# A beautiful boy in a horrible situation



## Buddysmama

Hello, 
I am new and was advised to post here.
This is Buddy, the best dog in the world. He came into our home as a beautiful puppy at 14 weeks of age. He has obedience training and is very smart. He has worked one on one with Bob Conklin of Hudson Valley K9. He loves his daily walks and will do anything to please us. He loves to play fetch with balls and sticks. He was taught to go into our pool, lakes, and the ocean, and now enjoys swimming as well. He will proudly perform many of his tricks such as roll, lay down, stay, find it, round and round, sit pretty, and more. He loves to hike and he is happy and loving and eager to please. He barks way too loud whenever the doorbell rings and gives us the hero's welcome whenever we walk throught the door (even if we just went to the mailbox). He thinks his job is to be the Herbik family protection dog. He tolerates, but is not fond of, small dogs and cats. He plays well with our 12 year old son and his friends and likes to be part of any activity. He is still puppy-like in that he is filled with wonder and enthusiasm.



With a deep sadness that no words can do justice to, we must give up our beloved Buddy. This is due to a freakish and horrible event that occurred yesterday. We live in a neighborhood with many children and dogs that run off leash. While on our afternoon walk, an aggressive Yorkshire Terrier ran barking full speed up to Buddy. Although Buddy was on his leash and I was with him, he defended himself. He shook the small dog like a rag doll and mortally injured him. Our vet was unable to resuscitate the Terrier and he died. The vet stated that Buddy was not at fault since he was not the aggressor. Nonetheless, our neighbors’ dog is gone and we now need to do the right thing ethically in order to restore harmony in our neighborhood, as everyone is now frightened of Buddy. We are sick in our hearts over this incident and the fact that we now must give up our beautiful, loyal, loving friend.



Buddy is a purebred working line German Shepherd (Czech line). He came to us with AKC papers which we never sent in. He was born in June of 2007. He weighs 80 pounds. He is current on all vaccinations and is neutered. He has a microchip implanted in his neck on file with Home Again Proactive Pet Recovery Service. At the time of his neutering in August, 2008, we had his hips X rayed and the vet declared his hips to rated "good"with no evidence of displasia. 



We will accept no money for this dog. Our fervent prayer is that he is adopted by a kind person who will love and care for him and allow him to live out his natural life. Only then will we feel we have done our part to give this beautiful boy a life of quality. Whoever gets our Buddy will be blessed with love, companionship, and fierce loyalty that can only come from such a wonderful creature. 

Thank you.


----------



## moei

I am sorry this has happened. Are the lil' squirt's owners suing you or requiring that you get rid of Buddy?

How is he with other dogs? 

He is a gorgeous dog.


----------



## ShepherdMania

I am so sorry to hear this.

Where are you located?

Are you open to a rescue taking him?


----------



## Buddysmama

Thank you. No, we are not being sued. They are still in shock--they buried their baby yesterday. So we certainly do not know their feelings. We intend to speak to them this week.
We are located in Monroe, NY in Orange County.
What Buddy needs is a job, but I don't know if we are hoping for the impossible. We would never let him go to a kill shelter. We don't really know anything about rescue, but are open to all options at this point.


----------



## fourdogsrule

Buddysmama I PM'ed you.


----------



## GSDTrain

> Originally Posted By: FourDogsRuleBuddysmama I PM'ed you.


Me too.


----------



## kathyb

I have one of those little dogs near me too and it just runs up to you and barks and nips. One of the reasons I have my house up for sale!!!!!!!!!


----------



## MaineLady

I know someone else that just went through the same thing. She lives in a small town in Maine. Was walking her GSD on leash, and two small dogs came running out and attacked her. The owner managed to get her away, but not 15 minutes later, another small dog ran out of its yard and bit her face, leaving 2 punctures wounds. She fought back and I"m not sure if the dog lived or not. 

Though the police deemed her to be free of fault, the town is not so forgiving. I don't understand why people think it is okay for small dogs to attack larger ones yet if a large dog fights back, then it is dangerous? Something is seriously wrong with that picture.

I'm sorry that you are going through this.


