Community Chat

[White Picket Fence]

Hi, I have a bad situation going on and am at the end of my rope. We got an australian shepherd last summer. He was a baby of 8 weeks. I have two shih tzu dogs. One is now seven and the other will be four in July. The pup was doing wonderful with the shih Tzu's and then at the end of March he turned on my little male. He walked into the living room saw my dog on the couch with me and then started to stare at him. His ears went up and I got scared. I could tell something was about to happen. His ears went up and he began to growl. The little shih tzu started to turn away from him. Next thing I know my Aussie growled and went for him! I grabbed his collar and took him out of the room and into the kitchen.

From that day on this dog has gone after the boy shih Tzu. There were three extremely scary times that he got away and attacked the little one. The other shih tzu, which is female, he does not attack. He will bother her in a boy girl way, but not try to kill her.

So now the new dog has to be seperated from my shih tzu at all times. It is so stressfull living like this. We have gates up and the dogs go at it through the kitchen door with loud barking and my ears actually hurt it is so bad. One of the times when the aussie first attacked the shih tzu I wanted him gone, it just was too scary. I was so afraid my little dog was going to be killed.

Okay, we got a trainer right away at the begining of April. I wanted him to see if he could get this dog together with the other one. He did sit, down, and those kinds of things. Only saw him once a week and we had to live with the insanity when the trainer left, becaause he would not listen to us. And the two dogs are still seperated. Finally the trainer went outside one day and watched the Aussie on a leash. He saw how he was trying to get the other dog. Then he said he felt the only option was a shock collar. So wanting to keep the dog if possible we ordered the collar for another 200.00 Trainer was 750.00. The wrong collar was sent to us! Then we had to wait two more weeks and live with this craziness. Another collar came. The trainer came by to show how it wworks and it was broken!! So he left and said get another one and I'll be back. Meantime, this dog is running the house and there is so much tension.

We were going to have him neutered when he turned one, which would have been in April, but March is when he went nuts. He is scheduled to have the operation this week. I'm not happy about a shock collar, but it is the only option.

My husband has had it and is ready to give up. I have felt this way myself, but then feel bad because he really is a good dog other than his not liking my other dog. It is sad because all three dogs were doing so well at one time. Now it is a horror show.

Sorry this turned out so long, I was trying to explain what is going on. What would you girls do? I recently told my husband I felt this dog never got proper training from this guy and felt the dog if given away wasn't given a real chance because this trainer in my opinion isn't doing anything. I was thinking of getting a new trainer. But he thinks it is hopeless and nothing is going to fix this dog. I hate all this stress too, and I can't stand living like this, but feel bad about the dog. Do I give up and throw in the towel and tell myself that this dog just isn't a good fit? Please, any constructive help would be so appreciated. Thank you.