# Out of control GSD..feeling hopeless.



## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

Within the past 2 months my GSD has been, and its getting worse since i started working and am gone 8hrs a day.I dont understand where i went wrong? i did puppy classes, i crate her, ive been on this forum numerous times soaking in information, ive read several articles on German Shepherd training. I also started working with a dog personal trainer for her behavior ( ive met with him twice now) but she still.. i would say 50% of the time this is how she acts.
-nipping at hands,legs when i try take something away from her
-if i tell her not to bite something, she starts groaning and keeps biting it. 
-also i tell her to do something she doesnt want to do she starts barking at me and snapping her mouth at me( as if telling me no) 
-if she wants to play, eat but i dont she will jump on me screaming and lunges towards my face.. if i ignore her she bites me more
*her bites dont hurt but she is getting bigger and stronger so i am worried one day she might just really hurt me*
-jumps on me constantly
-takes food, object off counter 
-has started peeing on my pillows, or anything soft
-chases cat
-screams and barks if i refuse to let her see or do whatever it is she wants
-jumps on anyone with food
-she LICKS other dogs mouths constantly to the point they want to bite her but they dont because she are trained not to. 
-if i dont play with her she has started forces her toys on me or nips my shoulder to get my attention.

PLease all advice or criticism is welcome !! i love this dog with all my heart but she is getting OUT OF CONTROL. She is 7 months old, spayed. got her at 9 weeks old from a good breeder. My 1st dog ive owned since living on my own. I chose a GSD b/c of their loyalty, energy, and i was a victim of crime 7 months ago and wanted to feel safe...I will do whatever it takes to make her well behaved but am having trouble knowing where to start.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

NILIF asap, and you need to be more assertive. She is taking every advantage she can of you. If she is allowed on furniture/beds~ no more. 
You are the one that controls everything she gets. If you practice this for a week I bet you see a difference. Even if she has to be crated most of the time except for exercise(bump up the exercise) and potty breaks, it will be the best thing you can do to show her she is not the one controlling everything. 
If she is from working lines, she probably needs to get her energy out, so I'd get into an agility class or something to work her. Especially if you are gone 8 hrs. she is ready for something to do when you get home, negative attention is still attention in her book, so she is pestering you for more energetic things to do.
I wouldn't let her go up to other dogs. I have a hard time when people let their dogs just come up and sniff mine, it isn't good manners. It probably bugs me more than it bothers my dogs.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

I also wanted to add that this behavior is like i said 50% of the time. the other she is very loving, playful, knows all her commands( except no), walks perfect on a leash, has great concentration and has always been a quick learner. She also is NOT aggressive towards other dogs, or people( except when they have a food or a toy she will jump on them or take but she doesnt grow at them)


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## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlNILIF asap, and you need to be more assertive. She is taking every advantage she can of you. If she is allowed on furniture/beds~ no more.
> You are the one that controls everything she gets. If you practice this for a week I bet you see a difference. Even if she has to be crated most of the time except for exercise(bump up the exercise) and potty breaks, it will be the best thing you can do to show her she is not the one controlling everything.
> If she is from working lines, she probably needs to get her energy out, so I'd get into an agility class or something to work her.
> Don't let her go up to other dogs. I have a hard time when people let their dogs just come up and sniff mine, it isn't good manners. It probably bugs me more than it bothers my dogs.


I agree. You need to start NILIF right away. Right now, she is not seeing you as pack leader so she is controlling you.
Get her into more OB classes, exercise her more to get the excess energy out. You need to start controlling her and everything she does! Everything needs to be on your terms.

And Like Jane said, she is probably from working lines, so give her a job to do.

Good luck and keep us posted!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

It doesn't really matter if it's only 50% of the time. If you let her get away with this behavior it'll only increase. (Not to say that you're "letting" her but if you don't nip this in the butt soon, I mean.) It sounds like she's challenging you and trying to figure out if she can get into the alpha position. You need to start NILIF, as mentioned above.

Jerzey used to do this kind of stuff with me (and just me, not John) so I started feeding her, but first she would have to sit and I would pretend to eat out of bowl and mess with the food so it had my scent. 

