Amber my 6month old GSDs behaviour seems to be getting worse. She has been nervous since we had her and had improved a bit but now shes got back to square one. She tried to bomb out the front door today i tried to call her out the porch but she just wasnt listening.Yesterday she opened the spare bedroom door and chewed the xmas lights so we told her no look disapointed and gave her some of her toys today my dad was working in there and she went up and chewed the lights again. She has also chewed the bookcase the carpets she knaws the wooden flooring. We have a dog crate she chewed the blanket so we took that out then she chewed the plastic tray. She has plenty of toys and has a food kong and gets walked 4 times a day. Shes starting to become ignorant when we take her out she wont come and she also barks and nips at Gyp in a non playful way. The one thing she has mastered is being clean in the house. She goes to dog training/socialisation every Sunday. I know shes a puppy still but it seems like a awful lot of bad behaviour for one young dog, Gyp whos now 8months has been great she has never really been in to chewing except her own toys, but Amber wont even look at a toy. Do i need to think about a dog behaviourist?

How many GSDs have you owned before Amber ? how old was she when you got her ? What was her mother like ?

You say she has been nervous since you got her which concerns me as no GSD puppy should be nervous if they have been bred & raised correctly. Also I am concerned she is trying to get out of your house which is a sign that she is frightened of being in the house

There is absolutely no point in telling her off for chewing things as dogs do know have any sense of guilt or wrong doing no matter what other "experts"think Dogs do not "look guilty"they show submissive behaviour by putting their ears down & cowering down this is not guilt the dog is being submissive because they read the human body language as being aggressive. The only way to stop her is to distract her & reward the response with a titbit or toy, No amount of"telling"off will work, I have a simple rule with puppies I don't want something chewed I keep out of reach whether I am present or not, if the puppy can reach something & chews it it is my fault.As to chewing the floor ? how on earth can she chew the floor ? which I presume is flat ? She obviously needs recreational toys such as raw Knuckle bones with meat left on them she can chew.

How long is she crated for before she starts chewing & does she have any chewable toys in with her ? Blanket chewing is part of dog behaviour making a nest or bed comfy I had a BC who chewed any duvet bedding he was given yet left Vet bed alone I never give dogs non doggy "blankets"as bedding

If she doesn't come back when she is released from the lead outside the home then don't let her off & start obedience training with her, on a daily basis not just once a week at a club, clubs are for you to learn how to train your dog & for your dog to socilaize not for your dog's sole obedience training each week.

How do you know that her playing with your other dog is not playful, GSDs as puppies & adults are very very physical & bark & grap each other as normal behaviour

You do seem to expect an awful lot from a puppy & if the whole family are not consistent in training & treated & reacting to her she,poor dog, is on a hiding to nothing

I do suggest you read "The Perfect Puppy" by Gwen Bailey it is an excellent source of advice

<<Also I am concerned she is trying to get out of your house which is a sign that she is frightened of being in the house>>

Can't say that I agree with this at all (or at least without more information).  My girls will try to get out the front door if given the opportunity - that's why we have to be careful to shut them in before opening the front door.  They're not afraid of being in the house - it's just that outside is far more interesting - things to chase, things to do, the heath is just across the road.....  I don't see any reason, from the above post, to assume the dog is scared of being in the house - it sounds like it is just untrained around the front door and about coming back. 

I wholeheartedly agree with everything else you've said though.

This puppy NEEDS things it can chew.  It's still teething, it sounds like training has not been consistent.  I'd highly recommend a Galileo bone (made by nylabone and made for heavy chewers) which you can get at any Pets At Home.  And make sure she has LOTS of toys that are hers.

You definitely need to get some training with this girl - preferably a class where ALL of your family members can take part so there is consistency.  If everyone is consistent then she will know what to expect and that will go a long way to calming her nerviness.

Wendy

Hello, happy christmas.

I have never had a GSD but have staffords. The pup who is 6 months old, is not interested in toys in the least of she'll tug a ragger or something but thats it. To her the world is "us" "food" and then then "Sal" (older dog) in that order. Maybe your pup is not a "toy kinda" dog.

But it concerns me you say your pup has been nervous since day 1.
Why? was her dam nervous? are any of her litter mates nervous? pups should be carefree and happy little souls not knowing the meaning of nerves.

If you don't want her to chew something - move it out of reach. Xmas lights are electric - move them out of her way or lock the door.
Is she chewing because she is bored by any chance - just because she is walked 4 times a day does not mean you are "excersing her mind" from what I know of GSD's they need mental sitimulation as much if not more so than physical. Come up with a game that tires her out - finding a toy/person/make her life a game.
My Sal who is a blanket chewer if they are put in her bed so she does not have them. Simple really, but it does not worry me, its one of those things. 

