# pregnant and my dog is now VERY aggressive with me



## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

he started off with a defiant snap, and we started back up with basic obedience training like we were told, to reestablish that he needs to listen to us in a positive way. 
but now. now hes snarling, barking, growling, and snapping at me and our other GSD who he is usually a sweet heart with.
this is even after his ran ragged play time along with a pack walk. 
im terrified of my own dog now... im pregnant, picking something off the floor is hard enough. defending myself from him? impossible. stopping a dog fight?? impossible. and what if hes like this when the baby gets here? my husband will be joining the Navy so he wont be here to help me with them for MONTHS.
what do i do????


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

So, the internet is not really a place to get specific training. Somebody with good knowledge of GSDs needs to see this dog in the flesh. So your choices are to get a really good trainer to evaluate what is going on here. A really sweet dog does not typically turn into a frightening hound for no reason. Even pregnancy doesn't tend to cause huge changes. So your responsibility is to 1) have him evaluated by a vet. Sometimes pain can cause aggressive responses and 2) Get a good trainer to come into the home and assess what is going on. If this is behavioral you need to really consider if you will take this on in time and money. You may have to consider rehoming him. And don't get another dog. You will be busy enough raising a child. That child will need all your attention. Maybe dogs are not in the cards right now.


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## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

DutchKarin said:


> So, the internet is not really a place to get specific training. Somebody with good knowledge of GSDs needs to see this dog in the flesh. So your choices are to get a really good trainer to evaluate what is going on here. A really sweet dog does not typically turn into a frightening hound for no reason. Even pregnancy doesn't tend to cause huge changes. So your responsibility is to 1) have him evaluated by a vet. Sometimes pain can cause aggressive responses and 2) Get a good trainer to come into the home and assess what is going on. If this is behavioral you need to really consider if you will take this on in time and money. You may have to consider rehoming him. And don't get another dog. You will be busy enough raising a child. That child will need all your attention. Maybe dogs are not in the cards right now.


we had him looked at and his health isnt the issue. that was my first instinct. theres nothing medically we could do to fix it and we cant afford hiring a trainer right now with so many baby expenses coming up. we still have to buy cloth diapers and bottles and of course theres post birth things...


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I'm not sure what you want then. You don't know what to do, your husband is not there to take over, you won't hire a trainer, so......??????


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

hydraxninja said:


> we had him looked at and his health isnt the issue. that was my first instinct. theres nothing medically we could do to fix it and we cant afford hiring a trainer right now with so many baby expenses coming up. we still have to buy cloth diapers and bottles and of course theres post birth things...


Imagine the result of not addressing this with a trainer after your baby is born..... You will be in no shape to take this on with a newborn without your hubby to help you and both of you (baby and you) will be at risk.
I agree with Karin, consider re-homing him; he is healthy and with a good trainer/new owner you and the dog and the baby may be better off.
What does your husband say about this?


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## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

trying to see if anyone has been through this and if they have any solutions that worked for them. youre coming off rather short... really dont need that right now. clearly have enough going on. 
at risk for preterm labor and even with all of my medical issues im trying to figure out what i am able to do given our financial situation to fix this and have my dog be his old self.


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## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

wolfy dog said:


> Imagine the result of not addressing this with a trainer after your baby is born..... You will be in no shape to take this on with a newborn without your hubby to help you and both of you (baby and you) will be at risk.
> I agree with Karin, consider re-homing him; he is healthy and with a good trainer/new owner you and the dog and the baby may be better off.
> What does your husband say about this?


he wanted to rehome him the moment he snapped at me the first time. but i love him... ive had him since he was just 8 lbs and now hes 95. i dont know how to let go honestly... i cant accept that, that is the best option...


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

DutchKarin said:


> So, the internet is not really a place to get specific training. Somebody with good knowledge of GSDs needs to see this dog in the flesh. So your choices are to get a really good trainer to evaluate what is going on here. A really sweet dog does not typically turn into a frightening hound for no reason. Even pregnancy doesn't tend to cause huge changes. So your responsibility is to 1) have him evaluated by a vet. Sometimes pain can cause aggressive responses and 2) Get a good trainer to come into the home and assess what is going on. If this is behavioral you need to really consider if you will take this on in time and money. You may have to consider rehoming him. And don't get another dog. You will be busy enough raising a child. That child will need all your attention. Maybe dogs are not in the cards right now.


