Help! I'm new to the list and desperately need some advise. I have 2 german shepherds, Kali is 2 yrs and Roxie is 10 months, both spayed females. My problem is with Kal. She is a dominant female, I know this. And she will never back down from another dog - ever, I know this too. I don't know if she's threatened by other dogs or is trying to protect me and Roxie or is just agressive or all of the above. I'm very strict with my dogs. They are very well behaved. My main problem is with Kali and my sister's dog. My sister lives 400 miles away, so the dogs don't get to see each other that often. My sister has a spayed female Siberian Husky, Isis. This dog has no manners, no training and is very unruly. She's 1-1/2 yrs. Last Thanksgiving, my sister came home and brought the dog. We basically had to rotate dogs in and out of crates. Kali acted like she wanted to kill that dog. Roxie has no issues with other dogs, she was fine. Anyway, at the end of the weekend, we were able to let all three dogs out, but Isis had to stay on her leash. At Christmas, things were different. Kali was much more accepting of Isis, for whatever reason. This time, we didn't have to crate anyone. I actually had the 3 of them lined up in front of me so I could feed them. We walked them together. Everything was fine, although we still had to be on guard. We went up to my sisters for Easter. As soon as Roxie started playing with Isis, Kali acted like she wanted to tear her up. I put her in Isis' crate and everytime Isis came near her, she's show her teeth and it wasn't neccessarily a growl, but a high pitched whine. After awhile, I was able to let Kali out, but had to keep her on her leash. Isis was also on her leash. I did notice that when Isis went outside after my 2 went out, she would mark where Kal & Rox had peed. We took them for a walk, and along the way, Isis marked at almost every corner. My sisters think that it's all Kali, but I say it's partly Isis too. The next day, we were at my other sisters house in Raleigh and we were looking at Roxie's foot. She had hurt it. Kali wandered off to where there's a yard with about 5 or 6 dogs in it. She didn't bark once. She stood at the fence and sniffed. I think that it's me and/or Roxie. I'm just confused over the whole thing. We're going to the Outer Banks in June and we'll have to spend a whole week with Isis. This dog runs her house. She is the pack leader of my sister and her two boys. So, I'm wondering if Kali knows this and that's what threatens her? I've ordered the dominant dog dvd, but I haven't gotten it yet. I think they just shipped it. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Francie, could you perhaps organize your text into a few paragraphs so that it's more readable?


Most people don't bother reading giant un-organized blocks of text like what you posted...

Sorry about that...first time...is this better?

Help! I'm new to the list and desperately need some advise. I have 2 german shepherds, Kali is 2 yrs and Roxie is 10 months, both spayed females. My problem is with Kal. She is a dominant female, I know this. And she will never back down from another dog - ever, I know this too. I don't know if she's threatened by other dogs or is trying to protect me and Roxie or is just agressive or all of the above. I'm very strict with my dogs. They are very well behaved.

My main problem is with Kali and my sister's dog. My sister lives 400 miles away, so the dogs don't get to see each other that often. My sister has a spayed female Siberian Husky, Isis. This dog has no manners, no training and is very unruly. She's 1-1/2 yrs.

Last Thanksgiving, my sister came home and brought the dog. We basically had to rotate dogs in and out of crates. Kali acted like she wanted to kill that dog. Roxie has no issues with other dogs, she was fine. Anyway, at the end of the weekend, we were able to let all three dogs out, but Isis had to stay on her leash. At Christmas, things were different. Kali was much more accepting of Isis, for whatever reason. This time, we didn't have to crate anyone. I actually had the 3 of them lined up in front of me so I could feed them. We walked them together. Everything was fine, although we still had to be on guard.

We went up to my sisters for Easter. As soon as Roxie started playing with Isis, Kali acted like she wanted to tear her up. I put her in Isis' crate and everytime Isis came near her, she'd show her teeth and it wasn't neccessarily a growl, but a high pitched whine.

After awhile, I was able to let Kali out, but had to keep her on her leash. Isis was also on her leash. I did notice that when Isis went outside after my 2 went out, she would mark where Kal & Rox had peed. We took them for a walk, and along the way, Isis marked at almost every corner.

My sisters think that it's all Kali, but I say it's partly Isis too. The next day, we were at my other sisters house and we were looking at Roxie's foot. She had hurt it. Kali wandered off to where there's a yard with about 5 or 6 dogs in it. She didn't bark once. She stood at the fence and came when called.

I think that it's me and/or Roxie. I'm just confused over the whole thing. We're going to the Outer Banks in June and we'll have to spend a whole week with Isis. This dog runs her house. She is the pack leader of my sister and her two boys.

So, I'm wondering if Kali knows this and that's what threatens her? I've ordered the dominant dog dvd, but I haven't gotten it yet. I think they just shipped it. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

The dominant dog DVD, as far as im aware, is intended for dogs who are people-dominant and aggressive to people/the owner of a seriously tough dog, like that of a handler-aggressive dog out of working line german shepherds etc.

Your situation is easy. Don't let your dog play with your sisters dog. Dogs don't need to be friends with dogs outside of their family/pack. Especially a dog-dominant dog, they will not tollerate dogs who are not accepted in their pack. Don't force it, your dog will never accept it fully, at best your dog will tollerate being in the same room as your sisters dog but they will never become friends, there will always be some level of unpredictability. Your sister lives 400 miles away, don't worry about it. Take the dogs out one at a time, not together, problem solved.

 Quote: Francie Hallings

We basically had to rotate dogs in and out of crates.

Perfect.

I'm with Mike.

