Thanks Don,exactly the way I felt.

That's great.

Okay, I will disagree about having a trainer come do "unspoiling." Unless the dog learns to respect the owner, things will always be the same as soon as the trainer leaves, unless the trainer traumatizes the dog to the extent that the dog will always be afraid it will happen again, even when the trainer isn't around. That's not what I want for my dog anyway.

I agree with Lauren this owner needs to step up to the plate before the dog suffers and is mandated to be PTS. Maybe the do is to much for her, because at 5 and you say it has been OB trained something went very wrong here. Some dogs are never extremly social to strangers BUT they can be controlled by their owners. She can hire a trainer but unless she herself gets TOUGH and stands her ground with the dog it's not going to help. It sounds like she loves this dog very much so then do the right thing educate yourself, get some guidence and get this spoiled dog under control. Leashing it to the coffee table was an accident waiting to happen and yes I agree BUY A DOG CRATE. If my dogs are not behaving the way they are suppose to with guests then it's a down stay for them untill I release or it's off to their crate. At this point I think the dog can be salvaged but it is going to take alot of work on the owners part. NILIF is what the dog should have been on from the minute this started.

Yes its agreed that she should work with the trainer and watch how the dog interacts with the trainer compared to how she gives a command.
I thought that was understood with using a Profesional trainer.

Voice flexing can cause a different responce in the dog rather then "Please Conan come here". Where as a nice firm "Come"! will have the dog running toward you with its tail wagging.

I've seen these near doggy maniacs turn into really good dogs just from a couple of sessions with a good trainer. I'm not talking about beating the dog down, just realigning it thought process, "No you are not Alpha". She is.

Its agreed that the owner will have to toughen up, but I have to say rather then have the dog bite or firmly hold the hand of my house guest against my will. I'd say break his spirit rather then put him down, given these two options.

The crate will work until he gets out, or visitors surprise you or enter your home thinking she keeps him crated, then what. Look Mom I caught another one. The Dog with screaming guest hand in his mouth. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

To me even the thought of putting him down is way too extreme because the owner's is at job/fault.

That was a thought read 1st or 2nd post.

Hi, I am the owner of Sash.
Please let me explain why Sash was tied to the coffee table that day. Ive had problems with neighborhood kids coming by and throwing rocks over the fence, otherwise that day he wouldve been outside as my son doesnt like the dog....well, sometimes he DID but in general, he isnt a dog person. I have a secure, fenced yard.
I have just ordered the book: Th e Dog Listener which was recommended to me. Maybe I can understand Sash more if I read it, I dont understand him! He has never been mistreated, etc The only thing is when I got him (12 wks old) he seemed afraid of people and things then he turned barking at people, etc. I really dont think he got any socialization, etc from where I got him. I dont think he had ever even been in a house!
I was VERY upset the day he bit Sarah, I waited about 4 hrs to hear how her hand was and finally called over there. She told me they put her hand in a bowl of red stuff (Betadine?) and didnt want to put stitches in. They just bandaged it really well, it was VERY upsetting.
Sometimes I get the feeling Sash is jealous of company, etc he doesnt get enough attention from me but I could be wrong.
All I know is, now it is vERY hard for me to trust him around people <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Another thing he does, when a friend comes over, he SEEMS to like, he does this snapping jaws thing...is this a bad sign? He seems to like him otherwise. Is this over excitement?
If you need to know anything else, let me know,
Thanks,
Shelaigh
PS it has been a month now and my kids dont want to come over Cant blame them though.

Interesting how similiar the replies were to these on http://www.germanshepherds.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=52;t=001999;p=2

What is the point Jenn? I thought Id get some new thoughts on here.

Boy am I having a bad night. I just thought it was interesting how similiar the suggestions were on the 2 different sites.

That's all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I believe the snapping to be pent up frustration. H

This is what I'm hearing and I hope this helps. I'm not trying to point fingers but.

I hear you saying that you are sorry, I hear you saying after noticing that the dog was not socialize you didn't spend alot of time with the dog either? You didn't maintain its Ob training or studying dog handling, nor do you take time to play and have fun with the dog. You don't walk or jog with him.

I hear you saying that the kids next door are throwing rocks at him, and that your son doesn't like the dog, and we wonder why he aggressive with strangers? People that the dogs does like it will snap at if they do something it doesn't like. So the dog is in, sort of a aggressive envirnoment and its trying to control it, since you are not. Basically the dog has nothing to do but hang around the house. And people fear it, the dogs knows this.

Its good that you are stating to read and study up on dogs. But you really need a pro trainer to come by and help with the dog. Or try to train him yourself?

It seems you have too much dog for you and your household. Nobody wants to come by because you don't have the dog under control. To me the dog controlling the house the best it can and doing a pretty good job of it, because he hasn't bit you.

As you admit its You, that is the problem. You lack insight in handling a dog like this. The dog might be sharp, but its hard to tell without seeing it. It just might be Alpha of the household.

The household needs some help, the problem is not the dog, its you. You are not a strong enough owner for a dog like this. Any dog under these conditions would react the same, but there is a difference in a 20lb ruler and a 85lb ruler.

Get yourself some help or think about another home for the dog. Just some suggestions.