6m/o Gsd Nips, Chews Everything In Site

[jemjem*]

I have a BEAUTIFUL 6 m.o GSD. I am not breeding her. She is booked in to get desexed on the 4th jan. She nips are you hands when you point your finger and tell her to sit (then sits). She is pretty good at feeding time, but only when i feed her. IF someone else feeds her she goes crazy, won't sit, tries to get the food out of the scoop etc. but when i do she seems to be ok. She has chewed everything in site. She chewed through a VINYL bbq cover (that cost my dad a lot of money to get made) she has drapped copper logs out from behind the shed and chewed them. She has chewed all her toys. I dont have somewhere i can put her when she does something wrong (like a time out). When i come home from work she tries to pretty much jump up the screen door to try to get to me. I did sook her a bit when she was younger which i now see was a mistake coz when anyone sits down shes gotta be sitting right on your feet. (maybe i need to build a time out spot)? I don't know if she is NAUGHTY or if she SEEMS that way because my other GSD is so placid and does anything you tell him to do? She is only 6 months old... My dad is telling me to sell her as a breeding bitch before i get her desexed but i really do love her and i know she loves me and i really dont want to give her away. I want to try and improve her behaviour i just need a bit of courage and some pointers... she steals things off out back table (even fly spray bottles) and i have to go out and check all the time that she hasnt stolen something else...i really want to help her improve but i need some advise...please...anything... she isn't a digger - which i am thankful for. Will getting her desexed change her behaviour at all? Any advise would be HUGELY appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

Edited December 22, 2006 by jemjem*

[Nekhbet]

sounds like not enough leadership and just a shepherd being a shepherd. They do become attached to one owner but EVERYONE needs to be consistant in how they behave with her.

If you have not started obedience, you should have already. She nips you because she doesnt take you seriously.

You shouldnt be scooping food in front of her. Put it in the bowl, then make her sit and look at you. Give her one chance to sit, if she runs round go back inside and no food till she settles. Get harder on her because you have the opportunity to control a fairly small animal.

[Scales of Justice]

She needs more discipline and some obedience training. GSDs can be headstrong if they are allowed to get away with it.

The chewing is natural for her age and will go on for a while yet. She should not chew coppers logs as there is arsenic compounds and other nasties in the logs. Give her something to do. Tie a small tyre in a tree and let it dangle to amuse her. Give her robust toys such as kongs with treats in to keep her attention.

[jemjem*]

And about food times, that's what we do with out other GSD's and I can't and won't change the way I do things for her. She is fine when I do it, I just need to teach the others how to. She is told to sit, if she's too close she's told to get back and she does and as I bend down to open the crate if she stands up so do i and tell her to sit again, then as i scoop it if she moves i do the same thing i put the lid back on and stand up until she sits - she gets the message. it's only when someone else is feeding her that she doesnt take them seriously and thats probably because they dont do it how i do it - i will have to teach them.

thanks a lot for your advise. Can you train a dog WELL in obedience without taking it to puppy school?

Edited December 23, 2006 by jemjem*

[Nekhbet]

unless you have an understanding of dog training not really. Your dog is too old for puppy school it needs dog obedience lessons. Sounds like it also needs something to do. Grab some big meaty bones for her to chew on during the day, build a sand pit, get some better toys like the ones from Aussie Dog. Unless you catch her chewing it there is no point in punishing her she wont understand. If you dont want things chewed either 1)remove and lock them away or 2) spray with a bittering agent. Either way provide strong alternatives for her that she cant choke on.

She sits on your feet because she loves you. She jumps on teh screen for the same reason, she's a pup and you are the apple of her eye. She's desperate to be with you and if you chastise her for that you create nothing but a broken heart. A dog will never understand why it is being punished for loving you. Ignore her until she stops banging at the door, dont yell or make a fuss.

Feeding time sounds awefully complicated. How many times do you end up saying sit? Bring out a bowl of food, make her sit, put it down in front of her then give her the eat command. Easy. You're teaching her impatience is still rewarded, and so is everyone else. Are you feeding once or twice a day by the way? With my two I fill the bowls in the house then take it outside. They follow me to the door of the pen, sit, I put the bowls down inside then I make one dog focus, she is released to eat, make the other dog focus, he is released to eat. Nice and easy.

