# Aggression towards husband - need advice



## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

I just looked at the title of my post and just to clarify -- it's my GSD with aggression to my husband, not me (LOL) 

I have gotten great advice and support here on this forum about all the questions I have had since my GSD Lena came to us in November. I am a first-time GSD owner but experienced with dogs otherwise.

Background info on dog: WL GSD, retired from breeding and rehomed to us. Previous owner (the breeder) obtained Lena's RN and CGC and started Sch training with her before deciding to retire her from breeding and rehome her. Lena is 5 years old and spayed. She is in good health and weighs about 70 lbs. (lean.)

Here is what is happening: Lena has fixated on my husband when we are home together. She watches him like a hawk when he approaches me, and sometimes growls. She sometimes goes much further and actually jumps up on him, growling and bared teeth. She has nipped at him but not actually clamped down in a real bite (yet!) When he comes in the door after work she barks like crazy like he is a stranger. When she is crated and he comes in the room she barks like mad in her crate.

I have tried correcting her as strongly as I can. She also will not maintain her obedience commands, for example I can't just put her in a down-stay when he is around as she will break it.

I am at a loss here as to what to do. I have consulted 2 local trainers, both of whom want to sell me a training program. I understand that each trainer feels that they should apply their methods to the dog overall, not just solve this one problem. I could afford the first trainer but not the second. However, if there is something I could do to solve this problem without signing up for an entire training program, I would prefer that (but will do an entire program if that is what is best.)

Can any of you provide me with advice/suggestions? It is much appreciated!!!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

What does her breeder say about this behavior? Does she do this when other people approach you?


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

BowWowMeow said:


> What does her breeder say about this behavior? Does she do this when other people approach you?


What kind of environment does she come from? Was she a kennel dog and/or only cared for by a woman?
I read recently that rescued/rehomed mature dogs are likely to attach themselves to one person very strongly at the beginning and shut out or exclude others that may threaten that bond. But over time as the dog gains confidence and trust it will adopt more of the family. Try to include your husband in as much of the care as possible.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Is she ever calm and relaxed around him? What do you think about giving him the feeding and walking duties? She doesn't have a relationship with him. There is a behavioral method where you completely ignore the dog for a period of time. I think Debbie (Cassidy's Mom) is the one that mentioned it.


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

i agree with jax.
the husband has to participate in her feeding and care.

is she crate trained?
was she crated for the first 2 weeks to month at your house?

she has to be given time to understand the inner workings of your household, and not just given free reign over the entire place. she's resource guarding you.
do you have a prong collar?

also, if i were you, i'd work on your aggression issues with your husband.


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## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

BowWowMeow said:


> What does her breeder say about this behavior? Does she do this when other people approach you?


Breeder said Lena over bonded with me and to crate her more. I followed this advice and also got hubby more involved with her. However now Lena refuses to play ball, her favorite game with him. 

She does not exhibit this behavior with anyone else. Also it only takes place when I am home. Times he has come home when I am not there, she is not aggressive to him and does not even bark at him. Also there are times we are all in the living room and she will come up to him for attention.

He is definitely willing to work with her...just hope I can keep him from being bitten until she comes around.

Thanks everyone so far, we are willing to do whatever it takes.


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## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

Follow up, trying to answer everyone's questions, I know info helps solve the problem --

Lena was/is crate trained. However, I probably have not properly used the crate as I don't know enough about it. I need to learn more. She goes in her crate when I tell her to. She is crated every night during the night.

about her previous home-- she was with a breeder who had several other dogs. Lena lived in the breeder's home, with her family -- a husband and three kids (middle and high school age). I'm sure the breeder worked her pretty consistently. I'd say she lived with the breeder for a couple of years. Prior to that, she was an import from Slovakia -- I don't have any idea what Lena's life was like there.

I am sure ours is the first true "pet" home that she has lived in, and she has probably really bonded with me as I work from home and I am the first human she has really had all to herself, so to speak. She is the only pet in our house. She is very gentle and tolerant with our 5 year old son. He can come sit on my lap and she is fine. She lets him pet and play with her just fine.

I don't have a prong collar, but would certainly be willing to learn about them.

The second trainer I met with (the one I definitely can't afford) mentioned that he uses an e-collar in his training as a consistent correction method. 

thanks again, hope I answered everyone's questions


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## LouCastle (Sep 25, 2006)

guatemama07 said:


> The second trainer I met with (the one I definitely can't afford) mentioned that he uses an e-collar in his training as a consistent correction method.


The last bit of your post caught my eye. I don't know your trainer or how he uses an Ecollar, but the last thing I'd suggest is that he try to correct your dog with the Ecollar, when the dog shows aggression towards your husband. He can make the problem worse, and he can also train the dog to cover up the display of aggression, so he no longer gives the warnings that you're now getting. I may be completely off base, but I've seen some trainers try to do this and it can create a monster! 

