to soon. She starting biting today again after playing Tug with her. Actually over the last few days I have not been playing tug and she hasnt been biting. Could playing games like this cause her to become agressive and start biting ? From what I have read playing Tug is a good thing to teach a dog whats acceptable to bite and whats not ... ??
> 
> Best
> Dan


This is personal choice, and there are many people who play tug with their dogs, totally down to you. I have personally found that Gracie gets more boisterous and nippy if we allow tug games. We play lots of games with her, but we do not allow tug at all now, and feel happier with that decision. Particularly as she is a lab, and we want to gun train her, we want her to develop soft mouth. Why don't you try avoiding tug again for a few days and compare? It may not be related at all, but worth a try to see if it makes a difference.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Whoops spoke to soon. She starting biting today again after playing Tug with her. Actually over the last few days I have not been playing tug and she hasnt been biting. Could playing games like this cause her to become agressive and start biting ? From what I have read playing Tug is a good thing to teach a dog whats acceptable to bite and whats not ... ??
> 
> Best
> Dan


So Ive noticed that when playing tug and when jogging or running in front of her makes her want to either forget playing with the toy and bite my leg. Or simply chase me and bite my leg. Her bites now hurt when she gets skin underneath my trousers and its starting to really frustrate me. Ive been following the advice from the previous posts which seems to work. She doesnt really bite my clothes anymore when we are inside or outside and not playing tug or running in anyway.

Could someone with experience suggest a way to train her that biting clothes is not rewarding when playing tug or just playing outside. I have tried standing still when she starts biting but that does not work at all, she just keeps her mouth locked onto my trousers. I cant pick her up and put her in her time out area because she will just bite my hand and start growling.

[youtube_browser]FkcNIEzYIVg[/youtube_browser]

I have included a video above which demonstrates this. Please note two things when watching this video. One is that you will see me place my foot on her paw several times just to see if she would look down and stop biting. I did not apply ANY pressure - it did not work anyway, she just moved her paw out of the way. Also she is attached to a long line so that I am able to eventually get away.

Also can someone tell me if the growl and bark she did when I grabbed her collar is aggression or does she just think Im still playing?

Please any advice would be great.

p.s. please excuse the mess in the garden, several large trees had fallen over due to high winds and we are in the process of cutting them down into smaller logs.

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

ClaireandDaisy said:


> I wouldn`t be shouting at a youngster. Or barking at them (Stop is just a noise, doesn`t mean anything to a dog) really doesn`t help either. Train in an alternative behaiour and use her playfulness to help your bond instead. Keep a tuggy in your pocket, reward like mad when she does what you want.
> I find Sit very useful - just for a second at first - the reward being a chucked balllie.


Hey ClaireandDaisy

How would I train an alternative behaviour to biting my legs/trousers and what behaviour would you recommend instead of biting me ?

If i play tug with her she only plays for a few mintues before she starts biting my leg. At this point I cant get her to go back to playing with the toy even if I try to put it right infront of her mouth.

Best
Dan


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## Jezavix (Jun 25, 2013)

Will she leave her tug toy on command? If not it's a good thing to teach!

I always find teaching leave it for a tug toy very useful, and perhaps if she learns leave it means stop tugging it may help with teaching her to stop tugging at your clothes.

To teach leave for tug I'll give the cue to start tugging as usual, but fairly quickly, before the dog gets too excited, stop tugging. Just stand still and hold the toy firmly so she can't shake or pull it about too much. After a while the dog should get bored of you not playing and let go (it may take a while at first, just have patience. if she's really not letting go try luring her off with a tasty treat). The second she lets go (before she has chance to grab your trousers ) give her a big treat and then cue to resume the game.
After a few repetitions she should start to let go a bit quicker once you stop playing. When you're confident she will let go add the 'leave' command.
Then just gradually increase the bar; don't rush things, you want to set her up to get it right.
Once you're at the stage where she'll confidently drop it every time as soon as you stop tugging and say leave it, try tugging just a teeny bit while giving the leave it command. Once she's got that down every so often tug a little bit more while saying leave, etc...
Eventually you should be able to get to the stage where she'll leave the toy on command even in the middle of a rough, exciting tug session.

