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About Labman
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housebreaking, feeding, training, grooming PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet. Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.

Experience

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I have been around the net a long time answering questions including the general dog area of All Experts. I recently discovered a lack of good experts under many specific breeds. I don't have as extensive experience with the GSD as Labs, but still can give good answers to most questions. I try to base my answers on carefully proven methods confirmed by my own experience. Much of what I know about dogs, I have learned raising a puppy every year since 1991 for a large dog guide school. I am familiar with several similar programs. Nobody is in a better position to know dogs, need ones with long, active life, and share what they know, than the service dog schools. In addition I have done extensive reading. My answers have much more to back them than the limited experience any one dog owner can have.

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German Shepherds - GS showing dominance with my son

Expert: Labman - 11/4/2009

Question
I have a 5 month female GS that has starting showing aggressive behavior with one of my sons and is also a biter. She has just been spayed just a few days ago. I have twin boys that are 7 and my GS shows her teeth at them but especially with just one of them(the timid one) when he gets close to her when she is chewing on bones or eating her food. She has bit him as well but not as hard as she could have, which i have always been in the room and have scolded her when this has occurred. I have had my son take things away from her while i supervise and give it back and take it again but this is not working. We have just completed puppy training, which went very well. I don't want my son to be scared of her and i'm not sure if this is just a puppy phase or if this is a problem that will get worse. She does obey him when he does training tricks with her but will not allow him around her food/toys. She does not do this with me but she does try and show her dominance. She does bite when she plays and sometimes bites down real hard but 99% of the time it is playful(tail wagging) but at times when she doesn't want to do something she does grab my arm with her mouth. I believe that the biting is getting better but the dominance with my son is a major concern for me. I want my son to be able to show his dominance but not sure of the best way for him. She has never just straight out attached him but it's more like a warning to stay away from her stuff. She will stop the aggressive behavior when i come over to them but will not stop shen my son demands it. How would you suggest that i help him in establishing his dominance over this puppy and do you think that the biting will eventually stop as she gets older? thank you for your time.

Answer
You need to train the biting our of the dog. Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months they are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find one that won't yelp, jerk their hand away, and leave.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens. Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords. Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not there to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed. I don't trust any of the consumable chews. The dogs just gnaw them down to a dangerous size too quickly. These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

The dominance is more difficult. Puppy class should help. Spaying too, but it maybe a month before she settles down from the surgery. There is some good material at http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm Apply the material there in a positive fasion and please disregard the link to the Cesar Milan material. His harsh methods would be adisaster in your case.

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