# Help please, my GSD was about to bite me



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Hi there, i need your help please. My 17 month GSD suddenly became toy aggressive, meaning when i was trying to take his toy away he was about to bite me. He growled and jumped and put his paw on my hand to stop me from taking it. I got scared and am really disappointed that my dog would actually bite me. I always heard dogs never bite the hands that feed them. I asked him to leave it first and he did not. When he plays with my husband tug a war, he listens to the command leave it maybe not the first time but he does. What do I do to correct this and not get scared of my own dog. After this happened I said bad boy and I left the room and he came after me licking me and i was so upset that i did not say anything and left him in the basement where he usually sleeps


----------



## Ozzieleuk (Mar 23, 2014)

Well,

You did the right thing and didn't over react and left him in the basement to calm down.
I'm not a professional trainer, but have been bitten by a dog I rescued a long time ago. He was a Chow Chow and I was trying to leash train him. He would fight the leash and me, while frantically pulling his head out of the leash. During one session I was using a choker chain to keep him from pulling out and he turned on me and chomped down on my ankle and good thing I was wearing ankle high work shoes. 

I stopped the leash training with the choker and got him used to the leash by him just trailing it around the yard. I think he was chained up and abused and I was causing nothing but bad memories and fearful aggression.

Work with your boy one-on-one on fetching his toy back to you.
I love playing tug-of-war with my boy, but I think it can enforce aggressive behavior in some shepherds.
See if your husband can hold off on anymore tug of war and just work on fetching the toy for awhile. Wear a jacket and maybe gloves at first in case he mouths on your arm or hands too. Young shepherds teeth are like steel spikes when they are young...Ow!! 

Keep us posted and add some pictures when you can.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Your boy is resource guarding. 

You need a trainer. Your boy needs NILF(nothing in life is free), and some relationship building. 

While I would have handled it different, I do prefer someone to walk away and not get bit, then to fix an issue or try to without the know how and get mauled. 

But be forewarned. You walking away, taught your boy that he can control the situation with aggression. He won. You left him and his toy alone when he growled and snapped. So the behavior is likely to repeat itself now. Because it worked. 

Hense, the reason a trainer is needed at this point. You need someone to teach you how to fix this problem.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think that you need to spend more time in formal dog training classes. Just start taking the dog and keep going. Go for a year. Go for two. If you are worried that your dog is going to bite you, then there is no bond there. 

Don't listen to the hand that feeds it nonsense. Dogs minds really do not work that way. If when you feed your dog, you have him sit, first, and then put his food down, he will associate getting his food, with complying to a command that you give him. This can help instill the your leadership position in his mind. Just getting the food out and giving it to him, or filling his dish when it is empty, doesn't Do you get what I am saying?

Tug is a great way for a dog to exercise his body and gain in confidence, if he wins. Lots of people here will encourage it. Lots of trainers discourage it for people with dogs they are having trouble controlling. It sounds like your dog LOVES this game and his play drive is being actively increased by doing this. I think you need to talk to your husband and have him quit playing tug, at least for now. Because your boy needs to work for everything at this point, and a game of tug is an ultimate reward. You start the game, you end the game and put the toy up. And I wouldn't even do this until you start seeing improvement in your leadership and his following skills. 

Train every day. Go to classes once a week. Take walks. Look up NILIF -- Nothing in Life is Free, and implement it. Not all dogs need this, but your dog growled at you. Not ok. He needs to know that you indeed have the thumbs and control all the good things in life. You need to be confident, stand up straight, give clear commands and only when you are willing and able to follow through immediately. Do not repeat yourself -- that teaches him to ignore you. If you give a command, give him a moment to comply, and then help him to comply. 

If you are seriously afraid to take something away from the dog, put a leash on him, and walk him away from the object, get him to drop it either by offering something else, or wait until he does, and then crate him, and then go and get the item. Usually as we improve our leadership, and increase our training with the dog, the dog/human bond will improve to the point where he will not object to you taking something, and you will not be afraid to do so. 

On the other hand, give the dog something and leave him be with it. Don't test him to make sure you can take food, treats, toys from him. You can create problems that aren't there by repeatedly trying to take stuff from him. This is totally unnecessary. If some day your dog takes a bottle of pills, and you need to get it out of his mouth and fast, you are much better off having never played these kind of games with him. He is not worried about you coming and taking something because that isn't what you generally do. And if you do take something like a bottle of pills, you can say "Eh-eh, that's mine." Then, get his ball or toy, or chewy and emphasize, "yours." and give it to him. Dog's are kind of like two year olds, they do understand, MINE and YOURS. 