This. If you can't afford a trainer, rehome him.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

First off, congrats on the baby!! Very exciting for your family! 

Second, if you are unable to afford a trainer, which I get, then rehoming is an option. It's no good for you to be scared of your dog. He can feel that. You project that. You are probably coming off as "weaker" because your mind and body and focused on your baby. He is taking advantage of your perceived "weakness" and exploiting it. Which is making things worse. You natural instinct is in "protection mode" and "threat assessment" mode. 

If you weren't pregnant, how would you be handling this? 

By and large, your safety and your babies safety is paramount. Treating true aggression is hard enough without another helpless life to think about. Issues tend to get worse before getting better. So if you are far along in pregnancy, not sure it's a good time to deal with it. 

That said, and I don't want to sound judgemental, but are you sure that you are seeing things correctly? Are you sure that you are not projecting insecurities into the dog? Is this your first baby? Are you sure that you are not just feeling overwhelmed? All of which are ok. Becoming a mom is HUGE!! I just want to make sure that you know where everything is coming from. 

Again though, you need to be safe as does your child. No dog should take precedence over the safety of a child. 

My mom just adopted a lovely dog from a new mom. Not for aggression, but she simply didn't have it in her to do both, be a great mom and dog owner. It's frustrating as a dog rescuer to have that happen, but me personally, I would rather have someone accept their limitations and do right by the dog by finding it a new home, than have it live in a crate or gated off for life. Can some people easily do both? Yea. But you can't make decisions based on someone's else's abilities. 

Good luck to you and your growing family!


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## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> This. If you can't afford a trainer, rehome him.


that cant be the ONLY option.


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## hydraxninja (Nov 23, 2015)

gsdsar said:


> First off, congrats on the baby!! Very exciting for your family!
> 
> Second, if you are unable to afford a trainer, which I get, then rehoming is an option. It's no good for you to be scared of your dog. He can feel that. You project that. You are probably coming off as "weaker" because your mind and body and focused on your baby. He is taking advantage of your perceived "weakness" and exploiting it. Which is making things worse. You natural instinct is in "protection mode" and "threat assessment" mode.
> 
> ...


If we werent pregnant we would have the funds to get him a trainer, but that isnt an option. I am 8 months pregnant and at high risk for preterm labor so we are rushing to get everything for baby before he arrives. Thank you for the congrats btw! 
and at first i thought i might just be being sensitive to it but then he started doing the same thing with our other dog, even snarling and snapping at her, pinned her down and i had to pull him off of her, which about pulled every muscle i have left. hurt myself pretty decently. 
i just really dont want to rehome him. i love him. i remember him being so small and just wanting to lay in my arms like a baby. thats all i see when i look at him.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

hydraxninja said:


> that cant be the ONLY option.


Its not the only option but the choices with the best chance of changing this take investment of time, physical work and money and you have nixed them. I'm not trying to be short but you have a potentially very serious issue here. I don't think there is exactly space to be nicey-nice. You don't have a baby puppy anymore but a 95 lb dog that is showing inappropriate behavior to you and your other dog. And you have a baby human coming. And your husband is leaving. And it sounds like you have some physical issues. That is all very serious. 

My comments are all about putting that baby human first. Above you and your dog. Period. That little human will need all of you for at least 2 years. 

But, I have said my peace. I wish you all well.


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## MoxyPup (Jun 12, 2016)

I am sorry you are having such a stressful time with this. A new baby is very exciting! Maybe he can sense something is happening and is confused. He is your furbaby so I understand the thought of giving him up is as hurtful as giving up a child. 
If you are already a candidate for early labor then the added stress of you situation is not good for you. We want you and the baby and your dogs to be calm and happy and safe. 
Is he just acting this way toward you and the other dog? 
I know you are reaching out for help and not about rehoming him but are you confident that you can 100% protect your newborn if he gets aggressive? If he does get aggressive with the baby, then he can be in danger too. 
Is there a friend or relative that can temporarily take him? Maybe for long enough that you can save up money for a trainer? Did your vet have any advice for you? Have you asked your breeder if they have any idea what is going on?
I hope you can find help.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

hydraxninja said:


> that cant be the ONLY option.


