Just call me stupid.......

DougB

 Nobody mentioned the best thing about herding dogs-you will always know where the kids are-they are in a corner of the backyard.  Set up some gates so the pup can have some fun playing with the kids.

goatmom

She is however, going to be an outside dog.

She is not going to be happy.

I foster for an aussie rescue group - and those dogs NEED to be with you. 

espencer

You and your dog are the perfect candidates for a herding ball:

http://www.boomerball.com/

tiffy

Herders are known nippers, and sporadic movements of children, not a good idea.

This is true and herding children is something they will do. Teaching a few basic herding skills (commands) is a good idea if your dog is going to be around small children.

Yes, I have now realized that herding dogs are not the best around children.  This is unfortunate because I figured we'd have a dog that our grandkids would be able to play with.  Well, maybe by the time we have grandchildren she will have settled down!

Julie 

We live on a farm, therefore we spend a great deal of time outdoors.  My husband takes her with him already whenever he does things outside.  Unless he is doing something where she could get hurt, of course.  Also, one of the reasons we don't want an indoor dog is because of the farm.  They might go in the barn, etc., and I don't want the dog coming in the house after that.  Our lab was in the house, only by accident.  He was afraid of storms.  One spring we just had so many storms, he kept on scratching on the door, so we let him in.  Well, that was it.  He never wanted to be outside ever again.  He didn't like baths and so I couldn't bathe him  by myself.  He would start to stink and our house smelled like dog.  I feel that small dogs are fine in the house, of course some breeds are supposed to only be house dogs.  But, they are also a lot easier to bathe and don't spend as much time outdoors as do larger breeds.  The border collie we have now is going to be outside with the animals and digging in the dirt etc., and I don't want her going in and out.  Mud on the feet, etc.  Besides I have my cats in the house and they would be very unhappy with a puppy in the house.  I love my cats too much to do that to them.  The thing is, if someone else would have adopted this puppy, she may have ended up being an indoor dog.  Always in the house---most people don't have the yard that we have.  With the endless energy this breed has there's no way they could be happy living in town, being in the house all the time or in someone's tiny backyard.  I think she's going to happier here with us. 

goatmom

Well, maybe by the time we have grandchildren she will have settled down!

 Not sure if this has been mentioned either, but if she is nipping at you, stop moving. Running away makes your a whole lot more fun. If she were an indoor dog, I would suggest what we are doing here with our puppy, but maybe it would still work there. Ours is a nipper and jumper. We're turning toward the wall, and stopping our movement. As soon as she sits, the game and attention resumes. If I am in the middle of the room, I have been turning my back to her and putting my arms in front of my face. She's pretty tall,could easily, and would love to jump in my face. Again, as soon as she is sitting, the attention and games continue.

The dog in my avatar, this would never work, but I had one before who would drop the ball and grab it back.  Or he'd drop it part way in my hand, and grab it back. For him, it worked to ignore him and walk away from the game. Once he dropped it, I'd take it and make him sit. He did learn then to drop the thing and sit, probably since this made the game continue faster. The dog in my avatar learned with two balls. Walking away from him would have never worked, since he would just as well squeak the ball, fling it, or chew it.

That's why I'm here, to get advice how to break of her of these bad habits.  Along with that, I'm hoping it gets easier as she gets older.  I have tried so many things and I'm not seeing any results.  Last night I took her outside to run around and then brought her in the garage to play with her.  I watch her play, throw the ball, etc.  She has one of those balls with a handle on it and just loves to run around with it in her mouth.  I like to sit down in a chair and watch her, but as soon as I do, she has to come bite me!  I called my husband out to the garage, because he says he doesn't have as much trouble with her.  Well, he watched what she was doing to me (he isn't always around to see this, he's at work) and then when he crouched down by her she was doing it to him.  He was even getting frustrated and he's been the calm one in all of this.  If you have ANY other ideas that have not been mentioned, please, by all means, tell me what they are.  I am not at all assuming that she's just going to grow out of this.  I know better.  

