# Frightened dog, vet says breeding will help her?



## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

My Lucy is two and she went under a stress a year ago. Misfortune brought us too close to the fireworks during New Year and, I suppose, in her imagination she was terrified of it ever since even when it is silent. She refuses to step outside with the coming dark (but only dark time of the day), scared of any loud sound, she stops and watches the sky for bright objects every five minutes, she's shivering, may piss herself if at home. We tried training sound recordings, anti-stress vitamins and calming drugs, aromatherapy, massage and less popular treatment as performing commands under stress. She is obedient, but I'm ready to shed tears seeing my dog like this. My dog's vet has suggested to mate her, he says that in such circumstance her fright may turn into agression when she has pups and she might become calmer after, simply knowing what to protect - her home, her place to give birth. Should we listen to his advise? It will be difficult, because we do not have facilities to raise puppies.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Sorry , in a word , dog should not be bred .


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

David, 
Absolutely not.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

NO, I am sorry, but your vet is wrong. Please do not breed her.


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

Wow! I cant believe a vet recommended this. I agree with everyone else No on the breeding her.


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## LifeofRiley (Oct 20, 2011)

First off, it sounds like you are a great dog owner. 

As for your vet, I almost don't know what to say! Forgive me if this come off as rude, but you may want to consider a new vet! They gave you awful advice!!!! 

I hope others chime in on how to help the owner with the fearful behaviors the dog is displaying that exclude the notion of breeding the dog. I wish I had some expertise to share.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

For this, I would look for another vet. That is just horrible advice.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I agree, time to look for a new vet. 
What he recommended makes zero sense.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> he says that in such circumstance her fright may turn into agression when she has pups and she might become calmer after,


Agree with others...but just reason this out! 
Breed your girl and she becomes aggressive...?? How's that preferable to being afraid?? 

Get a new vet. Find out about anti-anxiety medication and a Thunder shirt.

Also consult a trainer. You could be making her fear worse by your actions but we can't say if that's the case without being there.


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

Wow, that's the worst advice I've ever heard of. Absolutely do NOT breed your dog. Go find yourself an actual canine behaviorist who has a PhD and/or experience with fearful dogs and go from there.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

oh, my....no words other than asking who is your vet???


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I am going to go a little further. This is probably genetic weak nerves. Sound sensitivity can be passed onto her puppies. You really do not want people who have puppies you sold or gave them to call you and tell you they are having this trouble or worse troubles with their puppy. 

Do not believe that some fireworks on NewYear's caused this. German Shepherd Dogs should be capable of working within a war zone. A two year old bitch should not be so flighty that she cannot recover from some loud noises. A reaction is ok, but they should recover right away. For her to then be afraid of going outside, that is I think, indicative of weak nerves, which will be handed down to her progeny but it might manifest itself in several undesirable ways. Sound sensitivity and fear of storms being just one of them. 

You may want to inform your breeder of this problem as well. 

Genetic weak nerves cannot be cured, not completely, but they can be managed and things can improve. A trainer may be able to help. Building her confidence may be helpful. I think managing the environment and avoiding the loud noises might be helpful at least for a period of time, and then go slow. Try to do things matter-of-factly with her, and not coddle her about going out, but if you can tweak things to avoid things she is having problems with for a couple of weeks it might be helpful to get a break.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I can't believe a veterinarian recommended this. Wow. 

There are about a million reasons NOT to breed this dog, but here are three:

1. It will not have the intended effect. In fact, it may make her behavior worse.

2. What are you supposed to do with the puppies? Find good homes for all of them? A GSD bitch can have up to 10+ pups in a litter, what if you can't find them all homes? Keep them? Take them to a shelter?

3. Your female's temperament is mainly genetic, and can be passed down to her puppies. So you could see pups with the same behavior issues that she has--which, as you know, is heartbreaking. Who would want to bring more of that heartbreak into the world?

And the vet should have told you the dangers of breeding and whelping a litter!


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I will add my voice to the chorus of others saying WOW you have GOT to be kidding!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I think I would have to directly question your vet on exactly where he attained his education. That is by far the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time.