What option do you want? There is another option, learn to handle him yourself, but it doesn't seem like that is working out for you. We can't change a dogs behavior from a message board. Have you tried Nothing in Life is Free?

Another suggestion I give often but no one seems too excited about is to call a local German Shepherd rescue group, tell them you have a dog you are trying to keep and you need help. A good rescue has all kinds of volunteers and they will want to keep dogs in their homes, so they may be able to help you to avoid your dog ending up with them.


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

What a difficult situation to be in. You have a lot of personal stress going on and your dog is feeling it too. And that in of itself is not helping either you or the dog. 

I understand that you love your dog and the thought of re homing him seems harsh and unfair. But isn't it true love to do what's best for him regardless of how it makes you feel. In the end it should be what is the best for the well being of you, your baby and the dog and your other dog. It isn't right to put yourself, your baby or your other dog at risk if you aren't in a position to do the training and behavior modification now. I'm not judging you. Sometimes life takes a turn and things happen and things we may not want to do have to be done. 

Look at the alternative. If your dogs aggressive behavior escalates and he truly attacks you, your baby, your other dog or a total stranger imagine the damage a 95 lb GSD can inflict. You won't be looking at re homing him to a good home that can address his issues and give him a happy life...you will be looking at having him put down and dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy that might well have been prevented from ever happening. 

Life isn't fair. It's hard to make these decisions. You love your dog. Do what is best for him. If you can't get a good trainers help and devote the time and energy it will take to get this under control then yes...imho rehoming is what is best for everyone. Love is making the hard decisions for the right reasons. 

Wish you the best and congratulations with the new arrival soon.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

How is re homing a dangerously aggressive dog always offered up as an option? Seems like a law suit waiting to happen, assuming you can find someone willing. Rescue, that I can understand. If they want to assume the risk, so be it.

Growling, snarling and trying to bite unprovoked is serious behavior are not anything I want to see in a pet. Nor do I think the standard fare of NILF is going to fix it.

Absolutely, the dog should be evaluated by a qualified trainer. That means not necessarily the local pet dog trainer. I'd be looking for one who trains IPO or K9. Some of them do pet dog training as well. They know a thing or two about aggression.

I don't mean to come across as harsh, but this scenario crops up much too often in the breed and I get angry about that as well as the fact that rescues and shelters are full of beautiful, wonderful GSDs who don't have crazy aggression problems.

How old is the dog? Is he neutered? What is his pedigree?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Setting, the dog should be evaluated but she said that is not an option nor is rehoming. She hasn't left us much else to use to help her.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

If you are at risk for premature labor and have to pull him off your other dog , this can cause your labor to start and even the placenta getting injured due to the sheer force of a move like that. Please realize what is at stake.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Springbrz said:


> What a difficult situation to be in. You have a lot of personal stress going on and your dog is feeling it too. And that in of itself is not helping either you or the dog.
> 
> I understand that you love your dog and the thought of re homing him seems harsh and unfair. But isn't it true love to do what's best for him regardless of how it makes you feel. In the end it should be what is the best for the well being of you, your baby and the dog and your other dog. It isn't right to put yourself, your baby or your other dog at risk if you aren't in a position to do the training and behavior modification now. I'm not judging you. Sometimes life takes a turn and things happen and things we may not want to do have to be done.
> 
> ...


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I don't know if this will help you but it might help the next person. You said if your first post that your dog gave a defiant snap with no warning. That is not true. Dogs always give warning, but we do t know how to read them or we don't realize they are important and we ignore them. Inexperienced German Shepherd owners make mistakes. They misread a behavior, they don't see warning signs and they don't read the dog's signals. They also think one round of early obedience is enough. It never is. An experienced owner keeps training their dog every day. They may not call it training but it is. I teach my dogs obedience and I also teach them manners. Obedience is an instant Sit, Down, Come when I give the command. Manners are "no teeth on people ever." "Don't grab food off the table."

Your dog is showing pre biting aggressive behavior. It's not going to get better on its own. If you don't want to permanently rehome him, do you have any friend or neighbor who has big dog training experience and can take him from you for six months if you pay for food and expenses? Our neighbor did that when his employer was elderly and couldn't handle his dog. They co owned the dog. The neighbor is very Alpha and no nonsense and the dog thrived in his home. It went home at night to protect the house.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

because however much we love dogs, that baby inside of you is far more important. No question on that. You need to take care of the baby -- no one here wants a GSD responsible for serious injury or death of an infant.

