outandabout
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Hi!
My family adopted a 2 year old medium shelter dog. He's been with us for 2 months.
We had a german shepherd before, since he was a puppy, who passed away a year ago at the age of 3 (probably a cancer or sudden heart issue, the vet couldn't tell). He was reactive, barked often which was a terrible sound, lunged at people with snarling and bared teeth clearly to attack them. He attacked me once on a walk, left me with deep scars on left hand and right forearm. My parents chose him from a guy who bred dogs ("breeding center", a bad place) when he was 6 weeks old, already separated from his mother for a week back then, living in a dark wooden cage with his siblings and eating minced whole pig with vitamins. Maybe he was so reactive/aggressive because of his bad start into life. There were some good moments, he liked learning stuff that I practiced with him (sth like play oriented obedience we both enjoyed), sometimes the walks were good when he didn't lunge or attack other people or dogs and we chilled together. He didn't like cuddling, was very territorial. We didn't invite guests or went on any vacation, as he attacked the guests (2 people were mildly injured - they were my friends as family didn't come to as, they were scared to death of him) and we couldn't leave him with anyone for obvious reasons. I think he also may have had separation anxiety.
Our current dog was said at the shelter to be quiet (he never barked during the one month he spent there, all the other dogs did - I have an issue with dogs barking, so my father looked for a quiet dog). We were told he was timid and a bit withdrawn by the shelter people and the volunteer lady who walked him every week. Most dogs lunged, barked and pulled like oxes - he didn't. We went with him on a walk, knowing he may and will change when we take him home. But he was a total opposite of our first dog and we chose that, for my sake.
He barks and growls like hell. He bites on a daily basis. He pulls and starts to show the alarm signs of future lunging at people and dogs. I was so very scared of the sounds when he was crouching and looking at me, growling deeply. I tried to have faith in him, that he's just a Stitch from Disney movie with so much anger in him. We were in contact with two behaviorists, one gave up as none of his methods worked. He is not a bad behaviorist. The other one suggested we might not be able to handle the dog, that he's a really tough case and we can consider finding him another home. We stayed with that behaviorist and work with her. It got a bit better - he now doesn't bite all the time, he replaced most of the biting with growling and barking whenever he questions something we do (which is a lot). I walk into the living room and sit on the couch - he comes to me and bites my feet/barks (if he wasn't already when I was walking towards the couch). I go back upstairs (I have installed a gate at the bottom of the staircase so he can't get there, I feel safe there) and he sprints there specifically to bite my ankles - no exaggeration or anything, that's what happens. He does all the growling/barking/biting to all of us (four people), but towards me in the slightest extent, maybe because I was the most consistent in working with those behaviors. I sometimes try to pet him, but if it's more than 15 seconds it's a risk, because he may start biting (he doesn't get tense or anything, I have no problem reading dog signals), I just walk away before he does, but he can still chase me and bite my feet ("did I tell you to stop?"
). He has a cage inside the house with his blankets and we close him there for longer and longer periods of time - he starts to accept it and chills there (it's not a punishment, he walks in there on his own free will). He can even sleep in there and does not jerk at the sound of somebody moving (he rarely sleeps as he has to constantly watch us) and most importantly it prevents the after-walk biting attack. We hope it will get better. He sometimes even wags his tail when we come to him.
I have read tons of books, been to countless webinars, consulted many behaviorists/trainers before and during the period we had dogs, actively seeking help and trying different approaches. I wonder if it is possible to have a good dog at first try. Do all dog owners have problems like this and just ignore them/live with them and so they tell that they love their dogs? Is it just luck to get a non problematic dog or you just have to think it is not problematic (do we have bad luck then?)? Are all dogs like this? Do you have to be a special kind of person to have a good dog? By good I try to say - a dog that likes you, does not scare you or question you, one you can also like and not stress about 24/7. That is your friend. Is it possible for a dog to be your friend? I can't imagine that, all the books and films say it and some people I asked just say "just take a dog, give it home, love, care and he will be your best friend". But with people - some just don't like you and you can't be friends with them, no matter how hard you try. Some have mental issues, some are sick, not aware, not willing to befriend. Taking a dog in is like arranged marriage after one date. But you cannot divorce. I would like to have that good bond with the dog, but how? How can one love a creature that bites them and growls at them and has little respect for them? More patience? Is this normal? Am I just really weak and incapable and shouldn't have a dog? Do you guys think like that about yourselves or are you just a normal, good, happy dog owners?
Please no hate comments. I'm struggling as it is and hate will not help me. Sorry that the post took all the way to the moon, I tried to make it brief. I'm not asking for a dog case help - you know very little of our dog and any specific advice will probably be of no help. I ask for experience, maybe reassurance, mental support from dog owners around the world. Thank you for staying with me till the end of this post
My family adopted a 2 year old medium shelter dog. He's been with us for 2 months.