----------



## kathyb

Have you contacted Bob, your trainer, he might be able to help you with finding him a good home. I can see this same thing happening to me. Zoe plays with a toy poddle, but when the little ones by me run up to her barking she can not stand it.


----------



## rjvamp

I am so sorry to hear this happened. My own personal opinion of this is you shouldn't give up Buddy because of trying to restore harmony in the community. Your dog was not at fault. He is a member of your family. I would not make any rush decisions. Your neighbor should in the end be forgiving since their dog is the one that was aggressive. This is the time to stand by your family member and not worry about what makes things right. Getting rid of Buddy will never make it right for them and it is not your place to make them feel better. Those are demons they will have to deal with. Have you thought of how this will impact Buddy's mental state to be given away because he either (1) was protecting you or (2) was protecting himself? Please reconsider before making a decision you will regret.

Best

Robert Davis


----------



## Brightelf

[Removed by Admin. Wisc.Tiger]


----------



## mmackey

I second AngelesVonLobos. 

As awful as the whole ordeal must be, by giving up you dog, you are admitting to a degree of guilt on your end. Do you really think that your dog is guilty and out of line for not only protecting himself, but his people? You have nothing to be guilty about. An unfortunate thing happened. Please, for the sake of your beloved dog, stand by his side. Maybe others in the neighborhood will appreciate the value of keeping their four footed loved ones under control...


----------



## Buddysmama

Hello again and thank you to all,

Some very hopeful news has come through. Currently, we are working with 2 different State Police organizations as well as some local police agencies. Buddy has some evaluations this week with them. Our first priority is to try to place him in a true working dog situation. He has a very high prey drive, and it isn't fair to him to have to live in an overcrowded neighborhood. Picking up and moving is not an option. We are very concerned with his mental state. 

All of the agencies we are working with have assured us that Buddy will live with his human officer partner and will receive a very high level of care. He is going to be evaluated for drug sniffing, bomb squad, and perhaps search and rescue. 

All of the folks we have contacted are good-hearted, dog-loving people. We are very hopeful and feel our prayers are being answered. 

BTW, we totally agree with you MaineLady. There is a huge double-standard when it comes to large dogs.

Thank you again for all of the wonderful support and suggestions. Bless you all.


----------



## ShepherdMania

That is wonderful. Keep us posted.


----------



## Timber1

I would not give up buddy. That said, Buddy will be adopted very quickly and find a good home.

I just placed a rescue, similar, but frankly not as good as a buiddy with a family and as well trained as buddy.

My rescue Pres told me that my guy had many appicatins for adoption. A dog like buddy, we could place even more in good homes. 

Darn, do you really want to part with buddy. 

I am probably a thousand miles away, but of you lived in my state I would take buddy before the sun goes down. 
My hunch is the dog will be placed quickly. If not, send me a personal E Mail.


----------



## kathyb

Thank you for making sure he is placed in the right home.


----------



## Timber1

[Removed by Admin.Wisc.Tiger]


And based on the description of the dog, my rescue group could place a buddy a day. Heck, I would take him if they lived closer to Wisconsin. 

[Removed by Admin. Wisc.Tiger]


----------



## JakodaCD OA

while I may not agree nor others agree, with buddy's family placing buddy in a different home,,I don't see it as them "giving up" on their dog..

I have to commend them for looking to put him in a home that will be responsible and not dumping him somewhere on the side of the road, euthanizing him or passing him off on just "anyone". 

Good luck finding Buddy a new home
Diane


----------



## caview

[Removed by Admin. Wisc.Tiger]
Tanya


----------



## Strana1

Buddy's family came here looking for help and options because they felt they were in a helpless situation. Bashing people does no good excepts sends them from a place where they can find a diverse group of knowledgable people who maybe could help point them in the right direction. All people have limitations on what they can handle and I applaud someone who recognizes their own and their families limitations. 

I don't see anything wrong with realizing you are in a situation that you cannot handle and getting yourself out of it. Not everyone has the skill set to handle a high drive dog and frankly if more people realized that GSDs aren't for everyone we would probably spend less time on the urgent board. 

