Severe Dog Aggression

SweetSalem · 01-18-2012, 03:16 PM

I am looking for some guidance for my 1 1/2 year old GSD - Salem. First let me say she is sweet with people and children especially young children (I have three kids, youngest is 2 1/2).

But Salem is completely aggressive with other dogs. Her hackles go up, she lunges, and has that horrible fear bark. It use to be only when she was running around in our yard (invisible fence) but now it has esculated to when we go on walks. She acts nuts.

History: At 4 months, she broke her leg, had surgery (pins etc.) and was confined to her crate for 10 weeks straight (so her leg could heal). I know this didn't help with her "socialization" skills with other dogs.

How do I get her to not be afraid of other dogs and to act civil around other dogs? How can I socialize her without being a risk to other dogs?

onyx'girl · 01-18-2012, 03:25 PM

Do you work with a trainer? I would get the book Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt and work on the exercises outlined in the book. There are several threads on reactivity, but most advice seems to come back to Leslie's game LAT and management of reactive dogs.

Stevenzachsmom · 01-18-2012, 03:35 PM

My dog was always DA and we just managed her. I would be very uncomfortable with an invisible fence. There is nothing keeping another dog from walking into your yard. Can you put up a physical fence? I have a 6 foot privacy fence. My dog cannot see other dogs and that helps immensely. On walks, my dog was muzzled. She was never a dog that could go everywhere, but that was OK. She was the only dog in our home - so no problem. Like your dog, our girl adored people and kids. That was more important to me. The old dog is now 14 years old and still doesn't like most other dogs.

SweetSalem · 01-18-2012, 03:45 PM

She had worked with a trainer (pinch collar training) for five weeks a year ago. But I haven't worked much with her on training. (I know my fault...should have kept up with our training).

Twyla · 01-18-2012, 03:58 PM

Woolf is DA. Pinch/prong collars just ramp him up more. I've heard of and know of other dogs that it increases the aggression as well. What I use is a martingale, still gives a correction but doesn't put that bite into it.

SweetSalem · 01-18-2012, 04:17 PM

Where did you get the Martingale?

s14roller · 01-20-2012, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SweetSalem

Where did you get the Martingale?

I got mine at Petco

01-18-2012, 03:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
SweetSalem Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 38	Severe Dog Aggression I am looking for some guidance for my 1 1/2 year old GSD - Salem. First let me say she is sweet with people and children especially young children (I have three kids, youngest is 2 1/2). But Salem is completely aggressive with other dogs. Her hackles go up, she lunges, and has that horrible fear bark. It use to be only when she was running around in our yard (invisible fence) but now it has esculated to when we go on walks. She acts nuts. History: At 4 months, she broke her leg, had surgery (pins etc.) and was confined to her crate for 10 weeks straight (so her leg could heal). I know this didn't help with her "socialization" skills with other dogs. How do I get her to not be afraid of other dogs and to act civil around other dogs? How can I socialize her without being a risk to other dogs?

01-18-2012, 03:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,596	Do you work with a trainer? I would get the book Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt and work on the exercises outlined in the book. There are several threads on reactivity, but most advice seems to come back to Leslie's game LAT and management of reactive dogs. __________________ Jane~ Kept by Onyx, Kacie and Gideon v Wildhaus aka Karlo Last edited by onyx'girl; 01-18-2012 at 03:28 PM.

01-18-2012, 03:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
Stevenzachsmom Knighted Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,494	My dog was always DA and we just managed her. I would be very uncomfortable with an invisible fence. There is nothing keeping another dog from walking into your yard. Can you put up a physical fence? I have a 6 foot privacy fence. My dog cannot see other dogs and that helps immensely. On walks, my dog was muzzled. She was never a dog that could go everywhere, but that was OK. She was the only dog in our home - so no problem. Like your dog, our girl adored people and kids. That was more important to me. The old dog is now 14 years old and still doesn't like most other dogs.

01-18-2012, 03:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
SweetSalem Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 38	She had worked with a trainer (pinch collar training) for five weeks a year ago. But I haven't worked much with her on training. (I know my fault...should have kept up with our training).

01-18-2012, 03:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Twyla Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 488	Woolf is DA. Pinch/prong collars just ramp him up more. I've heard of and know of other dogs that it increases the aggression as well. What I use is a martingale, still gives a correction but doesn't put that bite into it.

01-18-2012, 04:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
SweetSalem Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 38	Where did you get the Martingale?

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement