German Shepherds Forum banner

My dog has now bitten people 3 times....

38K views 145 replies 44 participants last post by  Germanshepherdlova  
#1 ·
Hi All,
We have a 3 yr old neutered male GSD. He is generally very well behaved, he walks to heel well [I rarely use a lead], will come when called and sit etc. On the lead he does pull and always has to be in front on walks but will rarely leave us by more than 20 yds or so.
At home he is the gentlest fun creature, despite his size and power he never uses his teeth or shows any aggression to famly members or visitors. He is very vocal towards strangers at the door and I have little doubt that he would have a go should someone try to get in. He is very protective towards my wife and daughter, if I were to playfight with them he gets upset and jumps up [something he never does normally!] or will come between us. He doesn't attemt to bite me but just looks a bit unhappy and asks me to stop!
However on 3 occasions my dog has nipped people whilst out walking. I have no idea what triggers these situations. He just seems to be unhappy with some people, maybe they get too close? But each time he has given them a nip on the buttocks, its almost a warning from him. These are not full on attacks and he doesn't give a warning growl before he does it. The odd thing is thats its always from behind, when any minor perceived threat is over.
I am extremelely concerned now because it happened again yesterday. My 14 yo daughter had taken him out and he nipped a lady. her husband became very aggressive and threatening and followed my daughter home.
[I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting this 'gentleman' but we will be having a conversation about his inappropriate behaviour!!]
I would be very grateful for any advice on my dogs behaviour, i know we could muzzle him but I really don't want to!

Best

Dunc
 
#2 ·
First step is stop allowing your 14 year old daughter to walk a powerful dog that's known to bite without adult supervision. That's just completely irresponsible on your behalf and needs to stop. That is just inexcusable. That person had every right to be as upset as he was - I know I would have been.

With that said... What kind of training and socialization has your dog had and continue to have? Do you use any kind of equipment (prong, halti, etc) when walking the dog?

How is the dog when not on the leash with strangers? Is he leery of them at all? Has he ever attacked not on leash?

How long has this been going on?

Would you be open to getting a trainer involved and having him evaluated?
 
#3 ·
Hi Lucy,
Yes you are right we will not let her take the dog out alone again! The first time was the postman, the dog was sitting in the open boot of our car and the postman walked past him from behind. My wife was outside working and hadn't seen the postie. The second time my wife was talking to a near neighbour [dog doesn't know him] and he started to wave his arms around and walked between my wife and the dog. That was the reason i didn't bother about my daughter taking him out. I assumed that the dog had felt his mum was in a threatening situation on both occasions....I have never trained or encouraged this kind of behaviour, to the contrary we have always encouraged him to be friendly to guests and strangers when they come to the house.

He had socialisation classes as a pup and i have done the obediience training. Off the lead I find him better behaved, he is often not friendly towards some dogs and is cautious to strangers he meets. He doesn't like his head being patted by strangers and generally just ducks away. He has never growled at anyone when out to my recollction. He most definitely not a wag your tail, welcome all, kinda dog!! He is wary of strangers but hugely freindly to anyone he knows, dog or human.

I am trying to understand his mindset when he does these things!

I appreciate the reason the lady got upset and my daughter apologised to her. But a man following a 14 yo girl home and being threatening and aggressive is not a wise choice in life. He is in serious trouble......!
 
#4 ·
First, you need to ALWAYS use a leash; no exception to this rule. The first time your dog ever nipped at someone was one time too many!

Second, if your dog is trained to walk in the heel position, he should be able to do this on lead. If he isn't, I'd suggest working with him until he can.

Third, please seek the advice of a trainer! There is more going on here than you know and a trainer (at least a good one) will be able to interpret what's happening and guide you along and help you fix it!

Best of luck
 
#5 ·
Based on your description, it sounds like you've got a fearful dog and a reactive dog. He's unsure and fearful of what he's unsure of, so he bites. Pretty simple, right?

This type of behavior has nothing to do with protecting your wife or your daughter... he's protecting himself. Again, this isn't protection, it's fear. Big difference.

I think you need to learn to do two things - manage and train.

You need to manage this dog so he never has a chance to bite or attack anyone ever again. When he's going for walks... make sure you're aware of your surroundings and have complete control of him. Do not allow him to roam where he is able to get at strangers or in areas where he can't be 100% trust. With his history, if he bites one more person, it's completely your fault. You need to be in control of this dog at all times!