Good luck. So much fun with young dogs. Train, Train, Train, NILIF, and get your husband on board too. He has to work for good stuff now.


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

When I walked out of the room he left his ty and came after me and when i took him to the basement i just left with no words or treats. he was trying to lick my feet. we have a very good relationship and we play fetch alot in the backyard. he would fetch bring the ball and drop it at my feet. this is all new behaviour and i used another toy or treat to trade but not this time. I actually remmber something and i am not sure if that is the reason for his behaviour. A year ago he was attacked by another dog at the dog park over a ball. he was not injured but would he still remmber that?


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I think you could use a little help nivonice, but him going for the toy like that doesn't necessarily mean he was going to bite you. At 17mos if wanted to bite you, I don't think he would have pawed at you. 

The fact that you're afraid of him though, I think that's a huge problem.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

nivonice said:


> When I walked out of the room he left his ty and came after me and when i took him to the basement i just left with no words or treats. he was trying to lick my feet. we have a very good relationship and we play fetch alot in the backyard. he would fetch bring the ball and drop it at my feet. this is all new behaviour and i used another toy or treat to trade but not this time. I actually remmber something and i am not sure if that is the reason for his behaviour. A year ago he was attacked by another dog at the dog park over a ball. he was not injured but would he still remmber that?


 A year ago? Another dog? No. Not even close. He is a young dog, and he thought he could tell you to leave his ball/tug alone, because he thinks he can. It is time for something that helps define the boundaries, limits, acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Trainer and NILIF. 

Frankly, I would stop the dog park thing, because this is a dog that you are somewhat afraid of, and this is a dog that is willing to growl at you. Dog parks are a place where dogs get amped up and if play morphs into aggression, an owner cannot afford to be afraid of their dog. You need your dog in situations that are unlikely to be confrontational, at least until you improve the bond through training and good leadership. But the dog does need exercise, both mental and physical. Get out there and walk with him, run with him if you can, bicycle with him, throw the ball for fetch with him, wear his butt out. But if he does anything about not dropping the ball, GAME OVER, crate time.


----------



## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

It couldn't possibly be "suddenly". Dogs don't suddenly put you in a lower position than themselves. It gradually came to the point when your dog has told you: "I'm stronger than you, and if I don't want to give it to you - You wouldn't take it." He treated you as his inferior. Your natural intuition had helped you - you behaved correctly, because you retreated. Show same behaviour if you are not happy with him, dogs don't want to be left alone. But you shouldn't lock him away, just walk away. 
You may never change his attitude towards you, but that shouldn't be a problem. Simply don't provoke him again by trying to grab his toy forcefully. Your situation has a different danger. Unlikely he would ever bite you, but if he really thinks that you are a little child - you are still a member of the family for him, and he will try to protect you from whomever he decided to be dangerous for you. Be careful walking him on your own, he might attack another person and wouldn't listen to you. Have you trained him to wear a muzzle?


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

I guess the only new thing is my husband playing with him tug a war and my husband wins and when he asks him to leave it he listens. Maybe he thought is was tug a war. I am not trying to make excuses for him but trying to understand. I believe if he was aggressive he would in fact have bit me. He did not even nip


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

this is him with my son


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

And yes Selzer when we bring him his food he has to sit and cannot approach the food until we tell him to do so and he listens and really good


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Is the pup 17 months old, or 7 months old or 17 weeks old? That would make a difference. The pup in the picture looks mighty young.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

David Taggart said:


> Unlikely he would ever bite you, but if he really thinks that you are a little child - you are still a member of the family for him, and he will try to protect you from whomever he decided to be dangerous for you. Be careful walking him on your own, he might attack another person and wouldn't listen to you. Have you trained him to wear a muzzle?


This is aggression within the family, it is about status seeking and has nothing to do with the safety of the general public. He is just a young brat that needs consistent training, NILIF and tons of exercise, both physical and mental.
It is good that he has nice food manners but that is purely conditioned and not related to resource guarding unless you challenge his food after he has already started eating.
Hire a private trainer to help you. Nothing is worse than being afraid of your own dog.


----------



## jaxsongsd (Apr 6, 2015)

I'm a brand new dog-owner but here are my 2 cents.. Are you the one who feeds him? If not, I would suggest you start being the one to feed him and really make him work for it before u give him the food. sit/lay/stay.. 

