# My dog just bit my flat mate



## Argentin (Nov 14, 2015)

So I've just moved in a new apartment, with a guy I've recently met online

During the past 2 weeks while we moved all our stuff in the new apartment, my dog stayed with me, so he got to smell and get used with the flatmate, which is very calm and not afraid of him or dogs in general

But today while I was at work, my flatmate came alone to the apartment to arrange some of his stuff, and when he tried to leave, my dog barked at him, and tried to bite him but only managed to scratch his hand

I immediately came home, and I went straight to him to explain to me exactly what happened. The dog stayed besides me, and ignoring him

So I then asked him to reproduce how the whole thing happened, and he told me he simply bent over to grab his shoes while also demonstrating how he did it, and then my dog bit him again, this time a bit harder

I instantly corrected him, and put his leash on, and then we repeated the action a couple more times, so I could correct him if he tried to bite again (but he didn't)
The great thing is that even after this bite, my colleague was still not afraid of him, and didn't react in a fearful way, managing to keep his calm

I can make the distinction between fearful and territorial aggression, and this looked very territorial to me.
My flat mate bend over his shoes, which are right besides the door, where my dog tends to sleep and waits for me to come back home

I'm afraid he'll do this again to other people, if I don't fix it ASAP.
Am I right when I say it's a territorial aggression? 
If yes, how do I get this out of him?


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Your dog needs a new place to call his own.Leave him in your bedroom with the door closed or a baby gate in the doorway.All dogs appreciate a bed or crate in a quiet area that belongs to them where they won't be disturbed.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

dogma13 said:


> Your dog needs a new place to call his own.Leave him in your bedroom with the door closed or a baby gate in the doorway.All dogs appreciate a bed or crate in a quiet area that belongs to them where they won't be disturbed.


There was no threat, so this is absolutely inappropriate behavior. I agree to crate or lock him into your bedroom when you aren't home...

WHILE YOU FIGURE THIS OUT AND ARE PRO-ACTIVE TO SOLVOE THE PROBLEM

How many hundreds of people has your dog met while out socializing? 

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ialize-i-want-photos-videos-puppies-dogs.html

How are the dog classes going? What does your instructor recommend?

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...191183-top-training-expectations-puppies.html

When you checked in with your breeder to give updates, have you reported this behavior? How are the littermates behaving? What do they recommend?

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/choosing-breeder/137533-things-look-responsible-breeder.html

Additionally, I'd be really increasing all the exercising/off leash activities to wear your pup down and take the edge off.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Just a thought. I wonder if placing personal items (clothing, shoes) by a door - the way in or out (for you and your dog) is somehow "claiming" that control in the dog's eyes? If so, he may also present problems around food or your possessions/rooms that you use. Just be careful until you know why he's doing what he's doing. The Pros can help. He could really do harm unless he's clear you are "all a pack" now and he needs to respect your Roomies rights too. 

I think it would be good if you set some strict routine with him. Establish his designated area where he can lay in a room and where he needs to stay out of. If you train this right in the beginning, it's much easier.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

He is probably considering the flat his home and your roommate an intruder. When you are home, your roommate needs to interact with him in an positive way, giving treas for sitting, complying etc.Also keep him leashed and reward him for good behavior, rather than correcting growling or, Heaven forbid, another bite (then you were to late) And...never leave him alone with your roommate, ever. Crate him in your room when you are gone. And make sure your roommate is the person he says he is vs the dog thinks he is.


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## Strikker (Dec 2, 2015)

GSD? How old? Formal Training? I have a thought but info would be helpful.


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## Argentin (Nov 14, 2015)

Strikker said:


> GSD? How old? Formal Training? I have a thought but info would be helpful.


Almost 9 years old GSD
He lived for 8 years with my mom in her back yard, until 2 months ago when I brought him to live with me in an apartment

I started his training about 2 years ago, and I did it for 6 months until I moved cities and left him behind. 2 months ago I had to take him with me, so I resumed training.

I'm training him by myself after watching almost every Cesar Millan's episode. He never had any problems with people but he was/is very aggressive towards other animals, but I'm working on that.

I still can't leave him with other dogs, all I managed to do was to ignore them and stop barking at them, so unless they come really close he's cool

He was always friendly towards people, so this was definitely a territorial display when my colleague bent for his shoes

I followed your advice, and moved his blanky inside my room, and I will keep him inside my room while I'm away. 

But as Cesar keeps saying, it's always good when he does something bad, as that's a proper time to correct the behavior, so I'll repeat the scenario tomorrow with my colleague, this time with a muzzle on, so he understands that behavior is unacceptable 

I'll also as him to take Spartan for walks, with me right besides them, so they create a stronger bond and get used one with each other


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Forget about Cesar Milan. It is a show. Your dog needs to associate people with good stuff, not with aggression because it will make it worse. 
He was ignored for 8 years and now has to be Mr. Social and will get punished for not being that? Unfair to this dog. 8 years of neglecting a GSD does need to be punished but not the dog.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Have you trained other dogs? Other GSD? So, this dog is 9 years old, has always been in a backyard with no real training, and now you are training him yourself with Cesar Milan methods and expecting him to be trained?
Cesar Milan, as wolfy dog said, is a show that is on for an hour or less, training dogs in about 15 minutes.  Unfortunately, he trains dogs by FORCING them to accept what he wants them to do, if you notice when he is "training" them, the dogs are panting with white ring eyes, and basically in a "catatonic" state. You never see them after the show when he leaves, except when the owners write how things are going. Yes, he seems to work magic. I did obedience classes for many years and could take another person's dog and get it behaving quickly. I did not feel sorry for "snookems" because the mean man walking down the street looked at him and made him want to bite. I did not feel sorry because "poopsie" did not want to heal on leash or walk beside me, "poopsie" wanted to be carried and told that they did not have to deal with everyday life of being a dog and walking by themselves on all four legs. Cesar Milan gets bit a lot for forcing dogs into flight or fight stage, again all for show.
You need to contact a GOOD trainer to help you actually train your dog, not watch episodes of CM and think you can become a dog trainer to a dog who now has bitten someone. You are going to muzzle and try it again to teach the dog its not acceptable. What if your dog then turns on you because he is not going to accept your methods. Are you prepared to handle that? What happens if the dog doesn't do anything tomorrow or the next day, then just when you figured that you have him all trained he bites another person or your room mate, or a child walking down the street? Then what?
You have a dog that has been forced into a situation that he hasn't had to deal with for 8 years and you expect to train him by watching CM? 
I actually feel sorry for this aged dog. Poor guy