We had a german shepherd before, since he was a puppy, who passed away a year ago at the age of 3 (probably a cancer or sudden heart issue, the vet couldn't tell). He was reactive, barked often which was a terrible sound, lunged at people with snarling and bared teeth clearly to attack them. He attacked me once on a walk, left me with deep scars on left hand and right forearm. My parents chose him from a guy who bred dogs ("breeding center", a bad place) when he was 6 weeks old, already separated from his mother for a week back then, living in a dark wooden cage with his siblings and eating minced whole pig with vitamins. Maybe he was so reactive/aggressive because of his bad start into life. There were some good moments, he liked learning stuff that I practiced with him (sth like play oriented obedience we both enjoyed), sometimes the walks were good when he didn't lunge or attack other people or dogs and we chilled together. He didn't like cuddling, was very territorial. We didn't invite guests or went on any vacation, as he attacked the guests (2 people were mildly injured - they were my friends as family didn't come to as, they were scared to death of him) and we couldn't leave him with anyone for obvious reasons. I think he also may have had separation anxiety.
Our current dog was said at the shelter to be quiet (he never barked during the one month he spent there, all the other dogs did - I have an issue with dogs barking, so my father looked for a quiet dog). We were told he was timid and a bit withdrawn by the shelter people and the volunteer lady who walked him every week. Most dogs lunged, barked and pulled like oxes - he didn't. We went with him on a walk, knowing he may and will change when we take him home. But he was a total opposite of our first dog and we chose that, for my sake.
He barks and growls like hell. He bites on a daily basis. He pulls and starts to show the alarm signs of future lunging at people and dogs. I was so very scared of the sounds when he was crouching and looking at me, growling deeply. I tried to have faith in him, that he's just a Stitch from Disney movie with so much anger in him. We were in contact with two behaviorists, one gave up as none of his methods worked. He is not a bad behaviorist. The other one suggested we might not be able to handle the dog, that he's a really tough case and we can consider finding him another home. We stayed with that behaviorist and work with her. It got a bit better - he now doesn't bite all the time, he replaced most of the biting with growling and barking whenever he questions something we do (which is a lot). I walk into the living room and sit on the couch - he comes to me and bites my feet/barks (if he wasn't already when I was walking towards the couch). I go back upstairs (I have installed a gate at the bottom of the staircase so he can't get there, I feel safe there) and he sprints there specifically to bite my ankles - no exaggeration or anything, that's what happens. He does all the growling/barking/biting to all of us (four people), but towards me in the slightest extent, maybe because I was the most consistent in working with those behaviors. I sometimes try to pet him, but if it's more than 15 seconds it's a risk, because he may start biting (he doesn't get tense or anything, I have no problem reading dog signals), I just walk away before he does, but he can still chase me and bite my feet ("did I tell you to stop?"
). He has a cage inside the house with his blankets and we close him there for longer and longer periods of time - he starts to accept it and chills there (it's not a punishment, he walks in there on his own free will). He can even sleep in there and does not jerk at the sound of somebody moving (he rarely sleeps as he has to constantly watch us) and most importantly it prevents the after-walk biting attack. We hope it will get better. He sometimes even wags his tail when we come to him.I have read tons of books, been to countless webinars, consulted many behaviorists/trainers before and during the period we had dogs, actively seeking help and trying different approaches. I wonder if it is possible to have a good dog at first try. Do all dog owners have problems like this and just ignore them/live with them and so they tell that they love their dogs? Is it just luck to get a non problematic dog or you just have to think it is not problematic (do we have bad luck then?)? Are all dogs like this? Do you have to be a special kind of person to have a good dog? By good I try to say - a dog that likes you, does not scare you or question you, one you can also like and not stress about 24/7. That is your friend. Is it possible for a dog to be your friend? I can't imagine that, all the books and films say it and some people I asked just say "just take a dog, give it home, love, care and he will be your best friend". But with people - some just don't like you and you can't be friends with them, no matter how hard you try. Some have mental issues, some are sick, not aware, not willing to befriend. Taking a dog in is like arranged marriage after one date. But you cannot divorce. I would like to have that good bond with the dog, but how? How can one love a creature that bites them and growls at them and has little respect for them? More patience? Is this normal? Am I just really weak and incapable and shouldn't have a dog? Do you guys think like that about yourselves or are you just a normal, good, happy dog owners?
Please no hate comments. I'm struggling as it is and hate will not help me. Sorry that the post took all the way to the moon, I tried to make it brief. I'm not asking for a dog case help - you know very little of our dog and any specific advice will probably be of no help. I ask for experience, maybe reassurance, mental support from dog owners around the world. Thank you for staying with me till the end of this post