Need Advice - My 'no bite method' good or bad?

OK, I foster and have had as many as seven german shepherd pups following me everywhere I go.  I've managed to come through relatively unscatched.  First you wear shoes and socks...something to protect the flesh, second you just flat STOP MOVING.  And, yeah, if they start again when you do move, you stop moving again.  AND IGNORE.  If I happen to be sitting at my desk and the ankles come under attack, I tell them NO BITE (no by itself means absolutely nothing...you want to tell him what TO do, not just what not to do), substitue an acceptable chew thing, and then praise them for chewing on that.  I've pulled my feet up more times than I can count...withdrawing the item they are heck bent on chewing, and effectively ignoring.  I have a terribly realistic yelp...had neighbors come running when Shadow was a pup thinking that HE had been hurt....but I've never found that terribly effective.  Ignoring works.  Even if you are walking across the room with a pup hooked on by his teeth to your pants....ignoring works.
 
If there is a problem with the kids, well gosh, keep the kids away from the pup for now.  Your child running through the field with the pup is ASKING for nipping and herding behavior.  that's what the pup was bred to DO.
 
Yes, I do use a spray bottle, but never with a pup that young and never with anything but straight WATER in it.

Another thing to consider....It seems to me that no matter how discreet you try to be with squirting, the dog is going to associate that unpleasantness with you, and associate unpleasantness with the bottle, and with the liquid whatever you use. Therefore, the dog may become shy and difficult to groom. Because you're holding something in your hand  (shampoo, skin ointment, medication etc) that is similar to the squirt bottle.  I had a dog (abandoned on my doorstep and yes I adopted him)that would get scared and hide if he saw anything in your hand.  He was very sweet and gentle,  and after much gentle coaxing he began to realize the trimming scissors, brush and comb were friends that would make him feel better.  But it took  a while to get   him there.
 
I wouldn't use it myself. For the reasons listed above by other posters and to prevent a  possible fear association that could literally come back to bite you later on. jmho

that right there ^^ is a very good point as well

Your child running through the field with the pup is ASKING for nipping and herding behavior. that's what the pup was bred to DO.

 
Thanks, Glenda, for reminding parents that it isn't just about managing the puppy, it's also about managing the kids!!!  This is precisely why some rescue groups do *not* adopt out herders to families with young kids.  But, if you keep kids from running and screeching, you can build a shut-off switch into your herder.  Sequoyah is a stockdog type Aussie, but does *not* herd and nip kids - she'll be nine months old tomorrow.  I have never squirted her.  I taught her "leave it" and "that'll do" very early in life, and I discouraged her puppy nippiness by removing my attention (if they bite your pant legs, go into the bathroom - that really makes you boring, and tells them that if they persist all games will stop).  The problem is that most busy people with kids don't persist and aren't consistent.  It isn't the methods that are at fault here, it's the lack of commitment.  And, bls4pets makes a good point about not doing anything that makes your dog associate nastiness with you at a young age.  The reason a squirt is ok with Glenda's older dogs is that they have already had a gazillion good experiences with her, so the occasional spritz doesn't permanently ruin their relationship.  But, I warn you, someone told me to squirt Sioux for barking once - didn't work and I finally clicker trained "quiet", but I now have to take a squirt bottle to workshops and performances because that is how she prefers to drink when we're on the road LOL.

Dog phsycology says...  positive reinforcement = dog will repeat action...
 
 negative reinforcement = dog is less likely to repeat action..
 
If a dog went to rumage in the trash bin!  and the next door neighbour accidently threw a bucket of water from her upstairs window and landed on the dog...  the dog would not be so keen to repeat the rumaging....!!!
 
This is why when using the squirt bottle, it's vital! that it's not  asocciated with the owner...   (it comes from some unseen force)
When the dog releases the bite, you are waiting with a treat..  'positive reinforcememt'
  
  Its all very well to say ignore the bad behaviour (make it no fun)  but i feel some dogs just get a thrill out of hanging onto your trouser leg sinking their teeth in harder untill there's tears in your eye... 
   What way would this work if you have visiters and he's clung on to a leg of the person (don't take no notice of him, he'll give up after a while, its only a bit of pain) 
  This is why i think a bike horn, or squirt bottle, shake bottle distracts behavoiur like this, and together with a word of command, works off your voice  (you are the guider, not him)
 
As for about the kids running on the field!  (and the response was to keep the kids away, for the time being)   the dog needs to interact with kids from a young age!  or other wise you have more problems down the road (bitting kids) 
  the dog needs to learn from an early age, that running and bitting is not exceptable....  ( your answer's are very contradictre, a well socialised dog can have a life time of fun with children, providing he learns the rules of play...  (how will he ever get to learn that through sheltering him)  the world is not rigid, and there will always be a kid running and playing, its when the dog is not use to this he is likly to bite....
 
