new puppy

Question
I have a lovely german shepherd which is two and half years old.  We have just got a german shepherd pup which is his son.  Our older is so far lovely with him but i have just become a bit concerned because when they play together the older dog will put his mouth around his neck.  He is not biting down hard but i just need to know is this normal behaviour.  I dont leave them alone together.

Answer
For now, it is normal.  You may or may not have trouble as the puppy matures.  If both see you as a strong leader, trouble is much less likely.  

The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm