We love our red and black german shepherd puppies:
This is the Banffy Haus staff.
Although I have written a little bit about how to handle in other places on the website, I think this issue is so important and can be so exasperating for my clients that I wish to address it here in detail. I want you to have a good experience with your German shepherd puppy. The first question one might ask is: Is My Puppy Abnormal If It is Mouthy? In the next article we will discuss some other issues regarding chewing such as the proper way of redirecting and the damage caused by improper reaction to little sharp teeth clamping down on tender skin. Also, I will discuss when one can expect it to tone down, if ever, and when the mouthyness is just too much and may be an indication of something else.
First of all, almost every puppy will have a mouthy stage. This is due to two things. First, while they are teething (losing their babies and getting adult teeth) mouthing and gnawing releases some of the aggravating pain they have in their gums and bones of the mouth and can give as much pleasure as like scratching an itch. There are many products which can help alleviate some of the problem, but it is just a stage they have to go through.
Secondly, puppies are learning to communicate with their mouth and use their mouth. Dogs use their mouths for so much more than we do (at least in a mechanical fashion other than talking). They pick up things and taste things, investigate objects and new textures, they indicate their approval or disapproval to other dogs with them, they jockey for pack position with them. They also, as puppies, begin to practice the gleaning and chewing on bones of prey they might catch. Also, chewing is instinctual and helps to keep good gum health and oral hygiene, cleaning the teeth. Finally, as with little children, puppies need to be stimulated. If they aren’t, this pent up youthful energy will likely be directed toward chewing.
So all of these things, teething, learning to communicate, taste, investigation, play and pack order, instinct to chew, glean and clean, boredom or release of excess energy we find in puppies. So it is absolutely normal for puppies to be mouthy. And this is especially true for German shepherd puppies, considering the genetic proximity to Canis Lupus (wolf). But this can be VERY trying. Don’t despair! Read my next blog for more info.
I hope this was useful to you.