I have a 18 month old intact female GSD. I got her as a 5 month old, knowing that she had been chained from age 8 weeks to 20 weeks outside. She never rode in a car, didn't know her name but could sit. She was introduced to our 4 year intact female Bernese Mountain Dog and 12 year neutered male Lab. Both accepted her and there were no problems. Now at the age of 18 months I am having out of the blue aggression. She could be sitting at my feet and one of the other dogs appear, 15 feet away, she starts to growl and if unchecked will attack them. I am at wits end. I have a prong collar on her, keep her at close watch and correct her with a "no" and sharp correction. I live in fear she will attack again. I know she has issues but will I be able to retrain her to leave other dogs alone? She also has a high prey drive. Help?
Mary, are the dogs crate trained? What kind of things are the GSDs triggers? Balls/toys/food/bed? Is she guarding you from them (resource guarding) or do you think it is territorial?
Do the dogs have access to toys and food at all times?
Is she OB trained? Does she have any fear/nervous issues? Aggression towards other dogs? Has she ever tried to redirect her aggression to you or someone else near by?
I recommend finding a local trainer that is experienced with aggression issues.
Also, I would look into the Dominant Dog Collar ( http://leerburg.com/746.htm ) instead of the prong, and invest in a muzzle as a safeguard. Prong collars often escalate a dogs aggression unless the correction is timed extremely well and of the right intensity.
Edited by Jennifer Marshal (04/26/2008 11:26 PM)
Edit reason: links
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your input. All my dogs are crate trained. They have access to water and toys. Food is only at meal time and if they left anything in their bowls, it is picked up and put away till next meal time.
I have had a decent week where she has been fairly quiet and stabel. I made sure that all items or things that could provoke an aggression move were removed. I have been doing basic obedience training again, starting again on a short leash with the basics of sit, come, stay, down etc. I do not allow her to wander around the house or go outside without me. I tell her where to sit or lay down. No choices for her. I give her attention, praise her good work on leash and off. But I am trying to maintain a working relationship right now.
Today, all has been well. My husband had her with him most of the day outside, the other two dogs were inside. I came home and things were fine. I went on a short errand, when I entered the gate to our driveway, Mandy came half way across the yard, than abruptly turned and headed towards our Bernese. I yelled out no, but growling had erupted into a full scale dog fight. My husband and I broke it up without injuries. I have no idea what triggered it. But as my husband stated, I can't take this any more. She has not been aggressive towards anybody. She is a peach with people. She does not do well with other dogs. Even my husband said if she was the only dog, she would be great.
Mary, IMHO these dogs shouldn't be allowed together unsupervised. If you have to leave (even if you are busy and cannot have the dog tethered to you) They should be crated. It is way to easy for things like this to get out of control when there is no supervision. You coming home can sometimes create a "frenzy" of competition for your attention. If everyone is crated when you get home, you can come in the door, put your stuff away, take care of your needs, then be able to give your undivided attention to the dogs, thus able to prevent any fights as needed.
Also, if the incidents are happening when you are there and nothing happens when you leave, it could be that your nervousness of her behavior is actually causing her to be protective. You may be thinking, "please be good and don't attack" and she translates this to mean "my mom is scared of those other dogs".
When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.
Never thought of that. Mandy is crated when we are not home. I am researching now for a trainer in my area to come to my home to help me. I realize some of this is coming from her maturing and stating her position in the world. I just got done measuring her for a muzzle, she has a cloth one now but I need the plastic muzzle. I also am ordering the dominant dog collar, because I too am concerned that giving corrections with the prong during her aggressive stage will provoke more than I can handle. So far a firm no and pop with the collar has worked. I also have printed out the e articles on pack structure and dominant dog so my husband can read them and understand what I am trying to do with her. I believe that our Bernese needs alittle adjustment also with her commands, something he lacks to enforce with that dog.
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