The second thing is training. I highly recommend you either bring in a trainer or join a reactive dog class. Personally, I'd rather join a reactive dog class because it will give you hands on experience with strangers while training. Bringing in an experienced trainer can also help evaluate the dog. I can't see your dog and I'm definitely not a dog trainer. I'm just giving you this advice out of experience and common sense. You need to consult a professional who can actually see and work with the dog, hand on.
 
#6 ·
i agree, it sounds like your dog is displaying fearful/unsure behavior, especially ducking his head when people try to pet, and nipping when people are not facing him, if he was a real confident dominant dog and was protecting he would take a full bite and would do it while people were facing him.......

yep, you need a trainer, and looks like you have alot of training and conditioning to do.....in the mean time i would not put him in the position that he's going to nip someone........
 
#9 ·
I will say that concerning the agitated man's "Inappropriate" behavior.

You would be well advised to be very nice and very apologetic to him, particularly if the dog even slightly broke the skin. I think you are in denial here. Of course the man may have been agitated - your dog just bit his wife! I would have understood if he had seriously injured or killed your dog.

If you do not fix this the dog will likely be taken from you and PTS. It sounds like you are making excuses and don't want to inconvenience the dog with a muzzle. YOu need to realize that this will only get worse on its own.

He does sound like a fearful dog and both of you need help to manage this.
 
#130 ·
I would have understood if he had seriously injured or killed your dog.
That's a little harsh, dont you think? In the words of Mr. T "I pitty the fool" who does harm to my dogs!

If you do not fix this the dog will likely be taken from you and PTS. It sounds like you are making excuses and don't want to inconvenience the dog with a muzzle. YOu need to realize that this will only get worse on its own.

He does sound like a fearful dog and both of you need help to manage this.
This I do agree with, a good trainer needs to be found... Stat!
 
#10 ·
Duncan,

I just wanted to add that I applaud you for coming on the forum seeking advice. Obviously, you recognize that you are unsure how to handle the situation. Please do not take offense at the comments posted but use the information to help your dog. Sounds like you all love him very much and I think you can help him act more appropriate in those situations which cause him stress. I agree to try to find a professional. Not a group class but someone who can work one on one with you.

So, good for your for seeking help and advice. A professional will really be able to set you on the right track. You could call obedience schools ad ask them for recommendations for you. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you!!
 
#136 ·
Yes, sometimes posting on this site can be a bit intimidating due to the different levels of expertise and experience with GSD's. I like the way you reached out to Duncan for this concerning matter.

The advice given is very good and if I ever find myself in a situation such as his I will keep in mind all that I have read. Thankfully my dog is secure and confident and I have not had these issues so far. I do always walk on a lead, with a harness and a secondary collar clipped to harness.
 
#11 ·
I agree with the board members - biting from behind is not "protective" - it is fearful...the dog "nipping" at people will cost your dog his life. PERIOD. It is not acceptable behavior. It is behavior that will get you sued, and then your insurance company will INSIST that the dog be put down.

As others say, do NOT walk dog wihtout lead. I don't like halti at all...they are bandaids for training, but in the case of a dog who is behaving inappropriately with his mouth, fit him up with a head collar that restricts his OPENING his mouth enough to bite....don't walk him with it alone, use a collar and lead...Frankly, this dog would NEVER EVER go on a walk on a public street where YOU are risking HIS life by putting him in a situation where he might nip or bite again. Fence in your yard and play with him for exercise.

I hope you understand that everyone here is concerned that the dog will suffer dire consequences if you do not understand and manage him more carefully.

Good luck.

Lee
 
#12 ·
Make the muzzle a party hat.
Get into training
Socialize your dog with the muzzle on.

Hunkie gets a Party Hat! | Self Help Dog Training - Blog
This is a great video. Your dog nipping from behind is a fear issue not a protective one. You need to learn how to give your dog confidence. Find a good trainer and get working :)
 
#13 ·
He walks ahead of you by 20 yards or so? That is at least 60 feet away. And he has bitten three times? Um, so if a child is out in their yard and walks on the sidwalk in front of your dog, he "nips" the child on the butt when they walk away and you are 20 yards away? That dog could bite that child severely before you could even catch up to him.
You act like this is a problem but not a big one... This is serious stuff. This dog should never be off leash. This dog should never be in public without a muzzle on. This dog, and you the owner need some help and fast.
The man walked behind your daughter all the way home after the dog bit his wife? And you are mad at the man? Are you for real? You are lucky he didn't have the cops on the phone and have them there to pick up the dog when it arrived at your home. If he was talking to your daughter all the way home, at least he stayed back, some would have probably shot the dog on the spot. You should thank your lucky stars that a lawyer is not already knocking at your door. Or the police or the animal control
I had a guy call me up about his boxer for some advice. Seems the boxer had been with them his whole life, he was 3, neutered, a family pet. Loved anyone who came to the house, etc. Anyway, he had started to bark and nip at people walking by. They had an underground fence and he was running through it. I talked alot about fear aggression, training, etc. I talked about a fenced yard or kennel, which he did not want to do. I talked about a muzzle, he did not want to do it. I told him that the dog would probably get worse and really hurt someone. He said, oh it was just a few nips, not a big deal. We put the dog to sleep about three weeks ago. The dog left the yard again and actually bit a person severely. Cost them a fortune in medical bills and a lawsuit.
This is where you are headed if you don't do something fast. Of course, everyone on this board knows how I feel about a dog biting or nipping a human. I don't beleive in second or third chances when that happens. But that is just me.
 
