# "Doesn't like other dogs."



## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

This e-mail was forwarded to me because I "have German Shepherds" so I will "know what to do," but I am not a dog trainer, and hope someone else can give this owner pointers.

The owner has two male German Shepherds. One of which he is giving up because he got in a dog fight a few weeks ago. The other has "issues." The male below - "John" - is NOT the one she is giving up:

The male that doesn't like other dogs - his name is Duke. He is neutered, and I have had him for almost 2 years. I got him when he was about 8 weeks old. He is pure-bred, and the dog that I am giving up is named Rocky. Duke is just particularly aggressive towards other dogs. Like today, for example, I took him to the vet for his shots. Any time he even SAW another dog, he just started barking, and lunging towards them. Of course, he was barking at a cat too - but he had never seen a cat before (I'm not a cat person). 

The dog that I am giving up - Rocky - got into a fight with 2 other male dogs, but I don't think it was because they were males. They're both long stories, but he ended up getting into a scuffle - not necessarily a fight - with the boxer next door, and then he got into a fight with another 33 pound mutt that was in my garage. 

Duke hasn't really gotten into a fight before, he just kind of barks and lunges at other dogs, but I have always been there to reel him back.

Rocky, the dog I am giving up, is going to live with a co-worker of mine who was raised with GSDs. He has a large yard for him to play in and he is a runner, so Rocky can go play a lot.







It is a great place for him to be. 

I'm just not really sure what to do. If I can't get Duke under control, I may have to give him up as well. Since I've downsized from a house to an apartment, I really need him to learn how to behave better on a leash so that I can take him for more runs because he does not have the yard that he used to. 


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Now, it seems to me that this person got "Duke" as a puppy and never socialized him...at all. Barking and lunging at dogs at the Vet's, attacks other dogs on his property, etc. 

Any tips/ideas for this person? Seems like the dog is running all over her.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

It sounds to me as if she has not really done any training or socialization with Duke, the dog she is keeping. If I were to give her advice, I would recommend she enroll in a training class where the dog will be exposed to other dogs in a supervised environment. If there are any training places near you that offer a Reactive Rover / growl class that is geared toward dogs that have bad behaviors, that would be ideal.


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## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

I asked her what type of training she is currently doing with the dog, and what type of training/socialization she has done with the dog? It seems pretty cut and dry to me - the age-old, "I got a German Shepherd puppy because I always wanted a German Shepherd."


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## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

Update: I asked the owner what type of training the dog has and what sort of reprimand has she given Duke when he shows "aggression" or "acts up." 

I was then replied with the following:

"Before I go into his story, what type of reprimanding do YOU use?"

Can't see how that's a relevant question, and leads me to believe if I said, "positive reinforcement, redirection, etc." that the owner is trying to answer questions based on what I would want to hear and not what they really do.

I told them that wasn't the question I asked, and I was only asking about how she corrected her dog to get a better feel for the type of training he had received as well as extent to better determine what type of dog he might be (what corrections/redirection/training she might want to look into for him.)


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Respond, "I am trying to help, but before I can give any useful advice, I really need to know more about the dog and his background, as I am not there to evaluate him myself."


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

My gut reaction is that this owner is not going to follow through with any formal training. Why would they start now? Some of the actions of the one dog (scuffle not a fight?) seem like it's possibly she doesn't know the difference between a dominance ritual and a dog scuffle/fight. Since she backed off to call it a scuffle that's what comes to mind. Some people think dogs are fighting when they're not, they're doing their doggie intro which can be scary - it was for me when I first saw it, I thought it was a fight or a fight going to happen at the very least.

The barking and lunging can all be cured in most cases, with the right training but first the dog has to have the right owner.


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## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

I tried that Historian, but when I told her I was trying to get a better grasp on the type of dog he is without seeing him myself, my e-mail was never responded to.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

IMHO - don't bother, then. She isn't going to listen, anyway.


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