What is normal GSD behavior for one owner is out of control and unmanageable for another. I'm sure when the little dog charged Buddy the owners did what they could and had a horrible outcome, someone else may have punted the little dog across the street as soon as it came close and others may have been able to read the body language and saw what was going to happen and taken preventative action and we wouldn't be here now. We are all different and just because you wouldn't handle a situation the same way doesn't mean they are awful dog owners or people. 

These people are doing what they can to find a safe appropriate home because they don't think they can keep him safe (from other loose dogs) and probably don't want to be forced into a situation where they are no longer able to make descisions about their dog and a court does it for them.


----------



## scannergirl

> Originally Posted By: caview[Comment quoted was removed by Admin.Wisc.Tiger]
> Tanya


You do not know what the future holds for you. Tanya. Let's hope that when you're over a barrel (or think you are) people are kinder to you than you have been to Buddy's family.


----------



## caview

Strana1,

I greatly respect your opinion as your walk the walk with rescue and volunteering!

I still stand by my opinion and believe it should have been expressed to "BuddysMom", in part for the following reasons:

We all very very helpful and supportive, untill I read "Some very hopeful news has come through".

I was ready to accept whatever decision they would have made, but not the "spin"!

In that situation the only "hopeful news" would have been deciding to keep the dog! Any other news is heartwretching news!

There is a disconnect between the initial communication and the last one that I cannot reconcile in my mind other than looking at this accident as an excuse to get rid of the dog.

If you read the "help and opinions" given, they were unanimous -- keep the dog -- he is innocent!

This opinion was ignored and an opposite course of action taken.

I don't use the harsh language I used if people are honest with themselves and others as to their motives -- I don't see it there...

My hope is that the motivation can be examined and the terrible mistake avoided... If I didn't have any hope, I wouldn't have spoken the way I did...

Tanya


----------



## Papanapa

[Removed by Admin.Wisc.Tiger]
The OP stated they live in a neighborhood with plenty of small dogs. Their dog likes to eat small dogs. (High prey drive was stated also) They are looking for a working home for their dog instead of just throwing it away to anyone who wants to take it.

[Removed by Admin.Wisc.Tiger]


----------



## Strana1

> Originally Posted By: caview
> 
> I was ready to accept whatever decision they would have made, but not the "spin"!
> 
> In that situation the only "hopeful news" would have been deciding to keep the dog! Any other news is heartwretching news!


Tayna, I guess I don't see a spin. The way I have read the post from Buddy's owners only told me that they made a descision to rehome their dog and in a later post they say they have found options in the working dog community. Although the consensous from members was generaly they should keep their dog, I never saw a post where they changed their mind about rehoming Buddy. My origional post wasn't about whether they should keep or rehome Buddy, I have my own personal opinions about that, but that they made a descision that they feel is right for their situation and they are bashed because they did not change their mind and decide to keep him. 

We have no information on the training background of these people, whether this is their first dog or their 50th, whether they have previously owned Golden's or Pit Bulls; and given the lack of information on their "whole" situation people are angry and all I was saying was that we don't have enough information to be angry and they at least appear to be handling the situation in a responsible manner. Not too long ago there was a dog shot after a (by all accounts preventable) bite. That owner came here looking for sympathy and received none (rightly so given the circumstances) these people are at least looking for an appropriate situation.

If these people came here saying they euthanized him, people would say why didn't you bring him to a shelter; if they brought him to a shelter people would say why didn't you send him to a rescue; they are saying that they want to rehome him and people are saying keep him. If you spend a lot of time on this board you will see that often it doesn't matter what you do it isn't "good enough". 

I have seen posts from people that truely deserve some of the comments they received, I just don't see it in this situation. They came here looking to rehome their dog and in both posts they don't waiver from that.


----------



## Innuendo

While i'm glad to hear he will be doing a great service to his community I feel so bad that you are giving up your companion.

There are always going to be people afraid of dogs just because of their breed and it's not just german shepherds, pit bulls are treated the same way just by being a pit bull. They don't even have to act out, in some cases all they have to do is walk down the street for people to fear them.

Your dog was only in his mind protecting himself and the family he loves dearly just as you would do for your kids.

He sure is a beautiful animal. I hope the person who lost their dog learned something from this horrible incident. There are leash laws for a reason, to protect other people and to protect our dogs. Unfortunately for the terrier their owner was not so thoughtful and in the end two dogs had to suffer because of it. One lost his life and the other his family.


