However, it will be wise to remember that their teeth are going to sharpen, and digging in deep can transform the yelp from their puppy mouth to a full-blown scream out of yours. Hence, it is best to go for behavior correction training before someone gets hurt.

Tips and tricks to stop the German Shepherd puppy biting

1. Finding out the root cause:

Ankle biting is common to almost all German shepherds and in fact, all dog breeds. However, there are multiple reasons why your dog might be engaging in ankle-biting.

German shepherds were raised as ‘herding dogs’ and thus over generations have had developed a primal instinct to bite ankles to keep the cattle from going astray. This rudimentary instinct is sometimes manifested with its human companions itself. The only solution to the problem is to provide proper training to the dog so that it may learn to stop biting its ankle.

Your puppy might be facing teething troubles. Other reasons might be that the dog is not getting enough exercise proportionate to its age. It might be a stunt to garner attention, especially if the puppy is already past the teething stage.

2. Let the dog know that biting is unacceptable:

The German shepherd, like any newborn, does not have an inherent understanding of what constitutes unacceptable behavior and what does not. However, a German Shepherd is an intelligent creature. It can make sense of our feelings by our verbal and facial expressions as well as our body language.

German shepherd pups try to make sense of the world around them with their mouth. They thus often try to explore their surroundings by biting and testing them with their mouth. However, they need to be provided behavioral training to make them understand that this behavior cannot continue.

When your GSD pup bites you, you can walk away from the situation to express your displeasure. You can also give a sharp ‘No’ command and pull your dog’s collar away from you to distance him from you. While doing so, you should yourself be standing still. This will help the dog understand that his playtime with you will be reduced if he continues with similar behavior.

3. Redirect the behavior to a chew toy:

Sometimes, a pup bites everything in its sight, not because it is rebelling but because it is facing teething problems. When a pup’s teeth are about to erupt, his gums become swollen. Applying pressure on it provides temporary relief.

If your pup is going through the phase, you can first give a feisty ‘no’ command to it to stop it. You should then give him a chew toy that will help him ease some of the teething discomforts. You may also offer them frozen carrots to allay their teething woes.

However, it is important to ensure that your dog is indeed suffering from teething problems and not just displaying bad behavior. This is because, if it is the latter case, you will be rewarding his bad behavior with a chew toy.

4. Show your pain:

You may also let out a small scream to make an appeal to the empathetic side of your German shepherd pup. It will make him realize that it is hurting you with such action.

If the aggressive biting still continues, you can also try a deterrent. These are objects which taste really bad. They thus act as a negative reinforcement by associating a bad memory with biting in the pup’s mind.

Sounds nasty? A little…let’s view it as a small, harmless revenge act if your dog does not respond to your cry for help. Or it might just be possible that it is a really bad piece of crying- acting from your side, and your dog is too smart a German Shepherd. In that case, we will like to complement you-well chosen!!

5. Reward good behavior:

The importance of positive reinforcement while training a puppy cannot be emphasized enough. When your dog displays a good behavior, a small treat can go a long way in helping him understand the benefits of being in your good books.

For example, if your dog bites your ankle, display a body posture that shows that you are upset and are ignoring him. Fold your arms and turn around to face away from him. Keep repeating this until he stops biting. Then give him a big smile and a small treat to reward his behavior. This way, he will understand that biting will lead to you ignoring him, while not doing so will get him both attention and snacks.

6. Be a companion to your dog:

Sometimes puppies bite at your ankles because they are feeling lonely and want your attention. When you own a German shepherd, you own a responsibility to provide them with love and care for their lifetime.

It is important that you pay them adequate attention, especially in their formative years.

German shepherds who have not had proper training might have biting habits which they take right to their adulthood. It is thus important to focus on providing the right kind of training to your pup to turn into an amiable human companion.

If you have some time constraints, you should also crate train your dog, so that it is not emotionally hampered during your periods of separation.

You can also arrange for play dates with other trained dogs. Sometimes a dog is able to understand that it is biting rough while engaging in some canine-to-canine play.

7. Give him his daily quota of exercise:

 German shepherds are highly energetic dogs who need an adequate amount of exercise. Lack of exercise can channelize their energies into destructive tendencies.

To know how much exercise your GSD pup needs, the golden rule is to add 5 minutes to each month of his age. For example, a two-month-old pup can manage with 10 minutes of exercise, while a four months old pup may need additional 10 minutes worth of exercise.

Things You Shouldn’t Do

Even you get your own list of don’ts; things you should never do while you train a German shepherd.

It is important never to shout or yell at your GSD pup as it will frighten him and make him nervous. It will also lead to him developing a negative perception of you and will damage your bond irreparably.

