german shepherd x golden retriever puppies

german shepherd x golden retriever puppies - Teach an alternative behavior like "lick" or "kisses" Alright, let's dive into each tip below. Exercising a puppy is one of the best ways to help alleviate problem behaviors like biting. Again, how much exercise your puppy needs will be largely dependent on their breed and age. A general rule of thumb is that a puppy can have 5 minutes of exercise per month of age, twice a day. So a 4-month-old puppy can exercise for 20 minutes twice a day. The more energy your pup uses, the better! Exercise can also take the form of , just be careful not to overrun your pup. Excessive exercise can cause joint problems in the long run. There are a host of options to help you overcome this issue so you can still effectively get rid of their energy. Consider getting a flirt pole. Flirt poles are a fantastic option because they allow you to play very energetic and fun games of chase, without worrying about getting your hands nipped at. You can get one here. Another option is to teach your pup a structured game of fetch. Fetch is great because it exercises dogs both physically and mentally. Zak George lays out how to teach your dog to fetch in our free online training class, 30 Day Perfect Pup. You can sign up here. Remember, many dogs can have been bred for hundreds of years to have high levels of energy. Be sure to give your pup an outlet with exercise to help stop that puppy biting! Don't miss out! That is the perfect time to engage them mentally with a quick training session! Not only does it deter them from biting, but it gives you an opportunity to reward them for positive behavior. In its simplest form, the leave it behavior is all about restraint. A dog that can restrain from lunging and grabbing a treat on the ground, is much more likely to be able to leave your hand alone when you ask. Step 2: Show your pup a treat and then close your hand so your pup cannot access it. Your pup will likely try to get to the treat by licking, biting hopefully not , or pawing at your hand where the treat is. Step 3: Practice that behavior multiple times until your pup starts to generalize the concept. The next step after that would be to try putting a treat on the ground and telling your pup to leave it. Step 5: Practice, practice, and then keep practicing. If your pup starts biting into your skin, give the leave it command, and reward when they stop. Practice makes perfect! For example, as you teach your pup the sit behavior you can help them understand yes and no. Over time trust me, it takes time , your pup will better start to understand the difference between yes and no. My wife and I raised two Yellow Labs that are about 7 months apart. And they were the first puppies we had raised as adults. So please, trust me when I tell you that getting frustrated will only make things worse. When you are frustrated, your pup likely is as well. And when puppies are frustrated, they won't learn! So, if you find a certain puppy behavior like biting or situation starting to overwhelm you… take a timeout. Let your pup cool down in their crate or sleep area and give yourself a few minutes to regroup. Guess what. So, do what you need to do for a personal break, and then recommit and get back at it! They have a keen sense of noticing our emotions. When frustration creeps in, learning stops for both human and dog. Redirecting to a game of tug of war can help teach your pup what is okay and not okay to chew on. As we mentioned before, puppies explore the world with their mouth, that is totally normal! Many pup parents have found it best to approach your pup with the toy in hand so you can be ready if the hand chomping starts happening. Teaching your dog tug can be a great way to stop puppy biting. Just remember, these behaviors can take significant practice and time to overcome. The question is, are you rewarding those positive behaviors and moments as you should be? If you are going through the process of overcoming puppy biting, you need to remember to praise the successful moments. When your pup comes up to you and lets you pet them without getting nippy, praise and reward them! Maybe you will see your puppy chewing a toy instead of your slippers or hand, reward them! If your puppy licks your hand instead of biting it, reward them! A huge part, and often underlooked, of training a puppy is to praise their successes. Treat each victory as a party and break out the fun, , and praise. Your job as a pup parent is to teach your dog what you want them to do. PS- If you're looking for a high-value reward treat for your pup, we've got your back! Check out our. Of course, you praise the positive moments but at times, you have to take away what your pup is desiring. In the instance of biting, pups are looking for playtime and engagement with us humans. Leave the room, put them in another room, or put them into a playpen for minutes. Implementing this method consistently will help your pup come to understand that when biting starts, playtime stops. A note on this, in most cases it is best to not use the crate as a negative reinforcer like a timeout. For example, when your pup starts nibbling, do your best to not jerk your hand away quickly. Most dogs love things that are moving! So if you jerk your hand or foot away, your pup may think you are trying to be playful. If your pup starts biting, let your hand go limp. Another way to make your skin a little less enticing is to keep them covered when possible. Being a successful pup parent oftentimes comes down to how well you can set your pup up for success. So if you know your pup is going through an extreme biting phase, consider keeping that skin covered when at home. It can be wearing socks, long sleeves and pants, and other things like that! When the puppy biting phase is at its worst, every little bit of help is important! Dogs are obviously very skilled at helping each other learn what is okay for play, and what is too aggressive. One quick note on socializing your puppy is that you should always be there to monitor them! Be active and aware and be ready to intervene if the play gets out of hand or aggressive. Some dogs have lower levels of patience with puppy biting, so be aware of how the other dogs are responding. Many pup parents find that the more they can correctly socialize their puppy, the milder the puppy biting will become. If you can effectively teach them a behavior that they can only do without biting then you'll be much closer to no biting! While there are plenty of alternative biting behaviors you can teach, here are some favorites:. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. You turn your attention back to your computer screen and suddenly feel little teeth grabbing at your sock! You look down. Your once-angelic puppy is now having a full on game of tug-of-war with your pant leg! This cute baby is now more like a furry little monster. You get up and try to walk away, but the fur alligator is still attached, munching away at your trousers and having the best time! If this sounds like your life, read on to learn how to stop a puppy from biting. Why Do Puppies Bite? Believe it or not, this scenario is actually very common! Biting is one of the most natural things in the world to a young pup; and they do it for many reasons. You would be left with your feet and mouth to interact, taste and feel your environment. Now, what if you had puppy paws — incapable of grasping anything? That leaves you with one final way to interact — your mouth. For good measure, add in the incredible curiosity of a child. How many times do you see a baby grab things with their hands and pop them into the mouth? Puppies have that same mindset. Your mouth strength and play bite helped you communicate and determine your rank in society. Your mouthy mojo gave you respect in canine culture. Puppies interact with their surroundings largely through their mouths. Labradors, like most sporting breeds, have the drive to chase after prey, put it in their mouths, and bring it back to you. This translates into a strong need to chew. They will try this same tactic with their human pack members. If ignored, one bite on the toe is often enough to get the focus back on them. Remember, to a puppy even negative attention is still attention. Terrible Teething When you add teething into the mix, you have the recipe for a furry gator. Most pups will have an increased need to chew while teething , which can begin at 6 weeks and last to 8 months of age. Unlike teething, there is no magical age that puppies grow out of a learned mouthing behavior. Thankfully, with positive training, most dogs eventually lose interest in chewing on their owners. Types of Biting: Aggression or Play? Puppies use their teeth in many ways. However, this is actually just very intense play. Play biting can be accompanied with growling and snarling. This is just part of the fun to a young pup. Instead, we will look into how we can prevent playful mouthing. However, it is important to recognize the signs of aggression. Pay attention to the timing of the biting as well. If so, the motive behind the bite may be more aggressive. Could it be Resource Guarding? Some dogs also aggressively bite when they are guarding a toy or food item, commonly called resource guarding. With resource guarding, you will see the same behavior as aggressive biting, but they will also stand over an object and defend it from any perceived threat. If you think your puppy is behaving aggressively, seek professional help to learn how to actively manage this issue. In contrast to this, playing puppies will be relaxed and have a wiggly body. They will be bouncy, easily roll onto their backs and often be panting with open mouths. Even if they are growling, a relaxed face and body mean a happy puppy. What Can Trigger Biting? Do you really want your pound Labrador to target your hands as a toy later? Children Little kids tend to excite puppies more than adults. Children move erratically, run around, make strange sounds and have a lot more energy. Puppies can easily associate them with toys. Ankle Biters Puppies target fast moving objects that excite their prey drive. Your feet moving by at their eye level can be irresistible. After all, what self-respecting puppy would snub shoes with those floppy laces that are perfect for playing tug? How do we do this? Redirection with Hands When training your puppy, always have a toy to offer. Remember, puppies are like babies. Your job is to redirect them to fun toys instead of human skin. You must do everything possible to make toys extremely attractive so the puppy chooses them over your clothing, hands or feet. Redirection with Kids You can also use redirection around children. First, teach your puppy to use interactive toys and then show your child how to play with the puppy correctly. In the event that your dog forgets, teach your kids to be a tree when their puppy begins to bite them or their clothes. This