Guys I need to know what to do and I am very worried and scared. I don't know if you guys remember me but I have a 28 month old German Shepherd Male.

About 2 weeks ago I was about to leave and my dog was under my bed. He has been going under their a lot lately. He likes it under there but sometimes he goes under there when he's afraid of something. We have been having a bit of a problem with fleas this season and he has been very itchy. Before i used to spray some flea stuff on him but I think since he has been itching so bad it stung him badly. Now everytime I get any type of spray bottle out he runs under the bed. And if I spray him he growls and such.

However, this was not the reason he was under the bed this time. I wanted to put him in his kennel because I was about to leave. So I tried getting him out by putting a treat in his kennel, this usually always works but for some reason he wouldn't move. So eventually I just grabbed his foot and started pulling him out. He growled and kind of cried and bit me very hard. However, as he was biting me he was crying the whole time. So I kind of think it is more of a fear bite. However, it hurt my hand badly and I had to go to the emergency room. It was a bad crush injury, but luckily my hand was not broken.

For a week or so after this incident, he has been spending most of his tiem in his kennel. He only comes out when I am not in the room and when I come in the room he immedietly runs in his kennel.

Now this morning he was out and at my bed room door. I was trying to put him in his kennel and he didn't want to because he wanted to come out with me. I just went near him and said go in your kennel and attempted to touch him and he growled and bit my hand, but not hard at all.

I immedietly scolded him and yelled at him and he sat down and looked at the ground. I then started doing random stuff around my room and about 5 minutes later I told him to get in his kennel and then put a treat in his kennel and he ran in there.

What do you think I should do? I love him dearly and really don't want to give him up, but I am afraid I might have to. My breeder has a 5 year warranty, so would it be best to give him back? I really would like to just correct the problem but I kind of am scared that he could really hurt me or god forbid someone else. He has never showed any aggression towards anyone else, and he never does anything like this to my girlfriend whom lives with me too.

He also has never showed agression towards other dogs. I live with my parents and they have a little cairn terrier who is 13 years old and very dominant. When he tries to sniff her and play with her sometimes she gets mad and growls and nips at him. He just runs or walks away or walks over to me. Never has even growled at her.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Oh man, I am not sure where to begin.... Matthew, don't take this the wrong way, but based on your prior posts and the information in this post, I think you have a problem bigger than you can handle, even with advice from this list.

I am not sure if you are the problem or the dog is the problem or it is a combination of both but you need a professional evaluation of your dog by someone who has experience dealing with aggression and who can advise you on whether it is appropriate for you to keep the dog and try to rectify the issues you are having or if the dog should be sent back to the breeder for evaluation on whether he is viable for placement in a more experienced home.

Are you still in FL? Pensacola, right? Perhaps someone on this board can point you in the right direction for help. Good luck.

May I ask why are you trying to pull his foot? It sounds like your dog is very afraid of you if he kept running away from you and not running away from other.

Matt, I have to agree with Ingrid, and for new folks I want to assure them that this is based on a couple of years' of posts and not on just this one (which shows problems a-plenty..... ).

Matt, you need a professional.

There is a TON of info here:
http://www.leerburg.com/articles.htm#dom

and I would start listening to podcasts and reading articles and ordering the video about aggressive dogs, and STOP pulling him by the foot.

But I would also start looking for help. There is no shame in being new to dog-training and not having the wherewithal to deal with this. The shame is in NOT getting help and NOT ceasing inappropriate "corrections."

This dog went through a lot just to be alive now, I know, but that doesn't mean he can be left to run the house and terrify humans, even if it's fear-aggression. It is not fair to you OR to him. Get help.

 Quote: Matthew Criner

I really would like to just correct the problem but I kind of am scared that he could really hurt me or god forbid someone else.

If I was afraid of my dog I would get help immediately, from someone who is experienced with all kinds of aggression, including fear-aggression.

Being afraid of the dog is a huge barrier to fixing this.

 Quote: matthew criner

I wanted to put him in his kennel because I was about to leave. So I tried getting him out by putting a treat in his kennel, this usually always works but for some reason he wouldn't move. So eventually I just grabbed his foot and started pulling him out. He growled and kind of cried and bit me very hard. However, as he was biting me he was crying the whole time. So I kind of think it is more of a fear bite.