----------



## katieliz

when i was young i was put in a similar situation. in haste, i caved. i have never been so sorry for anything in my entire life. i have forgiven myself but still look back with deep regret.

mho, which comes from this experience, is that the op should give it a little more time before making a final decision. 

i wish only good things for buddy.


----------



## Jazzyo

Wow, Buddy is one beautiful GSD! I am so sorry for what happened and I will tell you that I had a similar thing happen to me last year except the little dog's owner came out and got him before my GSD could eat him! My two GSD's were on leash, across the road from this house walking with me and the little dog comes running out, across the road and one of my GSD's wanted to eat him! I yelled at the owner to run, not walk! She did and the dog was taken back home. Personally I would never get rid of my wonderful GSD's because some little bratty dog came running out of nowhere at us. In fact, I wouldn't blame my dog if they did take action to protect in that situation, awful as it may be. The owner is at fault, clearly. It is sad that the little dog paid the price for an irresponsible owner but it is NOT Buddy's fault.

It sounds like you are positive that you want to rehome Buddy and for that I feel very bad for him as he is losing his home through absolutely no fault of his own. If you have come to this decision because you feel you cannot give Buddy the kind of care he needs, like daily exercise and training, which every dog needs but particularly the GSD, then perhaps in the long run, IF placed in the right hands, he'll be better off. If however you are placing Buddy simply because you are afraid of what he neighbors will think of him now, I say reconsider and don't do it!! 

Why is animal control in your area not taking any action to issue warnings/tickets to these idiots who let their miniature attack dogs run wild in the streets? Doesn't anybody report it to them?? This is the place to start taking action. These people need to get their own dogs under control and it doesn't sound like anyone is calling 911 on them!! I would if it were my neighborhood.

That said, if you do rehome Buddy, please write a letter to the Editor in your newspaper about the ignorance of some pet owners and why you felt you had to rehome your dog who is always on leash when walking, because you had no control over the roaming dogs in your neighborhood and animal control obviously is NOT doing their job there to protect the innocent. I wonder if they would step in if it were GSD's, Pitts, and Rotts running loose and attacking others? You bet they would and it would be all over the news, but these small breeds (and their idiot owners) seem to get away with murder, literally. I would take action with animal control regardless of what you do with Buddy.

Buddy looks and sounds like a fantastic dog and one I would take in a minute if I could. 

The best of luck to Buddy, please be VERY careful who you place him with. Just because someone is in the police agency does not mean they treat their dogs wonderfully! Some do and some do not. Buddy deserves the best!

Joanna


----------



## Buddysmama

Hello to all. My name is Bob. I am "Buddys Dad". I just want to add some information to what my wife has already stated. The decision to give up Buddy was one of the most difficult ones of my life. I purchased Buddy from a BYB a year ago. He was already over 4 months old and had no socialization at the time. He was a very scared and shy young pup at the time. Please understand we spent countless money and time to help him overcome his fears and lack of confidence. As the year progressed Buddy has made great strides and is growing into a confident and more trusting dog. He is a great companion to me and my best friend. We took him on our vacations with us and spent hour upon hour tracking with us on the trails of the state parks. We would walk him miles everyday. He showed signs of being a great tracking dog early and we worked those skills to the point where we were soon to join the local S & R group. Nothing in the world can bring a smile to my face when I was down as Buddy can. I love him so very much.
People who know shepherds better then I have told me Buddy has grown into a great dog. They also have noted that Buddy has an intense Prey drive. (Maybe I should have noticed that as he already treed 2 bear cubs on our hikes). He plays fetch with his favorite ball non stop. He loves to work, always. He will jump in our pool and do laps just to work off his energy.
The decision to give him up comes not just from the incident with the yorkie (I know he was doing what a dog would do), but the fact that I believe Buddy may be happier if he could be doing a job.
I did not really understand the concept of a Czech working dog when I purchased him. For that I am guilty. 
He is also at times unpredictable and lately he has become more dog aggressive. We worked with trainers to try to redirect this behavior. But it is getting harder for my wife to handle him on their walks.
With that said, the decision to release Buddy was not taken lightly.
The idea is for Buddy to go somewhere where he would ultimately live a better life. I will not put Buddy in a home situation. I believe that is not what he needs. 
The original post was a cut/paste of the letter I sent to many police organizations late last week (2 days after the yorkie incident). The response has been great. Tonight I will drive many miles with Buddy so early tomorrow he can have an evaluation as a detection/tracking dog.There are also 3 backup evals at different departments if that does not work for Buddy. 
I have been a complete mess because of our situation. Remember, that there is a mourning 12 yo girl who lost her best friend. I will miss Buddy and remember him for as long as I live, but I will feel sound with my decision to let him be the "working" dog I believe he strives to be. The decision is mine and mine to live with. Thanks to all for your support.
I will post after Monday to inform the ones who care if Buddy has been accepted to K9 police academy or not, and at that time, moderator please move this thread to where you feel appropriate.
Sincerely Bob


