Hello to all,

I'm new here and need some advice on one of my rescued German Shepherd dogs. Her name is Abbie and she has some issues with my putting her in her crate when I need to be away from home. She growls and shows her fangs and last nite even lunged at the door as I closed it!!! I think she would have bit me if she would have had the chance. I have had her for 6 months now and she has become increasingly aggressive with me. I'm told that she must be trying to be the pack leader. When I try to scold her for unwanted behavior, she growls at me and after last nite, I'm worried she may even start to bite me. She can be such a loving dog to me and my 2 other German Shepherds, but wants to do things her way. I've been told to try a prong collar and start with the basic training like sitting, down stay, walking on a leash etc. Any suggestions would be soooo helpful cause I want to do the right thing with her and not cause her to turn even more aggressive! I know that if she doesn't respond that she probably can't be adopted out anymore and will have to be put down.........Thank you, Sue Ann

If you are afraid of your dog, aside from all other factors, this that puts you in a position to fail. To avoid that, you need a professional ASAP, IMO, to assess the dog and to give you some pack leader help.

What is "scolding," exactly?

The only reason I'm not answering with the many excellent Leerburg podcasts, articles, and videos about dominant and aggressive dogs is that your fear makes it crucial that you get outside help first.

You have 3 dogs? You have a pack that includes an aggressive dog. I'm not trying to be harsh, but your post makes it clear that you do not have the experience yet for handling such a pack. I'd start around looking for experienced help right away.

I totally agree with everything Connie has suggested to you. But while you are trying to find this professional to help your situation there are things you could check out between you and Abbie AND the other dogs in your home.

Never let her shove her head under your hand or bump your arm for attention. This is an Alpha move.. shove her away and a little later call her to you and you pet/groom/or play with her. The Alpha grooms or demands to be groomed. For your grooming of her take a warm wash cloth and clean her eyes and mouth and ears. If she is Alpha she will not want to sit still for you.. make her.

Next never let her go into a room before you or out the door before you- unless you say so. The Alpha leads and you want to be Alpha over this pack living in your home. You can take back your Alpha roll in small subtle ways. Check out the sleeping places also... Alpha gets the best/highest spot.

Then, never ever put her in a crate as punishment... play first or do some obedience... fun stuff - then put her up. Make it a good place to be.

Finally, remember that the underlings of the pack initiate play with the Alpha... the Alpha may not always want to play so just gently shove them away... I give mine an order so they have something else to do. Also, all toys belong to the Alpha and "you" put them up after you have played. Then eventually, as Alpha you can get the toys down and play on your terms.

These are subtle ways to gain Alpha but as Connie mentioned you may need a professional to come in if you have fear as dogs will feed off this and position themselves accordingly.

GOOD LUCK AND HOPE THIS HELPS JUST A TAD
NO ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING -
JUST AN OL GAL
MARSHA MAE A

Sue,
How old is the dog?

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

 Quote: randy allen

Sue,
How old is the dog?

That's a good question, Randy. "Rescue" made me assume "adult," but it was a stupid assumption.

I wouldn't ever say 'stupid' Connie. In my book your the tops!
I think you pretty much got to the heart of the issue myself, if she's afraid of the dog it really doesn't matter what the age of the dog.
I was just thinking different ages would suggest different methods for approaching the issues is all.

If I'm not learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Hi everyone,

Thank you Marsha for your tips and not making me feel like a failure. I've been raised with German Shepherds and I've had 4 since my husband and I have been married....I'm no stranger to the breed. I lost my last Shepherd last fall and wanted to make a difference and adopt a pet in need. Abbie is 6 years old and was sick from grief because her family dumped her in the shelter. She had a very hard time getting over that. She was also physically sick because she refused to eat and had been over vaccinated. She had kennel cough too. Now that she is healthy and hopefully happy, these problems are starting to arise. Could be medical? I don't know right now, but she is a very loving dog. I don't know her history or what some person might have done to her, so at this point.....I'm reaching out for the right thing to do to help her. Her foster Mom has been helping me with some helpful suggestions to figure out what is happening to Abbie. I'm not a quitter and want whats best for this beautiful dog. What has happened to Abbie in her past does not make me a failure in trying to make a difference in her life. I will try my very best.....Sue Ann

Not having experienced a pack that includes an aggressive dog does not make anyone a failure. Please note my word "experience" ... not "knowledge." Being familiar with any breed doesn't give anyone experience with aggressive dogs unless one of the ones you've had was aggressive.

Getting professional help is likewise not in any way "failing." It is also not being "a quitter."

Number one, in my opinion, is to leave the dog's past in the past. Our interpretation of the dog's emotional state is rarely beneficial to the dog, who needs more than anything a strong pack leader and no worries about whether she has to take the position.

I adopt too, and I applaud others who do.

I gear myself mentally every day to be the pack member who is in charge and who all the other pack members feel safe with.

Are you able to steel yourself not to flinch or back away when the dog "growls at me and after last nite, I'm worried she may even start to bite me"?


I'd start here with numbers 8, 9, and 10.

http://www.leerburg.com/dominantdogs.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/301.htm

You came to the right place, and you will get good advice here.

Again, I have to stress that being afraid of your dog is a failure situation. It has to be addressed, and I don't know how you will do that without outside help. Can you get past being nervous or worried? (This is a real question, and not rhetorical.)

Oops. When I posted "starting with numbers 8, 9, and 10," I forgot to put the podcast link in.

http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm

I think you'll find that the podcasts give an immediacy that really helps to clarify the articles.

Hi Sue,
I also agree with Connie's suggestion that professional evaluation and advice would be helpful here. A couple of other things occur to me: one is that you've had the dog 6 months, but if I read your first post correctly you are only now starting to work on basic obedience (sit, down, stay, walk?) That concerns me - whether the dog has been sick or not, that's way too much time for her to form bad habits and decide she can now boss you around. What did you do when she started growling at you? That should have been firmly dealt with right away. You mention "scolding" Abbie - which suggests to me that you were not correcting inappropriate behavior anywhere near strongly enough, and now she's upping the ante, so to speak.

Most of my dogs have been rescues - including my current GSD, who was dumped in a shelter at only 14 months old by his third owner - and in my experience what helps such dogs get over their confusion and sadness not indulgence but firm establishment of pack order, structure and training. I wouldn't write Abbie off yet, but the fact that she's challenging you now means you have work to do on this, and fast. There's tons of good information on this site on establishing pack order and dealing with dominant dogs, as well as basic obedience training - I recommend you start reading it, as well as get the professional advice Connie recommended.