Biting and Jumping

[wolfepak32]

We have two issues that we are not having any luck correcting. Our GSD is 15 weeks old and the two issues are: biting me and my husband (not just the mouthing we expected, but actual biting and nipping, our hands, face, shoes, feet, slippers, legs, ankles, toes, etc. We have used Rosemary's [German Shepherd Corner] bite inhibition techniques; however, they have done nothing) and jumping up on the refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, dresser, crate, and us. We have been using the command off and treating; however, nothing has changed. We were wondering if you had any suggestions. We have provided her with lots of chew toys and given her wet, frozen rags for teething on as well s marrow bones. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Frustrated,

Jon & Deborah

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello, and welcome to the forums!

Biting and jumping in puppies can be very frustrating especially when those teeth are sharp and end up hurting. Here's the good news: although the nipping and biting phase may feel like it lasts forever, most puppies outgrow the problem as they mature (just as they stop being interested in chasing their tails!) and find more productive things to spend their time on. Here's' the thing: when puppies are in the litter up to 8 weeks, most of their time is spent wrestling with other pups and this can be quite rough. So once they are in their new homes, pups just continue doing what they used to and see us humans as their new fun playmates.

 

Now, here's the bad news: solving puppy biting won't resolve overnight. It requires lots of repetition and reinforcing alternate behaviors to make these the pup's preferred method of interacting.

 

The problem with redirecting with chew toys is that many dogs after a while find them boring after a while of seeing them around and they prefer us because we move and provide resistance (nothing is more fun to play tug with then with shoes and pant legs that become fun tug toys). It may work better to redirect by providing interactive toys that provide some further incentives such as toys that move (like tossing a ball the opposite way or using a flirt pole) or are filled with food (treats/kibble). Training games that focus on rewarding alternate behaviors can help.

 

Here you will find some bite inhibition games;

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/

 

I like using hand targeting as a replacement behavior for nipping. You can toss the treats rather than hand feed them so to make the activity extra fun and burn excess energy.

Here's a guide on targeting:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/targeting/

 

These threads offer lots of tips on biting puppies:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?57-Biting-dog

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?17-Puppy-biting-feet-for-attention

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?106-Excessive-puppy-biting&highlight=yelping

 

For the issue of jumping on kitchen cabinets, fridge etc. below is a thread on a similar issue. It may be best to limit access to rooms where she tends to get in trouble and keep her instead in an area where she is less likely to create havoc. You may need to manage her environment to prevent access to rewarding things found on counters, dressers, (which to a pup may look like toys) as access to these reinforce the behavior. Sort of like dealing with a toddler opening cabinets etc. Providing more brain games and mental stimulation with interactive toys may come handing. Rotating toys instead of your pup seeing the same toys all the time around can help renew interest.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?43-Thieving-Pooch&highlight=table

Edited May 28, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli

[kdspitz57]

My puppy is 5 months old. Potty training went great and he rings a bell to go out. Recently though when I sit at the counter to eat he sits and watches but when I finish to clean up he does a walking potty around my home. What is the way to correct this? I have finally started to put him in the garage while I eat.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Greetings, and welcome to the forums!

Sounds like your pup would like to share some food with you! Perhaps he is so concentrated on watching you eat, that he completely forgets about his potty training. In any case, there may be several things you can do. Putting him in the garage when you eat, sounds like a good plan if that reduces the number of accidents. However, your pup may feel quite excluded. There are several other options you can try, here are some ideas:

 

1) Meal time is a great time to implement some obedience training. I like to have pups lie on a mat and enjoy some long-lasting goodies while there (stuffed Kong, bully stick etc) and the dog is then released once the owner is done eating. With older dogs, I have them like on the mat and wait for the owner to finish and then I give the long-lasting goodies as a reward for patiently waiting. Here is how to train a dog to lie on a mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/

 

2) Alternatively, you can keep your pup inside a crate or behind a baby gTE with a chew toy or long-lasting goodie while you are eating. Here is an article on crate training: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/love-the-crate/

 

3) You can take your puppy outside to potty before meal time so that your pup is empty and that can help reduce the chances of accidents in the home.