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#243652 - 06/17/09 07:37 AM
10 week old puppy growling and biting guest
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todd callais
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 06/14/09
Posts: 7
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I have a l0 week old male GSD from working bloodline father and mother are both police dogs. He is very aggressive with company, strangers, and the vet. Its seems like the only people he likes is me my wife, daughter, and brother who lives with me. He will start growling as soon as someone comes in my house and watch them the whole time. If they get close to him or move around the house he goes after them. Last week i took him to the vet for a checkup and even after trying to offer him a treat he refused it and tried to bite the vet. She said she never seen a puppy that young act like that. I have a 8 year old female that ive had since a puppy and i did not experience that with her.I plan on getting the dog protection trained by a professional but they wont take him till hes 6 months. Is this behavior dominance or just instinct. Should i correct it any advice would be appreciated.
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#243745 - 06/18/09 11:54 AM
Re: 10 week old puppy growling and biting guest
[Re: randy allen]
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JessicaKromer
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 10/28/06
Posts: 796
Loc: CA
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The first thing I'd think about doing (as soon as it was save) would be to take the dog out to some populated area like a park or shopping mall, someplace I could stay on an outside perimeter. Get the dog used to seeing people and work my way in, with the end being able to walk among the crowd with no reaction from the dog.
That doesn't mean allowing the dog to be put upon by people wanting to pet the animal, only to get the dog used to the idea that people are not necessarily out to get him.
In the house with company, I wouldn't allow them to approach or force the dog to accept any petting from, that to him are, strangers. But I'd keep him at my side on a tether.
Exactly what I would do.
You mention the pup would not take a treat from the vet... I assume that the pup was already worked up and beyond it. However, after this puppy starts to relax a little around strangers, try getting him to accept food from you. When he is calm enough to except it from you while a stranger is near by, try having him accept form a VERY neutral stranger (no eye contact, arm a little away from the body, not crouching over the pup [maybe even at first just dropping it when the pup is calm] and NO PETTING!) I would stop this after the dog is comfortable doing it, you don't want the opposite problem. And you will likely need to socialize/neutralize this dog on a very regular basis. ALWAYS have very high value treats on you when you take him out, just in case...
The strangers in your home can also be used for this, but wait until the pup is calm. And do it at the vet as well. Go in and grab a treat at the counter as often as you can. Feed it to him in there and eventually have the office staff treat him the same way as the neutral stranger. Work up to the vet doing it and then doing it in the exam room and then up on the table. It will take time and dedication but it can be done. Most vets will do this if they are not too busy as they will be the ones on the other side of the teeth and like that good working relationship. Helps make their lives easier.
I don't typically let people pet my pups, but in this case, I think for many reasons, he NEEDS to learn that strangers are not bad or scary. It will not hurt any protection training, but will make your life 1000 times easier and the dogs life less stressful. An adult dog like you described is a stressed out and dangerous dog to have around, and even more so with bite training.
You mention he is to be your protection dog... Do you mind if I ask in what fashion? In the home, at work, on the road, walking the street? I ask because one needs a VERY stable dog for public protection work, and with very rare exceptions (as Jenni mentioned) he does not sound that way at this time. He could likely work out for home deterrent work, but that will depend greatly on his early confidence building and on going training. He sounds as though he has bonded to you in a great way, and will likely always be the type of dog that will be possessive and the act first type of animal.
Who do you have lined up to work with him? What kind of training are you doing now. All of the basic stuff like sit, down, walk nicely on a leash, come when called, leave it command, place command, and heel position can be trained in very positive ways that will only help this little guy focus on the good stuff in life and ignore the evil strangers.
_________________________
Jessica 
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#243813 - 06/19/09 06:53 AM
Re: 10 week old puppy growling and biting guest
[Re: Jenni Williams]
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todd callais
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 06/14/09
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His mother and father are both police dogs and are czech imported bloodline. His father has 49 apprehensions with a bite. When we picked him up we got to see the father and he was a very calm and confident dog. It looks like hes from an excellent bloodline.
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#243814 - 06/19/09 07:04 AM
Re: 10 week old puppy growling and biting guest
[Re: JessicaKromer]
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todd callais
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Registered: 06/14/09
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I'm going to bring him to a trainer that owns quality dogs kennel http://www.quality-dogs.com. I'm currently doing all the basic stuff like sit, stay. They wont take him till he is 6 months old.I want to use him for home protection and maybe see if he's capable of showing in schutzhund.
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#243824 - 06/19/09 10:05 AM
Re: 10 week old puppy growling and biting guest
[Re: Lynne Barrows]
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JessicaKromer
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 10/28/06
Posts: 796
Loc: CA
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I don’t want to malign your breeder, the sire, or your trainer, but like Randy, I stand by my post. At his age this behavior is inappropriate for the type of dog you describe. A confident pup would be standing there with a happy look on his face and not letting these strangers faze him and to do any sort of bite work on a dog, you need a very stable pup. The pup you describe is either nervous and acting out before the evils of the world can get him (this could have been reinforced with his littermates or other early experiences as well as his time with you) or is over the top aggressive (unlikely at this age, and not what you want for a dog that will have to be in public much).
Two great dogs can throw anything. We are just stacking the odds in our favor when breeding, it may work or it may not. That is not to say that this is a bad pup, only that you have a little more work cut out for you.
As for the training (I know that was not your original question…), if Schutzhund is what you are thinking of doing, then start looking at and visiting some clubs. The trainer you listed has only talked about getting a B on two dogs, nothing more in the field of Schutzhund. He lists no other credentials of value for what you are describing. He may be great, but you could get 20X the training for the fees he charges. Visit a couple of clubs (there are a lot in the Southern states, out here the closest is 100 miles away from me) and start getting that pup socialized. At a club your pup will be worked on some basic rag/tug work to lay a foundation, tracking can be started and some basic obedience.
Have fun with your pup!
_________________________
Jessica
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