Does the OP still have the other dog that had these behavior issues?

 Quote: Tracy Collins

Does the OP still have the other dog that had these behavior issues?

 Quote: Nancy Black

Did not realize how good I had it when we had his half brother who never chewed anything, but passed away last summer.

Sounds like not, but I'm curious how Nancy worked the previous dog to overcome the same sorts of aggressive behavior that Kobe is displaying...

~Natalya

Natalya,
I cannot find Ana's post, is it on this topic?
I did not want to mention what happened to Apache as the story has a sad ending and it is totally different that what is going on with Kobe. I wonder how Ana knew that Apache and Kobe were half brothers as I cannot find where I posted the reason that Apache turned aggressive and that we drove back to N.C. and got his half brother a few weeks after we had him put down, but it must be on there somewhere. For those who are curious, in a nutshell, Apache had been brain damaged in May '07 in a bazaar accident. but after the accident he seemed completely normal and we left on our motor home trip in June. The aggression started in July when we were in Minn. calmed down greatly for several weeks, then when we were in N.C. in Sept. the poor dog, suffering severe effects of the accident, unbeknowst to us, lost his ability to function normally and bit a man at the campground in the face. The next night he lunged ferociously at the man's wife but my husband had him on leash at a distance, then the 3rd night Apache went for my husband, but did not hurt him. I knew that was the death knell, so we took him to a vet who agreed that we would never be able to trust the dog again, spared us the expense of tests, etc. and put him down. A couple of days later I made the connection with the accident and the incomprehensible behavior, consulted my vet when we got home, and he said no question that Apache's brain had been injured when he ran into our Jeep in the dark and that it took the 3 months for enough brain cells to die and completely change Apache's ability to function normally. I am sure I don't have to tell any of you what it was like to lose our beloved dog, and I knew the only way I could be happy again was to get another GSD. My breeder, who lives in N.C. did not have a puppy available at the time so we came home on the saddest trip I have ever made in my life. a week after we got home my breeder called that she had a cancellation on a male pup, who was out of Apache's father, who I knew and loved very much and is a Sch. 3 and we could have him if we came back to N.C. The rest is history.
It would seem that your idea of this line of dogs having the same temperament is logical, but Donar, the father, never showed any of the protection stuff at the door or the aggression towards people. I have a good friendship with the breeder and she has known all about Apache and Kobe ( not the recent attacks, hated to hit her with it after what she went through vicariously with Apache) She has tried to help me with the door behavior with both of them, but she never had that with Donar so could only advise as a trainer not out of experience. Apparently even though Apache and Kobe both look very much like their father, they inherited their mothers' temperament, which is strange that they would both end up being weird in this regard.
The training protocol you speak of is good, but as I said in another post unless you can set the dog up to react to the doorbell over and over again there is no chance of teaching him a darned thing, except to go to his place when I tell him to, but he will continue to obsess over someone even driving in the driveway, and certainly the sound the of UPS truck. For awhile when he first started this nutty stuff I would call him to me at first sign of barking, tell him Quiet, give him a treat, walk him to the window so he could see who was there, keep saying quiet, quiet, its OK, etc. But after a time he stopped coming to me, and even though I corrected him with prong collar, he showed no awareness of being corrected as he got more and more over the top about someone being outside. Now we are at the point that he doesn't seem to care how I correct him, and I often drag him to the back porch to get him to shut the hell up, as his barking is deafening.
Thanks for trying to help,
Nancy

Hi Nancy,
This was your post when Kobe had chewing issues:






About exercise he is walked 4 times a day for 15-20 min. each

day. He plays balls everyday and has training time of 10-15 a day.
He has toys and bones all over the house.
He is loose part of the time, tethered on long line in kitchen, computer room and back porch when i cannot watch him, as I am afraid he will kill himself on elec. wires or ruin more furniture. He is crated when I go out and at night.
If I could keep a leash on him I could correct him when he chews the wrong thing, but as I said he chews the leash to shreds. My breeder said to shake the scruff of his neck but he is 75 lbs. and this is not easy to do for an old lady and not nearly as effective as a leash correction with a prong collar.
If your 11 month old is still doing this stuff I don't feel very hopeful. I'm really concerned about taking him in the motor home this summer where I cannot tether him or crate him, and we ocassionally have to leave him in the motor home while we shop, etc. Did not realize how good I had it when we had his half brother who never chewed anything, but passed away last summer.
Is there such a thing as a muzzle that prevents the dog from chewing?
Nancy...

How much do you know about desensitizing and about pack structure?

I am asking the same things over and over. What you describe is a pack-structure and training issue.

This is not "nutty stuff" (quoting from your post above).


Have you considered getting expert training help? I strongly recommend it.

Effects of brain damage? 3 months after an accident? I'm no doctor (hmm vet), but I am a Physical Therapist...it may be comforting to think there was a reason like that for aggressive behavior and maybe there was, like I say I don't know.

What was the dog's training regimen and behavior prior to that summer? I thought he was running away and had attacked a sheep dog the previous summer. What kind training came about in between?

In "06" you posted about Apache's aggressive behavior toward a sheepdog, if he were injured in "07" perhaps his behavior was not related to the jeep injury.

Listen to Connie and get an expert trainer before this one meets the same fate as his brother.

 Quote: Nancy Black

The training protocol you speak of is good, but as I said in another post unless you can set the dog up to react to the doorbell over and over again there is no chance of teaching him a darned thing, except to go to his place when I tell him to, but he will continue to obsess over someone even driving in the driveway, and certainly the sound the of UPS truck. For awhile when he first started this nutty stuff I would call him to me at first sign of barking, tell him Quiet, give him a treat, walk him to the window so he could see who was there, keep saying quiet, quiet, its OK, etc. But after a time he stopped coming to me, and even though I corrected him with prong collar, he showed no awareness of being corrected as he got more and more over the top about someone being outside. Now we are at the point that he doesn't seem to care how I correct him, and I often drag him to the back porch to get him to shut the hell up, as his barking is deafening.
Thanks for trying to help,
Nancy

Well, at least this gives me some sort of clue as to the training (or reaction to) door behavior. I am a neophyte in dog training, but I do know from my trainer and from the resources here at Leerburg (DVDs, podcasts) is:

Correcting an already agitated dog with a prong may only agitate it further.

I agree with Tammy. Get a trainer.

Nancy, Nope, my husband gave me no suggestions ,only that I need to handle the situation and not let her get into her protective frame of mind at the front door unless I personally allow it for safety reasons. That is easy. All I have to say is "watch it" and she will go into protective mode immediately.

I have thought about it and have decided that since marker training has worked so well and she knows to go "lay on her bed" when I tell her to, I will use a favorite treat and get her to lay on her bed as soon as the bell rings until she gets the idea that when the door bell rings she goes to her bed on command (it is just down the hall from the door). I need to find a door bell ringer volunteer she doesn't know since I have windows all around the door.

This training may take a while because of the bad habit I have taught her by not handling it months ago, but she picks up things fast and loves marker training.

I still would never let a stranger in the house without putting her away. All my sisters, brothers, their children and my mother can walk in the house without any problem. She is very excited to see them, but she is just not friendly to people she doesn't know who come into the house. But that's a "post" for another day.

I hope things work out for you and your dog....Anna

Tammy,
I thought Kobe would never get over chewing on everything, books, eye glasses, leashes, remote control, but thank goodness he has completely outgrown that when he was about 15 months old. I know this is a typical puppy syndrome though as I said long ago Apache never chewed on anything at any age.
Nancy