During the course of a German Shepherd’s life, he or she is likely to display some level of fear or aggression. When dogs are scared, they bark, warning you not to approach them which is why we’re going to answer the question, why does my German Shepherd bite me?
Keeping your distance from them is important since their barks can become growls, revealing their tiny but sharp puppy teeth.
Pushing forward can lead to snaps and bites. In addition to biting with a slight nip, German Shepherds rarely cut their owners when they do this.
It could be very painful for a young child if a German Shepherd bites them, especially if the German Shepherd is older and more aggressive.
Other articles you would like: Is A Malinois German Shepherd Mix Right For You? and The Blue German Shepherd – Your Questions Answered.
Improper Training
Biting German Shepherds are likely to do so for the same reason they did as puppies: they were not taught not to bite. If you didn’t teach your puppy to stop biting or if you adopted it, you can still train it to stop.
This can be accomplished by following the tips below. All dogs start out nipping and biting when they are little and it’s up to you to teach your dog that biting you is not acceptable.
If you allow the behavior when the puppy is young, the dog will think it is okay to do so as it gets older. The bites can become much more painful as the dog gets older and the teeth get bigger and sharper
The Dog Is Teething
There are several reasons why German Shepherd puppies bite, including teething. They bite and chew on things as a way of soothing their gums when they are teething. There is a great deal of pleasure in biting and chewing for puppies.
A German Shepherd puppy uses his mouth and nose as well as his eyes to explore and interact with the world. Due to its interaction with your arm, it will bite your arm quite a bit.
Your German Shepherd puppy needs to be trained now if you want it not to bite and to behave the way you want, even when it is teething.
Instead of allowing it to bite on your hands, you should instead, offer it chew toys that will help relieve some of the pain associated with teething.
You Make It Seem Okay
By inadvertently rewarding biting, you might have encouraged it. Getting your dog to stop biting is easier if you give him the things he wants, such as toys, attention, or treats.
Perhaps it would be better to reward it before it bites rather than after it behaves the way you want. If you make it a game or make it seem like it’s okay and not hurting you, your dog will not see a problem with it and will continue to do so as it gets older.
Your Puppy Needs Attention
You may be bitten to catch its attention. This is more likely to occur after it hasn’t been given attention for a while after it has been fed, or after it has been walked.
In most cases, this is the cause of it biting your hands after you ignored it for some time. It would also be more likely to do that if it is left alone for a long time. You can train your dog not to bite your hands by exercising, training, and playing games like tug of war.
Excitement
German Shepherds may bite you out of excitement. They may show their excitement by biting.
It may bite you just before doing something it likes, like going for a walk, and you may not notice it until just before. Furthermore, if it bites you usually when you are excited, the likelihood would be greater.
In this situation, you may want to turn your back on her and hide your arms until she starts acting better.
You can prevent it from biting you by leaving the room. When it behaves in accordance with your expectations, you can reward it. Then it won’t bite you anymore because it’ll learn that it doesn’t work.
How To Stop Your German Shepherd From Biting
If your dog has a problem with biting, there are some things you can do to prevent this behavior.
Provide Chew Toys
As you play with the puppy toy, your fingers are protected from its teeth.
The best toys to play with your puppy with are ones that can be used only when playing with him. Place the toys in a box or basket after playing with them. As a result, their specialness increases.
These items must be returned to you by your dogs under your control. Rather than chewing on special toys, your pup will enjoy biting them.
Act Like It Hurts
You should always say OUCH loudly and firmly when your puppy bites you. Puppy siblings commonly squeal when they are bitten by each other.
When the puppy that bit it squeals, it usually backs off. Those of us who own German Shepherds can imitate this behavior!
German Shepherd puppies are known to bite and nip people, so squeal loudly if they do. Alternatively, you can say “no” or “stop” if you wish. This simple technique, which attracts many puppies, can be used to train German Shepherd puppies not to bite.
Instead of yelping, they might make a yelp tone if they are playing too rough.