I'd suggest that you have your husband teach the dog the recall and the sit (yes I'm sure that he already knows those movements) with my method of using the Ecollar. Doing this will teach him that your husband is someone to be trusted, not feared (as is now probably the case).


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

I'm not a big fan of Ecollars, but after reading the method that Mr. Castle employs in his training, and how to judge a dogs tolerance levels when introducing, and working with your dog, I'm beginning to change my mind.

take a second, and read up on how he uses/introduces a dog to an ecollar.
it's worth your time.


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## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

Just to give more info on what the trainer told me -- I didn't mean to imply incorrectly that he advised using the e-collar for correcting the aggression. He was talking about using it in the context of working with Lena in general, on obedience commands, with the thought that we would all have the same corrections on working with her on regular obedience commands (heel, etc.) That way she would understand that my husband is "the boss of her" as well. His point was more that we both work with her on her obedience commands with consistent correction.

Sorry I didn't word that well.

I had not considered an e-collar but the consistency of correction makes a lot of sense to me. Too bad I simply cannot afford the services of that trainer.

I guess what I am hearing though is that the key is to really get my husband working Lena, exercising her etc in addition to me so that she understands her relationship to him within the household.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Here is what happens when you use an e-collar inappropriately for aggression

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/aggression-good-bad-ugly/176498-3-year-old-new-behavior.html

Lou is very experienced with e-collars. If he says to not use one for this, then I would not use one.

I don't believe in that whole "boss of her" thing. She has not relationship with him. She doesn't trust him. She may possibly be guarding you as a resource. Build the trust and she'll look to him for direction.

Are you taking any obedience classes? Just general obedience class? If so, have your husband come and start working with her. My advice is that you are to do nothing with her, or as minimal as possible. And let him handle all the feeding, taking out for walks, bathroom (unless he isn't there obviousl)


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## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

After beginning to read through Mr. Castle's website I am thinking maybe we could follow his instructions and do this on our own with Lena. I was afraid we needed a professional trainer to do this but the instructions seem clear. I totally understand the point about not using the collar to correct the aggression itself. Lena's a smart dog and I think she could learn quickly -- and we humans have a website we can read.


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## guatemama07 (Nov 28, 2011)

Jax I was kind of getting at the same thing in a roundabout way -- by "boss of her" I don't mean in an ugly, dominate-the-heck out of you way, but more like a parent way. As in leadership/bonding by training her that she respond to him also. That it's not just me who she obeys and trusts, but that she comes to see him in the same way.

I wouldn't have thought she has "no relationship" with him, because she will approach him wanting attention and he tells her to sit, then pets her, things like that.

The thing is that she is around me far more than him, because I work from home. I was thinking of him being very proactive with her when he is home, working with her on obedience, playing with her, walking her etc.

I have seen several mention "resource guarding" of me and am trying to learn more about that. I am trying to get at the root cause.


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

I'd start by making your husband the start of all good things. He's the only one who feeds her, he's the only one who gives her treats. During calm time, such as sitting in front of the TV watching a movie, bring her in, and although you watch her in monitor her behavior, don't pay attention to her, and let her see that your husband is no threat. And instead of him approaching you, you approach him. 

This method worked with my cat after hubby and I started living together. I know a cat is not a GSD but a pissy kitty can do some damage. It took several months but he can finally pet her without her hissing and attacking. It's a slow process, but it seems to have worked for us.


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

Before you resort to buying an ecollar, remember and look closely at his advice.
an inexperienced owner can cause more damage, that will require a trainer to fix.

go with caitydid instructions.

husband = source of everything
you are an observer.

this is going to be hard for you, but it's for your entire household that you need to withhold affections to her.
you will probably end up having to correct her, which is fine, just don't break the rules and give her loving. it will only set you back.


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## LouCastle (Sep 25, 2006)

guatemama07 said:


> Just to give more info on what the trainer told me -- I didn't mean to imply incorrectly that he advised using the e-collar for correcting the aggression. He was talking about using it in the context of working with Lena in general, on obedience commands, with the thought that we would all have the same corrections on working with her on regular obedience commands (heel, etc.) That way she would understand that my husband is "the boss of her" as well. His point was more that we both work with her on her obedience commands with consistent correction.


Glad to hear that. 



guatemama07 said:


> I had not considered an e-collar but the consistency of correction makes a lot of sense to me. Too bad I simply cannot afford the services of that trainer.
> 
> I guess what I am hearing though is that the key is to really get my husband working Lena, exercising her etc in addition to me so that she understands her relationship to him within the household.


I'd suggest using great care if you decide to go with conventional methods, that is with your husband giving this dog corrections with a leash. If there's an issue between them now, it can turn into aggression. 

Teaching the recall with my method teaches the dog that the person doing the training brings comfort, merely by his presence. It can create a bond where one did not exist before.


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