Hello everyone!
I saw what Mustlovedogs is going through and I joined this forum to post and maybe get answers to what happened to us.
To give you some background, I have had 5 GSDs in my lifetime. My DH has also had GSDs. We are no strangers to the breed and the fact that they need a calm and assertive leader.
We got K as a puppy from a very reputable breeder. At the time I had a senior 14 yo GSD who passed away shortly after we got K. We also have a female GSD who is 5yo. We were very consciencious of having K be raised by us and not by our other GSD as the breeder stated. K was very attached to both my DH and I from the start. The breeder and vet also said not to neuter K until he was over 2 yo if ever.
From 8 weeks old we worked with K on puppy classes and obedience, crating him at night and when we were not home. He is a beautiful, smart and high drive GSD. We took him to a dog park that never had any other dogs and we exercised him almost daily (running after the ball would tire him more than my DH or I could run!). He showed agression to strangers and other dogs from 8weeks old. Never showed agression with us. We would play with him but he was not allowed to "play" bite us. We were on his food, touching it and taking it away and giving it back with praise, we would also have him do commands bfore feeding him. He could get on the bed with us when invited for about 10 min every night then crate.
When he was 6 months old I had a baby boy. While the baby is never alone with the dogs, we were very careful with every interaction. K and our DS became best buds. Our son loves K and K loves him. Our DS dropped food for him. We always ate first, etc... K knew the difference between his toys and baby toys and would let go of baby toys. He never ever growled at us for taking any food or toy or bone from him since we got him so used to it since young. He loved snuggling next to us on the couch and would always turn over on his belly for us and for our son to scratch.
I thought I was living a dream, until last month. I had two wonderful GSDs, a gorgeous 16 month old baby who loved and cared for the dogs, a wonderful DH who was as crazy about dogs as I am.
Then our world fell apart. I was home with DH (our son was at a play date) and I heard this awful scream. My Dh called for help and I found him in the bathroom. His injuries are as follows: imagine you took a pair of scissors and cut your upper lip up to your nose, then get those scissors and jamm them in your nose as to puncture through your nose all the way in your sinus. then get the scissors and make a big hole on the bridge of your nose so the cartilage that separates your two nostrils has a big hole. K latched onto my Husband's face and did not let go, he kept pushing him and finally my husband was abel to use his hand to pry open K's mouth to let go of his face. He also suffered severe lacerations of his thumb trying to open K's mouth. We ran to the ER, where he had to have a plastic surgeon reconstruct his lip and nose. The pastic surgeon said my DH was within a 1/4" of losing his whole upper lip and tip of nose right off his face!
This is how my Dh described this. He gave K food in the usual place, the way he always does. He said K looked at him funny and did not goble the food up like he always does. Then DH put his hand pointing to the bowl and said K your food. Without any warning or any growls, k lunged and held on to his face.
This has been devastating to us. For about 2 weeks I kept my husband separated from K who wanted to lick him (couldn't risk any infection or damage to the stitches), separated from our son. I played with him and fed him and loved him but in the back of my mind I always had what happened to my DH, not that I feared him, I just felt I could not trust him.
After a lot of heartbreak, my DH and I decided to call the breeder and see if they would take him back (he is shy of 2 years old). The breeder did take him back and will try and train him for Schutzhund. I have cried every day since this incident. I never thought I would be "one of those people" that decide not to keep a dog. I love him like family but the truth is that with my 16 month old boy, I could not in good conscience keep K after what happened to my husband. If that had happened to our son, he would not have a face right now. I also could not keep K and give him a substandard life always separated from us and always in a crate.
At home we were always bale to intorduce him to strangers and he was fine with guests, even bringing them toys and wanting affection. He never showed agression towards anyone in our family or friends over toys or food or anything. No growls nothing. He never had possession issues even with our other dog over food or toys. I know this has to be about food in some way but I just don't understand how it went from zero agression over food to a full attack on my Dh's face when he was doing what he did for the past 18 months with K. Oh, our other dog was nowhere near the food when this happened.
I know that it is not just his fault and that I am sure that in some way, without knowing it, we probably made some mistakes with him. We were very harshly judged by people over "ever having a german shepherd around your baby." And "putting your son in such danger." I still believe that German Shepherds are a wonderful breed and my DH and I still really love K and I call the kennel every week to hear of news. I miss him dearly every day and our home and hearts are empty without him.
This was not a decision we took lightly, but with my toddler, I just could not keep K in our house after what happened. Again, there was no nip, or warning. No growl, nothing, he just went for my Dh's face and pushed him and held on to it where my DH had to pry his mouth open to let go of his face, cutting his fingers in his mouth. He almost lost part of his face.
We are looking for any advice or insight. I figure as dog lovers you would understand our pain and situation. We would love to have another GSD in addition to our female (not any time soon) and would love to hear of ways to avoid something like this from happening. I saw all the support and encouragement you gave must love dogs and also advice and I was hoping you could help us too. :help: Did we make a mistake by getting a puppy from a kennel with high drive dogs? Did we make a mistake by not neutering him? The breeder told my husband that we should have never had the two dogs together. That a family should have only one shepherd and never two unless they are to be created all the time and only let out one at a time.
to must love dogs - I hope Todd is healing well and my heart goes out to you.
Thank you again to everyone!
I saw what Mustlovedogs is going through and I joined this forum to post and maybe get answers to what happened to us.
To give you some background, I have had 5 GSDs in my lifetime. My DH has also had GSDs. We are no strangers to the breed and the fact that they need a calm and assertive leader.
We got K as a puppy from a very reputable breeder. At the time I had a senior 14 yo GSD who passed away shortly after we got K. We also have a female GSD who is 5yo. We were very consciencious of having K be raised by us and not by our other GSD as the breeder stated. K was very attached to both my DH and I from the start. The breeder and vet also said not to neuter K until he was over 2 yo if ever.
From 8 weeks old we worked with K on puppy classes and obedience, crating him at night and when we were not home. He is a beautiful, smart and high drive GSD. We took him to a dog park that never had any other dogs and we exercised him almost daily (running after the ball would tire him more than my DH or I could run!). He showed agression to strangers and other dogs from 8weeks old. Never showed agression with us. We would play with him but he was not allowed to "play" bite us. We were on his food, touching it and taking it away and giving it back with praise, we would also have him do commands bfore feeding him. He could get on the bed with us when invited for about 10 min every night then crate.
When he was 6 months old I had a baby boy. While the baby is never alone with the dogs, we were very careful with every interaction. K and our DS became best buds. Our son loves K and K loves him. Our DS dropped food for him. We always ate first, etc... K knew the difference between his toys and baby toys and would let go of baby toys. He never ever growled at us for taking any food or toy or bone from him since we got him so used to it since young. He loved snuggling next to us on the couch and would always turn over on his belly for us and for our son to scratch.
I thought I was living a dream, until last month. I had two wonderful GSDs, a gorgeous 16 month old baby who loved and cared for the dogs, a wonderful DH who was as crazy about dogs as I am.
Then our world fell apart. I was home with DH (our son was at a play date) and I heard this awful scream. My Dh called for help and I found him in the bathroom. His injuries are as follows: imagine you took a pair of scissors and cut your upper lip up to your nose, then get those scissors and jamm them in your nose as to puncture through your nose all the way in your sinus. then get the scissors and make a big hole on the bridge of your nose so the cartilage that separates your two nostrils has a big hole. K latched onto my Husband's face and did not let go, he kept pushing him and finally my husband was abel to use his hand to pry open K's mouth to let go of his face. He also suffered severe lacerations of his thumb trying to open K's mouth. We ran to the ER, where he had to have a plastic surgeon reconstruct his lip and nose. The pastic surgeon said my DH was within a 1/4" of losing his whole upper lip and tip of nose right off his face!
This is how my Dh described this. He gave K food in the usual place, the way he always does. He said K looked at him funny and did not goble the food up like he always does. Then DH put his hand pointing to the bowl and said K your food. Without any warning or any growls, k lunged and held on to his face.
This has been devastating to us. For about 2 weeks I kept my husband separated from K who wanted to lick him (couldn't risk any infection or damage to the stitches), separated from our son. I played with him and fed him and loved him but in the back of my mind I always had what happened to my DH, not that I feared him, I just felt I could not trust him.
After a lot of heartbreak, my DH and I decided to call the breeder and see if they would take him back (he is shy of 2 years old). The breeder did take him back and will try and train him for Schutzhund. I have cried every day since this incident. I never thought I would be "one of those people" that decide not to keep a dog. I love him like family but the truth is that with my 16 month old boy, I could not in good conscience keep K after what happened to my husband. If that had happened to our son, he would not have a face right now. I also could not keep K and give him a substandard life always separated from us and always in a crate.
At home we were always bale to intorduce him to strangers and he was fine with guests, even bringing them toys and wanting affection. He never showed agression towards anyone in our family or friends over toys or food or anything. No growls nothing. He never had possession issues even with our other dog over food or toys. I know this has to be about food in some way but I just don't understand how it went from zero agression over food to a full attack on my Dh's face when he was doing what he did for the past 18 months with K. Oh, our other dog was nowhere near the food when this happened.
I know that it is not just his fault and that I am sure that in some way, without knowing it, we probably made some mistakes with him. We were very harshly judged by people over "ever having a german shepherd around your baby." And "putting your son in such danger." I still believe that German Shepherds are a wonderful breed and my DH and I still really love K and I call the kennel every week to hear of news. I miss him dearly every day and our home and hearts are empty without him.
This was not a decision we took lightly, but with my toddler, I just could not keep K in our house after what happened. Again, there was no nip, or warning. No growl, nothing, he just went for my Dh's face and pushed him and held on to it where my DH had to pry his mouth open to let go of his face, cutting his fingers in his mouth. He almost lost part of his face.
We are looking for any advice or insight. I figure as dog lovers you would understand our pain and situation. We would love to have another GSD in addition to our female (not any time soon) and would love to hear of ways to avoid something like this from happening. I saw all the support and encouragement you gave must love dogs and also advice and I was hoping you could help us too. :help: Did we make a mistake by getting a puppy from a kennel with high drive dogs? Did we make a mistake by not neutering him? The breeder told my husband that we should have never had the two dogs together. That a family should have only one shepherd and never two unless they are to be created all the time and only let out one at a time.
to must love dogs - I hope Todd is healing well and my heart goes out to you.
Thank you again to everyone!