[Marlie421]

Hey everyone, My name is Marlie and i love this site, I'm so happy i found it! I have a 4 year old female GSD named Sway, and i just rescued a new guy on tuesday. His name is Sphinx, and he is a 1 year old GSD (very very large boy!) He was bought as a guard dog for a dump yard and was kept out in a kennel run his entire life. He has zero manners, and has no idea how to live inside a house. He keeps peeing on everything like he's marking it. I forgot how hard it can be to train an older dog not to pee on things! Well anyway, heres what i need help on. Since bringing Sphinx home, my female just does NOT like him. She pushes him around, bites him if he gets to close, almost as if she doesnt know what to do with him. But he is so confused himself, i think he is just so excited to see/play with another dog he just cant control himself around her. He's very puppylike and loves to try to get her to play with him, but she stares at him and then will go straight for his neck really hard. I broke a few scuffles up before deciding to keep them seperated for now. I really need some help here if anyone can help, i think im in way over my head here!!

First, i'd like some advice on what i can do to help Sphinx (the new guy) on how to acclimate him to living indoors. He whines when i put him in his crate, like a constant screach like im killing him that he'll do nonstop until you let him out. He counter surfs, and is just waaaayy to rambunctious in the house. Not to mention his new found toy... my cat! Once he sees her, its on! He chases her like its his job, knocking over and breaking anything in his way to get to her. He barks like a madman at the cat!

And he bit my husband yesterday! Not hard, but we were outside in the backyard and my husband came through the gate and he ran up to him barking (sounded more of an excited bark than a viscious one) but then jumped up and grabbed his arm. He didnt bite down very hard, but left a mark. Right after he bit Jack, my husband, he was like oh nevermind, and he started to play with him. I'm afraid this may be the start of a bad habit. I dont want him biting anyone, hes way to big and he could seriously take a full grown man down if he wanted.

Second, I've always wanted to have a nice pair of GSD's who loved each other and wanted to be with each other, but apparently this is not what i got. I had to rescue Sphinx, as i was the one who saw him, called AC, etc etc. i just couldnt allow him to be PTS. But now i have two big dogs in my house and one just wants to fight. Any advice on what i can do to make her more tolerant of him, or better yet, actually enjoy his company? She's never really been a doggie's dog, but she will tolerate a calm relaxed dog in her presence with no problem.

Please please please! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Giving him up isnt an option, as i am already head over heels for him. I want him to have a great happy life here with us, but this is a lot harder than i anticipated!

 

[DSudd]

I don't know much, but I have seen people recommend on here to keep the dog tethered to you if he is not in his crate. That way you know where he is and you catch him going potty and get him outside.

Never let him out of his crate if he is whining, crying, etc. You have to bear withit until he is calm or you will never be able to crate train him. By you lettting him out if he is crying you are teaching him if he crys enough that he will get out.

I don't have a counter surfer or a cat, so sorry I cant help with either of those.

Training classes might help. The dog could also just be playing cause they can get really rough.

 

[tibvixie101]

Hi and welcome to the board! Start really slow with Sphinx, and definatley keep the two of them seperated for now. If you want to allow short intervals of interaction, use a cage muzzle with your girl Sway if needed. Take them for long walks together away from home so they can learn to get along nicely. If she isnt a *dogs dog* it may take a long time for her to allow him lose in the house together without having any trouble. She may never accept him, and you'll have to keep a shuffle going, or have babygates up, doors closed so that they can both be in the house without always needing to be crated.

As for the Sphinx, read up on NILIF training. It will help him to understand what you expect from him. Make sure everyone in the house participates in it, or else it will confuse him even more.

 

[bearlasmom]

put up a child gate in between them for a few days or keep a water bottle handy for when your girl gets upset. it sounds like a case of puppy picking on a older adult, even though at his age, he should realize better. seeing as he has been alone in a run so long though, he wouldnt know anybetter. The best way to handle this is too get them into obedience training and get him fixed. give them time away from each other so they dont get on each others nerves. dont allow him to chase the cat. not a good sign. keep a water bottle handy. another thing that works well is a pop can with a few nails or coins in it and the hole sealed. dont let him or your girl see it, when they start up shake the can but dont let them see it, it startles tehm and makes them stop what they are doing. , he needs major obedience training, and from the sound of it, behavior modification. csaer malone writes great books on the subjuect that you can use along with professional one on one training. the peeing problems, you can get help with in the puppy section. the behavior issues etc you can get even more info in the training section.

good luck. it was very sweet of you to want to take this job on. your girl is probably feeling a bit put out as well. hang in there.

 

[lcht2]

it may be that your girl sway is either showing sphinx that she is boss and/or alpha or it could take her some getting used to haveing another dog in the house. as for his bad manners, i would also recommend what everyone else has been giving u

 

[Lauri & The Gang]

Hey everyone, My name is Marlie and i love this site, I'm so happy i found it! I have a 4 year old female GSD named Sway, and i just rescued a new guy on tuesday. His name is Sphinx, and he is a 1 year old GSD (very very large boy!) He was bought as a guard dog for a dump yard and was kept out in a kennel run his entire life. He has zero manners, and has no idea how to live inside a house.

Quote:

Ok, what you have is a very large PUPPY. You are going to treat him the same as an 8 week old puppy.

He keeps peeing on everything like he's marking it. I forgot how hard it can be to train an older dog not to pee on things!

Has he been neutered? If not, he should be - it can help.

Since you are treating him just like he's an 8 week old puppy that means he cannot be out of your sight for an instant in the house - unless he is in his crate. If he is in your site at ALL times then you can catch him when he starts to lift his leg - BEFORE he pees. Use a loud, negative sound (I like ACK!) to mark the behavior you want to stop, then take him outside and PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE when he goes out there.

Keeping him on a 4-6 foot leash that is attached to you is an easy way to keep tabs on him.

Quote: my female just does NOT like him. She pushes him around, bites him if he gets to close, almost as if she doesnt know what to do with him. But he is so confused himself, i think he is just so excited to see/play with another dog he just cant control himself around her. He's very puppylike and loves to try to get her to play with him, but she stares at him and then will go straight for his neck really hard.

Ok, he's a very annoying teenager and your female is trying to put him in his place.

Has there been any blood? Serious amounts of it? If not, I would let HER teach him some manners. Going for the neck is what mother dogs do to repirmand their offspring.

Quote:He whines when i put him in his crate, like a constant screach like im killing him that he'll do nonstop until you let him out.

What's the longest you've left him in there? He WILL eventually stop. If you let him out before he stops then he's just taught YOU. I will use a squirt gun with water to stop serious crate whining. The main key is to ONLY let him out when he's quiet.

Quote:He counter surfs, and is just waaaayy to rambunctious in the house.

Keeping him on leash at all times will prevent the countersurfing, the cat chasing and more. And LOTS of outside exercise will help with the rambunctiousness.

That's not a bite. That's puppy mouthing. He's never learned that he shouldn't use his mouth while playing with you. You'll have to teach him. When he puts his mouth/teeth on flesh you will use a VERY loud IPE! (like ripe without the R). It's the sound puppies make when they are roughhousing and one goes too far. After that simply walk away. He has to learn that you will not engage him if he doesn't behave.

I'd get him into a beginner obedience class as soon as you can. That will help alot.

He sounds like a good dog that just needs direction.