Do you have a German Shepherd puppy? If you’re having problems with your teething puppy, then you are not alone. A lot of pups bite during teething.
However, German Shepherd puppies become a little bit bitey during their juvenile years. In fact, German Shepherds are one of the top breeds that packs a lot of pressure in each bite. One can only imagine how painful a surprise bite is from a GS puppy that has not yet trained.
Why do German Shepherds Bite?
Of course, we have to determine the reason why our little puppies bite. Knowing the reason will help you understand what to do to help reduce your dog’s biting habits while teething. There are various reasons for this, which can be read below.
1. Instinct
Instinct is the first reason as to why German Shepherd pups bite. They have this instinctual herding behavior, which is imprinted in their genes. You can’t prevent instinctual herding from happening, but you can help them learn to reduce the biting. If they bite you because of herding, this just means that your pup considers you someone from his pack.
2. Pain
Contrary to what most dog owners know, teething is very painful for dogs. Biting through almost anything helps them relieve the pain and irritation that comes with teething.
They will feel a little better if they will be able to bite something. You will be able to notice it if they’re chewing on almost everything, including shoes, rubber mats, and many more items in your household.
3. Exploration
Biting into things is one of the ways in which puppies explore the world. They tend to learn new things by putting them into their mouths. Sometimes, there will be things that are fun to chew, and your hands are definitely one of these things.
Thus, if your hands are his favorite, don’t feel bad about it. This just means that he acknowledged your hands and limbs as a good thing for him. It’s just bad that you might have to endure the pain from the bites themselves.
4. No bite inhibition
Sometimes, the reason why their bites are harmful is that they haven’t learned about “bite inhibition” yet. Your pup and his siblings usually do playful bites to each other, and he will probably do it with you too.
However, your pupper may still haven’t learned about your threshold for pain. Thus it is more likely that he will bite hard at first. As a dog parent, you will be able to notice this while playing with your dogs.
5 Steps On Making German Shepherd Pups Stop Biting While Teething
After learning the reasons why German Shepherds bite, it’s time to tackle these issues directly. The steps below will address the concerns about why German Shepherds bite. These are the five steps into making your German Shepherd puppies stop biting while teething.
1. Provide alternatives aside from your hand
Providing alternatives is the first step that you should follow. Alternatives can come in the form of treats or toys. However, we recommend using toys since these are more likely to last as compared to when using treats.
Any dog parent can buy their dog a favorite toy for them to chew on from various local pet stores offline and online. It is the best option to choose a proper chew toy for the dog that can last for a long time and with non-toxic material.
2. Make him learn proper bite inhibition.
Proper bite inhibition for German Shepherds should be one of the priorities for training them at a young age. Training your puppy will help prevent your puppy from biting down on your hands real hard.
One thing that you can do to help your puppy realize that his bites are painful is by saying “ouch” and appearing to be in pain whenever he bites hard. Do not punish your puppy for biting you, but instead try to make him learn using calm words.
A calm approach is good training for your puppy and for you too. If you punish your puppy at this moment, then it will be more likely that the training will go to waste. Thus, keep in mind that you should be calm in this situation.
Like humans, animals need socialization too. This stepwill help your canine friend understand more about the world, based on how he interacts with other dogs. Additionally, you might need to let your puppies interact with humans to make him get used to interacting with people.
This activity will potentially reduce the chance of your dog biting another person. It will actually help build your dog’s character into adulthood if proper socialization is successful.
4. Relieve his pain
One of the reasons that your dog is biting while teething is because he is feeling pain. The only way to deal with this issue is to help him reduce the pain that he is feeling. You can always soothe the pain by using special chew toys with medicine to reduce the pain.
Additionally, various drugs can help relieve pain. Various herbal medicines can help in lessening the pain, but you might have to consult a vet before giving your pup these herbal medicines.
5. Consult a professional
If you are having problems even after doing these steps, then it is wise to consult with a professional. Pro trainers will be able to observe the potential issues properly and will be able to help you deal with them.
Since established dog trainers are more experienced, they can use their expertise to handle the situation with real care. Thus, you can trust them with your pupper.
Conclusion
Dealing with your dog’s chewing habits can be a little taxing, but it is very rewarding in the end. As your puppy transitions into adulthood, it is best to train them properly. A well-trained dog will be able to control himself into biting, especially when practiced at a young age. Train your dog today!
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