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## Strikker (Dec 2, 2015)

I may be way off base here, but this would be my thought:	
This sounds like a social issue to me but maybe more lack of confidence than aggression. I would also think the new address and the inside from outside with a new pack leader (you rather than mom) might also be working here. Another thing that comes to mind is your flat-mate is not yet your dogs pack-mate. All things to consider, rule out some you feel are not the case, use others that might be the case to help you train.
I say lack of confidence because your dog waited until your flat-mate was bending over to move on a target (X2). In my experience a protective GSD will not wait to challenge if they feel danger or are protecting a home. They will let the person know they are challenging right away. If a dog is questioning himself a bit he waits until the person's back is turned or in this case bending over to move forward.
Time will fix some of the issues with your flat-mate, but you might want to work the social side of this sooner rather than later as the problem will not go away. Meeting people outside on walks, in parks in lessons. Until you become comfortable enough that your dog will not bite in the flat I might suggest to keep him on a leash around others to keep him at ease (he knows you have his back) and you can stay in control of the situation. 
Finding a good GSD trainer is always a good idea, one that will help you understand what signs to look for in your dog to help train and avoid these problems. 9 years old is not too late, there is work there but well worth the effort.


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## Argentin (Nov 14, 2015)

And now he freaking started growling at my girlfriend!

I left him with her for a couple of hours, and now she called me telling he started growling and barking at her

It's pretty much the same scenario. He is waiting for me at the door, and she bent over to take his leash, and then he started growling at her

I'm gonna take him to a trainer tomorrow, and see what she has to say about it

The thing is he never ever did this to my girlfriend before


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## mchcthrn (Dec 26, 2012)

You've only had him for 2 months. He is still very likely adjusting to you and your household. The behaviors your describing sounds like a dog in severe stress. Basically he doesn't have any trust in the people who are interacting with him regularly.

What is his structure like? Does he have a predictable routine? At 2 months, I would still have him babygated in your room unless you are there to supervise. He would have a 45 minute walk every morning and a 30 min walk every evening. We would do 10-20 minutes of daily training or play. All meals would be fed out of activity toys such as KONGs to give him something to do and to relieve stress during the day. When I was home, he would be out with me on a leash, but I wouldn't allow others to interact with him in any way until a strong foundation with me was establish, could take several months to a year or more.

You don't really know this dog at all other than interactions with him in a completely different environment. To assume that he is going to accept your gf and roommate just because you know they are "friendly" is setting him up for failure. Living his entire life in a backyard where the flow of people was likely very limited and predictable has not set him up with a good foundation for dealing with apartment life.

I'm not against corrections, but in this situation, correcting a senior dog for a situation over which he has no control or foundation from which to be successful is just abusive. Give the dog back to your mother, let him live out the rest of his years in the environment he knows and feels comfortable in (assuming he was not neglected and had his basic needs met). 

If you want a dog, get a rescue or a puppy, and do research on actual dog training (not a tv show). Take time to build a foundation through teaching the dog. Introduce corrections if/when needed according to the guidance of an experienced and fair trainer.

Good for you for reaching out for help, but take a step back and try to realize what you are doing to this dog.


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## Argentin (Nov 14, 2015)

I had to take him with me because my mom sold the house, so the two options were to either take him to the xountry aide where he wpuld be chained for the rest of his life, or live with me.

When I say I'm correcting him, I refer to light touches or nudges so he knows he's not allowed to do it, nothing abbusive 

I am trying to establish a routine for him, but now that I also moved apartments, I kind of neglegted him, and I think this whole environment change confussed him somehow

I'll try to pay more attention to him, and also have a trainer see him

We're stuck together for life now, so I'm trying to learn how to take care of him as we're in this for the long run


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

If he bit your roommate at the door why does he still have access to that area when you are not with him? Lock the dog up if you aren't there before your have no roommate, no home, no girlfriend and no dog.


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## mchcthrn (Dec 26, 2012)

I see. Well, I'm glad that you are going to work with a trainer. Hopefully they can get you some help!

I understand having to make it work. You'll do fine, just try your best and always give the dog the benefit of the doubt. Once you establish trust/relationship, the rest is easy.

Good luck!


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

So yes, you put him in the same situation as before. How would that have gone better without months of training? Did you try to look at the situation form his pint of view? His world has fallen apart. He is a senior whose mind s are not as flexible as a 6 months old dog. Prevent possible failures and be kind but consistent with him. He doesn't know that your roommate and gf are safe. he just moved to another planet where he doesn't know or understand anything.
Please choose your trainer carefully. No CM types. Ask how they work. You need someone who is kind and patient and who doesn't show up with choke chains and e collars (for this issue)
In the meantime reward him lavishly for good behavior instead of focusing on the bad. Keep your body posture and breathing relaxed (tell others to do the same and not to look at him but to ignore him), keep him on leash with you when others are around. If he tenses up, gently turn him toward you and reward him. Give him his own place to relax on.


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