You are in no position to rehabilitate an aggressive dog with your health/pregnancy how it is. If you had a brother or sister willing to take the dog long-term, that would be best. If you had the money, you might be able to send the dog to someone board and train. 

The question is, where did you get the dog? If you got this dog from a breeder, can you call the breeder up, and get him to take the dog back? It's 95 pounds now, but most breeders can handle their pups, even mature, even if their original owners let them get into bad habits. That would be my first suggestion, given no family can take him for an extended stay.

If you cannot get him to his breeder, than you have to consider a shelter. No-kill shelters are NOT no-kill when it comes to aggression. But rescues will rarely take owner-turn-ins. You're in a pickle. You're dog's life is on the line. Between a rock and a hard place. Baby comes first.


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

If you are overwhelmed now, it will be worse when you bring a baby home. Call a rescue(s) and talk with them. Maybe they can offer more choices for your situation.

I do understand. Thirty-six years ago I was at-risk for losing my first child from six months on. We didn't do a baby room until he was born--because we couldn't face that we may not have a baby. They couldn't save babies like they can now. I went almost full-term and my son was healthy. But the stress . . .

You and the baby are in my prayers.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Wow! No wonder I am so confused! This is the third thread started for the same problem with the first one back in January and one just a few days ago.

Maybe the three threads can be combined somehow so that everybody can see all the problems, options, and advice given in one spot?


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I didn't realize that....can anybody put a link to the other threads?


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/613297-need-help-asap.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...y/656705-help-im-pregnant-need-help-fast.html


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Wow, never realized this. This issue has been building for at least 6 months without the help of a trainer. Scary.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/613297-need-help-asap.html
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...y/656705-help-im-pregnant-need-help-fast.html


Two puppies and pregnant. This kind of situation makes me sad. It could have been fix six months ago, when it was just starting. I know being pregnant and emotional makes it hard to act sometimes and people don't always make good decisions, but this went on too long. I'm going to back off on posting because I have no other suggestions.


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## Ripley2016 (Mar 6, 2016)

I'm a mom of two little girls ages 18 months and 3 years. I had to re-home my husky when our first baby was 4 months old. My husky was the sweetest dog in the world and was great with kids aged 3-4 or older but had not been around infants much before ours came along, other than when friends visited here and there. Basically, my husky thought she was Alpha and treated the baby as she would a puppy, with a snap when she didn't like her coming too close or moving too fast or whatever. The first snap, she made contact with the skin. We watched/observed, and finally contacted multiple trainers before realizing that this cannot reliably be trained out of a dog. It was not a matter of if she would eventually bite, but when. It broke my heart to the point that it's been 3 years and I still cry when I think about having to give her up. I know the heart break you think of when you think of re-homing your dog. But if you see aggressive behavior toward YOU from your dog, you are most likely going to see the dog treating your baby or child that way, and since your dog doesn't respect you, she isn't going to obey when you try and teach her what is ok with a baby. This puts your human baby at a high risk.

If this is your first baby, you may not be realizing how much time and energy the infant will demand of you. You will be holding your baby around the clock, barely have time to eat or shower, your house will be a mess, your hormones will be jacked, you will be tired and sore from labor, and you will not be sleeping. These are a hardship even without a dog you have to watch and manage around the clock. Even people with stable and well behaved dogs will find it a challenge to care for them when you're caring for an infant, especially alone.

I suggest you consider re-homing her ASAP before you go into labor. And if you don't... Please, never EVER leave her unsupervised with your baby. When the baby is sleeping somewhere make sure the door is closed or she is physically removed and cannot reach the baby.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

LuvShepherds said:


> Two puppies and pregnant. This kind of situation makes me sad. It could have been fix six months ago, when it was just starting. I know being pregnant and emotional makes it hard to act sometimes and people don't always make good decisions, but this went on too long. I'm going to back off on posting because I have no other suggestions.


I am confused because originally she had two female GSD pups and an old dog and was advised to rehome the youngest female pup. Now, she has a young male. What happened to the other three and where did this dog come from?