----------



## kutzro357

Interesting, I don`t see many BYB`s breeding Czech workinglines. If you rally feel you aren`t ready to handle the drive and energy level then so be it but make certain he is getting a good home. That at very least you owe to him.


----------



## Jazzyo

Bob,

In reading your latest reply, it gives more clarity as to why you feel rehoming Buddy in a "working" home may be best for your situation. Originally it sounded like you were rehoming him just because of the little dog incident which I would then be strongly against doing so if it were me. 

I don't envy the position you are in and it is clear from reading your post that you love this dog very much. Czech lines are very energetic with an emphasis on "working" so can be more difficult for the average owner to handle on a daily basis if you are not familiar with them. Not all GSD's are this high drive, they all come with different drives and temperaments. 

I am sure you will be very careful as to who ultimately ends up taking Buddy into their home and maybe you can have some type of agreement in writing with them that if something should change and they cannot keep Buddy, that you are contacted before he goes anywhere else. This would give you some peace of mind in knowing that he will never end up in the wrong hands. 

I don't condemn you in any way for the action you are taking because you sound very responsible and like someone who know's their limits as to what they can and cannot handle. There is no crime in that. Doing what is best for everyone is the right thing to do, painful as that may be. When a dog and human are the wrong match, life can be miserable for both so sometimes on a rare occasion, finding a better match for both is the answer.

Just be sure to visit the home (not just the police dept.) and interview the person who will take Buddy and make sure you have a good feeling about them. Go with your instincts. Don't be afraid to ask a zillion questions like where will Buddy sleep at night? Where will he spend most of his days and doing what? What if he can no longer be a working dog due to a health problem, then where does he go? Will you be contacted should this happen? Etc. etc. 

Good luck and again, I am very sorry for what you and your family and Buddy are going through. I would still complain to animal control because these people need to get their dogs under control!

Joanna


----------



## MaggieRoseLee

Double Post... Also in Intro and Welcome....


----------



## Buddysmama

Jazzyo,
I have requested that if Buddy washes out of Detection training, that he is returned to us.
Bob


----------



## 3dogcrew

Bob, thank you for your post.It answers some questions I had.It truly sounds like this is not a decision you made lightly. You have recognized your limitations, and your errors.I can not judge or condemn you for your decision.It sounds like you are a couple who have truly tried with Buddy, you love and care for him.We all want what makes our dogs the happiest.I don't know if I were in your situation if I could make the same decision as you, but I'm not in your situation, so I'm not going to judge you. 
I know if he becomes a K9 officer, he will be well taken care of. We have a friend who has a K9 partner and I know how much he loves and cares for his K9, and how much they are a part of each others lives. It is a very special bond these partners have. And I truly believe its different from our bond that we have with our dogs.
Buddy may have a very special purpose in life.
I hope that this works out for the best for all involved.


----------



## Myamom

I just wanted to second the request to please check out the police department thoroughly....their training procedures....where does the dog live...what happens to him when he retires, etc. 

I do know of K9 officers/departments that are wonderful...I know of some that are HORRIBLE.


----------



## Jazzyo

Bob that is great! I would have it in writing with both party's signatures.


