2 y/o GSD getting mouthy/nipping/biting

[mystery12]

I recently adopted a GSD mix who’s no more than 2 years old. She’s adjusting to city life & we’re still getting into a routine, but I need a sanity check here:

She’s been getting incredibly nippy in the morning/evening. Think teething puppy behaviour of just lunging towards your ankles, wrists, shirt, etc. with intense zoomies throughout the apartment. We’ve tried correcting, leaving to go to another room, redirecting with toys or even a training session of general obedience to distract her. All she wants to do all day is chew things.

For additional context: she probably gets nearly 3hrs of exercise a day (1.5 hour morning walk, 30 min afternoon walk, 1 hour evening walk, 15 min late night walk). We sprinkle training throughout the day and on her walk. Make a point to play with her also.

Is she just younger than we thought and still going through the testy adolescent phase? Maybe these walks are too long for her adjustment to the city, so she’s coming back overstimulated and needing an outlet? Should we start crating her for 30 min after her walks (we’ve been trying a 5 minute crate time out but she just gets riled up all over again)

Any advice or personal experience insights would be so incredibly helpful! Just want to make sure I’m supporting her needs as much as possible!

 

[argon]

@mystery12 How recent is recent? My guess is she is adjusting and it’s completely normal behavior. Check out the 3/3/3 rule for dogs.

We got our gal as a pup at 12 weeks and my husband drove cross country with her so naturally they bonded. She nipped and bit me something FIERCE for about 3 months even though we probably bonded about 5 weeks into her being in our home. She rarely nipped my husband, maybe twice. I’m talking calling my husband nearly in tears because she was biting so much and so hard I couldn’t get her home from the 15 minute walk. I was constantly worried we were going to have to rehome her because she didn’t like me for some reason.

Lots of work with a trainer who came to our home and helped us in the home and on walks. 3-steps no biting-treat (super food-motivated). Yes, 3 steps and she got a treat—spoiled diva. Anyways, fast forward, I’m her favorite person though my husband is her master. She wouldn’t dare nip me and we love each other to pieces.

Good luck!!

 

[mystery12]

@argon Thank you! That’s reassuring! It’s been exactly a month since we’ve gotten her and she’s only really started “nipping” us in the past week (right near the 3 week mark relative to the 3/3/3). We just want to have this addressed before it potentially escalates.

We’re definitely trying to keep our cool with this one/are in talks with a trainer for addressing this ASAP. Just feels like behavior that a 2 y/o dog should have outgrown.

Glad you and your pup are all good now

 

[acc000]

@mystery12 Overstimulated