DEFIANT AND EVIL PUPPY - Page 1

Hello I am new to all of this but feeling rather exasperated at the mo.  I have a beautiful 16 week old German Shepherd called Bonnie.  She is quick to learn and is doing incredibly well.  However I accept that nipping, biting etc. is part and parcel of being a puppy and in addition to possible teething but my dog turns into a complete horror for no reason.  We can have a good day and then in the evening nothing in particular will spark it off and she will be incredibly defiant and very snappy.  She is becoming a large dog now and I know everyone says it wont last but my husband told me that in the pack order I was low down and whilst initially I did not completely subscribe to this alpha senario I realise that there is something to it and so have changed my behaviour and have seen a difference in hers also but the snappy episodes still continue.
My arms are black and blue and scratched to hell and back so much so I look like a self harmer!
I tried all the methods I read about and would prefer to praise than correct but I end up pinning her down by the scruff of her neck if only to stop her biting me.
Please tell me that I have not got a demon dog as 90% of the time she is great but these episodes completely wear me out and I am getting really upset with it all now.
Not helped by the fact that my husband works away and thinks he is going to return to a perfectly well trained pup!

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks ever so.

Tracey

Sounds like you have a dominant pup now. I think your husband is right. You didn't correct the matter when it arose, passing it off as just being puppy instead of telling the pup it was unacceptable behavior. Now the pup thinks it's ok to bite and nip and not listen, because she has gotten away with it so far. Does she do the same to your husband, ,or just to you? I don't think you have a demon dog, just a strong-willed pup who believes that she is at the top of the pack.

This is the German Shepherd.

Re-direct pup to tugging, ball chasing and basic obedience, like sit/stay and 'no'. 

Forget the Alpha, bravo omega stuff, and think routine/discipline.

Also, pup is likely not getting enough exercise to burn her energy off.

This will not be solved overnight, but is completely solvable.

Bonnie may save you and your husband from harm someday.

Do not give up, beat the pup or lock it away. Feed nutritiously.

Less internet = more time with puppy.  

HI

Thanks for your response but the strange thing is that I have never allowed her to get away with things.  Even when my husband was at home and saw her he thought it strange that she only did with me and suggested I wasnt assertive enough!  Crickey I have never been told that before!  I took it all on board and made changes but she honestly pushes her luck.  I had a friend who  is very experienced with dogs and he could not believe her behaviour and agreed that the only way was to hold her down to demonstrate that it was not acceptable and that she was not in charge.

I have had dogs before although not a German Shepherd and can never recall this level of behaviour.

I know she is very strong willed and I am determined that I will be top of the pack and I dont suppose there are any easy solutions otherwise we would all have perfectly behaved dogs.

Hi

thanks again for your comments but I have recently given up my job in order to spend more time with Bonnie such was our level of feeling that we did not want to have a pet and then to leave it for very long periods of time alone.
She is exercised regularly in areas where there is ample opportunity to socialise with other dogs and people.
I have now also started taking her to a weekly training classes.
We have a good routine and she was house trained from an early age
She will sit, lie down, wait and we are working on the stay so I am trying to follow advice
We play games together, and have started to hide things in order for her to find in order to create more interest but it is not at any of these times where she gets her horror head on and starts perfoming.

I wont give up but I may turn into a raving alchoholic in the meantime!!!

LOL!  Welcome to being the owner of a GSD.  They are not like any other breed and they will push, push, push.  Do not let her get away with this behavior.  Keep a leash and collar on her from when you get up to when you go to bed.  Tie it to your waist and keep her with you at all times.  Don't let her run out the door ahead of you, either going in or going out.  Stand there while she potties then go on with whatever.  You can turn her loose if you have a fenced area where she can run and play, then hook her back up and continue on with your daily chores.  Make her sit when you need her to and to down if you are sitting down, etc.  She can keep you company when you eat & even in the bathroom.  You will be enforcing the pack leader mentality on her by making all her decisions for her as to where she is going to go and when & how you want her to behave with each step.  Yes, it's a pain in the butt.  Too bad.  You owe it to her and your family to raise a well trained dog.  You can deal with it and you should continue this for several days, not just over the weekend.  Correct her immediately when she bites you.  Yelp to let her know she hurt you. Then either give her something else to chew on or if you have no intention of using her for SchH then pinch her lip over her teeth hard enough to make her yip and tell her firmly NO!  If she persists, then grab the ruff on both sides of her face and lift her front feet off the ground while giving a ruff shake, staring her in the eye and saying NO!!  You don't have to shake her like a rag doll, just a firm limited motion shake will get the point across.  If not, then roll her over on her side and hold her down until she looks away and licks her lips.  She is a dominant dog and she will push you and you can't let her get away with it, not even once.  Some say you should never correct a bite but it depends on what you want to do with the dog.  I for one do not allow my dogs to mouth me for any reason.  They are smart enough to know the difference between you and the items they can bite.  Don't sell her short.  You will enjoy her once she knows who is boss.  Good luck and keep us posted.
Deb     