----------



## sielick

i have someone who can help please email me and i;ll give you his phone number


----------



## sielick

i have someone who can help please email me and i;ll give you his phone number


----------



## WiscTiger

* <span style="color: #CC0000">I have just spent time editing out comments that are against Board Rules. Post helpful comments to the OP or don't post at all. The comments that were edited out were personal attacks and will not be allowed. 

When you see personal attacks posted on the board, please hit the Notify Button at the bottom of that post.

Admin. Wisc.Tiger </span> *


----------



## sielick

[email protected] is his email i have his phone number if you mail me directly [email protected]


----------



## rjvamp

As I write this I am not trying to be rude in anyway, so please do not take it that way. I am trying to understand the issue by asking some questions for clarity. I'm glad you came here so you could tell your story, get advice and keep us alert to the outcome. I've found this to be a good board for the short time I've been her.

1. Is Buddy being given away because of the incident with the aggressive dog?
2. Is harmony in your neighborhood more important that Buddy staying with you?
3. Is Buddy being given away because of his prey drive?
4. Buddy will be returned if he washes out of detection school? And if so, will you not be in the same situation again where you try to find him a home?
5. Do you use a pinch collar or a regular collar while walking him? 
6. Have you thought of calling a different trainer to assist? Dog Whisperer being one of them? I saw a lady on TV as well (can't remember the show) but she was able to get some really unruly dogs back in order during their walks and eating times.
7. Have you spoken to your neighbors whose dog died? How are they doing?
8. Is there not a leash law in your neighborhood? If not, have you thought about asking for one?

I hope the best for you and your family as you make a decision.

Best

Robert Davis


----------



## bpierce

Go Strana1. Well put.


----------



## GSDTrain

> Originally Posted By: AngelesVonLobos
> 6. Have you thought of calling a different trainer to assist? Dog Whisperer being one of them? I saw a lady on TV as well (can't remember the show) but she was able to get some really unruly dogs back in order during their walks and eating times.


I think you are talking about Victoria Stillwell, "It's me or the Dog"


----------



## rjvamp

Yes. That is the person! She was really good at getting two very unruly dogs under control by showing the parents / owners how they should be acting and not catering to the dogs every whim. It was a good show and the parents / owners were so happy in the end....they got their life back and could continue to share their life with the dogs.


----------



## Buddysmama

I am ecstatic to report Buddy is home and we are keeping him . He failed miserably at the police dept. and Bob (buddy's dad) was thrilled. When he got the tour of the place, it was not impressive. The dogs live outside in very small fenced-in pens and sleep on concrete. Buddy has his own bedroom at our home. This particular police department treats their dogs as tools not pets. Buddy is a pet and family member. They also said he was too nervous and not aggressive enough for the work they do. They also told us we should not be getting rid of him--he is a great dog.

So...Buddy has a muzzle now and he is fine with it. We are doing our best to make sure this situation is never repeated. We are raising our back yard fence and we are also getting him checked by the vet on Friday (it's his regular check up, but we read that when aggression is new, it may be that he has a thyroid problem or something else.)

We are filled with joy that our little man is home where he belongs. There is some neighborhood anger directed towards us, but we are going to let time pass and treat all with courtesy. 

We wouldn't wish this situation on anyone. It was a horrible accident. We turned here for suggestions because we were in shock and didn't know what to do at that time.


----------



## dd

This is great, great news. I am very happy for you. 

I have a dog with some dog-to-dog aggression (hates puppies) and one of the best things we did was go to a trainer who specialises in aggression and who uses positive methods only for training. With her help, we have reduced his issues significantly.

I wish you and Buddy well.


----------



## Myamom

Good for you! 

Yes...as I had said...Police dept does not automatically equal good placement. I have seen horrible treatment so you really have to be just as careful as with any other placement. 

This incident was not your dog's fault...it is the fault of the irresponsible owner that did not contain HIS dog. My girl Mya is wonderful with other dogs (small dogs included). That being said...once when my husband was taking a walk with her (on a leash) and my two kids...she was rushed upon by a small dog. My husband was able to yank her back just in the nick of time...but he said you could hear her jaws snap. If not for a split second...I too could be in the same position as you. Mya felt threatened...and acted accordingly. It was the fault of the irresponsible owner who allowed their dog to run uncontained and unsupervised. I truly believe Mya perceived harm from this dog...either to herself or to her family and acted to protect. 

