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08-05-2018 10:51 PM
My mom bought a seven-month old German Shepherd puppy a few weeks ago. At first, everything started off nice and the puppy-- an all-black shepherd-- was nice. Now all of a sudden, the dog's a total monster!
Orla (my mom named the dog after her grandmother) bites everything. She's shredded four beds, all her stuffed toys, and my mom looks like an abuse victim. She got the dog because she wanted company since my dad, brother, and childhood dog passed, but it seems like a huge mistake. This little monster cannot even be hugged without being greeted by TEETH.
The thing is, the dog doesn't have food aggression, toy aggression... you can take things from her like no big deal.
She's afraid of men. I brought my boyfriend and his little brother over a week ago, and all she did was bark, growl, and cower.
All women are okay.
The vet thought it was anxiety and gave her medication, but Orla overpowers the medication. it seems to make her worse (we're going to the vet again Wednesday). Even her breeder has no idea what is wrong.
She counter-surfs. If she gets riled up playing outside, she jumps and bites. She is also impossible to train! This dog will not listen to anything!
Are there any German Shepherd people on this forum who know anything? I'm pending on several GSD pages on Facebook and hoping to get some insight there. Is this dog even salvageable? My mom doesn't want to give up on her because I don't live nearby due to work and my mom doesn't want to "give up on family." She lives on a fixed income now and can't afford a trainer (not that she would go to a trainer because she sees it as new-aged nonsense).
08-05-2018 10:59 PM
@KaliaMonet, I have never owned a German Shepherd, but I have been a dog owner most of my life. The damage that is being done is puppy damage. That is what they do. It doesn't last forever, just like the terrible 2's don't last in a child. I agree with your mother, especially since it is her dog, that you don't give up on family--even the family dog is family.
As far as men and growling, I have found that dog's are a great judge of character. Probably not what you want to hear. It might be anxiety, but it might be something else.
It probably is not too soon to start the dog on a training program. Ask the vet for references. That means that the family all works together to help this puppy be a well-behaved family member. You mother might not believe in this, but she may be a believer when the program is over. Your vet can encourage her.
08-05-2018 11:00 PM
The puppy needs to go to training/obedience classes. PetSmart has very affordable classes.
My paramour has a long haired black German Shepard. He went through the same as your mother did.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
08-05-2018 11:15 PM
I would return the puppy & take a little time before getting another, maybe a different breed that's easier for your mom to handle.
08-05-2018 11:26 PM
Hi, I’v had tw9 Shepherds and they do need obedience training and a chock collar. You have to be very stronger in your voice with them and let them know your Alpha female!
I know the Black Shepherds tend to be more high strung and aggressive due to breeding to get the all black coat.,
i am am very happy with my 5lb Toy Poodle who is far smarter than either Shep
Herd we had. We now have to spell words as she knows them and is now learning the spelling, so walks are now strolls, she listens to everything we say!! We’ve name all her toys and you can tell her to get one and she goes to her toy basket and routs through all her toys til she finds the one you told her to get. When dinner is ready we ask her “who are you bringing to dinner?” She goes and gets the toy of the day and brings it to the dining room. She is such a great companion you Mom might have fun with a
snaller dog.
Best of luck, Babe
08-05-2018 11:33 PM
The German shepherd is a working dog. I find they need purpose or they are not happy. Now, that purpose can be loving their owner, as well as guarding their owner. Instincts play a large part, and it is up to the dog handler to understand that.
My GSD does not like to be told what to do. He will "obey" if he thinks it is a reasonable request. These dogs are highly intelligent.
08-05-2018 11:41 PM
I don't know the back round of the dog, where she came from. There are dogs who are like this and it is usually because of abuse or mistreatment of some sort. You say the dog growls at men and that could be a hint that men mistreated him. Cowering points to that also.
I would hope the dog outgrows chewing everything. My niece has a lab who does the same and he is young too. He not only chews he eats everything in sight. This dog craves attention and doesn't like being alone. His previous home had two other dogs and we think he was used to having the company of the two dogs.