If she starts to bite at your clothes stop the game and walk away/put her in time out/whatever technique you're currently using and try the training again later on in the day.

For now try to avoid using the leave command for your trousers. If you know she's not going to leave them then it'll just teach her she can ignore the cue. But once she's practiced a little bit of leave with her tug toy (which should be a bit easier for her, since it sounds like it's less exciting than your clothes are) you could try going back to basics and using the same technique for your trousers.
Well, you don't want to be encouraging her to tug on your clothes, but try using the technique if she starts. Then reward heavily when she lets go and redirect her on to something else like chasing a ball or playing with her tug toy or anything she enjoys. If toys aren't enough distraction try throwing a tasty treat for her to find. Be very quick to reward the second she lets go, don't give her a chance to grab back on again!

While you're teaching her to leave your trousers you might want to wrap some sort of protective padding around your leg, under the trousers, so you can stand still and wait for her to let go without getting hurt.

Try to avoid walking backwards/pulling your leg away when she tugs, as that's similar to you tugging on her tug toy and will probably get her more excited as she'll think you're playing with her.
Walking towards her might help, I've found some dogs stop tugging if you move towards them and take the pressure off what they're tugging on, however it doesn't work for every dog.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Well having watched your video your bitch is using you as a toy because she doesn't understand it's not acceptable.

Quite honestly you need help before she gets any older and this behaviour becomes ingrained.

Whereabouts in the UK are you? Perhaps we know of a decent dog training class in your area where the trainer will show you how to teach your bitch acceptable behaviour.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2014)

Just watched the video and totally agree with Twiggy, someone to show you one on one how to put an stop to that behavior. 

Watching that I was itching to get my hands on your pup, and was totally attracted to her personality - thats not a good thing! I tend to be most attracted to the kinds of dogs that tear your house up and drive you nuts until (if) they grow a brain! 

No, seriously, she looks like a great pup, but you seem a little over-dogged right now. There is a bit of an art to playing tug, she seems like a great candidate for building up tug drive, and making tug her go-to thing rather than your clothes. Having someone show you the finer nuances of getting her excited about tug should really help.

This is also where its so much easier when you have other, stable dogs in the household helping you raise a pup. She would be losing puppy license right about now, and getting told off for that sort of behavior with the other dogs so it would be easier for her to transfer those play rules to interactions with you. 

I am NOT saying you need to tell her off - likely wont work anyway, and will more likely confuse her and hurt your relationship. However, you definitely need to make it clear that *you* engage play, and *you* set the rules for playing. Id be teaching her some super rewarding downs and sits and stands and change that interaction with you in to something much more productive.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Well having watched your video your bitch is using you as a toy because she doesn't understand it's not acceptable.
> 
> Quite honestly you need help before she gets any older and this behaviour becomes ingrained.
> 
> Whereabouts in the UK are you? Perhaps we know of a decent dog training class in your area where the trainer will show you how to teach your bitch acceptable behaviour.


Hey Twiggy.

I agree that I need someone to help me with this specific issue. Other then the biting shes amazing.

Im located in the London Borough of Croydon. Any recommendations would be great.

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

For anyone who has watched the video. Would you be able to tell me if the growl and bark she gave when I tried to get her off my trousers was aggression or was she just playing ? 

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy.
> 
> I agree that I need someone to help me with this specific issue. Other then the biting shes amazing.
> 
> ...


Is Kamal Fernadez at East London Dog Training too far?

If it is I'll have a think as I do know other clubs in your area.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> Is Kamal Fernadez at East London Dog Training too far?
> 
> If it is I'll have a think as I do know other clubs in your area.


