I have two older dogs and one puppy. We went through biting while playing with all of them. It is normal behavior but you have to teach them not to do it. One of my dogs is a German Shepherd. He was a little overwhelming when he was a puppy because of his size and he didn't realize he could hurt someone. We just had to be consistent and assertive with him (and the others too.) we would say, "No bite!" And help him to sit, and say, "Sit." Sometimes we had to do it over and over. It is not easy at all with some dogs but you can overcome it. My German Shepherd is now very well behaved. Our vet said he was the best behaved German Shepherd she has seen in her office. He listens pretty well.
If you make a noise that gets their attention so that they stop what they're doing long enough for you to correct them, that helps. So, shaking something does help. I noticed that crinkling newspaper seemed to get his attention too. Consistency is important. Just keep correcting that behavior and reward behavior that you want with either treats or praise. |