Thanks for the input. Kali is my first GSD and I often wonder if her behavior is "normal". Is it normal for her to react this way to other dogs? Can she sense that I don't like my sister's dog?

When I have my girls in the front of the house (on their leashes) and somebody is out walking their dog, Roxie will stand there and bark at them and gets a little hackled up, but Kali goes a little overboard and it's hard to get her attention and focused back on me. Is this normal? On our walks, they, especially Kal, are very well behaved. I don't let them socialize with other dogs, except my sister's.

 Quote: francie hallings

Thanks for the input. Kali is my first GSD and I often wonder if her behavior is "normal". Is it normal for her to react this way to other dogs? Can she sense that I don't like my sister's dog?

When I have my girls in the front of the house (on their leashes) and somebody is out walking their dog, Roxie will stand there and bark at them and gets a little hackled up, but Kali goes a little overboard and it's hard to get her attention and focused back on me. Is this normal? On our walks, they, especially Kal, are very well behaved. I don't let them socialize with other dogs, except my sister's.

If by "normal" you mean are a lot of dogs (of all breeds) like that, then yes.

In front of your house, to keep the dog from getting hyped up to lunging and growling (if that's what you meant), you will want to keep her focus off other dogs from the first glance. That means correcting before it ever escalates to hackling or even staring.

There are many threads here ("search") on dog-aggressive dogs, and you might want to check them out to get more of the info already available.

I am so glad to find this answer--that my GSD doesn't need other dogs outside the family!

Have two tough issues going on with my shepherd.
First, I have a very dominant 'neutered' 14 mo. 110 lb. shepherd that has been playing with his best friends next door, a Jack Russell and a mix lab herding dog both are female. He LOVES them so much and has played with them since 14 weeks. When he doesn't play with them, because I have to work at home, he becomes severely depressed, whines, paces, looks utterly miserable and becomes rebellious to my authority.


I really don't know why I feel so sorry for him when he barks and whines rudely around the bed at 6:30 when his freinds come over to our house and bark outside the bedroom window. Usually,I let my two dogs to play. I stumble out of bed asleep and stressed quickly dressing so I can go outside and keep my eye on them for about an hour unless it rains heavily.

Sometimes, I can't keep up with them as his little rascal pack blasts down down to their own house to play---so I follow.


Sometimes, I am lucky. SOMETIMES in the front yard I get to sit and drink my coffee seated on my front porch while watching them. I like mornings when I can hear them play and see the bushes clamour as they romp through our many spring ponds with glee--I know he's safe.

Anyway, I don't understand why SOMETIMES my shepherd will stay around me as long as I keep direct eye contact and repeat the positive words 'stay home gets cookie'. He will stay around untl he gets bored with the cookie and as long as I don't leave my seat for a second for something. Once I am gone---he's gone! My lab mix always runs off but returns within 10 minutes. But with my shepherd, it's like the cliche ' give a child an inch and they take a mile.' Must be true with dogs too--mine at least.

What am I to do with a dog easily bored dispite stuffed kongs, bones, car rides, walks, training, tracking and even movies?

My shepherd runs my life! I have been ill for the last six months to challenge him every single day! He STRESSES me out. I hardly get the chance to work because of his noisy complaints of being bored. I spend at least 3-4 hours a day training him basics commands trying to teach him to stay home with me ect. In all, he demands a good 8-10 hours of my time each day.

It's odd, but sometimes weeks will pass and all I have to do is give a command and all he want to do is please me.
Other weeks--like this week, he's had a strong rebellious streak and just zones me out, such as, eye contact and my voice and does what he pleases which ends in a long strecth of crate time.

Bad day today---he trashed the interior of my VW Bug going ballistic inside when I drove past the other neighbor's two terrior that were in their front yard with their owners.

I have a very narrow private dirt road that leads home that alot of dogs live along. Infact, anytime passing dogs on the OTHER direction of the road he goes BIZERK! Besides that, anytime sitting in the car and another car pulls beside us--he goes nuts! You should see the looks of these people's faces, their mouths hang and look as in shock to see a dog act so viciously as if thinking, " what kinda women would let their dogs get this bad?" It's really embarrassing for me.

The terrible thing is, I cannot control him inside the car--EVER! His adrenaline is raging. He jumps hysterically all over from back to front seat and today crashed his body against the horn which really shocked the neighbors and clawed up my leather!

Hate his barkig, it's ear shattering powerful and vivcious and if he doesn't get control, I am afraid of loosing my hearing! I can feel the strain on my ear drums and put my fingers in them so they don't pop when he crashes his head against my seat pushing towards the window to attack the dogs outside!


It's a crazy thing, but he LOVES other dogs once he's out or away from the car. Oh boy, but watch out if I pet the other dog!
He doesn't bite them but he gets close when pinning them down. Even the cats, he still pesters them but they generally get along well--that is, until I pet one of them, then he lunges at them with a high pitch bark at them. He's been socialized from 14 months of age going to a doggie daycare three days a week while I attended college so I don't know what his trip is.

THink I will take his freedom of car riding away for a while. I am SOOOOO MAD at him right now. He's in the crate and don't want to deal with him until I cool down. How long should my dog be in the crate after doing something bad? Do you think an e-collar will help in a time like this or will it make him more crazy.


I do know alot about the behaviour of the pack leader. I have no trouble with my other lab/pit mix. He follows me joyfuly everywhere and does what I say and happy to lay at my feet, I think he knows I rescued him from the animal shelter and doesn't want any trouble-just cuddles and lots of love for him. .



I am going to order the video on dominant and aggressive dogs--hope it helps. Maybe an e-collar too? Any feed back is GREATLY appreciate!!!

Thanks, Julia