Hey Twiggy,

Its not too far. Our puppy still gets stressed out when driving but she has never thrown up or out of control. She does yawn and 'cry' quite a lot though. If you do know of any reputable trainers who have good expereince in preventing biting/nipping that are a bit closer that would be great, but we can travel if Kamal is someone you strongly recommend.

Best
Dan


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

DL89 said:


> Hey Twiggy,
> 
> Its not too far. Our puppy still gets stressed out when driving but she has never thrown up or out of control. She does yawn and 'cry' quite a lot though. If you do know of any reputable trainers who have good expereince in preventing biting/nipping that are a bit closer that would be great, but we can travel if Kamal is someone you strongly recommend.
> 
> ...


The nearest club to you would probably be Warlingham DTC but I'm not sure who their instructors are these days. Have a look on their website.

Another club would be North West Kent. Their classes are held at Erith and I know several of their instructors. They also have a website.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Twiggy said:


> The nearest club to you would probably be Warlingham DTC but I'm not sure who their instructors are these days. Have a look on their website.
> 
> Another club would be North West Kent. Their classes are held at Erith and I know several of their instructors. They also have a website.


Hey Twiggy,

Thanks for the recommendations. I will check them out and give them a call. Really appreciate the help you have been giving me.

Take care
Dan


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## Ninedogs (Sep 15, 2012)

Have you tried stopping her before she starts biting. Strongly worded No, if she then continues to try to bite your legs, take her gently by the collar and place her in isolation for a few minutes. Then every time she does this act in the same way by placing her in isolation but for a longer period of time.


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Ninedogs said:


> Have you tried stopping her before she starts biting. Strongly worded No, if she then continues to try to bite your legs, take her gently by the collar and place her in isolation for a few minutes. Then every time she does this act in the same way by placing her in isolation but for a longer period of time.


Hey Ninedogs,

This is what ive been trying to do. If you watch the video you will see her start growling when I try to grab her by the collar to get her off my leg. Im not sure if this is an aggressive growl or just playing. Can anyone tell me for sure which it is ?

This seems to be happening more often outside and not so much in the house anymore (but it still does happen). When outside I dont have an isolation area for her, and if I did, getting her there without biting,growling and barking is impossible.

But im starting to wonder - How would a dog even know that he/she is being given a timeout for biting. How can they understand this ?

I cant exactly say to her, 'ive put you here because you are biting me' ...Her biting is getting worse and I will give Kamal a call and see what he can do as per Twiggy's recommendation, however chances are I have tried all the methods except for aversive punishment. I hope he can help.

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

:angry: 

Wish I had caught what she was doing this morning on video. Similar to the other video but more intense.

We were in the garden playing a bit of football (she usually just chases the ball picks it up and puts in her 'safe' place) I could see she was looking at the ball then my shoes (this is not the only time she bites people) and feeling she would bite me so I tried to distract her with a tug toy which didnt work and she started biting my tousers again, yanking as hard a possible. then she started biting my upper leg where it really hurt (her jaw is quite strong now. Could not distract her at all with a ball, bone or toy. Then she started growling when I tried to get her off me, growling and biting etc. Had to really resist to not hit her hard. I know this wouldnt teach her anything but it really makes me angry when she does this. 

Twiggy I emailed Kamal, he said he does his training at kent and would try to help. I just need to get our pup a little more confident in the car. She is OK on short journeys now. 

Has anyone else dealt with 'play biting' (not sure I can call it play anymore) to this degree ? If so how did you change the behaviour ? 

Best
Dan


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Also, could anyone suggest an effective way of getting a dog off of you when they are clamped down on your clothing/leg. Ive tried distracting her with toys but she just watches the toys with her eyes but keeps her mouth clamped down on my jeans. I cant pick her up of grab her by the collar or go to pick her up because she will try to bite my hand and growl. If I grab the leash she will pull and struggle a lot. I dont want to use food as this may reinforce the biting behaviour. Any suggestions ?

