# New dog is giving me mixed dog aggression signals...



## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

I just adopted a ~9 month old female GSD. She is spayed. I am trying to figure out if she can stay in my family, and just needs some work...or if I am just being naive. I will tell you as much about her as I have observed today, in an effort to help us both.

She is very people friendly. Strange men/people in different clothes have not been a problem. This is interesting, as she was returned once before for being mouthy/nippy. She is lightly mouthy. There is barely any force behind any mouthing she has been doing, and I quickly redirect to a toy (which she gently takes) and its stops. She also gently takes food. She is very curious of her surroundings, and anything strange is interesting and amusing to her, rather than scary. She is not possessive (so far). She was not indicated to be dog aggressive, and I met her with other dogs around. 

Holy prey drive. Everything. must. be. chased. If it moves, it's on her radar. She has hunted down as many bugs as she can, and finds them distracting. She wants to chase cars. She wants to chase squirrels. She just about jumped out of her skin trying to chase someone on a skateboard but I got her under control quickly. I have been trying to channel this to toys, with mixed success. If it squeaks? She can't leave it alone. But will let me take the toy and use it as a reward. Anything else I throw she will chase and pounce on, but then lose interest in.

She is leash reactive to other dogs. Not as bad as some dogs I have seen. What seems to set her off is any dog barking at her. Neutral dogs? She is interested but pays attention to me and will walk on a loose lead, but gives me indications she is unsure of what to do. She seems frustrated. I have seen her play bow at other dogs, but also while barking in a frenzy.
Barking/aggressive other dogs? Game on. She leaps on her hind legs, makes awful noises, and is generally ridiculous. Even barking dogs she cant see, from behind a gate. She is not redirecting at me (yet), and I am not exactly sure how to proceed with this. She really carries on.
She gets too worked up to play with the toy she liked, and is not terribly food motivated. I want to work at a greater distance and do BAT/LAT, but need a place to start. 

My main concern:
I have another GSD in the house, a male. 
She tried to fight with him through our screen door, but not with her in a crate and him out. We have been present for all interaction, and she seems more interested in us than him. I let them interact with me around the corner (her in a crate, him out) and they got into a yelling match. As soon as I intervened, she turned into a little angel asking to be let out of her crate, and even being civil to my male dog through the crate.
I am doing a group walk with the both of them and another handler (I had not planned on her being so reactive, or I would have done that today) tomorrow. 
How do I not screw this up more than I have? I really want them to get along.
Also, what do I do when they fight? This is a when, not an if. I plan on keeping them separate until further notice, and gradually let them interact with each other under supervision.

Other stuff:
I have been implementing NILIF, but this is hard when she doesn't really know any commands. 
I have been feeding her for paying attention to me, when she sits, and when she goes in her crate. 

Thanks! Also, feel free to ask for more info. I have only known her a day though.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Calm down. Leash her and keep her with you or crate her without the other dog having access to her crate. Give her time to adjust and do not expose her to the entire world before she is used to yours. She sounds out of control and lost.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

There are lot of links in and a couple of thread in this post. A lot of answer. First thread first post "I just got a rescue what do I do??"

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...90569-aggression-towards-freindly-dogs-2.html

Your plan sounds good so far. Get a muzzle for her if you feel she can't be trusted just yet, it helps to calm them down in any case!

You'll also find "Sit on the Dog and "The Place Command" very important and they should be done! They train an "off switch! 

Take a look and ask questions welcome aboard.


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## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

wolfy dog said:


> Calm down. Leash her and keep her with you or crate her without the other dog having access to her crate. Give her time to adjust and do not expose her to the entire world before she is used to yours. She sounds out of control and lost.


You are right. 

I think I am trying to hard into getting this right, and I need to just back off and let her settle in. Considering how jam packed her day as been, I am quite impressed with how she seems to be tolerating everything.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Leash reactive=all dogs if on a leash. My male was leash reactive(I got him at about the same age as yours from the shelter), he even reacted to my other dogs in the house if on a leash. So leashing a leash reactive dog in the houses is probably not a good idea until you can figure out everything about her. Is she on a leash when you are doing interactions with the other dog? My male got really frustrated when I got my golden puppy and the pup was in the crate. Midnite the GSD would bark like he was going to kill him and try to break him free, he would move the crate pulling if with the puppy in it. It took about 4 months of working with him and I ended up with a perfect dog. It can be done

Leash reactive doesn't mean aggression, it can be and most likely is frustration which throws us humans off. After about a month(get to know her and let her settle), see a trainer that knows the difference and can help or get into classes(mine was not allowed in classes-he was that bad)


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

did you read the thread about the 2 week shut down period? I believe it would be under fostering.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> did you read the thread about the 2 week shut down period? I believe it would be under fostering.


 it's also in the first thread in the post I linked to ... just saying.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> did you read the thread about the 2 week shut down period? I believe it would be under fostering.



I totally agree with this. Too much, too fast causes big problems (here, reactivity is created/reinforced). The two-week shutdown (or one-week or one-month -- however long it takes!) is incredibly useful in these situations. I've seen it work some pretty striking changes in reactive dogs. Let her soak in your pack dynamic by watching from afar in a crate for a while, without the stress of having to interact.

When she's out of the crate, put the other dog in a different part of the house, and keep the new one on a leash next to you. It's too soon for freedom in the house. Keeping her attached to you will help her feel more secure in your leadership in the house. That ultimately will help with the peace of the pack.


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## annabirdie (Jul 3, 2015)

When you say that she tried to fight him, do you mean she barked like crazy or did more than that? To be honest my thinking is that she is probably fine but unsocialized (unfamiliar with noises, bugs, etc- reacting out of lack of experience with these things). If your male is a nice guy she will probably learn the most from him and he will help her to succeed socially - he can be your best tool. Introduce them slowly of course. You don't want to take any chances, but the leashes and crates might be creating tension. Good luck!


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

oops, sorry chip, Im not able to open your link on my old clunker of a computer


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> oops, sorry chip, Im not able to open your link on my old clunker of a computer


 I'll see what I can do!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru.../590569-aggression-towards-freindly-dogs.html

That's the start, my post is on the second page. I'm on Unbuntu 14 using Chrome shouldn't matter but you never know??

Let me know if it works??


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