Training a German Shepherd pup…
is tiring, hard work, and 100% rewarding…
Since bringing Rocco home 2 weeks ago today, he’s made amazing progress. He’s mastered some basic commands. What I’m finding challenging is stopping his mouthing. He’s doing better, but he goes on tangents. I’ve found redirecting is only a temporary pause on the biting. What I’ve found that is more effective is putting him in a time out and making loud shrieks when he attempts to bite.
He comes from a working line, so his prey drive is expected to be high. This weekend, we’re going to focus on the mouthing and hopefully I’ll make some progress. On the plus side, he hasn’t destroyed anything yet, mainly because he has constant 24/7 supervision.
Love this GSD. He’s going to be an exceptional dog.
Replies to: Training a German Shepherd pup…
Dogs (and horses) are authentic beings that have a special relationship to humans.
It's possible that the dog wants to bite you because you deserve to be bit. Or maybe the dog just misses its mom and is lashing out.
But regardless, show the dog what unconditional love looks like and you will get it back in spades.
The only people who deserve to get bit are the ones who shouldn’t own a dog…
and thankfully I don’t fall into that category.
This ain’t my first rodeo. I’ve had GSDs in the past. My last boy died last April. I’ve found that each one is unique in many ways. Shepherd pups tend to bite or “mouth” hence the nickname “land shark.” It’s part of the training to limit and stop this behavior. It’s fun as the training is on going throughout their lives. If you ever need dog training advice, let me know. Free of charge.
My grandparents bred German Shepherds, I know a lot about them because of that.
There was one such dog that followed my grandpa everywhere he went on the farm. Until my grandmother was coming home from town when he would go sit in front of the front step to the house. When they showed up as expected he would rejoin my grandfather. He always knew and no one can say how.
There was another one that was too naturally aggressive to be a family dog, my grandparents donated it to the military and that dog served in Korea or Vietnam (can't remember which). My grandmother at 89 was still showing me pics of that dog that she was so proud of.
My point is that not all GSD pups will suit your lifestyle, and it won't be your fault if it doesn't work out.
Yeah, not working out is never an option when I invest in a GSD…
GSD pups bite and mouth a lot in general. It’s all about training and I have experience in that area. He’s already improved. As far as basic commands, he sits, stays, and goes down…all at 10 weeks of age.
And yes, every GSD is different. I do a lot of research of the lines before putting a deposit down. This guy comes from a great working line. Here’s the sire…
All the best.
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You as well. Your grandparents sound like some amazing people. If they're no longer with us...
May they rest in peace.
I used a squirt water bottle on my Frenchy with the chewing thing, she was good after about 2 weeks
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Excellent tip. Have a good day, brother!
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Forgot, I’m a YouTube nut. There’s lots of dog training tips for German shepherd specifically
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