# Reintroducing injured GSD



## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

Hi, I used to post here a ton a few years back, and find myself need help again. I originally rescued a female GSD and eventually the puppies she had prior to me getting her. She was a handful, fear aggressive, leash aggressive, dog aggressive, etc. I was able to work through all those issues, and 2 years ago successfully integrated a male husky (another rescue). They are amazing together, and have had little to no issues with the two of them. My husband and I decided it was time to grow the family, and I was ready to work with another rescue. My husband, however, wanted a pup. So we did our research breeders (my town is overrun with chi’s and pits), and finally found a breeder in Washington. My husbands best friend also decided it was time for a pup, and liked the Breeder and litter we chose. He was selling his house, and it ended up selling before the new house was built, so we offered to let him stay with us. So we now have 2 female GSD’s (the rescue and new pup) and 2 males, one the new GSD and our husky in the home. Introductions all went splendidly, and my old girl loved the new pups. Then a freak accident happened with our new pup. She managed to get her tooth stuck on a strip at the bottom of the doggie door, and fell backwards with her tooth still attached. There is about a 10 fall from the doggie door to the concrete outside. We rush her to the vet, and after tons of xrays, they found that she had fractured her jaw. She was originally given a tape muzzle, and a feeding tube, and the dreaded cone of shame. We have kept her separated from the other 3 dogs as a precaution. The family room is gated off from the formal living room so we can keep the big dogs off the leather furniture at night (they know better, but as soon as we go to bed, they jump onto the sofas). So we would put them in the family room at night. 

There are gaps in the baby gates, but nothing wide enough for the big dogs to do anything but put a paw through. The problem is, Seiran is only 3 weeks in to a 6 week process, and the other dogs are pretty pissed about her being in the formal living room, and growl and raise their hackles any time she goes near the baby gates. I spend as much time as possible in the family room with the big dogs, but the pup has to be tube fed every 3-4hrs, and she cries when I leave the room. Which is an issue, because they don’t want her using her mouth for 6 weeks. 

Sorry this is so long winded, I just wanted to get the details out there. The 3 other dogs have formed a pretty good pack, and they seem to gang up when they see Seiran coming. I’m worried about reintroducing her after her injury is healed. The standard let them meet with separation won’t work, they are already able to see and smell her, and don’t like it. We tried once to place her empty kennel in the family room, and the big dogs started tearing into it. 

I don’t want to have to keep them separated forever, but am willing to if that’s the only way to keep them all safe. I’m aware bitch on bitch aggression is an issue with the breed, but Lyka’s health is failing, and we don’t expect her to make it before Seiran is a year old. Hubbies friend is moving into his new home in 2 months, so that will leave us with the the two GSD’s and one husky. 

Does anyone have any experience reintroducing a dog that has been injured after the recovery period? I’d really like any info I can get! And here is a pic because everyone loves puppy pics!


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## Pawsed (May 24, 2014)

Cute pup. So sorry this happened to her.

Just a wild shot in the dark here, but do you suppose the other dogs could be reacting to the cone and bandage?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Do all the dogs react the same in a one on one with the pup?


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

The Husky for sure has a cone issue. I came up with a solution for the cone, because Seiran was not fond of it herself. I used the self adhesive tape and a piece of gauze on the injection site, and a sweater covering that and the feeding port. He calmed way down after that, but still growls and raises hackles when she comes near the gate (before he would full on bark, which he never does, with his lips peeled back). He’s honestly the quietest dog I’ve ever had. He howls at sirens, and that’s it. I heard him bark once when I was out back doing yard work, and I got scared thinking another dog had managed to get into our backyard. Nope, it was my Husky, and was the one time I heard him bark, and that was about a year ago.


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

We brought my GSD into the formal living room, because she’s so nurturing with puppies. She went straight for her and grabbed her head (just mouthing, no biting), and it freaked Seiran out and she ran into her kennel, and Lyka stayed right near her kennel growling and barking. We immediately did a verbal correction with Lyka, and she backed down, but the pup was so scared we put Lyka back in the family room. We can’t let her brother in with her, because they play fight roughly. I don’t trust the Husky with her at this point to bring him in. My husband had me leave the house and try with both Lyka and Crios (but separately) in with her, and the same thing happened when I let my GSD in, except the Husky tried to get to her through the kennel. We have also tried neutral ground (the front yard, big dogs only go in the backyard) with my GSD, and it was the same, growling and posturing. 

We had a vet visit yesterday, and they removed the feeding tube, and put a regular nylon muzzle on her. We got home with her, and again the big dogs freaked out through the baby gate, but with more vigor than normal.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

They may sense she is injured and weak and it bothers them. I would try to keep her separated as long as possible. She could get hurt even more.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Hey Jchrest,welcome back!I remember you and Lyka well.Hopefully @Magwart or @Jax08 will have some ideas for you.I have some ideas, but they have the experience so I don't want to give wrong advice.Very nice looking pup!Sorry you all are going through this


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I agree with Luvshepherds. I would want her to be 100% healed before reintroducing her. No point to intro to the dog going back to your boss. And if you think you are going to lose your senior soon then I wouldn't introduce them either. Lyka doesn't need the stress and the puppy could get hurt again. When she is healed, take her for walks with the one that she will grow up with and when they are ready give them time to interact.


