That's good advice; just ignoring will not train the pup as to what behaviour you do prefer, nor will gesture eating (which in my opinion is also not of any help).

If it is really bad you can also try the "3 strikes and you're out" rule but you MUST be consistent.
This basically means that the pup is on a long line/lead (but make sure he cannot get caught up and never leave it on unsupervised) and if he mouths say "ah" sharply (but not harshly) and calmly take him out of the room. Leave him for up to a minute then let him back in. Onlysay "ah" if you can time it well  and his mouth is still on the human.

Repeat if necessary; the third time he gets "time out" up to 30 minutes behind a child gate being ignored (but preferably ensure there is a good chew toy/stuffed kong etc in the room he is in, or he will start to cry and then will be practising more unwanted behaviour.

Hth - a training friend suggests this for youngsters and mouthy dogs who are very over the top and find it hard to stop. And you MUST be consistent and reward with praise/toys/treats if he looks as if he was going to mouth but thenthinks better of it. That's good training - being observant etc.

Lindsay
X

I think the problem with this thread and others is everyone starts off trying to be really helpful, but undestandably we all think our ways are the best and some of us are rather set in them.
What we must remember is every dog/puppy is an individual just like people and will respond differently to different methods.  what will work for on may not work for another.  What will make one just bounce around gleefully ignoring you will have another cowering and possibly wetting itself.
I think perhaps we should just give our advice on what we would do and let the owner decide which if any of them, or which combination works best on thier pup or dog, instead of putting down others and thier methods, unless of course they are being barbaric and suggesting something cruel like tying the dog in barbed wire.
Animal communication is a great thing and many dogs problems are solved using a communicator, although i would like to add that everyone can communicate with thier animals, just try listening and hear what they say, this will help you choose which method you are going to train them with.

Bev

Hi yes we have progress i growled at him every time he did it and he has now stopped and giveing lots of kisses now instead.
Thank you all for help.

great news !! xx

Moonmaiden have you ever seen doco's on wild wolves? On these shows you will see the alpha grab a subordinate by the mouth to reprimand it,i have also seen this with domestic dogs and their pups.
I have also used this technique along with a low growl when one of pups had stepped over the line,i only had to do it once or twice and the problem was solved.

I'd say the previous owner of this GSD used undue force on the dog,there is a difference between lightly grabbing the dog by the muzzle and grabbing it tightly and shaking it around with vigour!!

To mjf i have come onto this thread very late,but i was going to suggest growling at your dog when he play's up,at this stage he is testing you and seeing how much he can get away with,if every time he nips at you or your kids and they yelp and back off it is bumping him up the ladder further,he also has no idea how to behave because he was taken from his mum and siblings way to early as you already know,you have to try and mimic his mum and her dicipline as best you can.
I dont know how well known this is,but i have recently read that dogs do not see us as the alpha DOG,they are well aware that we are not of the same species. I have to find the article and copy it on here,but it makes alot of sense.

There is also a difference between grabbing a dog with the mouth (complete with sharp pointy teeth ;)) and grabbing him with a hand - a lot less pressure is required from another dogs mouth to replicate the sort of 'don't move or this is going to hurt' feeling than you can reproduce with a human hand.......  We are HUMANS, and not dogs, we can't reproduce the pheramones and oh so subtle body language changes that go along with this kind of move.

Besides, when advising members of the public, if they carry out your advice and get hurt, they may consider taking legal advice - if you advise them to use a method with fewer risks of getting hurt but which you have found is effective, there is less chance of a highly reactive dog getting PTS.