Also, as tempting as it may seem to some, never use aversive collars like, for example, a shock collar on your dog. It will frighten the dog and will have a negative effect on its mental health.

With adequate training, your GSD pup should stop ankle-biting as it turns five to six months old. If the aggressive behavior persists, you might need to consult an animal behavioral specialist. However, most of the German shepherd dogs have this issue resolved as they add adequate months to their age and if they have been adequately trained. To know more about training German shepherds, you can consult these 6 Best German shepherd training books.

The post How to stop German shepherd Puppies from biting your ankles?: Some useful tips and techniques appeared first on Purrfect Paws.

And if you are lucky enough to catch them young, their early formative years can turn out to be an exemplary lifting pad to launch them into a lifetime of excellence.

Simple Ways to train a German Shepherd Puppy

1. Consistency is the key:

Although the responsibility to nurture your German shepherd puppy starts the minute it enters your home, standardized training for them should be started as they turn eight to twelve months old.

Consistency is the most important component of your training process. A German shepherd pup, like a newborn baby, is unable to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

Also, dogs, in general, have a short-term memory of hardly more than two minutes. However, they are blessed with a good associative memory. This allows them to form associations between the command given, the behavior reciprocation, and the situational scenario.

In order for them to establish correct correlations between a situation and the consequent reaction, it has to be consistent. Hence, if you give a verbal command to the puppy to not jump on the couch, it has to be repeated every time such a situation arises.

If you stop him once from doing it because it is an expensive couch and not the next time, when you could not care less about the couch, it is going to get confused. After all, your German shepherd pup cannot read price tags.

2. Introduce him to the usual:

A German shepherd pup is just like a shy newcomer in a class who needs to be dealt an extra push to break in with the surroundings.

Try to make the pup comfortable with people and things that will eventually be a part of its daily routine. Introduce the people around you with a smile and hug so the dog understands that they mean no harm and cozies up to them.

Start using a coat brush on it so that it does not consider its grooming kit as a threat. Have a futuristic vision in mind as you try to modulate its behavior. For example, you may find it cute when it tries to nibble your hand today, but when it grows a real dentition, trust us; you are going to regret it.

3. Work on your body language and stay firm:

Your body languages and facial expressions are as important as your verbal commands to help the puppy understand if you are happy or upset about the given situation.

If you find his behavior unacceptable, let it know that you are upset with your body language. However, never yell at your puppy or physically punish it. This may make him nervous or frightened and damage your emotional bond irreparably.

Also, it’s easier said than done, but do not melt if he tries to soften you with its soft, gooey eye gaze. Remember, you are doing it all for his good only.

4. Reward positive behavior:

Positive reinforcement is an important part of behavioral training. If you notice your German shepherd pup displaying good behavior, reward him immediately.

Also, make sure there is no significant time lapse between its positive behavior and the reward received. This will ensure that he is aware of what he is being rewarded for.

The reward can be in form of a verbal expression or hug, a favorite treat, or a chewy toy to play with. You can keep a few treats handy around the house for this purpose.

5. Impose time-outs:

Just like it is important to reward positive behavior, it is equally important to take corrective action against negative behavior.

A time-out is a way to call out your puppy for bad behavior by removing him from the immediate surroundings that are causing it. Then take him to another room or confined area and leave him there. If he calms down or starts showing positive behavior, you can remove him from that area after a couple of minutes.

Usually leaving him alone in the bathroom for a few minutes works. However, do not initiate time-outs in outside, open areas as the puppy may mistake it as a reward for appropriate behavior.

6. Tackle attention deficit issues:

Sometimes the dog may cause an unnecessary ruckus by barking just to garner your attention. Do not pay heed to and completely ignore the dog, if you feel that he is acting with the sole motive of gaining attention.

Ideally, also try to tackle the root cause of the issue. It is important to pay an adequate amount of attention to your dog so that it feels desired. If your dog is suffering from severe separation anxiety, you may need to consult a vet.

It is also important to ensure that your German shepherd pup gets an adequate amount of exercise so that its raw energy is not channelized into destructive and attention-seeking ways.

Conclusion

The initial months of the German shepherd pup training set up the tone for its future course. It is thus important to put our best foot forward in this preliminary phase itself.

If you have any doubts regarding this, it is advisable to seek a professional opinion rather than regret it later. For further tips on moving forward on German shepherd training, read German shepherd training: The paradigms of age-appropriate and proper training methodologies.

The post Simple Ways to Train/Discipline a German Shepherd Puppy: To begin from the beginning. appeared first on Purrfect Paws.