thank you so much for this helpful and reassuring article! It’s the first helpful read I’ve had so far. Talking to other dog owners wasn’t helping me really as I thought I surely must be doing something wrong, as they kept saying “oh it will pass”.

I have a 5 month old German Shepherd from a working line of security dogs, and she does like to play attack and bite.
I’ve so far tried the textbook approaches:
When I push her back, saying “no”, it will only encourage her.
Ignoring her won’t work either because she just hangs on my sleeve growling. Walking a way to “end the game”means her attacking my ankles.
A “time out” in another room helps to calm her down sometimes.
What does help most is redirecting her to a toy that she is allowed to bite and pull. I take this toy (a rope or a little tire with a rope attached) on every walk.

It’s only playful biting, when she gets too excited, but I sure hope I can get this under control before she grows up to be a 30 kg German shepherd.

I have one question though- she never does this to my husband or other friends meeting her, she just play-attacks ME. I’m her owner (my husband has another grown up German shepherd). Why is that? Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks a lot! I just ordered your book Total recall!

Regards,
Ann

I had this same problem with my dog and what worked for us was when she stopped biting we would say yes and give her a treat. She started knowing that stopping got her rewarded. Say no bite and then when she stops, give the reward. It’s takes awhile but was the only thing that worked for us. Lots of videos on YouTube too. Hope this helps

I agree with you 100%! I have a black mouth cur/pit bull/bloodhound mix pup that had to leave mom too young at 6 weeks. She was wildly biting everything but is now 13 weeks and since we have been doing EVERYTHING you and Pippa recommend, it is getting better, very slowly! Everyone who is posting these concerns needs to carefully read the article AGAIN and give their dogs more exercise and BE patient & consistent. There is no instant solution. It takes a LOT of time & effort to have a well behaved & trained dog. Also a group puppy training class doesn’t cost a lot and will make a big difference!

You sound a lot like the trouble I am having with my 4 month old male puppy. I am at my wits end as I have used so many recommendations and none seem to work. He is antisocial even to my grown kids. He is chewing on everything in my house including my carpet regardless of what I try.

Yelp, remove yourself immediately without another word. Walk away. If you go elsewhere in your home and she can’t go there, she may whine, don’t say anything else. They don’t like being ignored. It took me a week of doing this but, Lucy is getting the message.

Remove yourself from the area or remove the dog. DO NOT SAY A WORD! Wait, the length of time as his/her age. Try again..
You may need to do this several times in a row. Consult a vet.

Oh I forgot I can get her to sit when I get my KFC chicken skin out and break off pieces. She just has this way of all of sudden biting. She has drawn blood on both arms and my ear and she is just 3 months old. She bit me 15 minutes ago and I left her have it verbally. She has sat down and hasn’t moved for the past 10 minutes.

They say don’t yell at them but it sure settles mine down when they think they have disappointed me…

No .. never hit a dog on nose