We can have a good day and then in the evening nothing in particular will spark it off and she will be incredibly defiant and very snappy.


Now the meltdown at night time is typical tired puppy. She is tired, but too wound up to go to sleep on her own. So you need to put her to bed - this is just like having a child.  

A lot of this is typical rebellious behavior from a pup that is dominant or has a dominant streak. This is a good thing for us working dog folks. It's like a rebellious teenager, you need to try to avoid fighting with the pup. I use a leash or tab on the collar and just physically place the pup, talking in a bright upbeat voice, ignoring her Tazmanian devil protests. Or grab her by the scruff of her neck (like mama would do). I use alot of food to avoid conflict - for example gong into a crate when she doesn't want to. I don't do the dominant stuff with a pup this age - she is too young. Alot of this is just natural reaction to something she wants to keep or to avoid something she doesn't want to do. 


Why are your arms all black and blue? Are you trying to hold and restrain the pup? Use food to lure the the pup where you want her to go. Use a leash or tab on her collar. Are you forcing too much lovely dovey interaction with her? Maybe she is tired and in a pissy mood and just wants to be left alone and sleep. And wear long sleeves.

 
You have a normal pup. You are taking all of this too personally with the pup. The pup is too young to be that devious to set out to get you. She is a baby. Why are you expecting to have a perfectly trained dog when your husband comes home? Sounds like your expectations are too unrealistic. Or maybe this is not a good breed/personality fit for you. The pup is young and now is the perfect time to return her to her breeder or find a different home for her. If you are already thinking of the pup as being evil .............
 
The
  

Forgot to add, avoid conflict - If she has object agression, then don't have stuff out for her to get into. You can start teaching "leave it" or "off" command with food. Make sure you teach "Take it" or the opposite positive command. Use food as your reward for both commands. If you have to take something away from her, trade it for her toy or food. Do not get into a conflict with her. Same with places and boundaries around the house and yard. Reduce her food at feeding time to offset the training treats. Keep her a little hungry to where she is motivated to do things for food.
 
But if you don't feel like going thru all of this, now is the time to return her to her breeder or rehome her. Where did you get her? Did you research the sire and dam? How are her littermates? Have you not contacted the breeder for help and information? If that is not an option, find a new home for her. Don't wait too long. 


Why would you quit your job anyway? 
 

the only suggestion i can give you is:

when you pin her down, or however you put an end to the behavior you walk away too soon, you reprimand but there is not enough of a follow through to put a stop to it. For example when we eat (bbq) outside my dogs are not allowed on the patio, my male will sneak/"wonder in" and of course the rest of the pack rushes in, so instead of yelling every 5 min "get out" i literally have to follow him out even thought he knows as soon as he makes contact with me he will be going, if i just "chase" him out he will be back in 5 min...so by standing on the edge of the patio while he is on the outside looking back at me i sometimes have to stand there for over 2-3 min. till he stops looking back and walks away giving up his intend to even come back...so for example when you pin your dog down, don't release it right away just to do it again 5 min later, mean it, wait till she gives up fighting and surrenders, you will know when that happens because she will relax and will not be tightened up, she will not be getting right up, she will exhale and will look like she let go of the intent to continue to fight...1st time it will take the longest, be patient...and if she for any reason continues do not give her an inch meaning when you are done she is done and no but's or if's about it.

Find a reputable trainer in your area: teach her bite inhibition than not to bite!

She has been able to get away with it or your arms would not be black and blue, Instead of "alpha" rolls, put her in a time-out or get up and walk away yourself?

Use a crate and give her a bully stick or something great to chew on when you see her approaching this "mood".

Weather or not you lable her as "dominant" or "evil" does not change how you approach correcting the behavior.