Best
Dan


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

Hi Dan, just watched your vid with sound, and no she's not being aggressive, it's just a grumble telling you she doesn't want her collar grabbed and wants to continue playing, so nothing to worry about (yet).

Having now seen what's happening this would be what I'd do. Get some really yummy treats. Something stinky and delicious like liver or cheese that she'll love, and a few cheap squeaky toys. 

I've noticed she does stop yanking at your trousers by herself, when she does this you need to make a HUGE fuss of her. I don't mean 'good girl' and a pat on the head, I mean REALLY get over excited about it lots of high pitched squeaky 'good girl' and really make a fuss of her and give her a load of those amazing treats then chuck a new toy around for her. You'll look and sound like an idiot but I think this will be the only way to get her to realise that stopping biting is better than biting as she gets treats and then a nice toy to destroy 

You'll need to keep a toy and some treats on you whenever you go to play with her but if you continue doing this then I think she'll get it. GSDs are not stupid and she'll learn quickly that treats and a toy are better than being ignored. You then start putting 'leave' to it when she stops and she'll start associating 'leave' with the treats.

You really need to persevere though as she obviously finds chewing your leg great fun


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Sarah H said:


> Hi Dan, just watched your vid with sound, and no she's not being aggressive, it's just a grumble telling you she doesn't want her collar grabbed and wants to continue playing, so nothing to worry about (yet).
> 
> Having now seen what's happening this would be what I'd do. Get some really yummy treats. Something stinky and delicious like liver or cheese that she'll love, and a few cheap squeaky toys.
> 
> ...


Hey Sarah, thanks for the advice. I will give this a go and see what happens. I have avoided using treats when she starts biting because I dont want her to think that Biting = Treats.

When she stops and I make a fuss plus give her a treat. Won't she get into the pattern that biting + stop = treat ??

Best
Dan


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hey Sarah, thanks for the advice. I will give this a go and see what happens. I have avoided using treats when she starts biting because I dont want her to think that Biting = Treats.
> 
> When she stops and I make a fuss plus give her a treat. Won't she get into the pattern that biting + stop = treat ??
> 
> ...


At first she might associate it, but dogs love to be praised and play with people, so as long as you completely ignore her when she's tugging, and be REALLY over-enthusiastic when she's not, she will get it. Especially when you start adding the 'leave' command.

You can actually use her coming to bite you as recall. Get a big handful of treats and when she comes towards you and you think she's going to go for your legs say 'come' and stick your hand full of treats right in her nose and let her eat them. You can then try and get her to do 'leave' as well if she decides to try and bite, you can use the treats to lure her away from your trousers by either sticking them in her nose again, or dropping them on the floor around you, maybe even rolling them along the floor to get her more interested in them than she is with your trousers.

This will take patience and you do need to persevere, but she will get there, she's pretty smart  I know you want to just grab her and pull her off your trousers and have a go at her, but she's only a puppy and only doing what she finds fun. You just need to channel that energy and sense on fun and get her to focus on you and the treats, rather than on your (obviously very exciting) trousers.

I hope that this works, and I suggest trying training classes too to help her focus on you when there are lots of distractions. Good luck


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Sarah H said:


> At first she might associate it, but dogs love to be praised and play with people, so as long as you completely ignore her when she's tugging, and be REALLY over-enthusiastic when she's not, she will get it. Especially when you start adding the 'leave' command.
> 
> You can actually use her coming to bite you as recall. Get a big handful of treats and when she comes towards you and you think she's going to go for your legs say 'come' and stick your hand full of treats right in her nose and let her eat them. You can then try and get her to do 'leave' as well if she decides to try and bite, you can use the treats to lure her away from your trousers by either sticking them in her nose again, or dropping them on the floor around you, maybe even rolling them along the floor to get her more interested in them than she is with your trousers.
> 
> ...