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## Kath & Clan (Jun 6, 2012)

A dog doesn't typically remember something that happened that long ago, they don't mull it over the way we do. She probably can't associate quiet with an outrageous burst of noise and usually light. Whether this fireworks incident spun her out into her fear/anxiety issue is debatable but since the issue exists it needs to be addressed through training/conditioning, exposure and if necessary medication. Everything but breeding this dog so that all of her potentially neurotic puppies end up in shelters and being euthanized. Find a new vet, find a good trainer or good group obedience class where the trainer/assistants will work with you and her for as much as she will tolerate, expose her to as many situations as you can control for her to feel safe and able to deal with and to keep everyone else safe. These dogs are really resilient and a lot is possible with them but it often takes a lot of work. Good luck to both of you, her life depends on it.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

While I am not usually one to jump on the "find a new vet" bandwagon, his suggestion to breed your dog so she becomes aggressive instead of fearful is so ludicrously asinine, I am going to echo the sentiment.

FIND A NEW VET!

This advice isn't some of the usual stupid junk I hear, this is downright DANGEROUS. Heinously horrific.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

She shouldn't be bred.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

David Taggart said:


> My Lucy is two and she went under a stress a year ago. Misfortune brought us too close to the fireworks during New Year and, I suppose, in her imagination she was terrified of it ever since even when it is silent. She refuses to step outside with the coming dark (but only dark time of the day), scared of any loud sound, she stops and watches the sky for bright objects every five minutes, she's shivering, may piss herself if at home. We tried training sound recordings,* anti-stress vitamins and calming drugs, aromatherapy*, massage and less popular treatment as performing commands under stress. She is obedient, but I'm ready to shed tears seeing my dog like this. My dog's vet has suggested to mate her, he says that in such circumstance her fright may turn into agression when she has pups and she might become calmer after, simply knowing what to protect - her home, her place to give birth. Should we listen to his advise? It will be difficult, because we do not have facilities to raise puppies.


What calming elements did you use?

Did you use commands under stress under suggestion by a behaviourist? perhaps conditioned this accidently?

What drugs, vitamins, and aromatherapy did you use?


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

fright may turn into agression --- how many threads have we got on this forum that deal with fear aggression and the impact on the owners


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Wow... wow... wow... new vet ASAP... Horrifying to think of how many of that vet's clients will take his/her advice. Very frightening...

No, don't breed her. For a million reasons.

The entire community here is responding with a resounding NO!

Good luck with her!


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## Tim Connell (Nov 19, 2010)

I am appalled that ANY Vet would recommend breeding this dog. 

Unbelievable.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Do NOT breed.

I say over and over, vets are NOT trainers, they are NOT behaviorists (unless they get extra certification). They are doctors. My dog breaks a leg, I go to the vet. My dog tries to kill people, I go to a trainer.

I too do not believe this is JUST the fireworks. That may be the icing on the cake, but a stable even-tempered dog will recover fine from a fright. A weak nerved dog will not. She does not need behavior modification to fix this one *fear*. She needs training to correct deeper problems here.

Good luck. Look for a GOOD trainer in your area.


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## mandiah89 (Jan 18, 2013)

Anubis_Star said:


> Do NOT breed.
> 
> I say over and over, vets are NOT trainers, they are NOT behaviorists (unless they get extra certification). They are doctors. My dog breaks a leg, I go to the vet. My dog tries to kill people, I go to a trainer.
> 
> ...


I have to totally agree with this... If I need stitches I am going to a doctor not a psychologist, and I will go to a psychologist and not your average doctor for my anxieties! Same thing goes here... the advice your vet gave you is insane, and highly dangerous. Seek a professional behaviourist that specializes in fear/anxiety in dogs.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

David Taggart said:


> My Lucy is two and she went under a stress a year ago. Misfortune brought us too close to the fireworks during New Year


Have you investigated the possibility that being 'too close' to the fireworks may have damaged her ears? If she was reasonably stable before the fireworks and still (a year later) can't recover, she may have damaged her ear drums and she's having a difficult time coping. 

I agree with everyone else. Find a new vet. Seek out a medical reason for her inability to handle loud noises.


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## Kaasuti (Aug 8, 2012)

No, no, no. If you bred her she would most likely pass her problems/behaviors on to her puppies. I can't believe how uneducated some vets are.​


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