   This is all basic dog hyscology! studied by people over the years, i can't understand how trainers,  don't already know about this?    
 
 

As for about the kids running on the field! (and the response was to keep the kids away, for the time being) the dog needs to interact with kids from a young age! or other wise you have more problems down the road (bitting kids)
the dog needs to learn from an early age, that running and bitting is not exceptable....

By the same token the kids need to learn which behaviors are appropriate around the dog.  The puppies and the kids can interact, under close supervision.  The supervision ensures that neither the kids nor the pups are behaving poorly.

If you watch dogs at play, when dog #1 bites dog #2 too hard, dog #2 doesn't pull out a squirt bottle and squirt dog #1.  He will yelp.  If the yelping doesn't work, he'll wheel around and growl and maybe launch an air snap or two.  If that doesn't work, he'll bite back.  OR: Dog #2 will yelp and walk away, ending playtime.  (There are other behaviors that can happen, but these are pretty common.)  You'll also never see a dam squirting water at her pups.  She'll ignore it or get up and walk away and ignore the pup for a few minutes. 

Dog #1 learns: Bite too hard, no more playtime.  It's a direct result that requires no abstract thinking.  It's also very finite.

If you use the squirt bottle, you better make sure you've got one stapled to your hip because if the dog bites hard and there's no squirt of water...the dog learns that sometimes it's ok to bite hard.  Otherwise if I bite too hard water comes from somewhere, but not all the time.  So the dog has to put the "squirt of water" variable into his puppy logic. 

It's possible that it would work.  But most pups don't analyze situations like we humans do.  I know that there were times, if I had done the squirt bottle training, that my carpet would have been like a swimming pool.  Instead I "OUCH'ed" and shunned. 

Pups don't stay pups forever.  It's while they are LITTLE that you MUST make the kids use some common sense so that when the pup becomes a DOG he doesn't think it's ok to herd running kids.
 
I foster, mostly german shepherd pups.  The shelter and I have different ideas about little kids, so they leave that call to me.  I will not even let a family with little ones come to see the pups UNLESS I feel comfortable that they are in fact parents who will be willing to listen and learn and to TRAIN their kids while they train the pup.  And even then I reserve my decision until I see the parents and children together with the pups.  And I'm not afraid to say, no, I'm sorry but I don't think this is gonna be a good match.
 
Anne, you're very welcome! []

ORIGINAL: Xerxes

As for about the kids running on the field! (and the response was to keep the kids away, for the time being) the dog needs to interact with kids from a young age! or other wise you have more problems down the road (bitting kids)
the dog needs to learn from an early age, that running and bitting is not exceptable....

By the same token the kids need to learn which behaviors are appropriate around the dog.  The puppies and the kids can interact, under close supervision.  The supervision ensures that neither the kids nor the pups are behaving poorly.

If you watch dogs at play, when dog #1 bites dog #2 too hard, dog #2 doesn't pull out a squirt bottle and squirt dog #1.  He will yelp.  If the yelping doesn't work, he'll wheel around and growl and maybe launch an air snap or two.  If that doesn't work, he'll bite back.  OR: Dog #2 will yelp and walk away, ending playtime.  (There are other behaviors that can happen, but these are pretty common.)  You'll also never see a dam squirting water at her pups.  She'll ignore it or get up and walk away and ignore the pup for a few minutes. 

Dog #1 learns: Bite too hard, no more playtime.  It's a direct result that requires no abstract thinking.  It's also very finite.

If you use the squirt bottle, you better make sure you've got one stapled to your hip because if the dog bites hard and there's no squirt of water...the dog learns that sometimes it's ok to bite hard.  Otherwise if I bite too hard water comes from somewhere, but not all the time.  So the dog has to put the "squirt of water" variable into his puppy logic. 

It's possible that it would work.  But most pups don't analyze situations like we humans do.  I know that there were times, if I had done the squirt bottle training, that my carpet would have been like a swimming pool.  Instead I "OUCH'ed" and shunned. 

 
I completely agree.
 
Although dogs should be well trained to behave around children, there also must be safety rules in place. This REALLY is not as hard as some seem to think that it is.  I loved horses as a kid, and always hung around barns.  There were certain safety rules, however, that I quickly learned to observe.  Don't walk behind the horse, watch your feet, etc.
 
If my stepdad could operate a farm tractor with no supervision at 7 years of age, children can be taught not to run and scream around dogs, IMHO.