Molly Johnson Webboard User Reg: 02-04-2013
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Hi All,
This is a courtesy posting for the shelter in Sault Ste Marie, MI. I have no affiliation with them, just ran across this dog when doing an internet search. Here is the Petfinder link: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24786713
I emailed for more info so this could be as complete as possible, here is the copy-and-pasted reply from Holly. This dog is definitely out of my league, darn it.
Holly Henderson replied: "He is definitely barrier reactive, very aggressive behind kennel. If you stand at kennel and just let him smell your coat he will actually rip it through kennel. He seems to like the women better here but I wonder if it's more that we are now becoming familiar to him. He is definitely bossy but he will listen when you tell him to sit and he will lay down when you ask him to. He was an indoor dog. He had no issues until he became two years old. He wasn't fixed so I wonder if he was just coming into adult hood. He loves other dogs and we now have him paired up in a play yard and they will just run and run. He can not be fostered because he is so aggressive I wouldn't be able to send him out to anyone. He bites without warning, he does not growl he just bites and it's instant. A vet came to look at him who worked with Shepherds in the army and he bit him as soon as he entered his kennel. He does not back down at all. When you take him out on a lead and someone walks up he just bites instantly. Its the strangest thing I have ever seen.
He is not registered. He is neutered and up to date on all his vaccines now.
I take him out and basket muzzle him. He is fine with the muzzle and doesn't struggle with me. He will lunge at people even with muzzle. He does listen if you say "No" and he will lay down when I ask him to. The more someone ignores him the better he is. I usually just ask them to not touch or talk to him. We were all sitting in our lunch room one day and one of the shelter staff had her daughter with her. I told her to not look or talk to him. She immediately got nervous and glanced at him and he became very still and I knew he was going to bite her and I wasn't quick enough to stop it. He did have the muzzle on so nothing happened but still scary. So if he becomes still I know he is going to go for someone. He never growls.
I don't have a time frame for him (in regards to putting him to sleep) but I am worried about him hurting one of our staff members and they are not fond of handling him. I just feel he is getting worse not better here. "
Molly Johnson Webboard User Reg: 02-04-2013
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You're right on that. How sad. If I may ask, is this something that is increasing because of backyard breeders? Is this a genetic propensity or is this behavioral? I don't want to end up with a dog in the future that could have this problem. It would be heartbreaking to spend 3 years training a dog and then have to put it down because it started attacking me, and me not knowing WHY? How would I train better in the future if I don't know what faults I'm doing now?
I've been going through my Leerburg DVDs again and, after seeing what's going to happen to this dog, I can definitely say that I'll be following Mr. Frawley's advice on not letting anyone pet my dog or to allow my dog to come up to strangers here on the property without being on heel. It would only take one unfortunate occurence and then I'll have a whole lot of re-training to do.
Thanks for the quick answer, by the way.
Duane Hull Webboard User Reg: 09-23-2011
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JMO
This dog's issue is certainly behavioral. Regardless of how poorly bred a dog may be, proper relationship building and structured training, which includes a sound communication system, will almost always result in a dog that is liveable and biddable.
There are breeds, such as the Dogo and Caucasian Shepherd, that have a genetic propensity to aggression, but the behavior becomes more intense through focused breeding, then disseminated by poor breeders and owners.
I don't know of many GSD owners, myself, included, that would feel like this is a common trait of the breed.
Molly Johnson Webboard User Reg: 02-04-2013
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First, my apologies on this late of a reply, just changed internet satellite providers from hughesnet to wildblue, and I am having a really difficult time accessing most of my usual haunts. Not impressed with either company...
Thanks for your reply. It really is comforting to know that I can make such a difference in a dog's life, for better or ill, i.e. by continuously learning about dogs, I'm doing my best to not contribute yet another problem dog to the shelters. I do have to admit, that when I adopt a dog, it's for life, so if they're a problem, it will always be MY problem.
I'd better submit this post before my internet is cut off again. Thanks again.
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German Shepherd dog in Sault Ste Marie Michigan
#373130 - 02/04/2013 03:20 PM 
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