I'm assuming he looks at your husband as alpha and sees you below him. It might be a good idea to reenact this with your husband around and if he does it again have you husband discipline him ("NO!" & take toy away). Even better if your brave and confident enough to do it yourself.. Show no fear act fast and stern. 

Practice making yourself appear more alpha.. such as: making him sit and wait for you to walk in/out of door-ways first.. If hes in the way of where you will be walking, dont walk around him walk through him. I think there are a ton of articles about this subject.


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

This is what happens actually i do feed him and he has to sit and stay and does not eat unless i tell him to go. He does not enter a door way unless he sits stays, i enter and then tell him to come.We play togethar fetch and we have a good bond. The only new thing was my husband playing with him tug war a few days ago and me not giving the alternative for the toy. And he is 17 months


----------



## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

jaxsongsd said:


> I'm a brand new dog-owner but here are my 2 cents.. Are you the one who feeds him? If not, I would suggest you start being the one to feed him and really make him work for it before u give him the food. sit/lay/stay..
> 
> I'm assuming he looks at your husband as alpha and sees you below him. It might be a good idea to reenact this with your husband around and if he does it again have you husband discipline him ("NO!" & take toy away). Even better if your brave and confident enough to do it yourself.. Show no fear act fast and stern.
> 
> Practice making yourself appear more alpha.. such as: making him sit and wait for you to walk in/out of door-ways first.. If hes in the way of where you will be walking, dont walk around him walk through him. I think there are a ton of articles about this subject.


I'm going to respectfully disagree with this advice. Forcing this situation to happen again will only make things worse. At this point, trying to take toys away from this dog will cause a problem. As others (selzer, I believe) have suggested, get a trainer that is familiar with GSD's in sooner rather than later. And until that happens, call him away from his toys or make a trade, as others have suggested. Quit trying to take things from him until you get some professional help! Best of luck!


----------



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you Nikki and everyone else for your advice. I did trade him today and it went well


----------



## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

The reason I have mentioned outdoor dangers was a possibility of a risky situation because this young dog wouldn't listen the girl, whom is OP here. You may say the instinct to protect the family member is not related to the present issue - on one hand "no", on the other "yes" if even indirectly. Young dog is trying to find his place in the family hierarchy, seeking a higher status, probably. He will try it on OP, he will try it on her son, and later in his age he will try it on her husband in different situations. How far the dog may go - totally depends on each member of the family. That is his age, humans are no angels too when they become teenagers, mothers cry and fathers fight with their sons. It could be better for OP to read about Raising a puppy: Dealing with dog adolescence
And, his age is the age when natural instincts start to work. His wish to protect what belongs to him - is an instinct, that is the same sort of possessiveness which makes a Schutzhund dog hold the sleeve. You cannot remove instincts by command "No!", they would set deeper. Here you need the whole complexity of training. I agree, the girl needs a private trainer to work only with her. Possibly with her son.


----------



## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

nivonice said:


> Thank you Nikki and everyone else for your advice. I did trade him today and it went well


That's great! I would still get a trainer, though. Having someone outside your situation assess what is going on is a real eye opener!


----------



## JoeyG (Nov 17, 2013)

I agree with this not being sudden. He's been doing it to you in other ways and you just didn't see it that way. I doubt he's aggressive, he simply corrected you the way he would a subordinate. The fact that you're afraid of your own dog is not missed on him. You need a good trainer.... not so much for him because he's young but to teach you how to handle him. Don't panic he'll come around with training. Good luck and keep us posted


----------



## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

In one sense it is normal for a big dog to resource guard a high value item. 

I remember my male dog doing this around 20months of age with me. At first i was a bit shocked and stood back but I was beginning to experiment with training and found the food refusal technique with micheal ellis on utube. You should be able to find it.

Start small, teach the dog to release lower value items on command and build it up. 'Off' or 'drop it' command is so important to develop.

Begin to research dog behavior and you will loose the fear of the dog over time and through experience.


----------



## Shawnda H (Mar 18, 2015)

I'm embarrassed to admit that I was afraid of my puppy when we first rescued her. Ursula is my first and only GSD. She showed some aggression over her toys. She was 4 months old. She's now 7 months. When she displayed aggression, I (at the advice of her trainer) would use my foot rather than my hands to hold her back while I took the toy and put it away. She would loose it for a day. Although it's rare, she will still occasionally show aggression. Of recent it was over the dirt she was digging in out back and also the cat's food. I removed her from both those situations, although I was a tiny bit afraid, it was important to me that I presented myself as the dominant figure. I am no authority in such matters, but posting because I understand.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I am in the camp that believes this can be a brand new behavior. The boy is 17 months old. 

