Hello everyone,
Need some advice here. My aunt has a GSD of rather non-discript lines. I believe they are basically American, but no show champions there, just backyard dogs I think.
Anyway, she's about 3 years old and not spayed. They've had problems with their neighbors and the dog. If the dogs barks (or sometimes if another neighbor's dog barks) the neighbor will cuss and scream at the dogs the shut up. Sometimes he has actually been seen to jump the fence and storm across the backyard and chase the poor dog into her house (she is usually kept in a kennel in the yard).
Well, today the dog was out of her kennel and the meter man made a visit. Sheyenne barked aggressively a few times then attacked the man producing a tear and two puncture wounds in his arm. My aunt had to run circles around the man to keep the dog from attacking again! She finally got the dog into the kennel where she continued to bark aggressively.
Now, understandable, my aunt feels she cannot trust the dog around her five children (ages 1-11)and wants me to take the dog and find her a new home (I train and place dogs who lost their homes for various reasons).
Well, my question is this. Is this dog worth the risk of me taking and adopting out? Prior to today, she had never shown any aggression to anyone or anything but one other dog (and they got along fine after the incident). I am worried about the possible liability of placing a dog that has in the past attacked a person (and not just bit...attacked). What if she does it again???
Neither of us want to see the dog put down, but I am not willing to risk anyone's saftey for this dog.
What are your thoughts?

It is always a sad situation when an owner lets a dog be mentally abused, but doesn't hold up to their end of the deal. When she decided to put the dog in a position where it felt it HAD to protect itself (leaving it in the backyard with a nutty neighbor) she created this.

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that 98% of rescues and shelters would not place this dog in another home. The shelter I volunteer at will euthanize any dog with a bite history. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> On the flip side of the coin there are shelters that will keep a dog like this confined to a cage for the rest of its natural life and to me, that is worse....

Reguardless of lineage or pedigree, the dog is now a dangerous dog. Finding someone who wants to deal with this past is not something easy to do.

I'm having a little trouble understanding what happened. Was the dog in her yard when the bite occurred? Was the meter reader friendly towards her? This neighbor who jumped into the dogs yard, is she afraid of him? American line GSD have a lot of problems, but that does not mean they are all bad dogs. Many make excellent pets.

Basically trying to see if this dog is nuts or can rehabed with the right owner (I agree, not going to be easy to find a new owner, and please none with children). If you really want to place this dog you might be able to find it a home as a gaurd dog for places like auto parts yards and etc. These dogs have a lonely life, so it is not something I would do.

The meter man was not acting in a threatening manner to my understanding. As I said, this is my aunt's dog.
The dog runs and hides from the neighbor when he jumps the fence, and the way I've seen this neighbor behave toward the dog, I would likely run and hide too.
My aunt no longer wants the dog, she is afraid for her kids (justified or not she is not keeping the dog). She would like me to take the dog and find a home. I am not sure about the liability if I train and re-home the dog and she then attacks another person.
This incident was not just a bite. The dog kept trying to come back for more. My aunt had the block the dog with her own body to keep her from attacking the meter man again (who was calm and not flailing or shouting or screaming).
I'm just not sure if it is worth the potential liability for me and my business is the dog were to repeat this behavior in her new home.

Your last post showed up after mine,
I don't know that the dog would make a good guard dog, I kept her for about a month when my aunt moved. The dog can't even take a correction on a flat collar, she rolls over and pees on herself. But I do plan on having the dog come in so I can at least evaluate her more closely.

I just found out, don't know if it makes any difference or not, but my aunt was in the yard with the dog when the dog attacked the meter man (probably a good thing). And the meter man was not paying any attention to the dog. Didn't look at her or talk to her.

I'm no expert, but based upon what you have posted, I think that the likelihood that she will repeat the behavior is very high; unless some conditions are met. One is that she be put through a systematic program of desensitization, with heavy emphasis on socialization with strangers of all shapes, sizes, genders, ages, and attire, but especially men; and two, is that she be placed in a home with experienced dog owners who are capable of controlling this dog's environment and handling her appropriately. Even if these conditions are met, there are no guarantees. You don't just put the dog through the retraining once, then that's it. It must be maintained for her lifetime, or the dog will revert back to her foundation. So you would have to find a home where the people are committed to continuing her socialization training for the rest of her life. Also, every dog has limits as far as how much progress can be made. She may never be safe with strangers entering the yard. Whether this is worth it to you is up to you entirely. Nobody can make that decision for you.

You have a tough choice, best of luck. Be very careful if you decide to rehome this dog. When you say the dog has attacked someone, you would be surprised how many people will suddenly want that dog. A killer guard dog is what they want and these morons are everywhere. People with small children will want that dog, I've seen this and the ignorance is unbelievable. And someone please shoot that neighbor.

Has the dog EVER shown ANY signs of aggression or fearfullness to the family it lives with?? I don't know that this dog would be dangerous around the family.

I see the problems with the neighbor's actions creating a more fearful dog and a more territorally protective one, but the dog taking a shot at another stranger in her yard and continuing to try to fight the guy the hell out of her yard isn't necessarily a behavior that would carry over to her own family. In fact it seems to be somewhat normal behavior for a German guarding breed with a few bad experiences.

The dog has had some mistakes made and thats why this happened, but unless the aggression carries over to the family in some way then where is the problem?

Maybe the dog just needs some obedience work and the owner to take a more active role in supervision and training. Then make sure that people can't gain access to the dog.


I also agree that someone should shoot the neighbor. Shouldn't be that tough if he continues to come into peoples yards yelling and cussing in a threatening manner. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />