When Will My German Shepherd Stop Biting? This Is What You Should Know

When Will My German Shepherd Stop Biting

Puppy German shepherds will often bite your hands or ankles when you are round.

And often, these needle-like teeth can cause much pain, Right? And the worst can happen if they grow with such behavior. Imagine receiving a bite force of 238 psi on your hand from your adult German shepherd dog.

You will often struggle with bruises, broken bones, or even expensive medical bills.

So, you may be asking yourself, “When will my German shepherd stop biting“? Will it be soon? Well, hold on to learn when your Germans shepherd will stop biting you.

When Will My German shepherd Biting

German shepherds should stop biting their owners when they are 6-9 months olds. It’s during this stage that these puppies will complete the teething stage, which predisposes them to such behaviors.

Why German Do Shepherds Bite?

As canines, these dogs will use their mouths to explore their surroundings. Also, some factors make German shepherds bite a lot.

Let’s have a look at them.

Your German shepherd Is Teething

Especially for German shepherd puppies, these dogs will often have discomfort on their gums when they are teething. Remember, teething will start when they are around 6-8 weeks old, and such duration will last for 4-5 months.

During this phase, these dogs experience lots of discomfort in their gums. That said, the German shepherd will tend to bite your hands or ankles to relieve the itchiness and discomfort that comes with the teething phase.

They Are Herding Animals

Remember, captain Max von Stephanitz created these animals because of their herding abilities. As herding animals, German shepherds would nip the legs of the flock of sheep to control them. That said, you may note your GSD is nipping your ankles as it in this dog’s genes.

Your German shepherd Didn’t Get Any Socialization

Germans shepherd have to stay with their mothers for eight weeks. It’s at this duration that the bitch will train its litter various socialization skills, like how not to bite.

So, if you got your German shepherd puppy before it had stayed with its mother for long, he will probably bite you often as he didn’t get this lesson.

Your German shepherd Is Overexcited or Fearful

Some dogs will often run away or bite when they are threatened. So, your German shepherd dog may be biting you as he perceives you as a threat.

It’s you to discern whether your puppy is biting a lot because he’s excited or the dog is biting as a way to repel you.

Nevertheless, don’t let your dog grow with such behavior.

How to Stop Your German shepherd From Biting

Use Other Alternatives

If your German shepherd is not stopping the biting behavior, you will need to look for where your dog will direct its energy.

One way is to give this dog a toy- if it’s teething causing your dog to bite a lot, get some stuffed Kong balls that will help calm your German shepherd and also soothe the already irritated gums. There are many toys available on amazon that will help you accomplish that.

Alternatively, you can play with your German shepherd tug of war; that way, you will have satisfied your dog’s urge to use his mouth.

Say No When Your Puppy Bites You

If your puppy bites you, you need to say a loud ouch! Which will startle the puppy. However, don’t jerk the hand as some puppies may capture that as an encouragement to play more.

Ever noted how puppies react when their playmates bite them, they will often let out a loud yelp. We, as pet lovers, can also use such an analogy. Let out a loud yelp, and the puppy will associate a painful bite with a startling sound.

Reward Good Behavior

German shepherds learn through positive reinforcement, always reward your dog whenever he stops biting- that way, your dog will learn no biting, and he receives a treat.

Take Your Dog to Obedience Classes

Obedience classes help a lot in molding the behaviors of a German shepherd dog. It’s here the dog will know how to stop biting.

Exercise Your GSD

If your dog has been biting because of excess energy, you need to look for ways to burn all that energy. You can run or swim with your dog. With your dog being exhausted, biting will be the last thing to think of doing.

Don’t Beat Your Dog

Physical punishment will not help stop your German shepherd from biting and it has never worked to eradicate bad behaviors. Look for other alternatives that we have stated above, rather than resulting in this backward disciplining method.

Conclusion

Your German shepherd should stop biting when he is 5- 8 months. If he still retains this behavior, you need to realize there is something amiss.

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