#14 ·
Your dog sounds a lot like my Niko. Niko has never bitten anyone, but I am EXTREMELY vigilant with him around strangers and he is never off lead in a public area. When we do go out in public, I keep him on a very short leash and bring the best treats in the world so I can get his attention on me instead of anyone else on the sidewalk.

We have made huge strides since we have been working with a private trainer that we hired in January of this year. I would very seriously advise that you give this a try, no matter what the cost. You owe it to your dog and your neighbors to do this.

You CAN manage this problem, you just need the tools to do it. The trainer can help you with this. Try to find a trainer who uses positive reinforcement more than one who uses punishment. I think a balanced approach to fear reactivity brings about the best results.

Best of luck in this! I know how stressful it is to have a dog that seems out of control.
 
#19 ·
Your dog sounds a lot like my Niko. Niko has never bitten anyone, but I am EXTREMELY vigilant with him around strangers and he is never off lead in a public area. When we do go out in public, I keep him on a very short leash and bring the best treats in the world so I can get his attention on me instead of anyone else on the sidewalk.

We have made huge strides since we have been working with a private trainer that we hired in January of this year. I would very seriously advise that you give this a try, no matter what the cost. You owe it to your dog and your neighbors to do this.

You CAN manage this problem, you just need the tools to do it. The trainer can help you with this. Try to find a trainer who uses positive reinforcement more than one who uses punishment. I think a balanced approach to fear reactivity brings about the best results.

Best of luck in this! I know how stressful it is to have a dog that seems out of control.
Getting a top trainer to work with is key. But what did your trainer indicate to do if your dog is not hungry when he decides to act up?

I have a dog who can sometimes be a bit reactive (mostly to other dogs not people) and will usually show no interest in any treat whatsoever when he does get amped up.
 
#15 ·
I agree with everyone else. The dog sounds like a fear reactive dog. After the 1st bite you should IMMEDIATELY evaluated his behavior and see what was wrong. Use a leash!!A fear reactive dog, especially one that bites, especially in an area that is not yours, I would leash the dog. What you are doing is just asking for trouble. If you don't act now and do something about your dog's behavior YOUR DOG will end up paying with his life.
 
#16 ·
I am extremelely concerned now because it happened again yesterday. My 14 yo daughter had taken him out and he nipped a lady. her husband became very aggressive and threatening and followed my daughter home.
[I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting this 'gentleman' but we will be having a conversation about his inappropriate behaviour!!]
I would be very grateful for any advice on my dogs behaviour, i know we could muzzle him but I really don't want to!

Best

Dunc
If your dog bit MY wife on the butt you would DEFINITELY get some 'inappropriate' behavior from me. After all, how
am I to know he is done biting and won't escalate?!
 
#41 ·
I stand by what I said. That is not a personal attack, it's an honest
reaction. I repeat, how is the person whose wife just got bitten to
know that there is not more attack to come? I have been attacked
by a GSD that was 'held' by a 14 year-old boy who might as well
have been a Raggedy Andy once that dog made up his mind.
The OP stated he doesn't want to muzzle his dog after 3 biting
incidents then gets offended by responses. I think there is a
thread with an appropriate title for that.
Many responses were well-meaning and articulately presented.
As for me I think the OP needs to get his head out of the sand.
Personal attack? Maybe so.
 