position makes them less interactive to the puppy. They look boring and the puppy will lose interest. Most bites occur because the child is running or moving erratically. Remember, dogs have the same prey triggers as wolves. If something is running away, it looks like prey. Your job, therefore, is to have an even more amazing toy than your feet. You can take a toy, tie it to a rope, and then tie the rope to your belt so that you are dragging the toy whenever your pup is out. If your puppy is coming for your feet, stop moving them and wave the toy around excitedly instead. Once the pup is attached to the toy, you can start walking again. This way, they will pounce on the toy instead of you! Bite inhibition simply means that the puppy learns not to apply too much force behind their teeth. They apply gentle, but firm, pressure to their greeting. Puppies also learn to limit this pressure with their mouths by feedback from pack members. When puppies are little, they learn bite inhibition through play with their siblings. If two pups are tussling, and one bites down too hard, the other puppy yelps loudly. This startling sound usually causes the offending party to let go. The play stops for a few minutes, as the first pup nurses his wounded ego. Play then resumes, but with less brutality. Instead, let the puppy release your hand and then simply get up and and move away from your pup while ignoring them. Your job is to teach them when they bite down on you, the fun stops. Ignore them for about a minute, then return and resume the play and praise them when they focus on the toy. If they bite you too hard again, repeat this process. You can either step over a puppy barrier or go into another room and shut the door. Just make sure they are in a puppy-proof area, as they may take out their frustration on inappropriate household items. You can also keep the puppy on a leash while playing with them. If they bite you, you can calmly tether them to something and then walk out of their reach. Your goal is to correct the puppy only by taking away your fun presence. You should not be threatening or angry. Give them the appropriate time out from the fun interaction to settle down, and then come back with a toy to redirect their energy. Once they understand they have to be gentle, you can then start to ask more of them by ending the game with lighter and lighter pressure on your skin. Finally, you can take the game to the highest standard — no teeth on human skin at all. If you slowly progress to this over weeks, you teach your pup to have a soft mouth. If they do feel the need to put their teeth on a human, they know not to put much pressure into their bite. You need to teach your puppy that human skin is fragile and requires a softer touch than a canine interaction. Your goal for this exercise should be to help your puppy understand that the play and fun things continue as long as they keep their teeth on their toy and not on you! More Ways to Stop Your Puppy Biting While the yelp and time-out method works for most pups, there are additional ways to reinforce good behavior. When your puppy bites your hand, they get a terrible taste. You can use anti-chewing sprays like Bitter Apple to make your hands less appealing. When your puppy bites you, be still and wait for them to react to the bitter taste. When they let go, praise them and redirect them onto a treat or toy. You want the crate to always be associated with only good things. Crates also should be in the middle of the household, with the rest of the pack — not isolated. This is the same way other canine pack members would isolate them. A laundry room or puppy pen works well for this exercise. Make sure the room is comfortable and safe for your puppy. When the puppy is too stimulated, calmly put him in the room with some teething toys and leave. Teaching them interactive games like fetch or bringing you a toy to tug helps show them that they can have even more fun when they play by your rules. Positive play helps develop a bond with your dog. You never want to avoid it, you just want to show them how to play without biting you. Teaching puppies to retrieve objects helps to tire them out, gives them something positive to chase, and focuses their bite on an appropriate item. Plus, most Labradors are pretty good at retrieving! Remember, anytime we ask a puppy to stop a behavior, it should be because they are rewarded in an even more exciting and positive way for doing something else and things our way. The following video shows how. Video: How to Stop a Puppy from Biting This video shows how to use clicker training to stimulate a puppy in situations where they normally would bite; and then reward them when they choose a closed mouth and calm interaction. Dominant Puppies Dogs are individuals. However, as puppies mature, there may be the rare pup that uses biting as a way to take charge. Dominant puppies may bite to show you that they want to be the boss as they mature. This happens naturally among littermates, as all packs have a pecking order. This reinforces to them that you are backing down and that they are the leader in the relationship. Always remain calm and assertive with your puppy, but end the game as soon as they begin vying for leadership instead of playing. Remember, the alternative to not training your dog is a large animal putting his mouth on people. Be patient with your puppy. Remember, mouthing and biting are normal parts of canine culture. If you stay patiently positive, train consistently, and redirect and reward good behavior, you will soon see a puppy that learns to bring you a tug toy instead of shredding your trousers. It is not intended to be nor can it be considered actionable professional advice. It must not be used as an alternative to seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. Please consult a professional before taking any course of action with any medical, health or behavioral related issue. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links. Lab puppies are incredibly cute, but their teeth really hurt when they are puncturing your skin every time you try to play. No one likes to be bitten, so how can you get a lab puppy to stop biting? The best way to stop a Lab puppy from biting is through a combination of proper exercise, training, redirection, and the use of positive affirmation. Most owners attempt at least one of these methods, but it is the combination and use of all of them that will effectively curb unwanted biting. Keep in mind that before you can stop it effectively, you should know why Labrador puppies bite so much. Additionally, know when they tend to naturally stop biting. Only then can you effectively begin to work on preventing them from biting. Lab puppies use their mouths to explore their environment and gather important information. When puppies are growing their adult teeth, they will often chew to soothe the ache along their gums. Labs may also bite to play or out of fear and aggression. Biting for Sensory Information When a puppy bites something, they learn how hard they can bite it, what it tastes like, how it feels, and if they can bite it again. All of this information is stored in a mental catalog your dog looks back on when encountering a similar object. This learning process is very important for puppies to become well-socialized dogs. When a puppy bites another puppy too hard they will lose their playmate. Biting too hard can have negative repercussions! Biting for sensory information is a totally normal behavior for puppies and even adult dogs. Since they don't have hands to explore with, their mouths are the only option. However, if you don't want your dog's mouth on you or your belongings, there are ways to stop this biting but we'll get to that later! Biting for Teething As your Lab matures, their mouths will start to change. Once their adult teeth begin to push up through their gums, the teeth they were born with begin to fall out one by one. It is the same process humans go through when their baby teeth come in and are later replaced with adult teeth. Just like with humans, this process is somewhat painful and incredibly uncomfortable. To help quicken the process, puppies will chew on things to wear down the gum between the new tooth and their mouth. This practice is also very soothing for puppies, especially if they chew on something cold. Biting for Play vs Biting for Aggression In the wild, dogs and wolves play by wrestling around and biting one another. Since your dog sees you as a member of its pack, they will try to play with you in a similar way. Of course, this biting still isn't ideal, but it's important to know the difference between play and real aggression. When a dog bites out of aggression, it is because they are scared, or you are asking them to do something they really don't want to do. Biting out of aggression is important to watch and fix at a young age so you don't end up with an aggressive dog. The most significant indicator of aggressive biting is body language. When a puppy is being playful, their body and facial muscles are relaxed. When a puppy is biting out of aggression, their body will be stiff or frozen, their face will have a lot of tension in it, and their lips may be pulled back in a snarl or growl. If you are seeing a lot of aggression in your puppy, you should contact your Veterinarian to make sure they are not in pain. When a dog suddenly becomes aggressive, they may have an unseen condition that is causing them to lash out. If you get a clear bill of health, you should seek the help of a professional trainer to help you. As we said earlier, as your Labrador matures, they will start to develop adult teeth. This change usually occurs around 12 to 16 weeks of age; the process will reach its end at about 7 months. Therefore, if your Lab is biting to soothe its gums, then the biting should end around the same time their teeth have fully grown in. If your puppy is biting for sensory information and play, it will lessen as your Lab matures and begins to slow down. While there is no magic number that says when your Lab will calm down , it usually happens between the ages of 2 and 4. First, don't hit your puppy as punishment. They aren't doing anything wrong in their mind because biting is natural. You also can't decide when it is and isn't okay to bite. Doing so can cause great confusion. When trying to prevent your Lab from biting, a few tips can help you. Exercise, training, redirecting, and positive affirmations are your secret weapons against those adorable, tiny, sharp teeth. Exercise Exercising your Lab daily will cause them to be too exhausted to do anything but sleep, let alone bite you. You can exercise your Lab by playing fetch, going on walks, or using enrichment toys. Training First, I recommend formal fundamental training before attempting anything specialized. Training your Lab not to bite sounds complicated, but it can be as easy as slapping some butter and seasoning on. If your Lab is biting