Tails chasing in an obsessive behavior and not good. It can also be a sign of neurological issues. It you are also seeing a sudden onset of aggression where there was none before I would get him to a Vet ASAP. If you rule out medical then find someone who can help you with behavioral issues.

 

The vet said he cant do anythig about the tail chasing but he has been seeing Kovu from when he was a pup asn has advised he be put on anxiety medication which we have started since yesterday.

 

How old is your dog? How much training has he had? What does a "typical" day look like for him?

 

He is 2 yrs. Not had much formal training but we intend to send him for boarding training, but they advised that we need to wait till the anxiety issue mellows down a bit.

 

Just my opinion, but you'll be way better off in the long run having a trainer come and work with you and your dog in person. Roughly 70% of the dog's training is for you, so you know better what his exercise and engagement needs are, and can work on things like timing of rewards and clear, consistent communication while training. It is not all on the dog! And it's not as simple as one might think...

 

How much exercise and mental stimulation does he get? Board and train will only work if the trainer also teaches you how to work with him. Tail chasing can mean a bored and obsessive dog who needs more enrichment in his life. Brain games/training, good outlets for energy that may also help make him less anxious. Kenneling and more structure. I've heard some people have good luck with NILF strategies with anxious dogs by giving them that extra structure.

 

Hi There,
My GSD went in for training for 4 weeks, he has aggression and anxiety issues. Spent heaps of Money and the trainer finally said he has a mental disability and he has not been able to train him.
We went to pick him up today as he was boarding there, the trainer said he could be a danger to the family as well. Do you reckon a GSD will attack its own family?

 

Yes, it can and does happen.

You went to the wrong trainer IMO. An obedience trainer isn't what you need here.

Muzzle train your dog. Keep everyone safe. Look for a behaviorist that can help you. This dog is a liability until/unless you get this under control. You need properly qualified professional help. Internet training suggestions aren't going to help this dog.

 

Dogs can have mental health issues just like people. Is he still on medication? Have you spoken to your vet? Maybe he needs a different medication or dosage. More importantly, is your vet a behavioral specialist? If not, scheduling an appointment with one would be a good idea. Regular veterinarians tend to prescribe old, standby meds which can sometimes escalate a problem while a specialist will be better qualified in knowing what to prescribe to better help your dog.

IMO, sending an anxious dog away for training isn't a good idea. Separating an highly anxious dog from his home and family to send to a board and train will only send his anxiety soaring. Your dog is not reachable when in a reactive state of high anxiety. Training just won't happen.

Take your dog to a behavioral specialist veterinarian. If meds help, work with a qualified trainer one on one in your home as Tim suggested. In the meantime, take precautions to ensure everyone's safety as suggested by David.

 

I had a rescue that chased his tail and began biting people. We found out that he had anal fistulas and was in a great deal of discomfort. That may not be the case here but it’s worth getting him checked for that. Biting was a separate issue as that never went away even after he was treated medically.

 

Dogs can be masters at hiding pain and not all conditions are easily detected in a routine vet exam.

 

Thanks! for the feedback, I think we got taken for a ride, the trainer now wants us to sign a document that he is not responsible for Kovu's behaviour. He will not release him till we sign this or he said he will need to advise the council that he a "dangerous Dog" I thought as a trainer he should have given us this advise in 2 weeks of boarding Kovu. Its very upsetting as I think we did the wrong thing with Kovu. It was not fair on him.. I hope he doesn't continue to blackmail us further. We have decided to bring him back and let us see how things go. I only hope we have not made the situation worse.

 

Is he legally able to hold your dog hostage?

 

And we had consulted a behavioral specialist and that didn't help either, he did not prescribe any medication though.
His tips on training him we didn't find very effective. he said we need to keep him outside 24X7, which we couldn't as we have neighbors and he would bark. he said no toys, no playing with him. as in fetch etc. is a behavioral specialist same as a behavioral specialist veterinarian?
he is not on medication anymore now, as teh trainer took him off that.

 

Please get a second opinion!! I'm pretty sure a trainer just can't take a dog of medication. You and you fur baby take care and please keep us updated.

 

Kovu, does your country have any certified veterinary behaviorists? They're licensed vets who've done extra years of residency working in the behavior field -- they seem to specialize in combining medication and behavior modification together. In the U.S., there are only a few of them, and most of them are at universities. Here's the organization that credentials them in the United States (but not internationally): What is a veterinary behaviorist? - American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

A consultation cost about US$400, plus full blood work on top of that, the last time I took a dog to see one. OCD is a condition that is commonly treated with meds in dogs (Prozac, for instance) to work on altering the brain chemistry while the behavior modification is being practiced. It's a two-pronged approach -- not just throw meds at the dog, but use the meds to try to give you some breathing space to make progress with behavior mod. These credentialed behaviorists give very detailed notes on the exercises and weekly progress goals, checking in by phone or email for months after the visit. They may have to adjust meds several times too. Some of them do tele-consultations working with vets in far-away places (talking to the vet, not the client, as they're not licensed to talk to clients in those far away places).

Regular training (ESPECIALLY aversive training techniques) can make some of these dogs a lot worse.

 

Where in Australia are you?