#18 ·
Hi All,
We have a 3 yr old neutered male GSD. He is generally very well behaved, he walks to heel well [I rarely use a lead], will come when called and sit etc. On the lead he does pull and always has to be in front on walks but will rarely leave us by more than 20 yds or so.
At home he is the gentlest fun creature, despite his size and power he never uses his teeth or shows any aggression to famly members or visitors. He is very vocal towards strangers at the door and I have little doubt that he would have a go should someone try to get in. He is very protective towards my wife and daughter, if I were to playfight with them he gets upset and jumps up [something he never does normally!] or will come between us. He doesn't attemt to bite me but just looks a bit unhappy and asks me to stop!
However on 3 occasions my dog has nipped people whilst out walking. I have no idea what triggers these situations. He just seems to be unhappy with some people, maybe they get too close? But each time he has given them a nip on the buttocks, its almost a warning from him. These are not full on attacks and he doesn't give a warning growl before he does it. The odd thing is thats its always from behind, when any minor perceived threat is over.
I am extremelely concerned now because it happened again yesterday. My 14 yo daughter had taken him out and he nipped a lady. her husband became very aggressive and threatening and followed my daughter home.
[I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting this 'gentleman' but we will be having a conversation about his inappropriate behaviour!!]
I would be very grateful for any advice on my dogs behaviour, i know we could muzzle him but I really don't want to!

Best

Dunc
Are you serious? Your dog is totally out of control and proabaly in most places would have been PTS by now with that bite record.

You allow a young child to walk a dog (offlead?) with such fear aggression behavior!

And then you get upset about someone getting u7pset about your dog biting his wife????? That is unbelievable! Get a grip and clean up your and your dog's act!

"You don't want to use a muzzle"? Why the heck not - like to see more people get bit by your dog?


BTW, if your dog had bitten my wife - more would have happened than just following your dog home, trust me!
 
#20 ·
Thank you for the more sensible replies, I think we will look for a good trainer! Some of your responses regarding the actions of the husband surprise me. Whilst you are clearly knowledgeable about dogs your judgement of the husbands responses are way off the mark. I do understand he was upset but to follow and threaten a lone 14 yo girl is plainly stupid, yes irresponsible and yes illegal!
 
#23 ·
Yup, try to deflect responsibility from your out of control dog and totally irrisponsible treatment of him.

If he didn't follow your daughter home, how would you suggest that he find out who was the owner of the dog and who is responsible for his wife's injury and trauma?

Or did your daughter, whom you obviously consider to be capable of walking a dog with a known and extensive history of biting and aggressive behavior, volunteer your name address and insurance company information? (I do tend to doubt that very much!)

BTW, you never did explain just how this understandably upset man "threatened" your daughter?

Interesting that you seem so upset that somebody "threatened" your family mamber (but with no physical harm, I am assuming) and yet you don't think that he had any right to be equally upset when your big powerful GSD actually physically assualted his family member, right? Sound ok to you?

Just out of curiousity, don't you think that you are responsible for this poor woman's (who your dog attacked while in a public place) injuries?
 
#21 ·
The issue of how the man behaved is unclear...did he threaten her with ???? calling the cops? We don't understand the interactions and thus, personally, I have no comment on his behavior....the fact remains that he saw your dog bite his wife, and some anger is understandable. Perhaps you would have been happier had he called the police while he was walking and you had police at your door when she arrived home with the dog. He had every right to know where your daughter and the dog lived...his behavior could have well been over the top and unacceptable...and 2 wrongs do not make a right. But his anger is understandable.

Again, fence, muzzle, dog under control and trained = dog who will be able to go on living....lack of those things = lawsuit and dog who must be euthanized....dealing with the angry man politely without recriminations for his anger may help next move be option 1 rather than his anger confronted with your anger which will more than likely result in option 2.

Think about it long and hard before dealing with the angry husband.

Lee
 
#22 ·
Duncan, don't underestimate the seriousness of this situation - people have given you some very good advice, please don't be turned off by some members who are trying to turn this into a personal attack.

We all want your dog to be a safe and reliable family member that can be trusted out in public, the same as you do, and we don't want him put to sleep because of the next person he bites. So for now, you must not put your dog in ANY situation where there is a potential for a bite, which means just about any situation where he has access to people. It will be a huge change in how you view your dog, how you handle your dog, in how you have always done things. It will be completely different now with a leash and a muzzle and never never never letting your guards down - but these steps will save his life, which is much more important than having a few minutes of off-leash, no muzzle freedom.

Take all the advice to heart, get some help, keep your dog alive, don't be forced to have him put down.
 
#26 ·
Duncan, don't underestimate the seriousness of this situation - people have given you some very good advice, please don't be turned off by some members who are trying to turn this into a personal attack.

We all want your dog to be a safe and reliable family member that can be trusted out in public, the same as you do, and we don't want him put to sleep because of the next person he bites. So for now, you must not put your dog in ANY situation where there is a potential for a bite, which means just about any situation where he has access to people. It will be a huge change in how you view your dog, how you handle your dog, in how you have always done things. It will be completely different now with a leash and a muzzle and never never never letting your guards down - but these steps will save his life, which is much more important than having a few minutes of off-leash, no muzzle freedom.