YOU, put some butter on your arms and clothes wear they like to bite you. Show the butter to your Lab, and when they lick at it, say "yes, kisses, yes. This associates the word "kisses" with the act of licking and the yummy taste your dog gets. The next time your Lab tries to bite you, say "kisses," they should start to lick you instead as they try for the yummy taste. If your Lab is biting furniture or shoes, there is another approach. Grab a spicy seasoning, like paprika or taco seasoning, and sprinkle it on the places your Lab chews. Then, the next time they go to chew it, they will get a nasty taste in their mouth and leave the thing alone! Redirecting Redirecting your dog to things they are allowed to chew on when playing is another way to avoid being bitten. Have some good chew toys handy whenever you are playing with your Lab. When your Lab starts to bite you, show them a chew toy and try directing the bite towards it. After a while, your puppy should go after its toys instead of you. This type of training takes time , but is proven to be very effective. Positive Affirmation When your dog does what you want, whether it's licking or going for a proper toy, make sure you give them lots of praise. Tell them how good they are and even provide them with a treat or two! Final Thoughts Biting is a natural part of a Lab's life, but it is crucial to decipher playful nips and aggressive ones. Playful body language is loose and relaxed Aggressive body language is stiff and snarling If you are seeing a lot of aggressive body language in your Lab, make sure they are healthy and contact a trainer A Lab will probably stop biting after they stop teething If your Lab doesn't stop biting after teething, they should stop upon reaching maturity between 2 and 4 years of age Exercise, training, redirecting, and positive affirmation are the best ways to stop biting NEVER hit your dog to stop biting. This awful biting time with puppies seems like it will go on for ever, but actually it only lasts a few weeks - mostly by the time the new teeth have come through, at about four to five months, the biting stops, and soon you will find you have a dog with a gentle mouth. You may not realize it, but your puppy is already being careful to some extent - if you have ever fed a puppy a raw chicken wing, for instance, you will know that he would be completely capable of biting right through your fingers, if he really wanted to. He is already pulling his punches, and now just needs your help to learn that human skin is more delicate than the thick fur of his mother and siblings. Your puppy sounds like he gets wound up and overtired the mad running around the house. This is the time a crate or quiet area can work wonders. Stay calm, keep giving him toys and chews to chomp on instead of your hands, refuse to interact with him when he bites you - even a second or two of no attention will help him to realize you really don't like it. Grabbing his cheeks and pulling him obviously doesn't work, he probably thinks it's some kind of game, and the attention you are inadvertently bestowing on him in that way seems to be making the situation worse.It will help if you teach him what you DO want, which is calm, gentle behaviour. Don't forget to praise him quietly and calmly when he is being good and quiet. I found holding one end of a chew such as a bully stick , so that we were interacting without him actually hurting me, helped. I also found that working out a routine was very helpful, so that we would go outside to play, then he would have his food, go out again to pee, then I would put him in his bed in the crate or behind a gate for a rest. Don't panic, this is very normal puppy behaviour, and I guarantee it will pass. You will get there. In a couple of months you'll be telling us what a delight he is.Print How to stop your puppy from biting your hands and feet — fast! Have you ever watched a litter of retriever puppies play with each other? They are all mouths and feet as they growl, bite and paw at each other. Over time, if left to it, each pup will naturally figure out their place in the pack. However, when you bring your Lab puppy home there are no longer littermates with whom to tussle. And the result is often that your Lab puppy will start biting and growling at you! The problem is that puppy teeth are sharp. Very sharp! And when your puppy bites you, even if they are playing, it hurts. So, what can you do to stop this behavior before it gets out of hand and you find yourself or someone in your family injured by your puppy? Before I go any further, I want to be clear about what we are talking about. You should seek professional help and evaluation. Why puppies bite and growl Puppy play is a kind of training for a dog as they grow and mature. It is also a way that dogs determine rank within a group. Remember, dogs are pack animals. In a pack there is only one Alpha lead dog. Every other dog is under the authority and control of that dog. No two dogs share the same rank. So, while biting and growling starts as play, it does not stay that way. All dogs, whether in a group of dogs or a human family, want to understand their place in the family. They need to know their place. It helps they be more mentally balanced and will help solve a multitude of behavioral problems. Once a puppy or dog understands where they rank in the pack, they often assume that place, at least for a while. Remember, they are dogs. They are not robots so occasionally they may challenge their position, but if the boundary remains clear, the challenge is short lived. Biting, nipping and playful growling at a human can become a challenge of dominance. If your puppy is young, you can quickly and easily end this behavior by establishing boundaries and consistently enforcing these boundaries each and every time your puppy shows this type of behavior. If you have let this behavior go on for a while, you may be in for quite a fight to take back your authority. Biting is not the same as chewing A puppy biting your hand or feet is not the same as a puppy chewing on a shoe, toy or other item. All puppies have a need to chew. As their puppy teeth grow and their adult teeth come in, it is common for dogs to chew on things to relieve the pain and help the new teeth to come in. This should not be discouraged, but rather encouraged on an appropriate item like a chew toy, nylabone or rawhide. And if this works, this is an appropriate solution. Instead, it is likely an issue of dominance. How to stop puppy from biting you Biting is just one puppy dominance behavior. There are many others such as jumping on you, putting a paw on your feet, and lifting and placing paws on your arms or legs. The behaviors I have listed are often gateway behaviors that escalate into more aggressive or troublesome behaviors like stealing food off your plate or the counter, pushing you out of the way when going through doors and pulling you around on a lead. Start by establishing firm boundaries The first step to stopping your puppy from biting or mouthing you is to set up firm boundaries for your puppy. You can set these up for not only biting but for all dominance behaviors. So, what is a boundary? Well, here are some examples. Some people we have worked with are okay with their puppy mouthing their hand as long as there is no tooth pressure. If you feel the same way, then make that a boundary. But if there is any tooth pressure, a swift and consistent correction will follow. This boundary is stronger and does not give the dog any room for confusion. In fact, they often will understand what your boundaries are but will test that standard against everyone else in the family. Each person needs to set and enforce boundaries. React with firm consistent corrections After you establish the boundary, you now need to react every time your puppy or dog crosses that boundary. Each and every time! There can be no room for confusion. Your corrections must be swift and consistent. Not all dogs react to the same level of pressure. For some dogs, this squeeze and strong words will be all it takes to stop the behavior. Especially if you are consistent in your correction. But some dogs have a stronger or more challenging personality. This will give your puppy a taste of his own medicine since his puppy teeth are sharp and will pinch into his lips or flews. You must be consistent. How long will it take to stop my puppy from biting me? If you are firm and consistent, the behavior should stop for the most part in a day or two. Some dogs require more pressure, some less. Your puppy should feel some discomfort. That is okay. The point is to show your puppy that biting hurts and that it is not an acceptable behavior. When nothing seems to work If you puppy is a bit older and has been getting away with biting and mouthing you for a while, you may struggle to end this behavior. Often the problem is a strong dominance issue that needs to be addressed. If your puppy continues to snap or bite at you even after a correction, you likely need to exert some dominance over your puppy. This is similar to what a mommy dog does to a puppy that is not behaving. Humans can do the same thing to show dominance over a rebellious puppy. I know, it sound a bit ridiculous but it really does work. Instead, remain calm and patient. Stay in control. Reacting with emotion can lead to strong reactions or punishment that you will later regret. The point is to show your dog that you are the Alpha in the relationship, and you can and will determine what behavior is acceptable. Biting is not love As a professional dog trainer, I am always surprised at what some of clients consider appropriate behavior. Some owners feel that setting boundaries and enforcing those boundaries means that you do not love your dog. That you need to accept all dog behaviors otherwise you do not love your dog. This is a false and faulty mindset. We have seen clients who have been injured by their dog multiple times and they still refuse to take steps to end the behavior. That is not love. What if the next person that dog bites is a child? Would you be able to live with that? A dog that is allowed to continue harming humans is only one bite away from having to be put down. It may sound harsh, but it is the sad truth. Some people may argue that the dog is unable to understand what they are doing is wrong. This is not based on reality. Dogs are very smart. They can learn to do amazing things and become incredible hunting partners and family companions. But they rarely achieve this potential without an owner who cares enough to set boundaries and enforce them. Final thoughts on how to stop my puppy biting me all the time You can stop your puppy from biting you and others if you are willing to take the steps necessary to make your dog understand that biting is not an acceptable behavior. A firm consistent correction each and every time your puppy bites will quickly teach your puppy to stop biting. These corrections will not harm