Keep your cool during this process, no matter what your dog says or does but also make sure you let the puppy know it hurts. Your dog will likely be startled by the sound and stop biting you.
Contain Them
If your dog reacts aggressively when you walk by and bites you, a German Shepherd-sized pet safety partition gate will keep him contained.
In order to prevent your German Shepherd from continuing to bite you, make sure he cannot jump over pet-safe partition gates.
If your home is busy, put your pet’s chew toys and other toys in your dog’s reach so he will be calm during those busy times. Also, keep your dog away from areas where he might become excited and bite or nip at guests.
Whenever your dog stays calm, be sure to say, “Good dog,” you should reward him. It is okay to let your dog out if he is calmly lying down or sitting down.
When they are whining or excited, they are more likely to bite and nip. Ignore the dog and do not let it out around guests.
Freeze Chew Toys For Comfort
When puppies are just getting their teeth, they often bite and chew. They do this in order to relieve their pain and soothe themselves.
A durable Kong filled with treats and kibble can be frozen when your dog is acting out and biting you. Give them a Kong that has been frozen to chew on for ice relief to their gums.
Say “KONG” when giving the toy to your dog to train him to understand the word. Try saying “KONG” several times before you go to the freezer and see if they follow you.
This will teach it to associate the freezer with its favorite toy. Whether or not your German Shepherd is teething, Kongs are still fun to chew on.
Redirection
Over time, your dog will begin to exhibit positive behaviors more frequently if you leave approved toys in their possession rather than your fingers and hands.
When you give this dog a squeaky toy, he will focus on it rather than your hand. Toys that make noise can be a good option because once the dog bites the toy it will make a sound and alert the dog so it can be redirected.
Don’t Acknowledge It
Aggressive biting and mouthing should not be responded to with rewards. Keep your distance from the dog when it acts this way.
Choosing this method is a good option if you did not have success with the ouch method or if you don’t want to say no to your puppy.
In order to ignore them, you can walk away, enter another room, remain silent, and don’t make eye contact. Come back to them when they are calm and interact with them only when they show you calming behaviors.
All dogs want attention and will do what they can to get it. You can influence a dog’s behavior a great deal if you do not pay any attention, even if it is reprimanded.
Sometimes they don’t know the difference between good attention and bad attention and are fine getting in trouble as long as it means you have acknowledged them.
Provide Stimulating Exercise
For your dog not to act destructively, you should exercise them regularly. An under-exercised and overfed dog can develop destructive behaviors due to boredom and lack of exercise.
You don’t have to exercise a lot with your dog, but you should give it a chance to burn some energy at least once a day.
Stop Rough Play
Roughhousing with your dog will frustrate him and could lead to more biting. Play with appropriate toys instead of using your hands to be rough with your dog.. You can give your pup a toy to bite instead of your fingers, hands, arms, or shoulders.
You may also stress out your GSD by engaging them in rough play. Keeping up with the play too long or playing too rough may result in them biting you!
By giving your dog a toy to bite on, you can help them release their energy. It will then be easier for you not to be nipped!
Make Sounds
When puppies play together, they will squeal when their siblings bite them. When the squeal is heard, the puppy that bit will usually back off.
Owners of German Shepherds can mimic this behavior! In the event your German Shepherd puppy bites or nails you, scream loudly. Other firm commands include “no” and “stop”.
Train Your Dog Not To React Over Food
It is more likely that German Shepherd puppies will bite when food is involved. Puppy litters teach puppies to be extremely protective of food when they battle for food.
They may also have problems with their food bowl as a result and be more likely to bite someone when they are around food or trying to eat.
When it comes to retrieving or putting down their bowl, your German Shepherd puppy should learn that you are in charge and can do so at any time without aggression.
Some dogs become so aggressive when fed that they can’t be around other pets or people. Some even have to be put down as a result of this behavior.
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For more information about the German Shepherd Breed, check out the video down below:
