revmarkkie
New member
Last Friday, I made a thread on r/corgi and then a few days later, tried to post an update that didn't seem to go anywhere. I figured I'd get more feedback on r/dogs. I did, but someone recommended I bring it over to r/germanshepherds because german shepherd owners "have likely dealt with aggression issues."
I've never had a dog nor have I ever really interacted with one until I started dating my girlfriend since this past March. For the most part, this adorable little shit is awesome and we get along great. There have only been a few times where he would growl at me and a lot of times it's at night when I try to move him while the three of us are in bed.
Today, while my girlfriend was nursing a hangover, I took him downstairs and played with him, pet him, scratch his belly. Pretty chill. Eventually my girlfriend, her sis and I were just talking in the living room while he was sitting on a bench near the front door.
He's usually not allowed to do that so I pointed it out to them and my gf's sister went over to pull him off. He began to growl at her and show his teeth but she doesn't take shit from any of their dogs so she just yanked him off the bench and he walked over to me and my girlfriend.
Now being the amazing experienced dog expert that I am (/s), I tried calming him down by talking to him in a gentle tone and petting him above his snout. That's when he growled and chomped at my finger.
Didn't realize it at first but it left a pretty good gash. My GF started yelling at him to apologize as I walked to the bathroom to clean it off. He ended up following me but there's a doggy gate on the way to the bathroom so he just stopped there and watched me. I don't think he was there to say sorry.
When I walked out of the bathroom, my gf and the dog were both out there. She turned away and he walked up to me and bit my leg but just ended up gnawing on my jeans. Then he tried to leap up to bite my finger again.
We locked him inside the area with the gate for the rest of the day and when I was about to leave, he growled at me again until gf's sister came out and started regulating.
I'm assuming this happened because he had already given his warnings (growling, showing teeth) and he assumed my attempt to calm him down was more provoking.
My question(s) to you dog owners is what do I do next time I see him, which is going to be later today?
How do I prevent this from happening again?
In the past, whenever he'd growl at me, I would leave him alone. Does he consider that as me backing down, therefore establishing dominance over me?
Is it safe to assume that he'll get over it in a few days and we'll be back to normal or is he going to hold a grudge against me?
If there's anything else you feel I should know that I haven't asked about, I would greatly appreciate it.
I got a decent amount of feedback after posting this. Most of them recommended a trainer. Maybe, he needs one, maybe he doesn't. But it isn't my decision to make. I wanted to know what I could do about it.
A few days later, we had another incident, which is what my update was about. But not many people seemed to read it.
We come home from our weekend away and he gets all excited and starts barking and jumping around while we talk to gf's sis about our trip. I yell at him and shh him to be quiet. He kinda listens but then starts barking again which is normal, at least from what I've experienced with him.
Eventually, we make our way to GFs room (which is on HIS side of the gate) and he's jumping on her because he hasn't seen her for a few days. Then he jumps on the bed and starts giving me his usually greeting which is jumping on me and licking my hands/face. I'm like "wtf? we're friends again?". Pet him a few times, then shove him off me.
Then GF starts showing him all the new toys she bought (stuffed animals). He starts to play with one and is about to chew it. GF says "NO!" and pulls it away. I start laughing then he goes fucking ape shit. He growls and comes at me. I jump behind GF because I'm still on edge about it.
She gets him out of the room and on his bed and starts to yell at him to stop growling. Her sis is coaching her through it. "Don't be the first to look away. Keep going until he stops growling."
Eventually he puts his head down. Then I move and he starts growling again. It's clear that his anger is directed towards me. I do the same bit that my GF just did. It takes me a little longer but he finally gives up. But everytime I would move, he would look at me and start growling again.
We locked him out of the room for a few hours but he was constantly scratching the door and barking to let him in. Eventually, GF asks me to leave because people need to work in the morning.
When I walk by him, I completely ignore him and he doesn't move or make a sound. GFs sis suggested that we should try and let him sleep on the floor in the room with us. But I was just about fed up with him for the night and just left.
Fast forward to today
Today, we had another random incident. I slept over last night and he did his usual thing. This time, I took the advice of people from the thread and did not initiate any interaction with him until he approached me. And he did, a lot.
He would come up to me and lick my hands/face. Then when I would pet him, he'd roll over and I'd rub his belly. When we were lying in bed, he crawled up behind me and started licking my ear and the back of my head. He'd also lie between my legs and rest his head on my stomach.
In the morning, we took him out to pee and fed him which is his normal morning routine. After he peed, he was already on his way to his bowl. We were walking over and right before we were going to open the cabinet, he nipped my leg. I told my GF I think he nipped me and she said that corgis tend to do that when walking in groups. It's their way of saying "hurry up".
Then later, he was lying on her bed. She walked over to him and started to pet him. She leaned over him to do it and I immediately remembered everyone saying that is a no-no. (Is it ok to do if you're the owner?) Then out of no where, he started growling and barking at me (still outside of the bedroom). He went out of the room and then tried to come at me. My GF stood between us and he tried running around her. Eventually, I just got on the other side of the doggy gate.
I have no clue what the hell happened. We're fine for half a day then it's as if someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden, I'm the enemy again.
I have a feeling this isn't going to the be the last time. After, I expressed to her that I feel like something needs to be done about this situation. I didn't specifically suggest finding a professional trainer yet but if this continues, I definitely will.
Just like I said in the other threads, any input is appreciated
TL;DR
GF of over half a year has a 3 y/o corgi that got along with me fine until recently. Now, there are random acts of aggression towards me every time I'm over there.
Thanks guys.
I've never had a dog nor have I ever really interacted with one until I started dating my girlfriend since this past March. For the most part, this adorable little shit is awesome and we get along great. There have only been a few times where he would growl at me and a lot of times it's at night when I try to move him while the three of us are in bed.
Today, while my girlfriend was nursing a hangover, I took him downstairs and played with him, pet him, scratch his belly. Pretty chill. Eventually my girlfriend, her sis and I were just talking in the living room while he was sitting on a bench near the front door.
He's usually not allowed to do that so I pointed it out to them and my gf's sister went over to pull him off. He began to growl at her and show his teeth but she doesn't take shit from any of their dogs so she just yanked him off the bench and he walked over to me and my girlfriend.
Now being the amazing experienced dog expert that I am (/s), I tried calming him down by talking to him in a gentle tone and petting him above his snout. That's when he growled and chomped at my finger.
Didn't realize it at first but it left a pretty good gash. My GF started yelling at him to apologize as I walked to the bathroom to clean it off. He ended up following me but there's a doggy gate on the way to the bathroom so he just stopped there and watched me. I don't think he was there to say sorry.
When I walked out of the bathroom, my gf and the dog were both out there. She turned away and he walked up to me and bit my leg but just ended up gnawing on my jeans. Then he tried to leap up to bite my finger again.
We locked him inside the area with the gate for the rest of the day and when I was about to leave, he growled at me again until gf's sister came out and started regulating.
I'm assuming this happened because he had already given his warnings (growling, showing teeth) and he assumed my attempt to calm him down was more provoking.
My question(s) to you dog owners is what do I do next time I see him, which is going to be later today?
How do I prevent this from happening again?
In the past, whenever he'd growl at me, I would leave him alone. Does he consider that as me backing down, therefore establishing dominance over me?
Is it safe to assume that he'll get over it in a few days and we'll be back to normal or is he going to hold a grudge against me?
If there's anything else you feel I should know that I haven't asked about, I would greatly appreciate it.
I got a decent amount of feedback after posting this. Most of them recommended a trainer. Maybe, he needs one, maybe he doesn't. But it isn't my decision to make. I wanted to know what I could do about it.
A few days later, we had another incident, which is what my update was about. But not many people seemed to read it.
We come home from our weekend away and he gets all excited and starts barking and jumping around while we talk to gf's sis about our trip. I yell at him and shh him to be quiet. He kinda listens but then starts barking again which is normal, at least from what I've experienced with him.
Eventually, we make our way to GFs room (which is on HIS side of the gate) and he's jumping on her because he hasn't seen her for a few days. Then he jumps on the bed and starts giving me his usually greeting which is jumping on me and licking my hands/face. I'm like "wtf? we're friends again?". Pet him a few times, then shove him off me.
Then GF starts showing him all the new toys she bought (stuffed animals). He starts to play with one and is about to chew it. GF says "NO!" and pulls it away. I start laughing then he goes fucking ape shit. He growls and comes at me. I jump behind GF because I'm still on edge about it.
She gets him out of the room and on his bed and starts to yell at him to stop growling. Her sis is coaching her through it. "Don't be the first to look away. Keep going until he stops growling."
Eventually he puts his head down. Then I move and he starts growling again. It's clear that his anger is directed towards me. I do the same bit that my GF just did. It takes me a little longer but he finally gives up. But everytime I would move, he would look at me and start growling again.
We locked him out of the room for a few hours but he was constantly scratching the door and barking to let him in. Eventually, GF asks me to leave because people need to work in the morning.
When I walk by him, I completely ignore him and he doesn't move or make a sound. GFs sis suggested that we should try and let him sleep on the floor in the room with us. But I was just about fed up with him for the night and just left.
Fast forward to today
Today, we had another random incident. I slept over last night and he did his usual thing. This time, I took the advice of people from the thread and did not initiate any interaction with him until he approached me. And he did, a lot.
He would come up to me and lick my hands/face. Then when I would pet him, he'd roll over and I'd rub his belly. When we were lying in bed, he crawled up behind me and started licking my ear and the back of my head. He'd also lie between my legs and rest his head on my stomach.
In the morning, we took him out to pee and fed him which is his normal morning routine. After he peed, he was already on his way to his bowl. We were walking over and right before we were going to open the cabinet, he nipped my leg. I told my GF I think he nipped me and she said that corgis tend to do that when walking in groups. It's their way of saying "hurry up".
Then later, he was lying on her bed. She walked over to him and started to pet him. She leaned over him to do it and I immediately remembered everyone saying that is a no-no. (Is it ok to do if you're the owner?) Then out of no where, he started growling and barking at me (still outside of the bedroom). He went out of the room and then tried to come at me. My GF stood between us and he tried running around her. Eventually, I just got on the other side of the doggy gate.
I have no clue what the hell happened. We're fine for half a day then it's as if someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden, I'm the enemy again.
I have a feeling this isn't going to the be the last time. After, I expressed to her that I feel like something needs to be done about this situation. I didn't specifically suggest finding a professional trainer yet but if this continues, I definitely will.
Just like I said in the other threads, any input is appreciated
TL;DR
GF of over half a year has a 3 y/o corgi that got along with me fine until recently. Now, there are random acts of aggression towards me every time I'm over there.
Thanks guys.