 Julie 

Time and patience.  Lots of patience, calm energy from you always.  The more excited you get (out of frustration), the more excited the puppy will get.  They literally feed off your energy...more than you may realize.  Keep your energy calm and controlled...always.  When the puppy is nipping, she is playing.  She will learn that biting you is not appropriate, but she must learn it from you.  All she knows right now is play play play.  Nipping to her is play.  As others have said, teach her "no bite" and redirect her to an approprate toy.  "No bite."  hand her one of the toys that you will always have in reach.  Say "this is yours." (or something similar).

We spend a great deal of time outside as well.  People are trying to tell you that BCs need their people; want to be near their people.  GSDs are the same way.  Heidi and Bruder need to be with me and DH as much as they possibly can.  They are not their happiest when they have to be outside all the time.  We have cats as well that have to be separated from the dogs (Heidi specifically).  It is manageable.  When our dogs are inside, the cats are closed off in one of the bedrooms.  They are fine, they have everything they need.  I have 3 large breed dogs; and I hear ya.  My dogs have a blast outside playing with each other, digging (in an approprate area); chasing critters, etc. (we have 1.5 acres).  But, I want my dogs to be happy, healthy and safe.  So, they get inside time as much as possible to be with us.  Use baby gates to keep her from being somewhere you don't want her to be.  Wipe her down before she comes into the house (I do 3). 

Those balls that eSpencer showed are very cool.  I might have to get a couple of those for my hooligans.  I've taught Heidi how to push a ball.  She loves it...form of herding.  Find what interests your dogs and run with it.

Good luck!  Remember, the nipping will not stop overnight, but it will eventually....time, patience and calm energy are key.  Also, a tired puppy is a good puppy.

I think we will have to look for one of those balls for Sadie too!  She "herded" a childrens VERY large rubber ball last summer and had a blast with it, but the nipping finally took its toll and it popped.  The one in the video looks sturdy enough to last! 

I have to agree with the comments about our dogs wanting to be with us.  Sadie is happiest when we are all together.  We are her pack.

 Tootsie, my corgi, a known herder, would be so sad without me. She would also develop some very unattractive behaviors. Wiping her down and putting the cats elsewhere when shes inside would be ideal. If the cats are an issue with her, maybe a crate for the puppy is an idea.

 Dyan -- oh my -- your dane and mine must be related .  My dane would start that barking-thing and it would drive me nuts because it really sounded like she was answering me back and demanding that she be allowed to bite me -- she seemed to get so angry if I ignored her request. And I agree -- the walking away, hands in the air, is really the only way that worked. She would always try to get one last leap at the face if she could!  It took a world of patience not to give her an elbow to protect myself -- but you really have to -- I found that any defense actions would actually encourage her; it was best to keep turning and walking away, as Dyan suggested.  My dane's a year old now and getting much better -- but she sure was a mouthy pup!!  She still tries to grab my arm during playtime, but has finally learned the command (after 10 months!) of "no-bite" -- and will stop, until she 'looses control' again. 

 Herding dogs can certainly be good with children but like any dog they and the children need to have clear rules about interaction. I have found well socialized and trained herding breed dogs to be quite clever, very eays to teach behaviors and extremely devoted. To be fair, they certainly tend to be a bit...quirky (but all the best dogs are... ). If this is a BC/Lab mix, the problem behaviors may not even be herding breed related - Labs can certainly be very mouthy, over exuberant and super active. Or knowing how hard breed ID is at shelters, the dog might not be a BC/Lab at all - just happens to be a shorthaired, black and white dog. IOWs any puppy can have these sorts of problems.

 If you really are not enjoying having this puppy, you really doubt your ability to train her and you really don't feel she is a good match for your family it is unfair to keep her and hope things get better. It is far easier to rehome puppies that need normal training than it is to rehome adult dogs with behavioral issues.

AgileGSD

 If you really are not enjoying having this puppy, you really doubt your ability to train her and you really don't feel she is a good match for your family it is unfair to keep her and hope things get better. It is far easier to rehome puppies that need normal training than it is to rehome adult dogs with behavioral issues.

 

Agreed!