your relationship with your puppy, but will, in fact, enhance it. Your puppy will quickly learn where the boundaries are and how to operate within those boundaries. We see it time and again, once a puppy is taught that there are boundaries, they quickly adjust and become wonderful loving and obedient family members. Help, my Lab puppy keeps biting me! But as your kids approach the puppy, he starts biting and nipping them, causing a few surprised cries. The AKC says Labradors are an affectionate breed, treating adults, children, and other animals like family without causing any trouble. Labradors are easy to train and receptive to learning new commands since their main goal is to please their families. Do All Labrador Puppies Bite? As your new puppy settles into their new home, they are many stimulants, and he needs time to get to know your family, its new surroundings, and that not all slippers are a toy. Just as when people move to a new house, city, or country, your new Labrador puppy is exploring the world. This process will take a few weeks, so be patient. But what happens when he suddenly starts biting you and your kids? Every family that gets lab puppies faces this challenge. Although your puppy is only a few pounds, Labrador puppy biting is still painful. Many owners worry that the behavior will continue into adulthood, especially when biting becomes an ongoing issue. The good news is that there is usually a short time frame that you have to experience this. So in reality, Labrador puppy biting is primarily instinctual. Reason 1: Teething Puppies Sometimes, a Lab puppy biting is simply due to teething. Teething is uncomfortable, so your pup likely just wants to relieve that discomfort in any way possible. If that means biting a chew toy or your fingers, then so be it. Once your Lab puppy has its teeth, it might stop biting and nipping. You can help ease his comfort by offering him teething toys for puppies, like frozen chew toys. Reason 2: Excitement Biting Behavior Your new Lab puppy could get excited by just about anything: Your kids squealing, shouting, or crying, and adults shouting or being angry can set off your Lab puppy biting with its sharp teeth. The solution: Deter your puppy from biting you by redirecting him to what he can bite, like a toy. Reason 3: Biting for Attention Most Labrador puppies are receptive to conditioning and positive reinforcement. Dog lovers know that dogs crave attention from their families, but Lab puppies are extreme attention seekers. They love any form of contact with their families, whether playing, petting, or even just eye contact. So if your pup gets these responses from you while biting, he will interpret them as attention. The solution: Stop giving your puppy the attention he wants when he bites so he learns not to associate the two. When puppies are with their mom and siblings, the mom teaches them how hard they can bite each other without it being too painful through play fighting. Your Lab puppy learns how to calibrate strength based on his own family experience. Do Labrador Puppies Bite Children? One major adjustment is the play-biting: A small Lab puppy has a powerful bite and can cause pain, especially to such sensitive skin. The downside is that Lab puppies are more likely to bite children and teenagers than adults. It all comes down to learning how to interact with the puppy. Children and teenagers are inherently more confusing for a Lab puppy. The great news is that you can stop your Lab puppy from biting your kids through consistent training, but the training should be on both sides. Your kids also need to learn how to play and interact with the puppy, understanding its boundaries and playing just enough to keep them from overexciting. You plan to throw a chew toy into the yard for him to chase — but before you can throw it, he suddenly starts nipping and tugging at your hands while making odd puppy sounds that sound dangerously close to snarling. You might also be worried that you have a puppy displaying aggressive biting behavior. Most of the time, they mean no harm and just need a little training to control it! Without the proper guidance and education, many of these methods might be wrong: Instead of discouraging your puppy from biting, you could unintentionally reinforce it. Puppy Biting Tip 1: Discourage Play Biting Whatever stage of puppy development your adorable pup is in, he will always crave attention. If you encourage and reward play biting, he will associate it with attention, praise, and treats, causing him to do it more. So if your puppy has entered its biting phase and is displaying rough or aggressive behavior, stop yourself from giving any reaction. Simply follow rigid training steps, and it will eventually stop. Although that might be very hard to do because a Lab puppy is so adorable, you will thank yourself in the future for doing this. In fact, it might even make things worse. When you punish your Labrador, he might learn to fear you. This can worsen the biting and lead to your puppy developing more aggressive behavior as an adult. Some people also do a light swat on their puppies when they misbehave. When your pup starts biting, remain calm and follow positive training methods rather than negative ones. This is especially true when it comes to a nipping Labrador puppy. While a biting puppy is normal puppy behavior, without proper training and techniques, your Labrador might bite well into adulthood. Step 1: Teach Small Children Boundaries The first step in your training routine should be teaching your kids how to interact with the puppy. But if they start barking and biting out of excitement, you must stop playing with them immediately. Instead, pick up the toy and step away. Bite inhibition is when you teach your puppy how much is too much. After that time-out, you can return to the room and resume whatever activity you were doing. As your puppy learns to bite with less intensity, you can start training it not to put your hand in its mouth. This training takes time, so be patient, and you will see a positive result. Step 4: Reinforce with Additional Training You can also use other training techniques to reinforce positive behavior. Move your hand closer to the puppy and follow the same technique. If the puppy bites you, walk away from it. As you train the puppy to tolerate your hand getting closer to it without biting, you can finally keep your puppy calm and play safely without causing overstimulated biting. Puppies and dogs might go back to their bad habits if you change how you interact with them, so being consistent is crucial. Remember that children tend to take more time to learn training steps, so always reinforce the boundaries and supervise them during playtime in the early training days. Be patient and give your puppy time to learn. Seek help from professional trainers. Professional dog trainers are experienced in redirection, toy-play, and bite inhibition training to give you helpful tips and tricks. Take your puppy to puppy school. There are hundreds of puppy schools and programs that teach puppies good manners. Remember to never punish your puppy for biting. Invest in some good toys, such as different chew toys or Kong toys, so you always have something to redirect him towards. Conclusion Whether teething, scared or just excited, most Labrador Retriever puppies bite for various reasons. Unfortunately, those sharp little puppy teeth can hurt — so if you notice some unwanted biting from your Lab puppy, you should immediately start training him into different behavior. Learn more about what we do and check out our available Labrador puppies today! Share on. Calm puppy behavior. Conflicting advice on how to stop your pup biting Many articles will tell you to ignore a puppy when he bites and to offer him a toy instead. Some people will tell you to punish your biting puppy. Others will tell you that you must not stop your puppy biting too suddenly, or punish him for biting, for fear of drastic consequences later. So who is right, and who is wrong? Does ignoring stop your puppy biting? Many new puppy owners try to ignore the biting puppy initially. This failure tends to be for one or more of the following reasons. Does noise stop puppy biting? There is no doubt that a sufficiently loud squeal, followed by immediate withdrawal of attention, will cause many Labrador puppies to break off from biting. Sometimes long enough for a skilled owner to then redirect the puppy into a more appropriate activity. There is also no doubt that for some puppies, this has the reverse effect, and causes them to bite harder and more fiercely. A puppy that has spent sufficient time with his Mum, may be more likely to take heed of this verbal warning, as he will expect it to be followed by a sharp click of her teeth and a fiercer rebuke if he ignores her. But there are no guarantees here. And the fact is, squealing simply does not work as an effective anti-biting strategy, for some puppies. Punishing the puppy to stop biting I have heard, even quite experienced, breeders tell new puppy owners to punish their puppy if he bites. Either by intimidating the puppy with an angry growling voice, or even with physical punishment such as a scruff shake or slap. But there are problems with this approach. This process is called bite inhibition. And the use of punishment may curtail all biting rather than just the hardest, most painful, bites. Nowadays many people like to train dogs without punishment. And there are strong reasons for joining them — check out this article — the downside of punishing dogs. Teaching puppy to stop biting Why would we want to teach dogs to bite humans gently? Why is it not best to teach them not to bite at all, right from the start? The idea of reducing biting gradually was popularised by Ian Dunbar. The theory is that a dog which learns to inhibit his bite i. You can read more about bite inhibition here: Labrador Puppies Biting. The concept is a sound one, and most canine behaviorists agree that teaching gradual bite inhibition is a good thing. The problem for many new puppy owners, is stopping those painful bites in the first place! The first step is not a technique at all, but an adjustment in the expectations that we have of a small puppy How much do Lab puppies bite? New puppy owners tend to have false expectations of puppies. They also anticipate that stopping a puppy from biting will be a fairly quick and simple matter. None of these expectations is true. Most puppies bite hard, frequently and growl fiercely whilst they are doing it. This noise is not a sign of aggression see Help my puppy is aggressive. Stopping a puppy from biting is a process, a journey. And it can be temporarily an uncomfortable one! It is important to accept that there is no guaranteed way of stopping biting immediately. Indeed, as we have seen, bite prevention rather than inhibition may be a bad thing in any case. Supervise your puppy around children Once you have got your head around the