Sounds that way to me, too.
First of all, I would not allow this dog any freedom, period. He would be in his crate or tethered to me at all times. "I move, you move" What kind of exercise does he get? Has he been to the vet recently? What kind of diet is he on? Has he been drinking more lately? What about urine output? Same? More? Less? Has he seemed "normal" lately? There might be some kind of medical issue going on with him as well.
Regardless of why, though, there are some changes that need to be made in the way he is handled at home. DO NOT allow this dog to go under furniture, period. He is creating a den, which is usually by a dog looking for a "safe" place to rest. If there is a leash attached at all times you will not have to grab HIM, just the leash. Then you can encourage him out. But I would NOT allow him to be loose in the house, period. Read some of the ebooks here to learn more about what you are dealing with.

 Quote: matthew criner

For a week or so after this incident, he has been spending most of his tiem in his kennel. He only comes out when I am not in the room and when I come in the room he immedietly runs in his kennel.

Clearly, your dog is telling you that he is afraid. You will really need to work on building that trust up with him. When he is tethered, close the kennel door so that he cannot run in there if you walk near it. This will help prevent another fear bit if he panics, runs in there are you are close. From what you wrote, he doesn't sound aggressive, he sounds afraid. You should focus on not putting him in situations where he feels like he is in danger. Tethering him to you will prevent most "mischief" which will create an environment where he doesn't need much (if any correction) This makes you and being with you FUN because all he will get is PRAISE.

 Quote: matthew criner

He has never showed any aggression towards anyone else, and he never does anything like this to my girlfriend whom lives with me too.

He also has never showed agression towards other dogs. I live with my parents and they have a little cairn terrier who is 13 years old and very dominant. When he tries to sniff her and play with her sometimes she gets mad and growls and nips at him. He just runs or walks away or walks over to me. Never has even growled at her.

I cannot stress this enough. You need to get some more education on aggression, what it is, what causes it. Dog aggression and people aggression are two different things, and you don't have to have one to have the other. Fear biting is something entirely different, too. Please, take some time to read, and get some of the videos that are offered here to get better educated. Even if you end up taking the dog back to the breeder, you can end up in this same situation with a new dog if some of the same things are done.
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/packstructure.pdf
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/theoryofcorrections.pdf
It doesn't sound like you have a dominant dog, but some of this will still apply: http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/dealingwithdominantdog.pdf
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/dealingwithaggressivedog.pdf
some of the videos:
http://www.leerburg.com/302.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/301.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/308.htm

From what you have described...it sounds as if somewhere along the line the dog has lost his trust in you. It's not an easy thing to admit to but if you just take a breath and try and think back to all the instances that the dog has showed fear and what your reactions might have been (being totally honest with yourself) you might be able to pinpoint where it all started. Then you will be able to have more success in repairing the damage done. Some dogs are overly sensitive and something that you wouldn't think was a major issue might have been major to him. We all get frustrated with our dogs at times and can react in an unproductive way in the heat of the moment not realizing how much of an impact a little loss of patience can have on a sensitive dog. Don't give up on him, it sounds as if you need to reestablish a good relationship with him. Maybe a camping trip, just the two of you with him tethered to you or even just a long day driving around and going for walks here and there might help begin to help build up that trust. Nice thing about dogs..they are very forgiving when they are reminded how much they love us. As long as he trusts you again, things should start moving in a more positive direction.

Anytime someone is afraid that their dog might bite them, stick a nylon muzzle on them. Such a simple thing and everyone seems to overlook it. Dont think "I can be quicker than my dog," even some of the best trainers I know will muzzle a dog they think will bite them. It wont protect you 100%, the dog can still nip with front teeth, drink and probably eat a little, but it keeps the dog from delivering that wide open chomp.

When the owner no longer has to worry about getting bitten, he can behave in a more calm and rational, less twitchy, manner around the dog, which in itself is a good thing. Someone handling a dog when they are afraid of getting bitten is never a good thing.

Is there a chance the dog was in pain? Pulling a dogs leg and them crying and biting can also be a pain response.

Sounds like you really hurt him when you tried pulling him out from under the bed by his foot. What inspired that idea?