Hi Sarah,

Thanks for the advice. She got me again today in the leg. I didnt have my jeans on, just my tracksuit bottoms and man it hurt ! I didnt realise how strong her bites were because I always wear thick jeans around her. Will need to start carrying plasters with me now ! I didnt have any treats on me at the time so I had to push her off. I went down pick up the long line and she quickly bit my arm then when straight for my leg. She was chewing on the long line before I went to pick it up.

It seems like most (not all) of the time she will transfer her biting away from what she is currently biting on and start biting me. For example, she likes to play with plastic bottles. I was playing with her with the bottle in my hand and she started to bite my hands instead of the bottle. At that point no amount of waving the bottle in front of her face got her to stop biting me. This is the same for the tug toy and yesterday with the football ...

Best
Dan


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hi Sarah,
> 
> Thanks for the advice. She got me again today in the leg. I didnt have my jeans on, just my tracksuit bottoms and man it hurt ! I didnt realise how strong her bites were because I always wear thick jeans around her. Will need to start carrying plasters with me now ! I didnt have any treats on me at the time so I had to push her off. I went down pick up the long line and she quickly bit my arm then when straight for my leg. She was chewing on the long line before I went to pick it up.
> 
> ...


Hmmm I know what you mean, my pup Nooka does sometimes let go of the toy we're playing with to maul my arm instead, but she's quite gentle and I can redirect her without much trouble, it's just her getting over excited.

I think part of the problem is that you obviously are reacting be being bitten. I mean of course you are, it hurts! But she doesn't know it hurts all she thinks is that you're playing with her and that it's fun when you struggle. Is there any way that you can protect you legs/arms? I mean wrap them up REALLY well so that when she bites you you can't really feel it? It will help a lot of she starts to realise that biting you means you just stand there doing nothing, as at the moment you HAVE to intervene otherwise you'll obtain some damage, and this interaction just encourages her more. You just need to be consistent and persevere, and wear as many layers as possible!!

Have you tried a treat dispensing toy? Put half her brekkie in it and get her to work for the rest. Something like a Kong Wobbler would be good, but you can look similar things up online and see what kind of thing you think she'd enjoy interacting with. This would help use up some of that energy at least and keep her brain occupied.


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## Sarah Jay (Mar 5, 2014)

Hi there,

So much depends on the the fact you have chosen a breed that has been developed to guard and protect - hence why they are used by the police force. Your dog may also have a temperament that is particularly confident. When you got her as a puppy the breeder should have had all pups assessed so that they could be placed with correct owners. This rarely happens though.

All the methods you have tried might work with some dogs but not all. You need something much more direct. Get a water pistol and as soon as she goes for your clothing spray once in her face whilst making a loud 'tsch' sound behind your teeth. She will immediately stop and look up at you, shocked. You must turn away from her, walk away and stop. Stay calm and say nothing. 

She will probably come up to you and if she tries to bite again, you spray, 'tsch' and give direct and stern eye contact. This is exactly what her mother dog would do. Also take a firm step towards her. You must show her that her behaviour will only incur sudden and very uncomfortable results and that you are in charge. When she then approaches you more cautiously begin a game so distracting her away from another attempt and rewarding her with the behaviour you want her to exhibit. DO NOT EVER do tug of war games with this dog. 

She will quickly learn and you will only need the 'tsch' sound as a warning to prevent further biting. This sound also works then for other situations where she may have unwanted behaviour in mind, such as chewing furniture.

This method is not cruel in any way, but it very effective. You must NOT let your dog continue to bite - she will soon be causing more harm, not just to you but visitors, postmen and anyone else. 

Good luck

Sarah


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Hey all 

Just thought I would update this thread to let anyone who has similar problems or following that ... our GSD pup has completely stopped biting now (for the last 3-4 weeks) 

TBH Im not sure what quite stopped it .. she may have just grown out of it but I did use the walking out of the room and closing the door method. Actually there was one time where I stood in the door way with my leg next to her ... when she bit I just pulled my leg back and shut the door ... I did this about 4 times (coming back after she stopped whining) and each time she bit less and less .. the last time she didnt bother. But in general thats what we have been doing. 