17 months old is kind of like an adult body with a mostly-puppy brain. Think of an 18 year old human male: just about done growing, but not sure where they are going, trying to look big and bad, thinking they know everything, expected to go and get a job, making some pretty dumb mistakes, and about at his sexual peek according to one of the young guys here. Well, a dog at 17 months old is kind of like that: just about sexually mature (if intact), and still buzzing with energy, and something new. He is becoming his own person (yep I said it) and pushing the limits. Today he thinks he can tell you not to touch his toy. 

This isn't the end of the world. He just needs to learn that no, he can't tell you not to touch his toy, or any part of his body. And it is better for him to come to this conclusion sooner than later. 

A good trainer can observe how you interact with your dog. You are doing some of the NILIF stuff already, but there may be reasons why it may be ineffective, that a trainer can point out, and you can tweak, and the stars come aligned for the boy. 

It is very humbling to accept that we may have a problem, but if we can do that, then that's the hard part. Being open to having a problem allows us to consider solutions that might work. If the dog has the problem, then we are pretty much done. Dog has a problem. We can only then learn how to manage the problem so no one gets bit. Or we put the dog down or rehome it. 

Really, we can only work on the problems that our handling/leadership style is affecting. We make changes, and the dog responds or reacts differently because of them. And a good trainer can see what we can't see, because they can watch our body language and the dog's and understand where the mix-up is coming from. 

The problem is finding someone that you trust, and who understands the breed and has a good eye for details, and who can communicate effectively. Someone who is not going to tell you to have your husband correct the dog for you, or to use your feet to separate the dog from the object. Someone who can get you and your dog to a place where you aren't frightened at all of him.


----------



## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

> If the dog has the problem, then we are pretty much done. Dog has a problem. We can only then learn how to manage the problem so no one gets bit. *Or we put the dog down* or rehome it.


That's a bit extreme don't your think. Especially without any other evidence of the dog actually being dangerous. We have to acknowledge the dogs nature and work with it. But to simply have 'put down' as an option is callous towards the dog imo. It should be the last possible route for a dog. Maybe trainer, then GSD rescue would be a more fair route.

Yes a family should take steps to be safe but a dog shouldn't be put down just because someone hasn't learn t how to take a high value item off him. Caution would be too suggest not to expose dog to high value treats or toys when interacting with young family members or any one fearful or vulnerable.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

MadLab said:


> That's a bit extreme don't your think. Especially without any other evidence of the dog actually being dangerous. We have to acknowledge the dogs nature and work with it. But to simply have 'put down' as an option is callous towards the dog imo. It should be the last possible route for a dog. Maybe trainer, then GSD rescue would be a more fair route.
> 
> Yes a family should take steps to be safe but a dog shouldn't be put down just because someone hasn't learn t how to take a high value item off him. Caution would be too suggest not to expose dog to high value treats or toys when interacting with young family members or any one fearful or vulnerable.


 
If you read the post again, in its entirety, you will see that I did not suggest putting the dog down.


----------



## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

selzer said:


> I am in the camp that believes this can be a brand new behavior. The boy is 17 months old.
> 
> 17 months old is kind of like an adult body with a mostly-puppy brain. Think of an 18 year old human male: just about done growing, but not sure where they are going, trying to look big and bad, thinking they know everything, expected to go and get a job, making some pretty dumb mistakes, and about at his sexual peek according to one of the young guys here. Well, a dog at 17 months old is kind of like that: just about sexually mature (if intact), and still buzzing with energy, and something new. He is becoming his own person (yep I said it) and pushing the limits. Today he thinks he can tell you not to touch his toy.
> 
> ...


My GSD is 14 months and full of himself. His problem is dog reactivity that flared into a big problem at 10 months. He is much, much better now. I was a big part of the problem. It's humbling to realize that. I went to a behaviorist and she pointed out all the ways I was not reading my dog. I'm so proud of myself that I didn't argue or cry when she laid it on the line. I listened. I asked, "Where do I go from here?" and she told me. I went home and did everything she said. I came back a month later and she said it was a 180 degrees turn around and it was not the same dog (or handler). When I did things differently, the dog dramatically improved in obedience and relaxing around other dogs. 

