# I may need to Re-Home my GSD



## Maddie02 (Aug 3, 2013)

I've got a 6 year 100lb old female, very happy, very healthy, very loyal. She does not however play with other dogs and goes nuts when she see's one. I have an e-collar on her at all times. She is a retriever; balls, Frisbee, sticks. She is a flat out sprinter, so a leash in the yard will not work. Last week she attacked our neighbor's dog for the second time in 2 years. Its not a personal thing with that dog. We live on a cul-de-sac, when neighbors are out walking, or kids are out playing, she gets guarded, and if not stopped, she will sprint after anything near her yard. Typically I will talk her out of the distraction by moving her somewhere else or into the house. I can best describe it as flipping a switch. Something snaps inside her for a brief moment, she looses total control. She cannot be stopped, not even with the e-collar. She will go after, and try to bite, the dog or person in her sights. Afterwards, she shows full remorse and will heal when called. 

This is my first dog, I'm 51. She is wonderful, but I can't allow this behavior to continue. I should have spent time with her at a dog park when she was younger, but I didn't. Long term, I should probably find the dog a new home. I have no idea how to do this properly. I need some help with both items. A. possibly stopping the dog from going crazy when she encounters a new person or new dog and B. how do I rehome my dog. I can't put myself in the position of being liable for my dog attacking another dog or worse, a small child.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

What training, if any, have you done with a professional? 

This is, as you know, a very big liability. But with proper and consultant training can be overcome and managed. 

An ecollar is great. If used correctly at the appropriate time. Using it once she has engaged is wrong and will not work. As you have found out. 

Find someone in your area that knows the proper usage of training with an ecollar and work with them. Until then, she should have zero yard priveledges off leash. And the second she even LOOKS at another dog or person, she goes inside. The time to intercede is at that first look, well before she reacts. 

If you feel you cannot control her, then you are right. She should be rehomed. 

On an aside. 100lb is VERY heavy for a bitch. No matter her height. You may want to talk with your vet about thyroid testing. If she is overweight, and has aggression issues, her thyroid may be low. It treatable with very cheap medicine. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Maddie02 (Aug 3, 2013)

She has been trained with a professional for the first 2 years. We spent time with the collar and a lot of time with the trainers dog as well. 

Regarding her weight, she is all muscle. she has regular visits to the vet.

If I need to rehome, have you any suggestions where to look. I won't give her to just anyone.


----------



## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

There is a great (from what I hear, no personal experience) trainer in CT. His name is Mike Baton (American K9 Academy). 

I have heard he is able to correct alot issues. If you have any desire to keep the dog, I would call him and see if he can work with your dog. Also, you will have a terrible time finding a home for a dog like that. Think about it, if you don't want the liability, why would anyone else? But, if Mike says he can help and get things under control, and if you still want to place her, you will have an easier time. 

Good luck


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I would start contacting rescues in your area. They may be able to post her. 

If she is 6 now, and you trained with someone for 2 years, then that's 4 years with no outsider helping. May be time to call her trainer and get done more help. Training does not end. It is ongoing. For the life if the dog. It may help to have a detached person come and watch how you handle these situations. Sometimes an outside eye will catch things you don't. 

Good Luck. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

This problem sounds like it can easily be avoided. Have you tried taking the e-collar off your dog and just making sure she's leashed when outside? You mentioned a leash won't work, but why?

Is this the only issue with her?


----------



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I am confused.
Is the yard not fenced?
How is she able to get to these people?


----------



## Maddie02 (Aug 3, 2013)

Yes, seems to be the only issue, but her aggressiveness continues to new people in the house and anyone who rings the door bell. I don't use a leash often, because she is a sprinter and I can't keep up with her power. Going forward I've got her on a leash and will have to retrain us both to work with it. Even with the leash however, she is the same when seeing a new dog or some new people. I had her on my patio 2 nights ago. I wound up the leash to about 12". My wife had a friend over with a small dog. I tried for about a half hour, but had to move my dog to the basement to stop the distraction. It was too much for her.

Thank you eddie176e. I just sent Mike Baton an email asking for some help and advice.


----------



## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Sunflowers said:


> I am confused.
> Is the yard not fenced?
> How is she able to get to these people?


This. It sounds like you do not have a fence. Put in a 6 foot privacy fence. End of problem. I agree that you would be hard pressed to find someone who would want to take on your dog.


----------



## Maddie02 (Aug 3, 2013)

Yard is not fenced and is too big to be fenced. I'd prefer to stop the problem, rather than fence the yard and lock up the problem.


----------



## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Is it possible you could fence in an area of your yard? The problem may not be able to be fixed. It may need to be managed. If that is the case, you are going to need a fence.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Maddie02 said:


> Yard is not fenced and is too big to be fenced.


Why does she have to be off leash in your yard? She actually should never be off leash there based on her history. 

I don't know where in CT you are, but near me there are plenty of fenced in baseball fields or empty parks to go to. They're all over. It's all about management. Let her be off leash at those type of place and on leash when she's around the house.



Maddie02 said:


> I'd prefer to stop the problem, rather than fence the yard and lock up the problem.


Sorry if this sounds harsh, but by giving someone else your problem? That's how you want to stop the problem?


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How was she trained (what method/s) during those first two years? Was it just with an e-collar or was there any motivational training using food or toys? I'm not opposed to using aversives, but at first I prefer to show my dogs why it's in their best interest to do what I want, by making good behavior work to get them what THEY want, and then add aversives later, as necessary. The more I can reinforce good choices, the less I have to correct for non-compliance. 

It does seem like management is a fairly easy fix for this. At 6 years old she's been practicing this behavior for a long time, so while training may help, it could be a very long, slow process, and not something you are equipped to do on your own. 