Don't allow your pup out of any doorway or down any steps before you.

Maybe take her toys away and make her "earn" them. This should be the same way with affection. Don't acknowledge her or pet her unless she earns it first.

When people enter the house maybe you should keep her on a leash so she doesn't have the chance to jump on them and get to their food. 

Don't leave anything on the counter. EVER! Only you can control this. Have specific periods when you work on training that you leave something up there. Otherwise, keep it clear.

Puppies go through phases when they try to test their owner and see if they can oust them from the alpha position and claim it for themselves or, at the very least, they try to see what they can get away with. Keep up with the trainer. I'm sure you'll see results soon. Keep us updated!


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## Debbieg (Jun 7, 2009)

She sounds like a teenager who is testing the limits! Stay strong and don't ler her win. My Benny is only 12 weeks tomorrow and I can see some of these traits developing in him too. we must practice tough love!


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## acurajane (May 21, 2008)

I ditto the NILIF


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## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

I agree with the posts above...Buddy was difficult at this age and FOR ME a few of the most important things were exercise (this is super important) and staying calm when working with him. We got into an obedience class and it was all about consistency and working with him on a regular basis. Hang in there...it will all be worth it because they are such a great breed but they do require time and energy on your part. 
BTW, she is beautiful!!
Best of luck!


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## Prinzsalpha (Jul 6, 2005)

Those teenage years are he!!

You need to be assertive as he is now a smarty pants and seeing whose in control. 8 hours at this age is an eternity for a pup. I would see if someone could come over during the day to walk her. A tired dog is a happy dog. Maybe walk b4 work, have friend over to walk and play and she should be better. Remember some attention whether good or bad is better than none in their mind.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or whatever) starting NILIF and getting back into some sort of classes.

In addition I'd suggest a game of two-ball in the morning, as soon as you get home from work, and maybe again in the evening.


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## becca5880 (Apr 13, 2009)

It sounds to me like your GSD is/has taken the dominant role in the pack and you need to nip that in the butt right away. NILIF is what we are training Kaia in and it is awesome. Try it, it will work wonders for ur baby.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

first I want to say,,she is GORGEOUS !!!

second, while I agree with the above posters,,my initial thought after reading your post,,is,,you are gone 8 hours a day,,and if you re read your post, I am seeing the word "play" ALOT,,so my thought is , you have one bored dog who is willing to do anything (bad or good) to get your attention to burn off some steam. 

I highly suggest looking into a doggie daycare for even a couple days a week. My sister takes her very rambunctious dog to doggie day care, every other day,,the day "after" daycare,,he is wiped out and sleeps all day LOL...so while I certainly agree with upping your obedience routine,,I also suggest you find something to burn off some energy with this girl..You wanted high energy, sounds like you got it, atleast at this stage of the game. 

Attention,whether good or bad is just that,,attention. a tired dog is a good dog )

GOod luck with your girl...)
diane


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## Axelvonkota (Jul 2, 2009)

I agree with all the others. We had a dog similar many years ago that was a rescue. He was about 2 years old and we had no history about him. We didn't have kids then but we did work full time. He took alot of time and patience but he ended up being a fantastic dog. 

One day I was feeding him and I guess my foot was to close to his bowl and he bit me pretty hard on my foot. I was terrified. From that point on I felt scared of him to the point I was walking on egg shells. His behavior went downhill from there. Dogs can sense when you are even the slightly fearfull of them. If you are always anticipating what they are going to do. I did some research and was determined not to give up on him. I needed to take control and not let him control me. 

It took around 6 months of training and being consistant but he came around. Don't give up!! Keep us posted.


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## MrLeadFoot (Jan 4, 2009)

In addition to what everyone else has offerred, I would suggest you try to teach your dog to fetch, as fetch is a GREAT way to burn off energy in a dog, in a relatively short period. In fact, 30 minutes of fetch kicks the crap out of even a few 2 hour walks!

If you can take the edge off of your dog's prey drive, she will be MUCH easier to control, and she will undoubtedly be more able to focus on what you try to communicate (teach) her.