fact that this process will take some time, that it will be a gradual thing, you need to think about how you are going to protect any children that might come into contact with the puppy. This is important because small children can, both hurt and, be hurt by small biting puppies. Calm your puppy to stop him biting The next priority is to keep your puppy calm. Overexcited puppies bite harder and more frequently than less excited puppies. This will merely start the biting up all over again. There are lots of ways to interact with puppies without physically playing with them. Check out our article on playing safely with your dog. What to do when a puppy bites When your puppy bites you really hard, take immediate action. Stand up, move away from him and completely withdraw your attention. You can try the squeal thing if you want to. This works well with some puppies. Be ready for it, and repeat your actions. If the puppy chases after you, biting at your legs and feet, step over a baby gate, or pop him in his crate for a few minutes. You can read up on this process in more detail in this article: How to cope with biting. Remember, puppies enjoy chewing , and teething puppies need to chew on something. Whilst you and your clothing are not suitable chew toys, you need to provide your puppy with alternatives, like Kong toys. How to stop your puppy biting Biting is normal Biting should be inhibited in stages Training takes time The key points to take away from this are that biting is normal, and that training a puppy not to bite takes time. Stop the painful bites first, then work on putting a stop to mouthing. If what you are doing is not working, you probably just need to be more patient and persistent. If your children are suffering, you need to separate and supervise. Work hard on keeping your puppy calm — it makes the biggest difference. How to train a puppy not to bite Is it normal for puppies to bite a lot? Yes it is! Almost all puppies bite and some bite much harder than others. How long do puppies teeth and bite? With some exceptions, puppy biting will stop by the time your puppy has his full set of grown up teeth at 7 months. Fortunately, you can stop your puppy from biting long before they have cut all their adult teeth. Do puppies grow out of biting? If you do nothing at all, to teach a puppy not to bite, the biting would likely subside over the next few months. But its very easy to do the wrong thing, and actually encourage a puppy to bite more. And in those cases, play biting can become very rough and the relationship between a young dog and their family can break down. Do All Labradors Bite? Anyone who shares their home with a 10 or 12 week old puppy will tell you that Labradors bite! And I can reassure you that this applies to all Labradors in the first few months of life. Fortunately this is a phase puppies go through and not a permanent character flaw. And most adult Labradors are indeed very good natured dogs. And also at what is normal, and what is not. If your children are in tears at being bitten every time they try to play with and cuddle their new friend, you may be wondering if your puppy is becoming aggressive. You may even worry that your children might be at risk. Fortunately I can reassure you that this is not the case. While your puppy may frighten your children with his sharp teeth and growling. The way he is behaving now does not mean he will be a threat to their safety in the future. Happily, studies have shown that behavior in small puppies is not predictive of the way that they will behave as adults! Why Do Puppies Bite Children? Some breeders will not sell puppies to homes where there are small children. This is because puppies often bite children and teenagers harder and more persistently than they bite grown-ups. It is normal for small puppies to make small children cry, but before you rush your puppy off to the local shelter, bear with me a moment, because I can help with that. Children give off conflicting signals to the puppy. Fortunately there are lots of ways to make it easier on yourself and on your kids. In short, you need to be a little patient at this point, and it helps to know that this phase does pass quite quickly. And that it is completely normal for all puppies to bite a lot, and to bite children with particular enthusiasm! It has to be said, Labradors are even more bitey than some other breeds of dog during this stage in their development. In fact, retrievers generally tend to be very bitey as puppies. As can the pain of being bitten. Puppy bites do hurt. And sometimes they leave marks. Pain, bruising, scratching, little tooth marks on your toddler, these are all part and parcel of raising a puppy. Some very enthusiastic puppies will even draw blood on occasions. All this is normal, but I will explain what you can do about it. Perhaps the most serious concern that new puppy parents have, is the fear that their puppy is becoming aggressive. What really worries people is the snarling. When puppies play, they practice being fierce. They throw themselves into the whole play acting thing with huge enthusiasm. And they are brilliant at it. And the most important part of that game is to make as much noise as possible and to sound as angry as possible. So, all puppies growl or snarl ferociously when they play, while they are biting, and sometimes when they are trying to entice their poor owners into yet another game. His little face will be all scrunched up, his lips drawn back, his teeth showing. So he has no idea that he is frightening your children or that you are wondering if he is turning into a horrible aggressive and dangerous beast. Please do be reassured, that however fierce your ten week old puppy sounds. It is just a game. He is truly just playing. Normal Puppy Play Behavior So, the hard truth is, all puppies bite. And many puppy bites are quite painful. Some Labrador puppies bite more than most, and biting a lot, and growling or snarling at the same time is normal. So is biting so hard that it makes your eyes water, and even occasionally breaks the skin. Puppies bite at hands that go to stroke them, at bare feet, and happily tug away at clothing, all the while trying to sound as fierce as they possibly can. All this is normal. And you, quite naturally, will want to know exactly when it is going to stop! When Do Puppies Stop Biting? It also happens in working dog families where the dogs may be kennelled or at least are not allowed unsupervised interaction with anyone apart from their trainer or main carer. A study carried out on Guide Dog puppies in showed that simply rejecting interaction and refusing to play was enough to stop the puppies biting their adult puppy walkers. But, and it is a big but — in most young families, this is not always what happens. In many families, especially where the puppy is a novelty, everyone plays with the puppy, and often in quite a physical way. This gets puppies very excited and tends to make biting worse. Inexperienced puppy owners also tend to inadvertently prolong the biting phase by rewarding the puppy with attention when he bites. The more excited they get, the harder they bite. Rough physical play gets puppies excited, rubbing puppies tummies, chasing puppies, grabbing at puppies. All these things get puppies bubbling with excitement Noisy behavior can get puppies excited too, so children squealing, or crying, grown ups shouting or getting cross. You might not think you are rewarding your puppy for biting, but you probably are. Labrador puppies are particularly social and love attention more than most puppies do. Any kind of contact with you, or other members of the family, including physical contact, talking, shouting, even eye contact, all reward your puppy. And if you give him these things while he is biting, this will reinforce the biting behavior and he will bite more in the future Poor bite inhibition What makes the bites hurt more, is poor bite inhibition. So the next section explains what bite inhibition is and how you can help your puppy improve his. What Is Bite Inhibition? At just eight or nine weeks old , Labrador puppies are actually capable of crushing bones the thickness of your little finger, with their jaws. Your puppy has been learning to inhibit his bite since he was tiny. His mother and brothers and sisters all helped to teach him how hard he can bite without hurting them. This is where your training will come in. You can read more about bite inhibition and bite inhibition training in this article What About Puppy Teething? We mentioned teething earlier because people tend to associate biting with teething. So, is it true that puppies bite so much because they are teething? And how long will teething go on for? In fact, most problem puppy biting is simply play. Puppies may chew or mouth at fingers to help relieve the discomfort of teething, but this is not the major cause of the biting problems we find in homes with small puppies. Most puppies have their adult teeth by the time they are 7 months old, but biting does not usually last that long. He is growing fast and by 11 or 12 weeks those bites will hurt a lot more. The time to begin taking action is now! But for the time being, you need to put this image aside. Children under five are simply not capable of playing with a puppy under four months without getting bitten. So you need to supervise every interaction between them. Do put baby gates across doorways, even if you no longer need them for your children. Baby gates allow you to separate children and puppies when you are not free to supervise. Do show children how to stroke the puppy gently whilst you hold one end of a rawhide chew and let the puppy gnaw on the other end. It will end in tears. Playful Visitors It is not just children that play inappropriately with puppies. I have known grown men grapple roughly with a tiny puppy, rolling him around the floor, making growling noises, whilst the puppy gnaws on his knuckles. You can find out how to play safely with a Labrador in this article. Saving your sanity and enjoying your puppy If you were not expecting this, it can seem like a big deal, but supervision and some separation is essential if you are to keep your sanity, and your children are to dry their tears and carry on enjoying their puppy. With older children, you need to teach them how to interact with the puppy without getting him overwrought. Labrador puppies, like toddlers, are easily over-excited. And when they are over-excited they start to be silly. Your first job at this stage, is to keep your puppy calm. Your second job is to stop giving your puppy rewards for biting. Make sure the puppy gets no reward at all when he bites someone. Especially no attention. The next stage explains how you can do that. The process whereby the puppy learns to use his mouth gently on your skin — and it takes a little while. Bite inhibition is taught in stages. The puppy learns to reduce the power of his bites gradually. What to do when your puppy