We have a 100lb GSD who will jump up and bite whoever is walking him. He is a rescue and has no manners. He has just gotten to where he doesn't growl at me when I ask him to go to his kennel. He is extremely neck sensitive so I don't know what type of collar on him. A flat collar doesn't work because he just pulls you then if you pull back or turn around he jumps up and bites and scratches. HELP!

Thanks in advance,
Heather

 Quote: heather pattison

We have a 100lb GSD who will jump up and bite whoever is walking him. He is a rescue and has no manners. He has just gotten to where he doesn't growl at me when I ask him to go to his kennel. He is extremely neck sensitive so I don't know what type of collar on him. A flat collar doesn't work because he just pulls you then if you pull back or turn around he jumps up and bites and scratches. HELP!

Thanks in advance,
Heather

How old is he?

Dogs have no "manners" until they are taught.

Is he your first dog? Have you done any basic ob training in the past?

What does "neck sensitive" mean? A rash under his collar?

He is 3 years old. He has been taught how to behave he has good OB at home but outside of the house he is horrible due to his handler aggression it's hard to take him out for training. By neck sensitive I mean no pinch collar, no fur saver, nothing that I can think of for training. All of the collars I mentioned make him freak out and bite. Even in the house. He was on a shock collar for his first 2 years. We have 8 dogs total so no he is not our first dog.

 Quote: heather pattison

He is 3 years old. He has been taught how to behave he has good OB at home but outside of the house he is horrible due to his handler aggression it's hard to take him out for training. By neck sensitive I mean no pinch collar, no fur saver, nothing that I can think of for training. All of the collars I mentioned make him freak out and bite. Even in the house. He was on a shock collar for his first 2 years. We have 8 dogs total so no he is not our first dog.

"Taught how to behave" includes being proofed for different venues and under distraction, so I'd have to say no, he has not really had basic ob training.

1. You have 8 dogs now?

2. Handler aggression outside the home and not inside? Just when giving leash corrections, or what?

3. How long have you had him, and when did this behavior start?

4. Have you had a trainer consultation? What was the outcome?

Again, just to clarify, do you mean that you have 8 dogs now? And one is handler-aggressive?

The dogs are separated?

Or how do you do daily life with them?

The one who said PTS, the reason was handler aggression?

We have groups. We have 4 males and 4 females. My AB and the GSD in this conversation don't get along and we have 2 females that don't get along. So all the other dogs and the AB and 1 of the females are out then we swap.

The trainer that said pts is because once a dog becomes aggressive you can't fix them.

 Quote: heather pattison

We have groups. We have 4 males and 4 females. My AB and the GSD in this conversation don't get along and we have 2 females that don't get along. So all the other dogs and the AB and 1 of the females are out then we swap.

Does each dog get training separately? Particularly this one? (That's why I said
"8 dogs?")

Are you prepared to work with hard this dog, daily basis, one-on-one? This isn't a collar-fix, as you pointed out. This is a full-time job in a bad set-up. This is going to involve work.

Yes each dog gets one on one time and training everyday. Some longer than others.

"This is going to involve work."

Connie's typical flair for the understatement.......


A three year old 100 lb. dog that has learned to control its handler by biting. It apparently cannot be collar corrected and it lives in a house in sort of a pack situation.

I would look at the statement:
"He was too much dog for their family to handle."
This dog was likely a *big* problem and that problem was passed on to the next well-meaning owner.


I think that the OP has to consider if she's attached enough to the dog to either:
A) never take the dog outside....
B) keep looking for a trainer with the skill and experience to work with a dog with serious behavioral issues like this ( and good luck finding someone that can handle true handler aggression issues, they're *rare* )
or
C) euth the dog ( which had probably been suggested to the former owners who didn't have the guts to do the right thing and instead passed a potentially dangerous dog to someone else )


I'm sorry if this reads kinda heartless but this situation is likely to have a bad ( and possibly *very* bad ) outcome.