My trainer nailed the relationship problem I was unable to see. Please get a trainer who knows what they are doing and resolve your problem.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

MadLab said:


> In one sense it is normal for a big dog to resource guard a high value item.


Size is not the issue and it is not normal. It shows a broken relationship if a dog is aggressive to its owner, whether it is a Chihuahua, Mastiff or GSD. 

I consider it normal between dogs though.


----------



## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

> Size is not the issue and it is not normal.


Your totally right there.

By normal, I mean that for owners who haven't established off commands or established a firm heir-achy, it is likely to happen at some stage. I'm thinking all dogs need to get reminded or taught to release something on command. 

I know it is a step too far for the dog to actually act out aggressively toward an owner but having dealth with it myself with my own dog, I see it as something most people will have to deal with at some stage in the dogs development. 

After the event and getting over it and working through it, people will not make the same mistake again. They learn a new approach hopefully.

I feel that it doesn't suggest there is anything wrong with the dog. A perfectly fit and intelligent dog will try to protect things, food, bones or toys if rules on resource guarding have not been established. A good dog aught to want to make it's life better from it's own point of view.

I definitely agree with you that size doesn't matter when it comes to dog behavior. The fact that a person does get afraid of a dog is relative from the dogs size and power. And then the dog can feed of this fear and feel more of a right to protect items. Maybe with a chihuahua, people won't take it too seriously and live with the issue rather than being confronted with the issue from a larger breed dog, which is hard to ignore.


----------



## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Moriah said:


> My GSD is 14 months and full of himself. His problem is dog reactivity that flared into a big problem at 10 months. He is much, much better now. I was a big part of the problem. It's humbling to realize that. I went to a behaviorist and she pointed out all the ways I was not reading my dog. I'm so proud of myself that I didn't argue or cry when she laid it on the line. I listened. I asked, "Where do I go from here?" and she told me. I went home and did everything she said. I came back a month later and she said it was a 180 degrees turn around and it was not the same dog (or handler). When I did things differently, the dog dramatically improved in obedience and relaxing around other dogs.
> 
> My trainer nailed the relationship problem I was unable to see. Please get a trainer who knows what they are doing and resolve your problem.


THIS ... THIS ... and THIS ... again ... 

You have received A LOT of valuable information and advice ... get a trainer ... you are missing something that is key to helping your work WITH your dog, not against it. 

No one likes to hear that they are doing something wrong with their dog - but the reality is, hand that dog over to someone with experience and knowledge and BAM, that dog is awesome. Hand the dog back to the owner, BAM the dog's a PITA. 

Get a trainer to work with you, you'll be so much happier in the long run ... your dog is only 17 months old ... do you want this behaviour to get worse and stay with him for the next 10 years?


----------



## Jagger the husky/shepard (Apr 12, 2015)

Hello I have a 8 month old 65 pound husky/shepard. 
When he was 3 months old he did this as well for the first time and I got scared (like you did) and at that age he was probably about 40 pounds ( which is pretty big). I did what ever I can to get that bone away from him even with my foot. Finally I got it. Then punished him for biting me, then I held it in my hand told him leave it while holding it up to his nose then saying get it I didn't let go of the bone as I said leave it and he did so. Then we moved forward by things like dropping it on the floor and saying leave and then 20 seconds later get it. And as he's chewing it I say leave it and he backs up and sits and waits.
This teaches the dog this bone is YOURS. Not his but he can use it. Same rules apply as he's eating. Playing with any toys and people, dogs ect. You should even randomly tell you dog to leave the bone just to show that your in charge. Then after a few seconds let him have it back. To show your not taking it and he will have it back.
Ultimately after time you must be able to say a command (for me it's "enough") and he should be able to stop eating out of his bowl and wait for the word eat to proceed eating. 
After extensive training I can finally walk up and pet my dog, take food out his bowl stop him from eating on command or even say drop it to leave a piece of meat on the floor. 
Always remember you are alpha and the dogs must learn that his place is always under yours and never above.

Be firm but never cruel 
Always show love AFTER correcting a dog for negative behavior weather it's a pinch a tap on the nose or a pull on the chain. There has to be more love then corrections to create this balance in a dogs mind. This strengthens the bond between dog and man... Or woman.
Most of all be calm , and patient good luck hope this helps


----------



## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

Jean Donaldson's Mine is an excellent book on this subject


----------



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

i woudd not do what jax said lol dont recreate the situation make it so he doesnt have a chance to do it again.


I agree with madlab its not that uncommon at all, ive had dogs do it to me but it usually just happens once.


----------

