# Somewhat unpredictable aggression in my 4.5 mo GSD



## Brewstersmom (Jun 29, 2015)

Thank you in advance for any advice. I have had my pup since he was 8 weeks old. He has been in puppy socialization and obdience classes since he was 10weeks old. 

He is great with basic commands. Is fully potty and crate trained for bedtime. But his aggression and escalated quite a bit over the last 3 weeks. He has bitten me twice (nope playful nipping) hard enough to leave a deep puncture wound and quite a bit of blood at the time. 

His issues seem to be primarily with resource gaurding. He gets intermittently possessive over his food bowl... chew bones and ME. He will sometimes begin to growl and bite at the air if you walk within 10 feet of his food bowl. we've tried hand feeding to reduce the aggression and he eats gently consistently out of my hand but no change with the bowl gaurding. 

The most recent bite happened this evening while he was sitting near the couch chewing a bone and I stood up to use the restroom (apparently too close to him for his liking) he whirled around and bit my ankle causing 3 pretty good size puncture/tear marks. 

He also becomes protective/possessive of me around other people besides my husband.... He bit my brother in law yesterday as he walked by me while I was laying on the floor playing with Brewster. He bit at our neighbor but she pulled away quickly enough after sitting calmly while we talked for a couple minutes. 

I am at a bit of a loss here with my dear boy. He can be so sweet... But he flips and bites sometimes without provocation or warning. This is especially a big deal to me because I am pregnant with our first child and if I can't get the biting behaviors modified I am not sure what I will have to do with my boy. 

Thank you!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

WOW?? Four and half months strikes me as pretty early for this type of crap?? Most likely as we tend to say around here "temperament" is key with a GSD! 

Needless to say you can't have this crap going on!

I have not used this nor have I posted it but it look like it would be a good call here!


Jeff Gellman, Come, Sit, Break make him work for his food!

Details here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=85&v=_zGWTDIz3sc


That would be a good start in my view!


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## sourdough44 (Oct 26, 2013)

I kinda come down hard on a dog that would bite me for no good reason. I've never had a problem giving our German shepherd the most succulent of bones and then 'borrowing' it back for a short time. No I don't mean teasing her with it.

I'd nip it while the dog is young.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Are you able to have a good trainer come and evaluate him. That's terribly young for thiskind of behavior, I worry if nothing is done it will escalate into a MUCH larger problem. I also wonder if you being pregnant has anything to do with it. I have heard of dogs being more protective of their female owners when they get pregnant. But usually it's an adult dog displaying those behaviors.

Something I may do with regard to resource guarding is when you give him a bone or chew, give it to him in his crate.. that way he doesn't feel the pressure of people around him trying to get it. It's not a solution necessarily but it might save some ankles in the mean time. I would also keep him on a lead when around other people so you are in control if he decides to nip at someone.. that or crate him when company is over. It's ok to tell guests that your puppy is not very socialized and doesn't like people. 

With feeding time, I would nix the bowl and handfeed him until you can figure it out. Especially if you say he is good with that just not the bowl. Don't give him the opportunity to respond that way.. Until I got a good trainer expereinced with this, I would make himi work for every right he has.. he doesn't get free reign to do anything. Train and work for food, outside, playtime, etc.

I wish I could help more with this.. please find a trainer that can help you.. if you cannot manage this, it will progress and he will be unsafe. The decision to rehome if you can't get the right training might be an option down the road.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Brewstersmom said:


> Thank you in advance for any advice. I have had my pup since he was 8 weeks old. He has been in puppy socialization and obdience classes since he was 10weeks old.


This type of behavior doesn't just happen over night and doesn't just show up at home. If you've had your pup in training since it was 10 weeks old, the very first thing you need to do is fire your current trainer and seek out a reputable trainer. 

If you let us know the basic area you are in, there are folks who could recommend trainers in your area.


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## Brewstersmom (Jun 29, 2015)

Thank you! We live in woodinville Washington. A Seattle suburb.


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## Brewstersmom (Jun 29, 2015)

The obdience classes are group style and he has been the "star pupil" with his sit... Lay... Stay....back... Off commands. 

around 12 we he started having some fear aggression that I first noticed at the vet. When the vet staff was trying to do his assessment he didn't like being touched on his under flank. He started barking and nipping and he actually peed. 

Since he will let me or my husband touch any part of his body (paws... Tail... Under flank included) the trainer started doing solo seasons after class trying to help him be less anxious about being touched. It has improved slightly. He doesn't bite at her anymore but is still visibly anxious. 

Unfortunately he did bite the vet (at 16 weeks) the last time he was in and I had to muzzle him and hold him while he got his last vaccinations. Prior to this vet trip we had taken him to vet once a week for a weigh in and for the vet staff to give him treats so he didn't associate it he vet with only negative experiences but I guess that didn't help him much. 

We do have an evaluation set up for his aggressiveness (not sure what this will entail). Honestly I'll try just about anything at this point.... I don't want to live walking on egg shells, fearful of a dog who I love.


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