Take all the advice to heart, get some help, keep your dog alive, don't be forced to have him put down.
Yes, i have listened am already looking for a trainer, just finding the right person tho. My daughter won't be walking the dog any more and he will be on a lead with me! I won't let him be in a 'position' any more. I just find some of the responses very negative and unhelpful....
 
#25 · (Edited)
Your dog needs training, obedience and confidence building exercises.
he gets upset and jumps up [something he never does normally!] or will come between us. He doesn't attemt to bite me but just looks a bit unhappy and asks me to stop
He also needs guidance in the home, and leadership.
A confident, respectful dog will not bite others unless there is a credible threat. He ought to be looking to his owners to help him determine what a threat truly is. If your neighbor Joe comes over and visits, the dog needs to look to you (who are happy Joe's there, and not panicking over Joe's presence), see you are not upset that Joe's there, and act accordingly - that is, not bite or "nip".

His "nipping" behavior, which only occurs after people walk away, speaks to his fear/uncertainty and disrespect for you as his leader.

I like these suggestions for getting your dog's respect back so you may properly lead it.

Yes it's your own fault for letting him bite three people and you may indeed lose him now, but at least get his respect back - it is do-able.

Mind Games (version 1.0) by M. Shirley Chong

Oh, buy a leash today and use it!! Keep him on it even while in the house, for now!
 
#27 ·
I just find some of the responses very negative and unhelpful....

Always happens on a forum with hundreds of people...that's the risk of posting info. However, you've gotten some great advice too. Take the good, leave the bad :)
 
#29 ·
I would have followed your daughter home also, because I would've wanted to know where you live in order to file a report.

I would not have yelled, threatened or any other thing. She's just a girl. Even if she had been able to provide information, I would not have accepted it. I would want to know for sure where the dog lived.

I also might've tried to talk to her about why she was off-leash walking a dog that behaves like that...but minus threats or intimidation. She's not the owner, she's just a kid.

I understand the man's anger, tho it sounds like he did go over the top, but I would be greatly upset myself if a dog bit my child/mom/bf/etc and doubly /triply so if the dog had been off-leash. This man, as nasty as he may have been, does have great power over your dog's life right now if he chooses to pursue it.
 
#30 ·
Would it be fair to say had not that man shaken you up so much it mat have simply been another nip in your mind. People do get emotional about this because the responsible dog owners are being punished by the actions of the irresponsible.

You are being responsible and we will do all we can to help you.

Please give the man the benefit of the doubt though. Personally i think he should habe called the police and let them talk with your daughter instead of scaring her. In that regard perhaps you should count youblessings.r
 
#31 ·
Duncan,

1. You are responsible for your dog's actions. If someone sues you for even a nip, the chances are your insurance company will drop you like a hot potato. At that point, with a GSD with a bite history good luck getting homeowner's insurance. Many people have to euthanize their dog because they must have insurance, and they cannot get it with the breed/bite history.

2. Your behavior is extremely damaging to our breed as a whole. Every nip, every bite has terrible consequences. The angry man's wife might be a council member who when breed bans come up, will want to add GSDs to the ever growing list. Our breed has a nasty reputation, and are on many lists already, lists of breeds landlords will not accept in rentals, breed bans, lists of breeds insurance companies will not cover. So letting your dog run along off-lead and bite people ticks every person off who reads your post.

3. Your dog is not in a happy place. He is frightened and not being given the leadership he needs. By taking control of the situation, by giving him limits, boundaries, training, and keeping him safely on lead, and muzzled if necessary, by providing him with the training and leadership, you will learn his body language and in what circumstances he is not comfortable. Letting your dog run freely ahead of you is not really kind, keeping him leashed is not unkind. Your dog with his freedom and lack of boundaries, is very uncertain, has weak nerves and is nipping people going away because he is afraid.

I really feel for the dog. You got a long road to go with this dog, but start with managing him properly. Keep him contained, and leashed to a responsible adult.

The man whose wife was bitten, he should have been angry. 14 is not a small/young child. If she is old enough to walk the GSD, then she is old enough to hear some guff when he bites someone. Protect your kid, protect your dog.
 
#32 ·
I'm usually not the one to call out everyone on this, but why are we even discussing (and arguing) how the man treated your daughter?

It's completely irrelevant with the situation at hand here... do you guys really want to go around in circles about this? Seems like a complete non-issue with your original question...