[jemjem*]

I tell her to sit once and she sits. If i pull out the container and she moves i stand up until she sits. If i open the container and she moves i close it and stand and wait till she sits. This only happened a few times. She has since got the jist of things and sits about 2 meters away from me and waits now. She is learning, slowly. I have faith in her that she will be ok. My dad (who doesnt even live at home and isnt much part of my life) keeps on my back to sell her but how can i? how can i honestly do that. She loves me and I love her to bits. I read an email from someone who wanted to buy her and I was literally upset with tears in my eyes thinking about someone else taking her away from me. It's made me realise very much that I need to work hard with her. Thanks a lot for your advise I really appreciate it. What your saying about me being the apple of her eye does make sense to me. She listens to me and is ok with me, it just seems when my mum or partner try to do something shes worse with them, she knows im the boss and i think thats why? I need to teach them how to teach her the way i do. Pls see the photo I will post, she is absolutely gorgeous. Takes after her father, a very dark shep. Lovely! I honestly don't think I could sell her, plus this would be highly unfair to her, she has bonded with me and I couldn't let her go ;)

EDITED - photo didnt attach...... will give it another go.......

Edited December 24, 2006 by jemjem*

[Nekhbet]

frankly if that was my dad I would tell him to stick it. Jeezus who is he to tell you to sell your dog. She sounds like a good shepherd to me, just needs some consistancy and training.

Remember shepherds were created as working dogs so they have a need for a lot of stimulation. I would start teaching her some basic obedience at home. This website is good to look at for some pointers

http://www.leerburg.com/articles.htm

I raised my Belgian Shepherd (I have always had German Sheps before) with some of his methods and she turned out fine ... well as fine as a nutty working Belgian can be ;)

Its just time and effort. Remember this is the time where the adolecence starts kicking in too so she will be more naughty and challenging. Work through it, keep calm at all times (even though its tempiting to tear your hair out and yell at them) and keep trying. You will eventually get though to her ;) Just like toddlers, you have to keep everything out of their reach!

she's a BOOOOOOOOTIFUL little girl!!!! I'd pinch her for sure!

Edited December 24, 2006 by Nekhbet

[kamuzz]

Yes the GSDs are good at chewing things.

Coda ruined the cover of our spa. He chewed his way around all the edges until the whole thing was useless. Of course he never did it when we were around, so he never did get into trouble for it. <sigh>

How old is your other GSD? Do they play together?

[jemjem*]

She is getting much better!! All her grown up teeth have now come through. She had a problem tooth there for a while, her eye tooth (the adult one) had fully grown through but the old one was still there, it was wobbly and i really wanted to pull it out, i gave it a bit of a wobble every day and eventually yesterday i touched it and it fell out. I think possibly she was chewing trying to get that out. Since that tooth has been out she has had a lot more energy and has been running around and playing and hasn't chewed anything. She sits and stays and shakes (not that shaking is really necessary but she sits and stays) so I am happy with that. She is sooo cute. She knows who is boss too. She stretches her boundaries with other people but when i call her or tell her to do something she does it, she knows im boss. Oh i just love her! Yeah, I almost cried when my dad was telling me to sell her (he doesnt even live with me! who is he to tell me) and I couldn't imagine my life without her now! My other shepherd is 8 years old. He's starting to slow down a bit now and yeah they play together but my pup plays a lot more with my brothers lab who is umm, probably bout 16 months old now. They have a great time together. Thanks for all your advise I am really happy with her progress. Ive been a lot more stern with her and she has definitely improved!!! I will post a photo of my 8 y/o shepherd, my brothers 16 m/o lab and my 6 m/o shep (and the single photo of a pup face is my pup - dont mind the date the camera is wrong) HAHAHAHAH also i will post a photo of my brothers lab it was taken when she was yawning i think and its just hilarious it looks like she is LAUGHING!

[rockhard_mastiffs]

You mentioned that she misbehaves for your mum and your partner. They really need to be firm with her, it seems she may think she is higher in the pack then they are ie you at the top, then her and then them. Good luck with her she is a beautiful little girl

[Tarmons]

Whatever you do, don't sell her. Tell your Dad to take a hike.

You have a typical full-on smart GSD who thinks that she is at the top of the totem pole.

You have been given some very good advice by others on this thread. Whatever happens, everyone has to be consistent in their handling of this puppy.

You will need to train her up and you should get yourself down to the Canine Obedience Club of Townsville on the first Tuesday of February.

In that Club there are several Instructors who own GSDs and who have had lots of experience with very full-on, strong-willed GSDs. They will be able to help you get this puppy back on track.

She is a very beautiful puppy. Desexing her won't make one iota of difference!

You need to get the pack order back in place asap but you will need help as she is now 6 months old.

Edited December 31, 2006 by Tarmons

[SALTWOOD]

I recommend you borrow or buy the book "The Dog Listener" by Jan Fennell.

You would learn a lot from that book - easy!

[jemjem*]

Thanks a lot for your advise - Everyone - I really appreciate it. Does anyone know who I have to contact and what the prices are etc. for the townsville club?

[Tarmons]

Will PM the details about the Canine OBedience Club of Townsville.