German shepherds are not only used as service dogs where they are considered as valuable assets to the police, rescue workers and the military. They are also considered great pets for families with young children. Maybe because it serves in dangerous fields like the police, it has a reputation for being potentially aggressive. In reality, it is a gentle breed with a “bad boy” reputation.

If it is a gentle breed, then why might it bite you might ask? A German shepherd might bite for a number of justified reasons because it is an animal with an inbuilt instinct! There are certain stimuli or conditions that might make your German shepherd react by biting. These reasons are:

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• Bad upbringing: A German shepherd puppy not trained to understand that biting is harmful for its owners would have the bad habit of biting.
• Territorial aggression: German shepherds are known for their loyalty and protective nature.
• Dominance: German shepherds in a new environment will fight for its right to be the Alpha leader of the pack. Initially, it might use aggressive behavior such as growling or snapping which might lead to biting. Therefore as the owner, you need to show him or her that you are the master. This can be achieved by treating your pet in a firm and authoritative manner.
• Fear or shyness: German Shepherds or most dogs will start biting if they fear something. Shy German shepherds who haven’t been brought up in a social environment will bite if they face new environments or strangers. Again, poor upbringing and no training can agitate your canine.

Older and adult German shepherds require more training and patience if they are in the habit of biting. This is why it so important that if you have a puppy, you stop him or her from biting immediately if he or she shows sign of it.

This breed has an inbuilt trait to be obedient and to respond to authority. Therefore, if you have an adult German shepherd who has a habit of biting, don’t worry. The habit can be broken with firm and authoritative training.

How to tackle your puppy German shepherd biting?

You have bought the cutest baby German shepherd home. It would be perfect if it wasn’t for his or her annoying habit of biting you! If you have any intention of making your pet stop then you need to understand the dog psychology or in this case “puppy psychology” behind it.

A puppy bites because it likes exploring his or her surrounding environment. Unfortunately, it can use its “mouth” to investigate the things around him or her. They also love to play which involves biting. When born in a litter, a puppy might bite its litter mates and mother during play sessions. The reaction the puppy gets from its mother and litter mates when it bites causes “bite inhibition”

You can also stop your pet from biting if you handle your pet in the following ways:

• Completely ignore your puppy if it bites you.

When your puppy bites you, scream “OWWW” in a high-pitched tone and turn away from your pet. German shepherd puppies crave to please their masters and will instantly understand that they have displeased their owners if the owners stop paying attention to them.

• Avoid activities like wrestling and tug of war.

You don’t want to do anything with your puppy that might promote him or her to think that biting is okay, because these activities might make your pet start biting.

• If the baby German shepherd biting doesn’t stop flip him or her over gently on the back and use a growling voice to scold your pet.

In a litter, the mother German shepherd growls at the baby or grabs him/her by the scruff to scold the puppy. Similarly, you can flip your pet over on his or her back gently and scold him with a growling voice. You need to hold your pet in this position till it relaxes and gives in to your authority.

In the end, we would like to emphasis that under no circumstances, it is acceptable to use anger or violence against your pet. There are no bad pets, only bad owners!