bites If your puppy bites and hurts you, remove your attention immediately. This is where baby gates can be really helpful. If you are playing with your puppy and he bites you, you can step over the gate, thus effectively removing all attention from him. All of a sudden his playmate has disappeared. What about squealing You may have heard that a puppy will stop biting if you yelp or squeal. And you can try this, because it does work with some puppies. But many puppies get even more excited by the yelping, and on others it has no effect. The strongest signal you can give your puppy is the loss of your presence and attention. What about punishment? Some people try and stop puppies biting by smacking them or shouting at them. There are several problems with this. Firstly, it tends to only stop the puppy biting the person who did the yelling. Which is of course the very opposite of what you are trying to achieve! You can find out more about the potential impact of punishing your Labrador here. What if you need to move a biting puppy? If you need to move the puppy away rather than stepping away from the puppy you may find he bites at your hands when you go to pick him up or take hold of his collar. Others bite when they are stroked or petted. We are fond of wiggling our fingers at puppies, petting them and rubbing our fingers in their fur, not behaviors that dogs really understand. And many puppies see fingers and toes as something to chase and play with. Hands are a particular target for puppy bites so teach your children to interact with your puppy using toys that he can tug and bite on, rather than playing with him using their bare hands. Distracting your puppy If you want to sit and pet your puppy, or your children do, use treats or hold a rawhide chew with one hand so he can gnaw on the end. Have your puppy wear a harness and houseline so that you can pick up the end of the line and move him to where you want him to go without his grabbing at your hands. Stage Four: Train Your Puppy Not To Bite This is where we teach the puppy to let us stroke and pet him, or handle him in any way we like, without him putting his mouth around our fingers. The best way to do this is with a clicker and some dog treats. But you can also use a word like YES instead of the click. And place a treat on the floor in front of him You see where I am going with this? Build up slowly so that you can touch him anywhere on his head or body, pick up his paws etc. All without him grabbing or mouthing at you. What do I do if he mouths at me? If the puppy grabs at your hand, you got too close. Make smaller hand movements further away from him until he ignores those, then bring the movements gradually closer. Stage Five: Playing Safely As puppies grow older biting can reappear. Puppies between six and nine months of age, are extremely boisterous, and may start nipping with their teeth during play. At this age, your puppy is more than half grown, and his size and weight are a significant problem if rough play is allowed. The secret to avoiding and resolving this issue is to change the way you interact with your puppy. And to ensure that children follow your example. Boisterous and excitable puppies must not be allowed to play rough games with small people. The consequences can be very unpleasant, and it is no coincidence that this is the age at which many young dogs are abandoned or given up to rescue. Here are a few more articles that you might find helpful:.

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german shepherd x golden retriever puppies - In order to have a well-trained guard dog, you will need to start socializing your German shepherd from a young age. During this time, the things that they see, hear, and smell are less frightening. It is important to make sure that your German shepherd puppy is well-socialized during this time so that he will confident rather than anxious or fearful. Walk him past schools when kids are around, walk beside busy roads, take him out in the rain to see people with umbrellas, expose him to a vacuum cleaner and hair dryer, and introduce him to lots of other types of dogs and people. Try to make the experiences as wide and varied as you can. To teach your German shepherd to be a guard dog, he will need to be well-behaved and you will need to train with him every day. The best way to go about this is to find a good trainer or obedience course to help you. Look for a dog trainer or training class in your area that uses modern, well-informed methods of training based on either clicker training or reward-based training. Trainers who use this method also use rewards such as treats and praise, but the clicker helps to mark good behavior. Reward-based training uses praise, treats, and other things that will motivate your dog to follow your commands. Do not use old-fashioned methods of dominating a dog, such as alpha-rolls or scruffing techniques. These methods are outdated and ineffective. Before your German shepherd can become a guard dog he needs to learn how to listen and respond to your commands. That is why it is a good idea to start with basic training commands such as sit, stay, and come back. Once your German shepherd has mastered basic commands, he will be ready to take on more challenging ones. Learn more » German Shepherds were originally bred to guard sheep. However, their innate guarding instincts make them a great breed at guarding just about anything. Still, these dogs require the proper training to be good guard dogs. In fact, certified guard dogs need specialized training as they are considered working dogs. What many owners refer to as guard dogs are actually protection dogs. A lot of preparation needs to be done when the dog is a puppy, though. German Shepherds have innate protective instincts. Without socialization, your dog may become protective of just about everything, including strange dogs and visitors. You want your dog to protect you against actual threats—not your house guests. Therefore, socialization is vital, especially when the dog is young. Group obedience classes are a great way to get this socialization. They provide a safe place for your dog to interact with strangers and other dogs. However, you also want to ensure that your dog is exposed to other sights and sounds. For instance, playgrounds, loud appliances, and umbrellas all need to be introduced when the dog is young. Puppy classes are a great place to start, as we have previously stated. However, you may also want to look into private classes if your dog needs help in particular areas. Be sure the classes you pick center around positive reinforcement training. In fact, harsher training techniques can make your dog more reactive, which is the opposite of what you want. Always be sure to ask the trainers what their methods are. There are many old-fashioned techniques that we now know are harmful to dogs, but these remain popular in some trainer circles. Clicker training, reward-based training, and positive reinforcement training are examples of science-backed techniques that work for German Shepherds. Stay away from alpha-rolls and scruffing. On top of being ineffective, these techniques can be dangerous. Training accidents can occur and German Shepherds can cause serious injuries. Therefore, a professional can help minimize these risks and make the most out of your training. Russian, German, and Japanese are common. Dogs do not respond to one language better than another. When they do so, reward them and say your chosen command word. Train a Release Command After your dog successfully attacks when asked, it is time to teach them to let go. Often, it is best to catch your dog doing this and teach the command that way. After a few tries, you can begin asking your dog to release. Have them enter your home or in a neutral place and act aggressively. Next, issue the release command and tell your dog to come back to you. Teaching a recall command is very helpful in this circumstance. It makes getting your dog back after issuing the attack command much easier. Do this a few times in many situations. However, you should also practice regularly even after they have mastered the command to ensure that they stay on their game. On the other hand, a guard dog is trained to attack and defend their home or a person. Those two jobs are very different. A German Shepherd was bred to be a guard dog. Originally, they were bred to protect sheep and other animals from thieves and predators. They actually attacked those that came near their charges. On the other hand, many small dogs were bred to be alert dogs. Smaller dogs work best in this situation, as they can remain unseen while also being very noisy. In some parts of the world, smaller alert dogs were bred next to larger guard dogs and often used as a team. The alert dog would call the guard dog to the area, where the guard dog could defend against the intruder. Conclusion German Shepherds make great guard dogs—if they are trained correctly. Socialization is also needed. Otherwise, your dog may try to protect you against just about everything. Unsocialized German Shepherds can be downright dangerous. We do recommend working with a professional, as training a guard dog yourself is difficult at home. The use of safety equipment is a must. German Shepherds will usually take to being a guard dog naturally. It's important to train them to be obedient. Learn how here. Many dogs are natural watch dogs; their bark is sufficient to alert their owner to something unusual, and the alarm they set up is a deterrent. In addition, dogs who will fight if their owner is genuinely attacked do not have to be made aggressive to do so. Training a dog specifically to be a guard dog is hazardous and potentially creates a liability for you. Misguided attempts to make a dog aggressive through abuse will only backfire because the dog will not be loyal to someone who treats them harshly, and if the dog wrongly bites someone you will be at fault. Never train dogs who are basically fearful or out of control. Such dogs may not respond appropriately in non-threatening situations. A German shepherd dog should not be selected to receive training as a guard dog unless the dog is basically friendly, stable and clear-headed, and has been well-socialized. Dogs should acquire a clear understanding of what is normal and what is not, so that they are not fearful and they know when there is a genuine threat. To socialize puppies, take them places with you, and allow them to meet and interact with as many other people and animals as possible, always taking care to keep your puppy safe from negative experiences. Dogs of any breed are prone to be shy and fearful in strange or new environments if they haven't been well socialized, and this can create a dog who bites from fear or who runs when confronted with anything unusual. STEP 2 Enroll your German shepherd dog puppy in an obedience class as soon as possible, and train your dog thoroughly in basic obedience. It