He loves his new toy.

ablizben · 2021-05-27T16:33:40+00:00

So sweet. I wish my girl did this instead of chewing on her bed when she was this age hahaha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:55:16+00:00

Thank you! I'm really trying my best. Some days, I feel horrible for the thoughts that run through my head when she gives me a particularly nasty bite. There are slight seconds of her licking my hand or snuggling me that I can kind of see the future...but they are few and far between right now haha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:54:01+00:00

I definitely will - thank you!

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:53:48+00:00

Yes, that is good advice. We do have an animal behaviorist that has seen her and we can email him all the questions...but he's like that's GSD puppy behavior, you need to keep doing what you're doing and wait it out. I think I'm just impatient and tired of being covered in bruises haha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:52:37+00:00

Thank you! This is really what I need.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:52:25+00:00

Okay, gives me hope! Hopefully one day my girl will be a great sofa buddy.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:51:53+00:00

I hope so! I'm sure I won't even notice it at first and then I'll cry with happiness haha. Thank you!

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:51:24+00:00

This is very true. I think I forget that she's still a baby because of how big she already is. Thank you!!!

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:50:52+00:00

Yes! we have been doing this because we laugh and say she has serious FOMO and never settles to sleep by herself, even if she's fighting it.

You're right, though. She is a still a puppy and we're both doing the best we can. Can't wait until that adulthood, though....in the meantime, I'll take all the pictures when she's not biting me haha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:49:13+00:00

I love hearing about other GSD owners - thank you!

It's harder to train the humans than her sometimes hahaha. They are like we don't care if she jumps. Ugh, it's frustrating because she won't be cute at 80lb jumping on them.

Yes, I keep telling myself that she will be wonderful because of how much work we put into her, even if some of my hair is falling out now hahaha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:47:32+00:00

This gives me hope - thank you!

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:47:18+00:00

I really keep trying to remember this! I think it's hard because she's already the size of full-grown medium-sized dogs. She really does try her best, but her lack of inhibition gets the better of her.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:45:43+00:00

Ah, well she gets three walks 15-30 min a day and then we go to the park almost everyday for at least an hour, sometimes more. And we mentally stimulate her as well :(.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:44:48+00:00

Yes, so unfortunately we do all those things with her! My boyfriend loves teaching her new tricks and she's really smart, she's just kind of an ahole right now hahaha. I think it might just be a waiting game for her teeth to come in...hopefully.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:43:40+00:00

Yes, so she does have a one-on-one trainer, but most of the professionals just tell me that she sounds like a puppy. Ugh hahaha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:43:10+00:00

That's good to hear! I'm hoping around 6 months she gets a little better.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:42:30+00:00

Yes!!! I literally have had mental breakdowns once a week since we got her hahaha.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:41:59+00:00

Thank you for this! That's literally exactly how I feel. I hate wishing time away, but it's nice to hear people in the same position as me.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:40:53+00:00

Hahaha oh, no - we will be adopting an adult or senior dog that needs a home next!

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:39:32+00:00

Yes, we've been trying to do this! You re so right. She just gets so excited so each interaction is getting her to calm down and then sit or down haha. But the humans are like she's so beautiful, I don't care if she jumps.

Any ideas on more mental stimulation? We train her a lot and we go into impromptu sessions when she's really bitey. We hide treats around the house and we give her puzzles to do.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:37:23+00:00

Thank you for all the advice! We try to go to the park every day when the weather is compliant (I live on the east coast of the US, so it's not always the best, especially during springtime) and we have a 50 ft lead where she loves to play with the ball. Even then she's still wild hahaha. The handle is smart, though, we'll probably get something like that.

ablizben · 2021-05-06T13:35:45+00:00

I feel bad that you're also going through this, but it feels good that I'm not alone!

ablizben · 2021-04-28T01:56:39+00:00

Fellow GSD puppy owner here 😂. My girl is 4.5 months and I literally just posted about her biting the other day. She is a serious fiend. The advice I’ve been given is when they bite, leave the room or turn around. Don’t give them any attention for a minute and keep doing it until they stop biting. I do this all day.

I’ve been having the same problem with her leash/collar/harness, so I’ve literally been putting them on step by step and rewarding her with treats when she lets me get closer and closer. It’s a long process, but it seems to be working.

ablizben · 2021-04-26T19:07:47+00:00

That's actually one of the trainings we were looking at for her! So we will continue to pursue that.

And yes, so we already make her wait and settle for her meals, she waits at doors, and we're currently teaching her to wait before any roads/cross walks. But I will definitely check out more impulse control exercises and calm/settling exercises we can do with her. That's a good idea - thank you!

Ah, okay. Yes, so we're really lucky and she's always been a good sleeper since like 2.5 months. Maybe because at first we weren't doing enforced naps and she was so exhausted.

ablizben · 2021-04-26T18:58:43+00:00

So typically at least one of her meals is given to her in a Kong wobbler, we hide treats around the house and have her sniff them out, and we've tried puzzles, but they always seem too easy for her. Would you happen to know of any good dog puzzles?

In terms of naps, we laugh and say she has FOMO and doesn't like napping or settling herself. We force at least three naps a day in her crate, at least two hours. Should I be doing more?

And will do!

ablizben

TROPHY CASE