To prove to you how she is normally great with other dogs...including small:

Mya with a strange small dog we brought home off a transport:










sleeping with the CAT (ok...neither is very happy here...lol)










being dragged around by a foster:










I would suggest you enroll in some more training classes..or work with a personal trainer...and especially concentrate on the "leave it" command as well. Just the other day...I was sitting on my porch and heard a screeching coming from my yard. I looked to see to my horror that my Ava had caught a bird!! With shaking knees I screamed out "leave it!" She dropped the bird and came to me!! 

I wish you luck and applaud your decision!


----------



## Myamom

Yikes...sorry for the big pictures


----------



## SunCzarina

I'm glad you're keeping Buddy. LIke others have said, what happened wasn't his fault. 

After my other post, I remembered (while doing the brainless task of sucking up the dog fur) that we once had an indident with our Gideon. He didn't kill the other dog but all the neighbors who witnessed it - and there were quite a few - made such a big deal about it: what a horrible dog, no one should be allowed to have such a vicious dog yada yada. 

My other dog, Luther, was temporarily labeled a bad dog too, he wasn't even there for the indicent, he was just guilty becasue he lived in the same house as the offending dog. 

It blew over, 7 years later I doubt anyone remembers that Gideon tried to kill that Pomeranian!


----------



## Buddysmama

Thank you friends,
You are all so wonderful! Blessings to you and your wonderful dogs. Buddy loves you too.


----------



## daniella5574

Buddysmama, and daddy- I am so happy you are keeping him!! Things have a way of working themselves out- I am sure that this is one of them. Please do keep us updated on Buddy!


----------



## Strana1

I'm really happy for you and your family that you decided to keep Buddy. From the photos you have posted he looks like he is really a part of your family and it would be a shame to lose that. 

I would second the advice on working with a trainer, and one that has expierence in working with reactive dogs. The class I am in is composed of about 50% reactive dogs. These dogs have come tremendous lenghts and can do things now that they never could before. It doesn't mean that their owners can be any less diligent because to a dog every day is a new day. My trainer explains it the following way. She has 9 dobermans at her home and 2 cats. The cats have a "safe" room where no dogs are ever allowed. She has to walk the dogs by the cat room and she has one very animal aggressive dog that everyday looks at her when they pass by the room in anticipation that this is the day the trainer is going to let her in to get the cats. My trainer says that the dog will always be animal aggressive, but that with training the dogs looks to her rather than just reacts and pulls into the room. Good luck in your future with Buddy and please post his progress I'd love to hear about him.


----------



## AnnaRiley

I am so excited that you are keeping Buddy!!! Prayers answered!!


----------



## kshort

Awww, this is terrific news! It's obvious that Buddy is very much loved and a part of your family. A good trainer is an excellent suggestion. Please keep us updated on your beautiful boy!


----------



## marksmom3

I was really glad to see that Buddy will be staying with his family!
He is a beautiful dog and looks very happy and loved in the pictures
you posted of him. Good luck with him as he moves forward with his training.


----------



## Karin

I'm so happy to hear that Buddy is staying with you! I have a feeling that there's nowhere else that he would be happier. Our dog Heidi has had dog-reactive issues since we first got her and it's been daunting. But we just have to be more careful and vigilant, and really keep up with the training. We've also taken her to a "Grumpy Pup" class, which has helped a lot. You might want to check around and see if there is anything similar where you live. 

Be sure and stick around and check the Training forum regularly as there is a lot of good information there. And, be sure to post if you run into any other issues with Buddy. This is a great place--especially for we GSD owners who have dogs "with issues."

Best of luck to you and your family!


----------



## kathyb

So great to hear that Buddy is back home, it had to be so hard on all of you. Not all police departments are like the one you saw, some live at home with the handler and are a part of the family.


----------



## rjvamp

Such wonderful news. I'm so glad it has worked out for you to keep Buddy.

Best

Robert


----------



## GSDTrain

great news!


----------



## nova

So sorry to hear.
It sounds like you made the right decision and I hope he finds a wonderful loving home!

Thanks for your service,
good luck with everything and keep us posted.


----------

