# My dog wont stop attacking



## mydogishalye (May 14, 2010)

I'm a new German Shepherd owner and have had my German Shepherd Halye for about 3-4 weeks. She's been in a few squabbles before with our other dogs but they are increasing. The other night when she was excited when we got home I let her out of her crate and she ran out of my room and started to attack our Dachshund, Logan. She went for his neck and after screaming and yanking her off of him she let up, and Logan thankfully wasn't hurt. This morning all of our dogs were up and around and someone threw a stuffed animal for for our Golden Retriever, Bo. Halye ran from the other side of the house and snatched it before Bo could. Bo either growled or barked at her and she attacked him getting only a few inches from his jugular vein. I love this dog and I really don't want to get rid of her what should I do?:help:


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## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

I would look on here or on youtube some video's of what GSD playing looks like. I would not be saying this if I didn't see it myself. GSD's play rough. I mean REALLY rough. I have two of them and they play harder then any other breed I have ever seen. It is very....umm.... primal. Our female has a ball drive like no other if she doesn't get the ball she gets mad. We correct her. Everyone has limits. You have to teach her yours. 
I am in no way trying to belittle what your seeing, but I had a trainer come to my house that was raised around GSD and he said they play like GSD's. I can't see what's going on so only you can judge how bad it really is....


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

It's really hard to say without actually seeing what Halye is doing. Is she snarling her teeth, hackles up? My dogs are very vocal, so someone that hears them would think I have a vicious pack of wolves. When Kiya plays with the pup, she pins her down and it sounds like she's gonna kill the baby. I had to be very careful in the begining, because when the big dogs are correcting the baby, if I were to interfere it would be like I was demoting the big dog's pack status. I avoid all items that may cause a fight while they are loose together. Like bones, ears, food. My older male, Apache guards things and he'd bite her head off. The baby has brass you know whats. She will sit infront of Apache and bark if he has something she wants, which is everything. The baby is very dominant, perhaps Halye is too and she is trying to establish her place in your pack.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

My 8 month old GSD always goes after my Doxie. He puts her entire head in his mouth. He 'chatters' on her legs. He lays on her body - and I swear he puts in an extra effort to make sure he steps on her as he walks through the house. In turn she squeals - and she'll scream like she is being killed and lunges for his face. I've had her in my lap and watched it - he hasn't even touched her and she is screaming. Hondo loves it - it is a game to him and as long as she continues to react this way, he'll continue his torment. I can tell him to leave it and he'll leave her alone....for a little while. 

I don't leave them together unsupervised.


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## mydogishalye (May 14, 2010)

Thank you guys. After watching some videos online I realize she is just playing. Haha. My family was worried so this helps. thank you.:hug::wild:


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

How old is he? Is he from a shelter or a breeder? How long have you had him? Is he like this with all dogs or just his pack? How is he with people?


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## Josiebear (Oct 16, 2006)

Josie is noisy when she plays. Sounds like she's attacking but she isn't. 

People who have never seen GSDs play get worried when Josie is playing with their dogs. My brother in law actually stood over Josie and his border collie when they were playing and she'd make that noise and he'll get them to break it up. It gets old after awhile lol.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Just to note - just because she might be just playing doesn't mean your dogs want to play that way too. If they do than that's great, but it's your responsibility to step in if play gets too rough for one of the dogs. 

If one dogs just playing and the other doesn't want to play, it can possibly lead to a dog fight. Again, it's hard to tell without seeing your dogs interact, but it should be pretty easy to tell.


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## trish07 (Mar 5, 2010)

....but if she attack the neck....I mean....I don't think is simply play? No? Anyway, if it is, be sure she is not hurting the other dogs....maybe she don't know "how to play"...Phenix sometime play to hard with small dogs...


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## jimmy dalton (May 19, 2010)

It sounds as if you may have a pup with a high prey drive, which means toys (other dogs or anything that moves) have a great reward value. This also means that play and training should be done in a supervised manner. I would train with her and then put her up when you want the other dogs to play with toys. You have to teach her now that you decide when she plays, if she gets too rough or out of hand she doesn't get to play with others. She goes in her crate or on leash or where ever you have decided for her.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

J tries to grab Sparkles neck from time to time, she's 12 pounds and he's about 80.

Shepherds play rough..

Here's play:






Not playing...


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## VitaBene (Apr 18, 2010)

*Walk when you get home*

You need to burn your dog's energy positively. As soon as you get home take a walk with the dog(s). I know I would be stir crazy if I were locked in a crate.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Yep. Alot of the time GSD play looks a lot like this...








And while it is PLAY, it still doesn't mean it's fun for your other dogs. I would try and take her out and wear her out outside for a bit before letting her back in to interact with your other dogs. This way she won't learn to unload her energy on them, but rather with you in the yard with a toy.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

JKlatsky said:


> Yep. Alot of the time GSD play looks a lot like this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LOL... There's that crazed little killer look that nearly all GSD pups show. Classic.


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## just another truck (Jun 7, 2010)

I hope to not mis quote this, but i have read that it helps to have a puppy play with larger dogs, if the larger dogs have the right temperment, it iwll help teach the puppy how to play by correcting them when they take it to far.

I have also heard others say they let their dogs squabble to establish pack leadership, I have never believed in that ( I may be wrong ) but if a major squabble breaks out, I always get into it, I am the leader, thats what I feel they should know.


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## lylol (Feb 18, 2009)

Yes my young GSD finds rough housing with the little dogs hugely entertaining ... like someone says, he lays on my Boston, nibbles at his back legs etc... 90 % of the time the Boston is enjoying the game and now sometimes starts it. I DO keep an eye on them though.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

just another truck said:


> I hope to not mis quote this, but i have read that it helps to have a puppy play with larger dogs, if the larger dogs have the right temperment, it iwll help teach the puppy how to play by correcting them when they take it to far.


I have never had much luck with this. My big dogs never seem to bother to correct the puppies and let them get away with murder.

Poor Argos...Cade was about 6 months here and being very rude. In the above photo he was with Anka when she was 9 weeks.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Kiya, is 6 and plays ruff with the baby, when she's had enough she'll let the puppy know. When we first got the puppy I was scared, but I allowed Kiya to correct the puppy without interfering. If the puppy persists and I see Kiya is getting really annoyed, I step in and distract the pup by offering a toy. Then I'll be watching and I see Kiya starting to play with the puppy, so who's annoying who. The two of them are more entertaining than any show on TV. Apache, my male is about 7-1/2 and never plays that way with the puppy. He gets pretty snarly with her, she still pushes him. She'll try to get a toy from him or go right up to his bowl. He's corrected her quite a few times that sounded a lot worse than it was. She does respect him more now. It seems Apache only likes the puppy when she's being well behaved, he definitely doesn't like when she gets wild & unruly specially in the house. But Apache will play ruff with Kiya, it sounds like a pack of wolves, he's very vocal. You would think there was a bear in my yard.


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## Baersmama (Jun 15, 2010)

I agree - they do play rough and definitely like to go for the neck. My male has gone through several collars because my female likes to latch on to it and "lead him around." Outside, he likes to chase her down and will "roll" her. They have nipped each other hard enough to leave bite marks - but they never cry out in pain. My male loves to get rough with another male GSD in the neighborhood. When owners of other types of dogs see this play they can be a little alarmed.


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