is essential that your German shepherd dog is obedient at all times, but if you want to undertake guard dog training, the need for control becomes imperative. Even though the purpose behind the training is serious, dogs should enjoy obedience work and look on it as fun. Positive reinforcement, the practice of rewarding dogs when they perform correctly rather than punishing them for mistakes, serves multiple purposes by teaching dogs obedience, bonding them with their owners and letting them have fun. It also fulfills their need to work. Begin by teaching your dog to "Speak" on command, and give a treat and much praise for barking. This training eventually gives you control over the dog's bark. Have your dog sit while barking. German shepherd dogs are intelligent and will normally learn quickly. You can develop this trait by making a show of going to see why the dog is barking, offering praise, then giving the "Quiet" or "Enough" command. React positively when your German shepherd dog alerts you to unfamiliar people or objects at home, but do not allow this behavior to develop away from home. Your dog should be unconcerned about neutral or friendly strangers you meet when you are out walking. When your German shepherd dog barks, the intruder should look at the dog and then flee while you hold and praise your dog. Do not allow your pet to chase the fleeing stranger. Praise your dog highly for letting you know someone was in your territory, and stop the barking as soon as the person flees. This strengthens the dog's confidence. STEP 6 Walk your German shepherd dog on a leash around the perimeter of your property regularly to identify your territorial boundaries. Do not allow your dog to bark at people who are outside your property. Do not allow your dog to chase people under any circumstances. These dogs are tested for sound temperament and must learn to perform at a high level in tracking and obedience as well as protection work. Find a reputable club that is a member of a national or international schutzhund organization. Before joining, spend some time learning about their organization, talking to members, and watching training sessions to determine whether you have the commitment needed to seriously engage in this demanding dog sport. The most important aspect of guard dog training is control, which asserts your role as leader and normally comes from time you spend with your dog in enjoyable activities, including obedience training. A dog who is out of control and tries to be dominant can cause serious injuries and is far more of a liability than an asset. Never try to train your dog to bite or attack people. Doing so may be illegal in some states, and you place yourself at risk because you will be liable for injuries that result from an attack. Obedience All Schutzhund training starts with obedience training for a reason. The reason is that the goal is not to train a dog to attack. It is to train a dog to stay calm under extreme provocation so the dog can see clearly how best to protect their charges, or even if protection is required. The German Shepherd will learn both passive restraint barking and herding and active restraint biting and holding. Most importantly, the dog learns to mind the trainer even if the command that is given means the dog has to retreat from an attack situation. Tracking In Schutzhund training, your German Shepherd will learn a very comprehensive type of tracking that starts with scent nose work and continues with the use of training aids that simulate footprints and different types of terrain. A full competitive tracking course includes all of the elements from easiest to hardest. Short and long trails, straight and divergent trails, articles items to scavenge or identify, close quarters and distance from handler tracking and all types of terrain from wet to dry and grass to soil. Tracking in a variety of conditions teaches your dog to stay focused, manage their stress, and stay the course no matter what obstacles come before them. Protection The protection training portion of Schutzhund training and competition evaluates a German Shepherd on the three basic drives that all GSDs have: defensive drive, prey drive, and social drive. The social drive is perhaps the most important because this is the drive that bonds your dog to you. You have to know that your German Shepherd understands who they are protecting and also who must be obeyed no matter what. This is your number one protection against canine aggression. The prey drive is a deeply instinctive drive that is born of an innate urge to chase, to hunt, to bite, to eat. The prey drive is what can quickly get out of hand if a German Shepherd is not properly trained in the art of protection. The defensive drive is more of a learned drive that is based on the ancient fight-or-flight survival instinct. A dog that is defensive will have all kinds of methods at their disposal, from growling or barking to running towards or running away. Rather, their ultimate goal is to see the threat in active retreat. If barking can accomplish that, then attack will not be needed. As Schutzhund Training explains, dogs in Schutzhund training learn to use all kinds of different grips, holds, and bites to protect their charges from an aggressor. By the time the training program has been completed, the dog should be able to demonstrate mastery both at close quarters with their handler and an attacker, and at a great distance from each. There are many different training programs available today that are designed to teach dogs of any breed how to serve as personal protection and guard dogs to people. As Mountain Canine College highlights, regardless of the training program, the dog must first be evaluated to see if they are a good fit. Some dogs may be less well suited for one versus the other. As we mentioned here earlier, Schutzhund training was specifically designed in Germany for training German Shepherd dogs to serve in protective K-9 roles. In either case, the basic method always starts with obedience training. Now you can see why it is so important to take training your German Shepherd to attack so seriously. You are training an incredibly strong and powerful dog with deep instincts that must be directed appropriately for your safety and the safety of others. Watch a German Shepherd Being Trained To Attack In this impressive YouTube video clip , you can watch a professional protection dog training team putting a month-old German Shepherd dog through his paces. The dog shows incredible drive, obedience, agility, and power. The most important thing to note when watching the video is that the German Shepherd does not display aggression. Aggression is not the same as the instinct to protect, guard, or even attack. Aggression in dogs is typically a symptom of insecurity or fearfulness rather than confidence and clarity. These are just a few of the reasons why German shepherds are the second-most-popular pet dog in America, according to the American Kennel Club. However, to become as skilled as these working pups are, proper German shepherd training is essential. But what exactly does that mean? This, however, is not necessarily the case. Although a guard dog is trained to watch for danger and alert their owners, they are not necessarily trained as an attack dog — they may be only a watchdog. Either way, the goal of the guard dog is to keep their family and property safe, either by barking or by physical action. This article will focus on training your German shepherd to guard by barking, not attacking. Training any dog to do physical protection work should be managed by professionals who have firsthand experience handling and training protection dogs. Effective training, whether it be guarding or basic obedience, will include some kind of reward for your pup, whether it be a treat, toy, or some love. Master obedience training and socialization Before you can get to the nitty-gritty of guarding, you and your dog need to master the basics of obedience. A group class will help your dog practice obedience while gaining experience around other people and pets. If your German shepherd is meant to guard a person, she should first establish a bond with that person — she may become naturally protective. This will definitely take some time and practice, but consistency is key when getting your buddy to understand when to bark and when not to. At this step, adding a few more commands to your repertoire may be helpful for both of you. Practice and reward desired behaviors Perhaps the most important step of the process is practicing and rewarding the guarding behaviors you want to see. Instead, many pup parents stage a trespassing situation in which they have a stranger approach their home, self, or dog — and then reward them, of course! Training your German shepherd to be a guard dog is time-consuming and requires some hard work, but its benefits last for life. Could you ask for more in a loving, protective companion? Editors' Recommendations.

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german shepherd x golden retriever puppies - Queen Elizabeth 1 organised special spectacles for visiting ambassadors and it is said she was personally very fond of this form of entertainment. When bull-baiting ceased to be as fashionable the British Bulldog fell into the hands of the lower classes and continued its barbarous cruelty. These blood sports were outlawed in the 19th Century. The result was a much friendlier and less aggressive character that made for a loyal companion and great choice as a family pet. The shorter faced and squatter dog we see today came about in the mid s and the breed first appeared in the show ring in .The Bulldog Standard the first dog standard published was drawn up in in England by a group of fanciers determined to ensure that the purity of this native breed was not diluted or amended and that the breed retained the characteristics required for its perceived function. They are a smooth coated dog that boast being thick set, broad and compact, standing low to the ground. The large face and head of this breed is its defining physical trait, together with their very pronounced undershot jaw, with canine teeth pointing upwards, making the British Bulldog one of the most recognised dogs in the world. Average Weight: Males 25 kg, Females 23 kg Temperament The British Bulldog is considered a national treasure in the UK and is known worldwide as the personification of determination and courage. They are especially good and tolerant around children of all ages, although they can get a little protective of them. The British Bulldog is a comical character, yet they can be extremely dignified too, which are just two of the traits that make the breed so endearing to owners the world over. Health The average life expectancy of the British Bulldog is between years, although some dogs have been known to live longer, especially when properly cared for and fed an appropriate, good quality diet to