Hi, any experienced help on this problem would be greatly appreciated! I just sold my 9 month old male puppy (intact). He is sensitive, loving and regularly socialized in public places on leash; also gets pet by strangers if he chooses (I let them put their hand out & he will come up or not, I do not force him). He had no agression towards people but got overly excited and unsure around certain dogs (not every dog). He is crate trained and trained in obedience by myself only. He listens good & follows commands from my husband and 5 year old child for regular tasks like going in & out of the house, recall and following them around our property as well as getting affection. He has a high drive, good focus with me (his trainer) and not dominant in my dog pack of 5 dogs. The new owners spent time with me (about 1.5 hrs) & him before deciding on purchasing him, then spent 4.5 hours with him in their car without a crate and he seemed comfortable, they arrived home and walked him around their property. (A short video of him walking at their property showed him walking and sniffing then getting a tug of the slip lead leash from the new owner wanting him to come to her; he looked a little scared at that point but not engaging with her ). Then after being in their home for a little while he started to jump on their back when faced away and bite. Before they decided to take him home, I told them that he sleeps in a crate and needs a crate to relax and feel comfortable in his safe place. They told me they had a crate, so I assumed they were going to use it knowing from the info I told him that he needs to have a crate to feel safe and relax in. After they notify me that he jumped and bit them I said he needs to be in the crate for the night and they told me they had one years ago and only used it a few times. I’m sure the pup is having some separation anxiety, lack of trust with new owners and stressed from not given anytime to relax and settle into his new environment among other things. What would you recommend in this situation? Do you think having an IPO trainer (experienced in correcting behaviors & training puppies) meet with them would be beneficial verses taking him back? Do you think this experience would traumatize him and cause issues rehoming him in the near future? He just turned 9 months old. Thank you for your advice!
Adopting 9 month old puppy, biting new owners
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Wow, I'm sure this is hard on you! Personally, I think if you vetted these folks appropriately this kind of thing wouldn't happen. But it does sound like a situation where the folks you sold him to have no idea what they're doing! Forget everything else, get your pup back and find him a better home!
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Judging by the story... I just think that people who know dogs should be able to tell the difference between dogs being excited and then nipping and aggressive dogs that bite. Especially with GSDs. It's a personal pet peeve for me when my dog was a pup and he got excited and started nipping/herding and people would be like 'You have an aggressive dog!!' while those who understand dogs would stay calm and my dog would be calm too. The new owners should educate themselves or they have no business owning a 9 month-old shepherd puppy tbh. Maybe they should start with a pug or a basset who are known to be calm and don't have high prey drive...
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They lied. End of discussion. Deals off, go get your dog.
I don't like the attitude that dogs are like cell phones, you buy them and they do what you want. Preprogrammed, out of the box.
I'm unclear why you are rehoming a 9 month old dog, probably the worst age possible.
I don't like the attitude that dogs are like cell phones, you buy them and they do what you want. Preprogrammed, out of the box.
I'm unclear why you are rehoming a 9 month old dog, probably the worst age possible.
How long have they had with the puppy? If I were a dog, going from a nice safe house with a pack of 5 buddies to a strange house with inexperienced owners would probably freak me out as well.
Are they naive about what that got themselves into and willing to learn or ignorant and unwilling to learn?
FWIW, I understand about the crate thing. Last time I had a puppy, 40 years ago, cages were puppy jail. The cage was used as a punishment tool. Every time the puppy misbehaved we were told to stick it in the cage and not let it out until it learned its lesson. Arggg. The challenge is that many well-intended people still think of crates as punishment tools.
When I got my pup, its crate had been used as punishment and for excessive confinement. It took several weeks to work him through it.
Now, he goes into his crate at night to sleep even though the door is open. His bedtime routine is weird. 10-15 minutes of snuggle time with me on my bed. I say 'bedtime.' He hops off the bed and opens the window shade a few inches He figured out how to raise the shade about 6 inches to lookout
He spends about 5-10 minutes looking out the window then he goes into his crate to sleep.
Based on my past experiences with crates, I never would have believed that the crate would turn into a happy den.
Are they naive about what that got themselves into and willing to learn or ignorant and unwilling to learn?
FWIW, I understand about the crate thing. Last time I had a puppy, 40 years ago, cages were puppy jail. The cage was used as a punishment tool. Every time the puppy misbehaved we were told to stick it in the cage and not let it out until it learned its lesson. Arggg. The challenge is that many well-intended people still think of crates as punishment tools.
When I got my pup, its crate had been used as punishment and for excessive confinement. It took several weeks to work him through it.
Now, he goes into his crate at night to sleep even though the door is open. His bedtime routine is weird. 10-15 minutes of snuggle time with me on my bed. I say 'bedtime.' He hops off the bed and opens the window shade a few inches He figured out how to raise the shade about 6 inches to lookout
He spends about 5-10 minutes looking out the window then he goes into his crate to sleep.Based on my past experiences with crates, I never would have believed that the crate would turn into a happy den.
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If it would have been my pup, I would have wanted him back home ASAP.
I had a different story but maybe even worse that your’s because the buyer’s vet said that this pup has multiple life threatening disabilities that would need multiple surgeries.. I told them to bring him home, he was my favorite and his sister’s owner after hearing the story came to get him and he actually lived for 11+ years out leaving his sister with no problems.
Not to mention just for the heck of it I brought him back to my vet and after he asked me why, I showed him the note from the other vet.. multiple life threatening disabilities that would require surgeries.. He is a good old fashioned vet.. he didn’t say much..but his face expression was ?? what’s his name of that.. again?!)
I had a different story but maybe even worse that your’s because the buyer’s vet said that this pup has multiple life threatening disabilities that would need multiple surgeries.. I told them to bring him home, he was my favorite and his sister’s owner after hearing the story came to get him and he actually lived for 11+ years out leaving his sister with no problems.
Not to mention just for the heck of it I brought him back to my vet and after he asked me why, I showed him the note from the other vet.. multiple life threatening disabilities that would require surgeries.. He is a good old fashioned vet.. he didn’t say much..but his face expression was ?? what’s his name of that.. again?!)
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Definitely separation anxiety, but those people don’t need him.
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Get him back.
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