She does still bit arms and hands just a little when petting sometimes but we have been doing handling exercises (pet/treat/pet/treat etc) and she has very good bite inhibition now. When she bites I sometimes just let her, I know this is bad but its so soft that Im just proud of how she knows not to bite hard. 

She doesnt transfer her biting from her tug toy either anymore. Infact I used it in combo with a ball she likes to teach her fetch ! 

Best
Dan


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## bay20 (Aug 14, 2013)

DL89 said:


> Hey all
> 
> Just thought I would update this thread to let anyone who has similar problems or following that ... our GSD pup has completely stopped biting now (for the last 3-4 weeks)
> 
> ...


Great news!!! ive been follwoing your thread for a while and im so pleased to hear youve made progress! i was feeling really bad for you but i didnt have any real pearls of wisdom to offer sorry but am really pleased to hear that it seems to becoming less and less. i bet you feel so pleased :thumbsup:it just shows with positive training and persevereance you can achieve things.


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

DL89 said:


> Hey all
> 
> Just thought I would update this thread to let anyone who has similar problems or following that ... our GSD pup has completely stopped biting now (for the last 3-4 weeks)
> 
> ...


Dan this is great news! 

I was getting a bit worried for you as she wasn't progressing, but it seems that she just needed a bit of time to grow out of it, and A LOT of patience and perseverance from you!

Sounds like you're right on track now, so keep up the good work!


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## Linda40 (Apr 10, 2014)

Hi am new on here, I thought it was just happening to me. We got a 6 month old male boxer, we have it for just over three months. At the start he was fine but then came the wrapping of his two front paws round my ankles, biting my feet, shoes laces, bottom of trackies. Then comes the jumping and biting of jacket sleeves, catching my arms and on occasions bruising me. I've tried ignoring, water bottle, standing on lead, pinning him down on the ground to protect myself. I've even had to call my son in law to come and help me. I've paid for him being neutered to try and calm him down, paid for a one to one with a dog behaviourist who advised me to change his dry food to hillingtons brand, use clicker, stop using choker and got a harness and training lead. I thought things were going well until last Sunday I had him out and again all his carry on started and I physically had to fight with him to get him back round the estate back to the house, he's 19kgs so he's a big puppy. I can't even go out into the garden withou him biting my feet and laces and when am talking to my neighbour constantly jumping up and pushing me into the patio doors. The off command doesn't work. Can anyone give me advice please


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## DL89 (Feb 7, 2014)

Linda40 said:


> Hi am new on here, I thought it was just happening to me. We got a 6 month old male boxer, we have it for just over three months. At the start he was fine but then came the wrapping of his two front paws round my ankles, biting my feet, shoes laces, bottom of trackies. Then comes the jumping and biting of jacket sleeves, catching my arms and on occasions bruising me. I've tried ignoring, water bottle, standing on lead, pinning him down on the ground to protect myself. I've even had to call my son in law to come and help me. I've paid for him being neutered to try and calm him down, paid for a one to one with a dog behaviourist who advised me to change his dry food to hillingtons brand, use clicker, stop using choker and got a harness and training lead. I thought things were going well until last Sunday I had him out and again all his carry on started and I physically had to fight with him to get him back round the estate back to the house, he's 19kgs so he's a big puppy. I can't even go out into the garden withou him biting my feet and laces and when am talking to my neighbour constantly jumping up and pushing me into the patio doors. The off command doesn't work. Can anyone give me advice please


Hey Linda,

Im not sure if you have managed to sort the problem out yet but I know exactly what your going through. My GSD would do the same things. This is how I sorted it.

Bite = No Reward Marker (NRM) + Timeout for 10 seconds or until she stops 'crying' (which ever comes first)

Bite = NRM + you leaving the room quickly and shutting the door behind you (dog in other room)

The timeouts are the most effective in my opinion. You HAVE to be consistent ...everytime she would bit I would do one of the above.

Take care 
Dan


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