About 1 1/2 years ago we obtained a 2 yr old male, intact GSD. We took him in knowing that he had bitten and been rehomed at least twice before (circumstances unknown). My husband has always had GSDs, and having lost the one by whom all others are judged after 16 yrs, wanted another. I have 2 dogs, both of whom are well-mannered pets that I have raised since pups. We were not ignorant of the responsibility of the task.

Duke settled in without incident. He and my dog Boo became fast friends, wrestling incessantly with never a skirmish- if Boo tired of Duke, he'd give him the evil eye and Duke would go his way. I only had one incident with Duke, he had knocked my old female dog down and was snarling over her. I told him to "Go on" and bumped him. He growled, but I just kept bumping until his demeanor/expression changed and all was well. Not so with my husband.

There were times when Duke would growl when my husband would ask him to sit or especially down. He'd growl whenever my husband would get ahold of his collar (I wound up always having to take it on or off/adjust it). He'd growl when asked to exit a vehicle, or get off of anything. Husband was always fair...really tried to work with him. After these little altercations, Duke would be fine for a period of time before the challenges returned. By "fine", I mean normal dog- always obedient and loving. He was always at my husband's side- he was "his" dog.

On 11/15/09, whatever screw was holding Duke's fragile sanity in place finally snapped. I had gone into the house to make coffee, husband had gotten up to come in. I hear a disturbance outside, dogs growling, and opened the door to Duke having my husband down on the ground, teeth clamped to his left bicep and shaking him like a dishrag (hubby weighs 185#- very athletic). Boo had ahold of Duke pulling him away from husband, but Duke was paying no mind whatsoever to the 125# weight yanking him backwards. We are still unsure how he got away. He had gotten up to come in, told Duke to get out of the way. He growled, husband pushed him, Duke grabbed him, and it was on. At one point he managed to get ahold of an axe but it just kicked Duke into overdrive. Duke had every intention of killing him.
Once husband was inside, Duke still only had eyes for him through the door. I stepped back outside to get my dogs in, even pushing Duke away from the door to do so-- he paid me and my dogs no mind.

Had husband not had on two THICK coats, he would have been minus an arm. As it were, there were crush and bite injuries to both forearms and upper left arm, and a bite to the chest. We have hashed and rehashed our every interaction with this dog. I've talked to trainers and dog sport people who all say the same thing...that we did all we could and they have said that in all liklihood, dog had had bitework put on him...that he was most likely a washout and should have been put to sleep long before we ever got him. My husband is heartbroken at having to put down his dog.

I just wanted to share and see if there was anything anyone could offer about this situation. Just a screw loose? Mishandling earlier in life? Thank you in advance, and apologies for the length.

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Once husband was inside, Duke still only had eyes for him through the door. I stepped back outside to get my dogs in, even pushing Duke away from the door to do so-- he paid me and my dogs no mind.

And thats his dog? I'm sorry Kimberly, that wouldnt be my dog. Did any of the trainers you spoke to come out and see him at your house to have an idea of what triggered it, what would have led up to this?

He is no one's dog any longer. The persons I spoke with didn't come out (one offered but..as I'd said ,things would be good for awhile, and then the challenging again). It had been probably six months since the last episode when this happened. Outside of these occasional flare-ups, you could not ask for a better, more obedient dog. It was like there would be days (or portions of days) when he'd just decide that my husband wasn't the boss or posed some threat to him somehow. No rhyme or reason, but it always involved being told to do something.

There are several options with this dog. Sadness of it all is that there will be no for sure answers on it.

So lets break them down.

#1 Dog has gone crazy. I see no evidence of mixed behavior in what you wrote about this dog. A crazy dog has obsessive behavior, has outbursts to minor things or objects, or weird responses to the same things.

#2 Your dog had bite training. It's possible based upon what you wrote.

#3 Your dog had structure issues in it's home setting. BIG HECK YES. Everything you wrote about this dog describes him as a dominant dangerous animal. 1 1/2 years is a long time to have a dog with these kinds of behaviors, there were lots of warning signs of what was to come.

I'm sorry that it ended this way for you all. No one wants to hear about events like this happening but if you want my honest opinion I think this event was 100% preventable.

Sorry, I mis-read the having to. Maybe there was no rhyme or reason. Maybe something from his past. Sorry how it turned out but you did try to give him a home.

 Quote: kimberlybrindley

.... he'd just decide that my husband wasn't the boss or posed some threat to him somehow. No rhyme or reason, but it always involved being told to do something.

I'm sorry to say that I have to agree with Melissa that this is pretty clearly a case (like most) where there were a lot of warning signs that weren't heeded.

I can't see anything about "no rhyme or reason."

I know you posted for truthful answers, so you won't think this is confrontational or attacking.

You were in over your head and didn't know it, would be what I would take from your O.P.

But you gave him a home, as Steve says, and you weren't over your head because of some character defect or something. It happens.



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"We took him in knowing that he had bitten and been rehomed at least twice before (circumstances unknown). "

This dog would not have been rehomed to you if I (or anyone else) had evaluated him at the shelter where I do "problem dog" evals. I'm very sorry that you went through this, but again, you tried, and you gave him a home and care.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/10/2009 03:04 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Because I know you're trying to understand I'll refer you to this document. I also suggest the DVD related if you're up to watching.

http://leerburg.com/pdf/dealingwithdominantdog.pdf

To me, the dog doesn't sound crazy. Rather, he just saw things differently than you or your husband, which is why things seemed to you to have "no rhyme or reason" but in his mind, they made perfect sense. Since it always involved being told to do something, I don't think he had a screw loose, necessarily.

What I do think happened is a strong, dominant dog got his way many many times in the past (no one really fixed him, they just passed him down the line, which to him didn't mean he'd done anything wrong) and thought he could again. Unfortunately, I don't think there are too many ways to "fix" a dog like this; you kind of have to get to their level (read into that what you will...) and a sane dog will typically realize he's outclassed and you won't have another issue. An insane dog will repeat the behavior. It is obvious to me that you do not have the experience to do what it would've taken to potentially fix this behavior. Most people don't.

I think if he'd been crazy, you would've had problems with him as well. The fact that it was only your husband, and he never did anything harsher than growl at you tells me this was all about rank, and the dog was sane. You were his property, and he would defend you. Your husband was his rival. Just a guess I'm making based on the info in your post...don't take it as gospel truth.

I think it was horribly, reprehensibly irresponsible for ANYONE to rehome this dog w/out full disclosure. You never should'e been given the dog, period. I am very sorry for him and what happened to him, and sorry for you and your husband. I firmly believe that you truly saw no other way. Most trainers wouldn't either. I have heard stories from oldtimers about dogs like this, and the fix is not pretty, but it's better than the alternative.

So sorry you went through that, and shame on whoever gave you that dog. THEY are the ones responsible, IMO. This was a dog that probably only 1 in 100 trainers would know what to do with...let alone pet owners. Sad.

Jenni, delete some of your pm's... (please!)

Kimberly, sorry that you and your husband had to go through this...

The thing I don't understand is if your husband worked with the dog at all? Or was it just, well now we'll have it out and then everything would be fine for awhile?

So I guess what I'm asking is how much authority was left laying around for this dog to pick up as his own?

A driven dominate dog needs daily work.