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

Jax, thanks for the advise. It’s just sad because Lyka (the senior) absolutely loved her before the accident. Seiran followed her everywhere, and Lyka “took care” of her. Seiran would crawl right into Lyka’s bed, and they would curl up and nap together, with Lyka always keeping her paw wrapped around Seiran. It did my heart good to see Lyka so happy and energetic again. 

I’ll definitely try the walks with Crios after she is vaccinated. Parvo is a big issue in my town, and we don’t want to put her at risk for that as well, so until she gets her next two round of shots, we keep her in our yard. Crios and Lyka still get their daily walks, and Crios is a dream walker, so he would be good to pair her with once she’s vaccinated. 

And because I’m an obsessed fur mom, her is Lyka and Crios before the pups came. The holes in the yard are curtesy of Crios, I swear that dog tries to dig to China!


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

This does not sound like a good situation at all. I am speaking as someone who had a GSD that killed another (much smaller) dog, and as someone whose friend's Shiloh shepherd (very large dog, basically a GSD with a dash of malemute blood) did the same. 

In her case, the dogs had been raised together, and the shiloh had attacked the miniature pinscher on 2 previous occasions. The third, fatal attack happened after the dogs had been separated while she was away for a few days. I had been looking after them, and did NOT trust the Shiloh to be alone with the mini-pin. Obviously, due to the separation, the Shiloh had decided the mini-pin was no longer welcome as a member of the pack. She picked it up by the neck, gave it a couple of good shakes, and the dog was dead.

We often don't think our dogs are capable of something like this until it happens. And then, it's too late, and we regret it for the rest of our lives.

Yes, I know this is a worst-case scenario, but forewarned is forearmed!


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

Sunsilver said:


> This does not sound like a good situation at all. I am speaking as someone who had a GSD that killed another (much smaller) dog, and as someone whose friend's Shiloh shepherd (very large dog, basically a GSD with a dash of malemute blood) did the same.
> 
> In her case, the dogs had been raised together, and the shiloh had attacked the miniature pinscher on 2 previous occasions. The third, fatal attack happened after the dogs had been separated while she was away for a few days. I had been looking after them, and did NOT trust the Shiloh to be alone with the mini-pin. Obviously, due to the separation, the Shiloh had decided the mini-pin was no longer welcome as a member of the pack. She picked it up by the neck, gave it a couple of good shakes, and the dog was dead.
> 
> ...



I totally get it. Even before the accident, I never left Seiran with the big dogs unless she was supervised by me. I’d even bring her in the bathroom with me rather than leaving them together. The male GSD pup is with the big dogs all the time, completely unsupervised, and it makes me extremely uncomfortable. If anything happens to him, it’s on us, because it would have been the GSD or Husky who did the damage. He already has a mark across his muzzle. Not sure if it was the big dogs or him running through all the shrubs, bushes, and trees out back. There is also a pool, and the Husky takes a dip a few times a day, and I’m terrified the pup is going to follow him in and not be able to get back out again. But his owner (hubbies bestfriend) says he prefers him to be free with the big dogs than kenneled while he’s at work. The unknown scares me, but hubs said to let the pup stay with the big dogs, and had his friend sign and notarize a non liability form. I still don’t like it. He’s just being lazy with potty training, because he never kennels him. We kennel Seiran when we are not with her, whether that be leaving the house, or at bedtime, or if we are doing work on the backyard where she can’t be. And she has zero issues with it. We tell her bed and she runs right into her kennel. 

The vet is aware of our senior and the Husky, as he’s been the vet for both of them, and he thinks the sooner she is reintroduced the better, before it becomes a pack mentality and they all try to go for her. This is AFTER her treatment is complete and the vet gives us the okay, I just wanted to see if I could get some tips in advanced. We are still at least 3 weeks away from her being muzzle free, and there will likely be more instructions for additional healing after. So we won’t try to reintroduce for at least two months, which will put Seiran at about 4-5 months of age.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I don’t agree with reintroducing because she is still so small and a bite could be fatal. Even though it’s hard, there are people who never introduce their puppies to their older dogs until they are at least 18 months old. Leerberg is one who always trains puppies separately now.


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

Thanks for all the advice. Once I read through everyone’s reply’s, I realized I was thinking of them on a human basis, and not as dogs (if that makes any sense). My husband and I agreed to rotate rooms, so there is always someone with Seiran, and someone with Lyka and Crios. It takes a lot of my guilt away from always feeling like I was neglecting one group over the other when I was constantly trying to keep Seiran occupied in the formal room while I was in the family room with my big guys. And with this likely being the last few months we have with Lyka, I want to get in as much cuddle time with her as possible. 

You guys are amazing, and I always appreciate the advice, even when it’s hard to hear!


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

You have a changing situation. Rotating dogs is easier when you know it’s for a short time. If it was me, I would focus on Lyka and on your own puppy. The male puppy is temporary and your other adult will forgive you. They don’t understand time the way we do, or attention.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Given the circumstances, you are doing a really good job with all that has gone on and some of the restrictions given by the friend with his dogs concerning safety.

One other thing that may help understand the reactions from the others towards your pup is that the pup due to cone and taping of his muzzle has been unable to behave body language wise as a pup. Puppy behavior is innate and designed to illicit a gentler response from adults, natures insurance to help keep them safe. i.e. Face licking, puppy whimper, even the facial expression is muted due to the tape. 

My guess that that would also plays a part. It doesn't really help but offers another reason/perspective to why Lyka is acting like that.


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