Something that might help you start displaying your "higher" position over her is when you come home. While it's hard to do when you first start employing this technique, try not to pay any attention to her when you come home, NO MATTER WHAT! What I mean by this is no eye contact, no touching, no talking.

If she's in a crate, walk over to her, let her out and turn your back. Do NOT talk to her, do not make ANY eye contact with her. Do not acknowledge her in any way until she stops all jumping and bugging you. Of course, you can take her outside to go potty, but even then, do not talk to her, call her name, or get trapped into eye contact by her "cuteness". Simply, open the door and walk out. She will be sure to follow. She will probably follow you back into the house, too, since she's been missing you while you were away.

At some point she will give up and often GSDs will go off and lie down. When she does, that's the time to go over and say Hello.

Another tip would be for YOU to try to be calm at all times, especially when you come home. Walk calmly, speak calmly and do not do any fun "puppy-like" stuff, or make any "puppy-talk" during times that you know she will get rambunctious, such as when coming home.

Practice of this technique will soon become natural to you, and sets the stage for you becoming the true leader that your pup really does need in her life. I'm sure that any GOOD GSD owner will agree that of all breeds a GSD really does need and want a real leader, and is in fact a much happier dog when it has a strong leader. 

And, if you're feeling overwhelmed with all that is going on with you and your dog and all the suggestions offered here, including mine, know that you recognizing the problems, and wanting to nip them now, is indeed a sign of a good future leader, so get strong now, but also don't forget to be patient as you GUIDE your dog into becoming your best friend.









Hope this helps.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

I agree with what every one else is saying.She needs exercise to get all her energy out and she needs to not be in control.She needs to be kept off furniture like one said.She needs to be taught her order in the pack.Is there any way she can go to daycare some if the days while your at work?That would help zap her energy.Good Luck.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

Thank you so much everyone for all the advice! I will put all of it into practice starting now.

While i am gone at work i do have my neighbor come over twice to feed, let her out for 20 min to an hour depending on her schedule. 
I would leave her outside in the yard but Im in Texas and its over 100 degrees, and plus my pup doesnt understand the whole fence thing and i am sure she would try to escape. 

I know i play with her too much but i think it is because since i am gone all the time now i feel bad shes in a crate a lot so i try to "make up for it" by playing a lot. My job is only for the summer i start school back up next month where i will only be gone 2 days a week for max of 5 hours. Again thank you for the tips. I thought maybe she was turning aggressive. Its nice knowing she is just a "teenager" that needs a more strict mother.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

Ive started doing NILIF for everything now. She seems to be a little less out of control. Everytime she starts getting "crazy" i just go over sit stay lay down with her to keep her mind busy. 

I am still unsure about what to do when she bites me? Saying "No" or yelping doesnt effect her.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Put a chewtoy or ball in her mouth to re-direct her biting. A frozen washcloth or chillybone will be welcome instead of your hand.
Do you play tug at all? It is great for getting energy out and as posted above, two ball fetch is fun too. If you feed kibble go out in the yard and lay a track with her dinner as the track. It will give her something to do, again another way to work her mind and get some energy out.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

my first thought is that she need more exercise and mental stimulation, this breed especially the ones that have extreme drive its almost impossible to tire them out. i am also getting the idea that she does not respect you as a leader, so i would get more information and guidence in that area.
next, i would get her into an activity such as Agility, or tracking, something where you can use her mind in a possitive way and she learns to work with you, listen to you etc.
seriously, getting her involved in a working activity can help in alot of ways.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: amber fletcher05I know i play with her too much but i think it is because since i am gone all the time now i feel bad shes in a crate a lot so i try to "make up for it" by playing a lot.


There is nothing wrong with playing with her - it helps build a bond, and burns off excess energy. But you CAN impose some rules on playtime with NILIF - make her sit or down with eye contact before releasing her and throwing a ball, teach her to give up a tug toy on command then release her to take it and play some more. Or even to stop tugging and run to a mat or rug and lay down for a few seconds before releasing her off the mat and letting her "take it". 

Sounds to me like she just needs to learn self control. She's giving into her impulses and you need to teach her that it is possible (and necessary!) for her to control them, that that is the way she can earn what she wants.


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