When you say she nips and barks at your other dog in a non payful way how do you know that? If you listened to my two play you would swear WW3 was going on but watch their body language and its a differents story. My Sal has a GSD friend in the park and their play is different because GSD's play differently to Staffs. They are very noisy when they play GSD's barking a lot where as staffs "growl" but not barkers. Different breeds different play types.

What does she do at training classes? have you asked for help there? And if she runs away when off the lead then keep her on it or a long lead. If she's nervous already then being loose will not help, just think how scary it might be for her.

Sorry I can't help as such but sure someone who can will be along soon.

We had a GSD that died when i was 8, When i take her for a walk i do training with her then aswel. Where we had her from had kept her outside in like a outhouse thing and not done anything with her. She wasnt scared when she tried to get out just very excited. She was 3 months old when we had her, her mum seemed fine but then again she was also kept out. She has knuckle bones every week on a Wednesday of the butcher, She doesnt chew the floor as such she knaws it. She is crated when we go out and when we eat rarely more than a hour and she has one of those nylobones and her favourite soft toy in with her. She has always had a 99% reacall until about 2 weeks ago infact she hardly left my side. We have reported her previous owners to the RSPCA as the way she acted when we had her was almost like she'd been hit and she hates anyone to raise a voice even though its not directed at her. With Gyp her normal play is rough but recently its changed she not puts her teeth up does a low growl and snaps. She also trys to stare her out and gyp goes to hide from her. At her training she moved out of puppy class at 5 months which was socialisation and basic sit down puppy recall. The class she is now in works on heel work down stay sit stay and most other basic stuff once they complete that class they go to the higher class it all eventually works into competetive obedience if you want to do it. I havent been able to ask them for help as they broke for xmas 2 weeks ago. We use chicken as her rewards as shes not toy orientated atall.  i do 2 10 min sessions of her training in the living room each day. I think i covered all your questions.  I eventually want to do agility with her i have heard this helps build their confidence loads. I try to do my best for her be the best owner i can for her but i dont feel im suceeding. What other sort of things can i use to stimulate her?

Well it seems to me without seeing your dog that your behaviour problems have been caused by the "breeders"who obviously have not socialized her enough. The cruical period is from 8 to 12 weeks & if she was outside unsupervised during this stage she will have not received enough socializiation

Her play behaviour could indicate that she is coming into season, the hormonal changed before a first season can result in all sorts of behaviour including what you are now describing. Is your other bitch spayed ? if they are both coming into season this can cause an upset between bitches & changes in relationships

I would suggest changing the training to 4 lots of five minutes spread out throoghout the day & also teaching her an informal happy recall, I insist all the handlers I teach starting recall training with a happy recall. It's not too complicated. starting with the dog on lead(as most people train the dogs on lead-I don't but that is a personal decision which works for me) put her into a sit & step directly in front of her instanatly take a step back & call her making a very big arms out then in gesture & in a silly happy voice call her(you may want to us a different word to the formal recall) I use "here" & step back again & big fuss & titbit then off lead & play for a couple of minutes then repeat & finish. The next step is to take a couple of paces away from her then turn & face & call instantly & step back a couple of more steps & titbit & fuss then play. The key is no sit, the fuss, the release & play & then back on lead. Once she is staying ok gently take off the lead & go back to stage one standing in front & stepoing back & calling adding clip the lead on & treat, once this is reliable go to the second stage off lead & repeat the taking a couple of paces away before turning & calling & stepping back clip on the lead & titbit fuxx & release & play. What this method does is teach your dog that coming back to you & having the lead put on is no problem & enjoyable & it results in her wanting to return to you

Once this works at home you can repear it with distractions in a safe area where she can be off lead but no able to escape

Because she hasn't been socialized during the critical period she hasn't learnt than human contact is good & fun

I've used this method for years with the dogs I deal with both rescue & problem dogs & it has never failed because it is enjoyable & the dogs associate the recall with food & play rather than being constrained on the lead & unhappy

Re the chewing I would give her recreation bones as much as possible & bring in tuggy type interaction toys like balls on a rope etc & give her brain something to do like hideing the kong filled with food & getting her to find it & making a huge fuss when she finding it. In her crate I used to put a metal floor glued to a wooden base for "chewers"with vey bed on top & always left with a recreational bone or stuffed kong od similar

What you have is a 4 month old mental attitude in a 6 month old's body & need to treat her as a 4 month old mentally rather than a six month old. I would also start teaching her retrieves to hand with a toy that she only has when you play together. Again use a different command to the formal retrieve & remember to make it fun

Gyp was in season about 4 weeks ago. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply ill try all of those things i think treating her like a 4month old will really help now i've thought about it she does act like a 4month old. Ill let you know how she gets on

Good luck :)

Best of luck