suit their ages. There are some myths about the health of the British Bulldog. The most common problems seen would be with the eyes: cherry eye bulging extra tissue showing from the conjunctiva ; entropion inward rolling eye lids , ectropion loose lower eyelids and ectopic cilia extra eye lashes along the lids , which can all cause irritation to the cornea and may require surgery. These conditions, if left unattended can result in dry eye, which requires ongoing daily treatment. Most British Bulldog puppies are born via caesarian section, due to the large heads that puppies have, and also due to narrow hindquarters, which makes it hard for dams to give birth naturally. As a brachycephalic breed, some Bulldogs have long soft palates and can experience breathing difficulties. Some may require surgery. Care should be taken with these dogs in the heat. Suitability "The Bulldog is renowned for being extremely tolerant and good around children of all ages. They can become very protective over family and children, which means you need to keep an eye on things when other people are about. British Bulldogs are known to be intelligent dogs, but with this said they have a bit of a stubborn streak and they are not that easy to train. However, in the right hands and with the correct amount of consistent training, starting when dogs are still young, the breed responds well to voice commands. British Bulldogs are very sociable and love to be around their family as much as possible. They do not respond well to being left on their own for long periods. Grooming As a general rule the breed is easy to look after because they have nice, short coats. This means a weekly brush will not only keep their skin and coats in good condition, but it will help keep any shed hair under control. This is best done with a damp, not wet, cloth before towelling dry. Some have very tightly curled tails and these need to be regularly checked, cleaned and an ointment applied if necessary. Over bathing can result in an imbalance of the naturals oils found in their coat and skin, which could lead to an irritation and skin allergies. Exercise As with every dog, British Bulldogs need to be given regular daily exercise, but you have to be careful how much exercise these dogs are given during the hotter summer months. This breed does require special attention during hot weather due to them being a brachycephalic breed. British Bulldogs have short noses, which makes it harder to regulate their core body temperature in the heat. They must be left in a well ventilated, shaded area and kept cool and quiet with plenty of access to water. They should be checked often and left undisturbed on hot days. Cool mats and shallow wading pools can be useful in hot weather. The breed do have a tendency to put on weight all too easily and will happily become couch potatoes if they are allowed. This is especially true of older more mature dogs. Very large text size Advertisement Julie Saunderson sees her family's pets, a pug and two French bulldogs, as members of the family. But two, including a much loved bulldog called Daisy, suffered such agonising pain from problems typical of their breeds that the Faulconbridge family had to put them down after expensive vet treatment failed to fix the problems. Credit: Janie Barrett Rachel English, of Camden, also "loves her furbaby [a three-year-old French bulldog Benny] to pieces," but she wouldn't buy another short-headed dog after watching him struggle to breathe day to day. Typical of his breed and many other short-headed or brachycephalic dogs, Benny can't walk more than a few minutes at a time. He suffers from sleep apnoea and shakes with pain from cervical deformities. Julie Saunderson had to put her French bulldog Daisy to sleep because she suffered from terrible back pain common to the breed. Credit: Saunderson family "I don't think how they have been bred is humane: It is so unnatural for a dog to be so out of breath all the time, and have these back issues because they are so compressed," said Ms English. Her decision coincides with a backlash against these cute dogs. Experts say their flat faces, big eyes, little noses and ears — bred by design to shorten their muzzles to make them appear non-threatening — appeal to us because they look like human babies. Brachycephalic dogs include pugs, English bulldogs, French bulldogs, Boston terriers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels and shih tzus — very commonly seen in the handbags of the rich and famous. To fight the trend, the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA launched the Love is Blind campaign warning buyers to avoid buying dogs with exaggerated features, and is lobbying the kennel clubs and dog show organisers to breed dogs with longer muzzles. Those adorable YouTube videos of little dogs, mostly pugs, sleeping standing up? They can't breathe any other way. Oscar the pug had problems with his breathing, and later had to have a leg amputated. Credit: Julie Saunderson "The health problems.This X-ray shows the spine of a pug with severe problems. Credit: Darbs Darby Andrew Darby "It is nothing to do with whether you are a member of the pedigree association or not. It is to do with the selection of the parents," said Dr Norris. It is a different problem to being covered to excrement in a cage like a dog in a puppy farm , but it is just as severe," she said. Some faces are so badly squashed that their eyeballs pop out. An early pug from around .They had longer muzzles, and were much longer and taller than those bred today. Credit: Unknown But the president of the Australian National Kennel Club Hugh Gent said of the , puppies bred in , eight out of nine puppies were bred by unregistered breeders. Many breeders would not join the organisation because they wanted to operate without any scrutiny or regard for the health and welfare of the puppies they breed. Mr Gent urged the public to contact the club about problems and provide the microchip number of puppies. Like the Saundersons' and Ms English's dogs, most of these short-headed dogs are kept indoors, usually in airconditioning in summer, because their nasal passages are too narrow and compressed to let them regulate the heat through panting. Many airlines won't carry them because so many have died from overheating. Veterinarian Professor Philip Moses, from the University of Queensland, said most of these dogs present with breathing difficulties, and most need corrective surgery to some extent to improve their breathing and allow them to lead a relatively normal life. He was also frustrated by the high incidence of abnormal vertebrae, which was becoming "particularly common in the Bostons, the pugs, the French bulldogs" breeds that were becoming more popular. The marketing for these dogs was everywhere, but nothing came close to the reality. Benny can't play with other dogs, and because of the risk of heat exhaustion, he has to stay inside, with the airconditioning on when it is hot. Ms Saunderson warns buyers that these dogs will need a lot of love, care and money. We will get a big dog," she said. Can't play: These dogs overheat especially when exercising or excited. Can't give birth without a C-section or veterinary assistance: 80 per cent of bulldogs require C-sections. Can't sleep: Some have to sleep standing or sitting up. Can't see: Folds in skin often drape over these dogs eyes, and in other more serious cases, an eye ball may pop out. Source: LoveIsBlind. These are a medium-sized breed with a muscular build and stocky legs. Their hallmark feature is the many folds that form around their faces and foreheads. Can we meet in person? Have they been socialised? Full Chocolate Suit. Very rare. Fully vaccinations and chipped. Very good-natured and house-trained, but too excitable for my month-old daughter so we can't have her in the house much anymore. It's not fair on her so looking for a new home. Russell Gallagher Frank the handsome bulldog Frank is born on the .English Bulldogs temperaments are outgoing. They are a calm, people-oriented breed that's loyal, intelligent, and also great with children. Bulldogs are devoted to their families and make excellent watchdogs because of their courageous nature. Most English Bulldogs are friendly toward strangers and get along well with other pets. Like all dogs, the Bulldog should be properly socialized during puppy hood to ensure that they grow up to be well-rounded and easygoing. Training an English Bulldog isn't difficult. We can't wait to help you find the perfect addition to your home. They are very friendly and very happy babies! Puppies have be bought up on the best premium diets available to both mother and young. Serious enquiries only. D - Father of the puppies is a full UK import, with incredible bloodlines. His family tree is available to view and we have all the details of 5 generations. Mums family tree is also available and has 3 generations. Both parents are DNA clear. We are a boutique family run breeding program. We own mum and dad and you can meet them when you come to view puppies. All will be ANKC registered. Mains papers only considered for the correct candidates. We welcome you to come and visit the puppies. Puppies are ready to go to their forever homes on June 6th. Any questions welcomed. If interested please contact me. Victor Ollie just turned 1 in November,purebred British bulldog has desexed, he will sit and wait for his food until ordered to eat,living with young age baby, looking for genuine loving home. Both parents can be seen. No time wasters please. Puppy must be seen to be appreciated fully. Well socialised with young children and other dogs delivery can be arranged Jeremy Glaros bulldog pups pure breed All the pups are microchipped vet checked wormed and all have had first lot of needles all the pups weight about 9 kilos and above Johnson and Scott in the litter and ready to go to a new home Microchip numbers: Pet Exchange Register Source Number: MB Greg British Bulldog Puppies We have available 3 British Bulldog puppies 12 weeks old Vaccinated Vet check and microchipped, Worming all up to date. Mother and father are in a petite size range as adult size. Animal welfare source number: EE Microcip numbers: ,,,,, Zara Daneliuc Sweet Temperament British Bulldogs Awaiting 5star A lot of love, care and time has been invested in our dogs due to our passion for the breed. They are OUR family. We very much concentrate on breeding healthy lines and our litters are carefully thought. Our dogs are full breed profile health DNA tested reassuring our pups live a healthy long life. J British bulldog x British French bulldog PRICE FIRM RPBA Beautiful puppies 3 females 1 male ready to go 24 July mum is British bulldog dad British bulldog x French bulldog puppies have been wormed from two weeks old they are very beautiful please will only reply to calls or sms no time wasters parents are very spoil family pets very smart and friendly puppies will be ideal family Maria.