5 Reasons Your German Shepherd Puppy Keeps Biting You
If you just got a German Shepherd puppy, then you will quickly notice that they have got plenty of energy and are keen to play, but why does it keep biting me? A lot of new pet owners are often concerned about their German Shepherd puppy’s biting tendencies, as they worry that this is a behavior that will carry on into adulthood. With that being said, it is important to understand that there are a number of different reasons why your German Shepherd puppy is biting you.
Why does my German Shepherd puppy keep biting me?
Your German Shepherd puppy is probably biting you due to wanting to play, teething, following predatory instincts, curiosity, or simply seeking your attention. You can stop their biting by giving them a chew toy, distracting them, ignoring them, and giving them exercise.
Adding a German Shepherd puppy to your house is guaranteed to bring joy into your life. There is nothing more adorable and satisfying than coming home to an adorable German Shepherd waiting for you each day. These pups are a whole lot of fun, and they will certainly require a lot of attention and care from your end, which is why you want to train them properly.
One issue that a lot of owners run into with their German Shepherd puppies is biting. These dogs are notorious for biting during their puppy years, which can often be quite alarming for some new pet owners.
Although biting is natural for just about any puppy, too much of it can become quite annoying, and it’s a behavior that you want to control before they get older. To help you understand this further, we are going to take a closer look at the reasons why your German Shepherd puppy is biting you and what you can do about it.
After extensively researching German Shepherds, I have been able to gather enough information to determine why these puppies tend to bite. My research has indicated that biting is a natural behavior for German Shepherd puppies, and you can prevent it with training techniques and other clever tactics.
Reasons Why Your German Shepherd Puppy Is Biting You
We need to keep in mind that biting is natural for German Shepherd puppies and it does not mean that your dog is going to be aggressive as it gets older. The bottom line is that puppies bite and they will particularly do this during their first 7 months.
If biting continues past this point and it is becoming problematic for your household, then you should consider taking some more pragmatic measures to eliminate the behavior.
With that being said, it is important to understand why your German Shepherd puppy is biting you. This is a very common behavior for German Shepherd puppies and there are a number of different reasons why they are probably nipping and biting you.
Playfulness
The most common reason German Shepherd puppies bite is that they simply want to play. Your pup has got a lot of energy and loves to have fun, which is why playing is going to be a much-needed activity in its day-to-day life.
Once your German Shepherd puppy gets bored and wants some entertainment, don’t be surprised to find them looking at you first. They will most likely come up to you and start nipping at your hands or feet with the intention of getting you off of the couch and into play mode.
Teething
You need to keep in mind that when your German Shepherd puppy is young, it will start teething. During this phase, biting is going to be a natural instinct for them and you should not be concerned if they turn to you as the answer to their teeth settling in.
German Shepherds puppies need to chew on things while they are teething. Sometimes that means toys, shoes, and things around the house – whereas it could easily mean you.
Predatory Instincts
Although dogs have come a long way from their wolf ancestry, they are still very much relatives. Much like wolves, dogs have certain instincts that they are going to naturally follow, which can easily be one of the reasons that you are getting bit.
These pups are used to chasing and hunting prey based on their predatory instincts. If there is no prey around the house for your German Shepherd puppy to catch, they will start looking for alternatives (probably you). More often than not, these predatory instincts will kick in when you walk around the house, which is when you can expect a pounce and a nip at your toes and feet.
Curiosity
When your German Shepherd is still a puppy it will be very keen and curious to get familiar with its surroundings. They are exploring a world of scents, textures, and tastes, which is why they will be quite excited to sniff and nip at things.
When your German Shepherds curiosity peaks, one of their first instincts will be to bite the object (or human) to see how they react. If your German Shepherd is still getting familiar with who you are, they will give you a nip or two from time to time.
Attention-Seeking
German Sheperd puppies need attention and plenty of it. These pups get bored easily and will often feel restless after even a short break of inactivity. When this occurs, their first approach to relieve their boredom is going to be to bug you.
One of the most effective ways for a German Shepherd puppy to get the attention that it seeks is to give its owner a good bite to let them know that they want to be entertained.
How to Prevent Your German Shepherd from Biting
As we have just covered, German Shepherd puppies bite and this is generally not something that should make you concerned. These pups are playful wolf descendants that are curious about the world around them and will constantly seek the attention of their owners, which is why some biting is going to come naturally.
However, too much biting or biting that continues after 7 months, should be addressed and resolved, which is why you should consider implementing the following tactics.
Toys and Distractions
The best way to prevent biting is to distract your pup whenever the behavior starts. There are a number of different ways that you can do this, but the most effective is to use toys.
Your pup needs to chew on something and it does not necessarily need to be you, which is when having a chew toy handy can be very useful.
Exercise
Puppies are bursting with energy and if they do not have anywhere to use it, they will get bored, restless, and look for any excuse to play and bite. You can prevent this biting by tiring them out throughout the day.
This means that you should take frequent and regular walks, as well as use scheduled play times – instead of just when your puppy feels like it.
Ignore Your Puppy
Although this one can be hard to do sometimes, you should keep in mind that your reactions to the biting will often encourage the behavior even more. If you end up moving around a bunch to try to shake them off, they may be confused by your behavior and simply see this as a sign of playfulness.
When appropriate, try to simply ignore your puppy’s biting, as this can be a very effective strategy in some situations.