In the meantime, she should never be off leash when outside your house since your yard is unfenced. You've already said that the e-collar won't stop her, so you need a better way to control her. She can't charge at people if she's on a leash. When people come over she should be put away in the basement before they even come inside the house or on your patio. 

Trying to work with her when she's already over threshold is futile because she's incapable of learning at that point. In order to make any progress you need to work with her BEFORE she's gone over threshold, so you'd need to set up situations where the trigger is far enough away that she's aware of it but won't react. You also need to be able to recognize the signs that she's getting close to going off, so you can prevent a reaction rather than trying to deal with it after the fact.


----------



## Maddie02 (Aug 3, 2013)

She will be leashed from now on. I've contacted 2 trainers for help. The original trainer, if he is still available and the one recommended by eddie1976e. I will continue to work with her to correct this problem. Rehoming does not appear to be an option.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Maddie02 said:


> Yard is not fenced and is too big to be fenced. I'd prefer to stop the problem, rather than fence the yard and lock up the problem.


Some dogs are just simply dog aggressive. It does not transfer to humans. A person could get hurt if they get in the middle of a fight.

I have one dog who is dog reactive and one is outright dog aggressive. I have another who is human aggressive. The dog reactive dogs are awesome with people.

There are a few things you have to wrap your brain around in order to move forward.

1) Accept the dog as they are.
2) Get a good trainer
3) This problem may never be "stopped" and often the only thing you can do is manage.

Managing includes a few things. One is fencing an area or being able to take the dog to a fenced area. Or having htem on a long line for exercise.

The second is training...training...and more training...
Recall and teaching them to ignore the other dog. Do not let people bring their dogs to your house. It is his home...not theirs.
You do not train a dog with aggression with an e-collar. The manufacturers state that in their documentation. If the dog is corrected with the e-collar while looking at the other dog, it can associate the stim with the dog and make the aggression worse. You need to use behavior modification. Teach them an opposing behavior when they see another dog.

This is a management and training issue.


----------



## AshleyD (Aug 20, 2012)

Start with a trainer and get a fence. You can do a section if the yard is too big.


----------



## MiaMoo (Apr 6, 2013)

I agree with fencing off a part of the yard for her. It's not 'locking up the problem', it's giving her a safe place to run and play off-leashed when you are not physically able to or not wanting to deal with a leash. It's not so black and white, where you either get a fence *or* train your dog - You can still continue training.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Rehoming a 100 pound six-year-old bitch with serious issues with dogs, and strange people is going to be a hard sell. 

If you drop your dog off, even to a no-kill shelter, she will probably die before you leave the parking lot. So if you care about this bitch, THIS is certainly not an option. 

If she has not bitten a human, a rescue might take her, but a lot of rescues will not deal with a dog unless it is IN A SHELTER. And I really do not think that is an option for your dog. 

Yes, this can be managed, even if you are 51 and the dog is 100#.

1. Find a trainer and get a prong collar and have the trainer help you fit the prong collar on your bitch. Forget the e-collar, I just don't think you can trust this bitch for a while on a collar that does not have a leash attached. 

2. Every day take your dog on her prong collar for a walk. No off-lead time in the yard, not without a good fence. And yes, you can fence an area of the yard, the whole yard does not have to be fenced. But that does not solve the problem. Your dog needs regular exercise, and probably by walking to start. If you are afraid she will agress toward other dogs on walks, put a basket muzzle on her. But she needs exercise. It is not ok for the dog to sprint toward anyone taking you with her. 

3. You need to up your leadership and your management of this dog. A good place to start is NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free). Google it. Your dog has way too much muscle and fangs to be out of control. A word from you should make training devices, collars, and leads unnecessary. You are not there yet. But that is the goal, even if you intend to always have an umbilical cord between you and your dog. The goal is, in case we drop that lead, we still have control over the dog. Without this, our dogs can be in terrible trouble. So we should all be striving toward this goal. 

4. I agree with getting a full blood panel on your dog, check her for thyroid and vitamin deficiencies, and ask your vet if she is over weight. GSDs come in a lot of sizes, if she is seriously over-sized and only needs to lose 10 pounds say, then I wouldn't worry about giving her a good work out every day. If the bitch is seriously over-weight though, if she should be 65-70 pounds, then you probably should ask your vet how much exercise you should start with. 

Good luck.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I don't think rehoming this dog is an option, she's a big liability

This can be easily managed, I agree with fencing off a portion / space in your yard. I also agree with putting a prong collar on her for more control, altho some say a prong can "amp" up the aggression, I have never seen it but am sure it can happen.

Training never stops for some dogs, and I think it's a good suggestion to get back into it. 

I once had a 125lb / 32" at the shoulders 'mutant', that was fear aggressive, while it was no picnic , he was quite manageable.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I also agree with fencing the yard, even if you fence just a portion of it. I had dogs for 20 years before I had a fenced yard and I love it!


----------



## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Did you hear back from the trainer?


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Get a trainer that works with positive methods and ditch the e-collar. This will require a lot of training and education on your part and making a switch in your brain as well. She needs to start associating everything she hates with something good. It must be stressful life for both of you.
Please refrain form responding to good tips here with "yes, but......." The buts haven't worked so far so you have to make a drastic switch to save her. I work as a private dog trainer and hear similar responses more than I want to.


----------



## Wetdog (May 23, 2001)

I suspect misuse of the e collar. 

If you have given her shocks when her attention focused on the neighbors dog----she may have become trained to associate the shock with the other dog.

In her mind, she is attacking the other dog in self defense.


----------

