# Good around other dogs until....



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

My GSD is 6 months old. He is so good around my kids and other dogs. He plays really well with them, until they find something he wants and then he attacks. And it's scary. I have an e collar on him and I rarely have to use it. He come when called, sits, leaves it. Ect. But once he is attacking another dog he does not respond. I don't know what to do to Chang this behaviour. I know he's young, but he is already 65lbs, and I don't want him hurting anyone, or anything. Any suggestions. This morning for example I had our dogs out and the other one found some dead thing, and he wanted it so he attacked. Luckily i got them apart and they both got put in a kennel. Anyway. Any suggestion? Thanks


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

That's resource guarding
How to React When Your Dog Begins Resource Guarding Against Other Dogs - Whole Dog Journal Article


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Get a trainer! Get one now! And do not use the e-collar for aggression. You will make it worse if used improperly.


----------



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

Agreed! We don't try and use it much, but only use it for proper training. I learned quickly it did nothing. And now see how it can make it worse. Thank you for your article. I look foreword to reading it. And the closest trainer is 1 hr 40 mins away...but we will see. Thank you


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Cherlyn said:


> My GSD is 6 months old. He is so good around my kids and other dogs. He plays really well with them, until they find something he wants and then he attacks. And it's scary. I have an e collar on him and I rarely have to use it. He come when called, sits, leaves it. Ect. But once he is attacking another dog he does not respond. I don't know what to do to Chang this behaviour. I know he's young, but he is already 65lbs, and I don't want him hurting anyone, or anything. Any suggestions. This morning for example I had our dogs out and the other one found some dead thing, and he wanted it so he attacked. Luckily i got them apart and they both got put in a kennel. Anyway. Any suggestion? Thanks
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


He's a Domaninte male dog, they fight that's what they do! Quit putting him around other dogs! Some dogs are not dog park dogs.

Your trying to fix a problem you don't need to have. Teach him to ignore other dogs, enjoy the friends he has and you and have a good life. 

Or persistit on your current course and learn the proper way to break up a dog fight before you get hurt. 

My personal belief is that Dominant dogs don't have a problem with constantly being in dog fights. You could let us know if my theory is true?

Or you could just stop exposing him to other dogs. Oh and 6 months and an E collar???


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

You need to be able to correct with something that gives you the power to restrain him as well. So first...management. Don't put anything out of high value that he might attack over. Second...start training. Put a toy out, he takes it, take it away from him. If you see he's going to attack. Correct him with something you can also stop him from attacking with...you'll never stop him with an ecollar, you need physical restraint. When he stops/calms down. Give him the toy as a reward. Do this over and over again until he realizes that there are other ways to get what he wants.

Is he food aggressive? If someone walks by his food bowl does he growl/attack? Can you take his food bowl away from him while he's eating? He just has resource guarding issues, things that can easily be worked on.

This is not dominance...its insecurity. It's not understanding that he's going to get the toy or food if he just does what YOU want rather than just goes for it. Dominant dogs don't always have to use force to get what they want.

We just got a second GSD and at around the same time were dog sitting a female great dane that my dog has known his whole life. We were easily able to feed all three in the same area. If my dog walked away from his bowl (tends to do so as he is used to being an only dog) and one of the females went towards it to finish up, he'd calmly walk over and just nudge them out of the way. By day 3, they just left his food alone and would just walk away if he was coming back near it. If he wanted to he could move them away from their bowls, which I corrected and he stopped doing. This was an 80 lbs GSD moving a 130 lbs great dane with out any violence or aggressive behavior.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Cherlyn said:


> Agreed! We don't try and use it much, but only use it for proper training. I learned quickly it did nothing. And now see how it can make it worse. Thank you for your article. I look foreword to reading it. And the closest trainer is 1 hr 40 mins away...but we will see. Thank you
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I drive quite a ways about 2 x a month for training - an hour and a half isn't that bad.


----------



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

Thank you so much for the article. We have had to modify, his behaviour with food, and balls, and now I just need to take it a step further to be able to modify it in the great outdoors. I just needed to understand his behaviour. Thank you 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

We just use the beeping on the e collar to get his attention....not any shocking. We live on a farm, and we just use the beep to remind him to come when call so he get a treat. Sorry, I should have been more specific. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

middleofnowhere said:


> I drive quite a ways about 2 x a month for training - an hour and a half isn't that bad.


Good to know that you can go 2 a month and have it still be worth it. For some reason I thought it would have to be a weekly thing. Thank you I'll look into it.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

Agree with Chip. 

Research dominant dog behavior. Also get a trainer, even if its a hour or so away. Most dogs will be protective of their own ball, but won't fight over something that's not theirs. Training very important for you with a dominant dog, not just for this problem. I wouldn't take him around other dogs, as he gets older he may very well hurt or kill another dog. Teach him to ignore other dogs and heel.


----------



## Cherlyn (Jan 24, 2014)

Ok. I get if I was taking him to a dog park, but it with our other dog. It's only happened twice. It's not a dominate thing, what another comment said rings true it's more of an insecure thing I believe. He used to be aggressive over food, but with work he has gotten over it. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

Cherlyn said:


> Ok. I get if I was taking him to a dog park, but it with our other dog. It's only happened twice. It's not a dominate thing, what another comment said rings true it's more of an insecure thing I believe. He used to be aggressive over food, but with work he has gotten over it.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



Sorry I read is good with other dogs until....making it seem your dog was like this with other random dogs. However even if your dog is doing this with just your other dogs, its even more so acting dominant than insecure.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Msmaria said:


> Sorry I read is good with other dogs until....making it seem your dog was like this with other random dogs. However even if your dog is doing this with just your other dogs, its even more so acting dominant than insecure.


Bingo! I'm on it now!


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

A dog that ONLY attacks over objects is not dominant. It's resource guarding. A dominant dog would be putting the other dogs in their place all the time. It's extremely hard to imagine that a 6 month old GSD would be doing this.

When my dog decides to do the dominance dance, it usually has nothing to do with toys or food. Its just showing the other dog who's boss.

I would just correct this behavior. Show him that he will get the ball or the toy if he's calm or does something that you ask. You do need to take all the toys away until you can trust that he's safe around your other dogs though. They're only allowed to play with the toys under your supervision.


----------



## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

martemchik said:


> A dog that ONLY attacks over objects is not dominant. It's resource guarding. A dominant dog would be putting the other dogs in their place all the time. It's extremely hard to imagine that a 6 month old GSD would be doing this.
> 
> When my dog decides to do the dominance dance, it usually has nothing to do with toys or food. Its just showing the other dog who's boss.
> 
> I would just correct this behavior. Show him that he will get the ball or the toy if he's calm or does something that you ask. You do need to take all the toys away until you can trust that he's safe around your other dogs though. They're only allowed to play with the toys under your supervision.


That may be the general but not always true. This dog is attacking over things the other dog finds, like dead things. That is not insecurity, that's bullying and saying I want it and will take it from you. 
I guess we will just have to agree on the fact that this can be taken care of with the right training.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Cherlyn said:


> We just use the beeping on the e collar to get his attention....not any shocking. We live on a farm, and we just use the beep to remind him to come when call so he get a treat. Sorry, I should have been more specific.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Yeah that's quite a bit diffrent! 







Note Rank Drive
(Elements of Temperament, by Joy Tiz )

That's where I had big time problems with my 7 month old rescue but I never saw anything for 18 months. Then it was on with my guy and my other Dominant Male dog (all I ever get is Dom Males? . You are seeing an "issue" now!???

Get help now! You got lucky you have time. Find a trainer or buy DVD's. I figured it out the hard way...not recommended!


----------

