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EC7A3C66-7D83-45C4-8972-DCE05060F698.jpeg 89F02536-B243-49C8-93B7-2AD5EA567931.jpegHi, I have a five month old European doberman that I got when he was 3 months old. In these past few weeks he has developed a really bad biting problem where he snarls, growls, barks and bites people in the house, especially my sister. Me ( the dogs owner ) and my sister are the main targets for this.

We’ve both tried on numerous occasions to let out a loud and sharp yelp to stop him from biting but it didn’t work :(

We’ve also tried redirecting him to a toy and saying no, stop and leave me alone in a firm voice. None of this has worked

We are not provoking him either, my sister could just be standing in the kitchen maybe talking to someone and he walks up and starts jumping and biting her. ( very hard biting ) we are also calm in the house too.

He gets exercise too, after a 2 hour long walk and added time playing with dogs in the dog park he still does this!

Someone please help! We have hired a trainer but they don’t seem to be doing much even though apparenlty they have 50 or so years of experience training dogs.

The picture inserts are when he was in the middle of biting me and then the one with my finger is the result of that
 
This is a phase, he is teething so he likes biting now. We will wet wash cloths or small dish towels then freeze them and redirect biting to those. I would also correct any jumping up even unwanted biting by grabbing the scruff of the neck. And giving a fun shake after saying no or phooey. You can also hold them up by a leash on a flat collar using leash pressure. Tell them to settle or sit, let the pressure off if they don’t settle it is right back up.
 
That is just a 5month old Doberman being a Doberman.

IMHO, teething, DoberShark, Doberteens, scratches, chipped teeth, busted noses, black eyes is all apart of the conditioning, bonding and care that goes into raising a Doberman.

You ordered a Doberman and that’s what you got.

Lots of training, redirection, patience, consistency, frustration, persistence, etc.... over and over until you two figure it out and it’s not just him but YOU have to figure out how to teach commands in such a way that he understands it. The trainer you have should not only be training your Doberman but also training you on how to handle and train him.

To be honest, the scratch on your finger was on both my hands, arms and ankles when my Ragnar was teething. I literally walked around with a rope tug in my hands to redirect him. He would nip at my girls constantly until they learned to avoid him during certain situations.

Constant redirection, training and having ALOT of patience to get through the first 12months. Once we hit 12-15months, it was awesome to see him settle some and respond to the foundation of commands we worked hard to establish.

Good luck and don’t forget the hard work you put in training is what you will get out in a disciplined Doberman.
 
As others mentioned about training and redirection is paramount. But amongst other things if you own 10 toys you should soon get 11. I buy a new toy 2-3 times a month it does help in some ways my male chews on his favorite toy like bubble gum. I probably have 15 toys scattered around the house but it redirects his mouthiness and when I buy a toy I throw away a toy and slowly rotate them out.
 
I just wanted to also add that although exercise and mental stimulation is important, careful to not rely on it thinking it is what's causing your dog's teething. Walking your dog for 2 hours and play time with other dogs will only increase his stamina... example, a 2 hour walk will be come 2.5 hours, then 3 hours, etc... It isnt addressing the issue.
 
Doberman pups should come with a warning label "Be prepared to bleed" :D


As others mentioned about training and redirection is paramount.


EVERY household member should be involved. Consistency is key!

Walking your dog for 2 hours and play time with other dogs will only increase his stamina


AMEN! Fine line between wearing them out and building endurance.

I made several of these to always have one close. During the teething stage, I wet the end and stuck it in the freezer. Saved me a lot of blood loss. :woot2:
tug.jpg
 
Doberman pups should come with a warning label "Be prepared to bleed" :D





I made several of these to always have one close. During the teething stage, I wet the end and stuck it in the freezer. Saved me a lot of blood loss. :woot2:
]

Nice toy!- made from fleece or what material is it? would like to make some of our own.
 
First, this is NOT aggression. This is a Doberman. Is this your first Doberman? How many were in his litter? How old was he when you brought him home? This is not uncommon behavior, plus with him being at prime teething age you have your hands full. This is a working breed that likes a job to do. If your breeder is a Euro working breeder that statement is an understatement as with a breeding of that nature comes higher drive and you need to find a better outlet for your puppy. A simple walk, no matter the duration will not tire a dog of that nature out. What kind of obedience training do you do and how often do you train? He is gonna require more than a long walk and a simple redirection. This breed is not like other breeds. They need both mental and physical stimulation to be content. You are asking great questions and I know you want what is best for your puppy. The first two years of a Doberman’s life are trying and puppyhood is no joke. Stay on top of things, remain consistent and you will end up with a great dog. Keep in mind that not all trainers are breed knowledgeable or know how to work with a high drive breed. I agree with staying with exercises that decrease stamina and not building drive. There is a fine line there in certain dogs. Be wary of taking him to dog parks. This is not a breed that does well at parks as they are misunderstood and once they hit maturity the males do not tend to do well in situations the parks can present. Dog parks are a just a dog fight waiting to happen and this breed is prone to same sex aggression. With the nipping issue your dog is having, I would strongly advise to not visit dog parks at all, but if you are dead set wait until his behaviors are more under control.
 
As others mentioned about training and redirection is paramount. But amongst other things if you own 10 toys you should soon get 11. I buy a new toy 2-3 times a month it does help in some ways my male chews on his favorite toy like bubble gum. I probably have 15 toys scattered around the house but it redirects his mouthiness and when I buy a toy I throw away a toy and slowly rotate them out.
I find their taste in toys changes over time. I wouldn’t throw any out unless they are damaged. I rotate the toys so they’re always ‘new’ to him. Another way to keep them interested is to not leave them laying around. I store Kaiser’s toys in color coded buckets.
 
I find their taste in toys changes over time. I wouldn’t throw any out unless they are damaged. I rotate the toys so they’re always ‘new’ to him. Another way to keep them interested is to not leave them laying around. I store Kaiser’s toys in color coded buckets.
I have tried the storage game but he pulls them out of storage the first chance he gets. And usually the ones I throw out are the one that aren’t far off from being done. The toy below is by far his favorite and they actually last a few months surprisingly enough.
 

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Phoebe is almost 5 months and starting to get out of this phase. It's handy that it's cold outside so she spends a lot of time chewing on ice bits when we take her out.
 

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