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

This situation is becoming very serious.The OP has been wisely advised multiple times to rehome the dog.It would have been so much simpler when he was a puppy to do the right thing.She said multiple times rehoming was not an option.Now what?
I'm dreading the next thread where we read someone has been seriously hurt.I pray it's not the baby.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> I am confused because originally she had two female GSD pups and an old dog and was advised to rehome the youngest female pup. Now, she has a young male. What happened to the other three and where did this dog come from?


I have no idea.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Gosh, I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm not a trainer, so I can't give traiing advice. But if you're terrified of the dog, I imagine he senses that, and is taking advantage. How does he act around your husband? Can you tell us a little about the dog's history?--where he came from, how old he is, neutered?--ect. 

I know trainers are expensive. I would never suggest someone hire a trainer over getting groceries for their family or paying the rent/mortgage, or other essentials. But if it's at all possible, maybe a trainer is something that you could save up for. Or maybe you could at least get an initial evaluation to see if the trainer thinks that you and baby are safe around the dog. 

I hired a trainer once and it was very helpful. My first GSD was dog-aggressive....the trainer came to our house once a week for 6 weeks (each lesson was somewhere between $35-$60, can't remember exactly, it was about 15 years ago). He gave me the tools and the confidence to manage that dog's aggression--and not only that, but those skills have made me a better handler with other dogs I have owned since. Maybe your dog's aggression is not as bad as it seems to you, or maybe it is worse. Who knows?--someone experienced has to see the dog in person to make that call, I think. 

There was a thread posted recently about a 4 month old puppy whose owner thought it was hopelessly aggressive and they planned on rehoming it. But they hired a great trainer who gave them the skills to work with the dog.... that might be a good thread to read. If I had the link I would post it.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

hydraxninja said:


> that cant be the ONLY option.


Sigh ... it's not! PM sent.


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## Themusicmanswife (Jul 16, 2015)

As a Navy wife, I am going to be blunt, do you want your husband to get the call at boot camp or on a ship that something happened? You will be alone. If you think you feel stressed out now, just multiply it exponentially. He won't be there. Your baby needs you. You can do the right thing for your family.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Can you please explain your three posts? 

Ok, you have two dogs?

The male was 10 months when you were 7 weeks along? So, he is now 16 months old?

The female was 15 weeks then, so she is now about 10 months old? How is she doing? 

Are there other dogs? 

I think you need to face some facts, and those are that you are over your head with a dog and your baby is coming whether you are over your head or not. You were over your head 6 months ago and you still are. Doing it on your own IS NOT WORKING. 

But you don't have time now. Your health and your baby's health are more important. You need to rehome, and if you cannot find your dog and appropriate home, you are going to have to relinquish your dog. TALK to some people who do rescue. They may be able to set up some long-term fostering, they could possibly have hooked you up with a trainer too. Maybe. They may be able to take the dog. They may not. 

Bringing a baby home with a dog that is aggressive toward you, that you are afraid of, is child endangering. With your husband out of the picture your options are severely limited. 

It is time to ACT. Not to ask questions. Not to try this or that. The baby can come tonight, or tomorrow.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I would double like what selzer said if I could.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Oh I went and found an old post with a picture. It looks like the other female is a lab or something? Pretty sure floppy eared dog. No word on if she rehomed that dog or still has 3.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> Oh I went and found an old post with a picture. It looks like the other female is a lab or something? Pretty sure floppy eared dog. No word on if she rehomed that dog or still has 3.


This dog is a male GSD. The other two GSDS were female in the picture and then there was the Lab. Does OP have four dogs? And one of the females was being aggressive toward her back then. How did that work out?


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I thought there were only 3 total...? 2 gsds and the lab


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> I thought there were only 3 total...? 2 gsds and the lab


In her first thread with the picture she said both of her GSD puppies were female, one was being aggressive with her, and she was being advised by others to rehome the younger of the two female GSDs. Now she is saying the GSD that is being aggressive with her is a male. So does she have two GSDs being aggressive with her?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

If I knew where she lived, I would find someone she can talk to about long term fostering. MineAreWorkingLine, this is very confusing. I saw all those dogs in the old picture and have no idea which one she is talking about.


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