These are all guesses and opinions, I am not a vet or animal psychologist! However, I do wish your mom luck if she decides to keep the dog as I know how loving and loyal dogs can be..Maybe as the dog matures she will calm down. If it comes down to where your mom can't keep the dog, please make sure the dog goes to a loving home.
08-05-2018 11:46 PM - edited 08-05-2018 11:48 PM
@Mz iMac wrote:The puppy needs to go to training/obedience classes. PetSmart has very affordable classes.
My paramour has a long haired black German Shepard. He went through the same as your mother did.
@KaliaMonet - What @Mz iMac says here is excellent advice. Help your mom get a trainer. I'm a cat person now, but my parents had a German Shepherd when I was born. In fact Dad had her when he and my mom dated. She was my constant companion and would let me do anything to her. Mom said I would pull her tail and try to ride her and she didn't flinch. But when the neighbor across the street came over when I was born and leaned down to look at me in the crib, she bit him. Those were different times, and it was just a light (they won't let me post the word, but it rhymes with Kip and starts with "N"). He was very understanding. In today's world that probably wouldn't be the case. She lived until I was five.
They tend to be one-person dogs, or one-family, but they are extremely protective of their owners, loyal and kind. Work with your veterinarian and get those classes - you'll see a world of difference! Good luck!
08-06-2018 12:20 AM - edited 08-06-2018 12:36 AM
I am in no way an expert, but I have a 13 month old GSD black female and your situation sounds pretty familiar to us.
We figure a GSD pup has to chew so we try to direct her chewing to things we approve of. We give her bully sticks and frozen bone marrow (we strip off the fat before we freeze it) for her to chew. Lots of times we will recycle them by putting peanut butter in them and freezing them before we give them back to her.
We are also insistent in telling her 'uh uh' and giving her the evil eye when she tries to chew on our arms, and then offer her a toy to chew on instead. We also emphasized gentle, gentle, gentle when ever giving her food since she wanted to grab it like a shark.
I don't know what meds the vet gave your moms pup, but my little girl also barks and cowers when she meets strangers, although no growling. We debated between prozac/xanax, and cbd oil. The vet worried that the xanax could lead to more aggression so we tried cbd oil. I was skeptical, but it made a significant difference. Like Orla, she was so darn nervous we couldn't get her attention to train her. She is now getting a little more focused.
You didn't mention whether she is spayed or not. Our little girl went into heat at seven months. And, I must admit, she did not handle it well. She was fearful, aggressive, moody for two weeks before her cycle and a couple of weeks afterwards. We decided to spay her soon after.
It is likely that she is going through that wonderful adolescent phase where she is pushing boundaries .... so it might be good to set some boundaries.
If you can get her attention she might benefit from 'no free lunch'. When Orla comes up to beg a treat. get attention, or have you throw a toy, make sure she works for it. Tell her to sit ... or shake .. or lie down ... or whatever command she has mastered.
As to impossible to train, I found that our pup responded to training best in the morning before she had breakfast. Those treats looked mighty good to her when her stomach was empty!!! That got her attention.
Good luck!!
PS ... I guess 'my little girl' isn't all that little. She's about 80 pounds now. Which reminds me ... a harness worked wonders for keeping her under control ... and/or a dual handle leash.
08-06-2018 07:19 AM
I had shepherds quite a while ago when I was younger. They can be a very challenging breed but when well bred and well trained.......one of the best breeds in the world.
It was my job as their owner not to put them in situations (or be able to control them) where their protectiveness would endanger them or another person. (I lived in a county where any dog that bit a person was seized and euthanized)
It was a TON of work when I had them in my 30s..and my dogs were purebred adults from the local humane society. I'm 64 now and can't imagine having a puppy. I've always worked and adults seemed easier to work with than getting a puppy.
Lots of good advice from other posters for your mom.
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