[Maika]

Hi. This is going to be a long one I'm afraid and my English is not as good as it should be. OK, Maika is now 1 year and 3 months old. I saved her from boing put down at 1 month and yes I know it should have been at least 3 to 4 months but it was taking her in or her being put to sleep. I had to milk feed her, house train her and clear up her messes even wipe her bum for her. She is now an adorable GSD see Attached file. her whole life she has always barked at people who visit the house and will run away from them and run up to them again and bark which means we cant have many people over or parties etc as there is nowhere to put her except in 40 degrees heat outside which I will not do obviously. She has 5.000 m2 of fenced land to run around in all fresh grass but stays inside with me only going out to have a bark at someone who is maybe driving down the track or pplay a while with her toys. As she will not run around in all this land I have to take her for a walk in the mornings and evenings which sometimes is about an hour in total due to work and having to do work around the house. About 4 months ago I was out with her and a guy walked out from between a load of trees and made me jump and Maika she promptly went up and tore a hole in his trousers before I could get her on the lead. Yesterday we had a guy doing some gardening and she had to stay inside and sometimes out on her leash, my daughter come home and as the land is so big did not know this guy was working around the back of the house and again she went for him just missing his had as I heard her teeth clamp shut. The guy was OK about it but that will be now all around the village Im sure. I have got her now a mussle so when I take her out as she can no longer be trusted I have to put it on her. She now walks behind me nudging my legs asking for it to be taken off, she used to love running after sticks amd her ball but that has now all gone and her walk this morning was a very boring one and she looks at me as if she has done something wrong. With the family in the house she is fine and with me I can do anything I like with her playing rough and tumble on the grass, brushing her which she loves, even when I am in the bath she has to be in the bathroom with me laying on the floor. If I go out she waits by the car, in the morning she is sat waiting outside the bedroom door, the atached photo shows her sat next to me while I am on the computer working and you can see she wants to play but nly with me lol. It seems a shame she did not get the mothers instinct ap to 4 months old as I feel all of this was through having to take her on at 1 month so I was the only one with her day and night for her feeds and nappy change!!. It would have been so nice to have had her happy with other people and normal off the leash, however when she is off the leash and I whisle she comes straight away and walks by my side or just in front always stopping and looking behind and in front of me to see if anyone is about. No dog trainers in this part of the world I'm afraid they only use their boot in the ribs or a peace of wood which as we all know is terrible but Spain is Spain and thats al they say she needs a stick taking to her. A lovely country but not animal orientated i'm afraid. Well that's m problem and situation which I dont think has much chance of getting any better. Hope the attached file comes out somewhere of my little baby.......maybe to spoilt <<<<<<<<.

 

[Ocean]

Hola. She will get used to the muzzle. Also give her a treat when you put on the muzzle so she'll develop a positive association with it. Always have her muzzle on when walking out on the street and put her on a leash. You have enough land so I don't see why she has to be off leash when you are walking around the village outside your property. You have to be really careful of knowing when a gardener or someone is working or visiting your property so you do not have any accidents. That is called management.

Does she play fetch? That is one good way to exercise her inside your property. Also, you should have a crate, a wire or plastic kennel, that she is used to staying inside the house when you have visitors or parties. Dogs like being inside their crates when they have a positive association with it. So again treats to lure and stay inside the crate. Put the crate in a quiet and cool place in your house away from visitors. When you have just one or two visitors that you trust like family or close friends, put your dog on a leash and give a bag of treats to the family or friend. Have them throw treats to your dog until the dog does not find them a threat anymore, but do not let them pet her right away. It could take months before a dog truly accepts someone.

There are also CDs or DVDs that you can buy on dog training, and even videos on youtube. You have a pretty german shepherd.

 

[carmspack]

Maika "She is now an adorable GSD see Attached file. her whole life she has always barked at people who visit the house and will run away from them and run up to them again and bark"

You gave many examples where the dog has been fear aggressive . Ready and willing to bite -- actually biting and tearing clothing.

This is her temperament , plus being over attached .

In your situation you can not have her off leash . Muzzle and on lead it is . So although " It would have been so nice to have had her happy with other people and normal off the leash" she can't because she is mistrustful and frightened . Not happy.

"however when she is off the leash and I whisle she comes straight away and walks by my side or just in front always stopping and looking behind and in front of me to see if anyone is about. "

That is part of her anxiety .

Management is going to be very important . You can't make your household a prisoner to her needs . You can't deny having friends at the house , nor workers and service people that you need for upkeep .

She doesn't need to be your shadow . Some gradual separation from you would be healthy.


"She has 5.000 m2 of fenced land to run around in all fresh grass but stays inside with me only going out to have a bark at someone who is maybe driving down the track or pplay a while with her toys. As she will not run around in all this land I have to take her for a walk in the mornings and evenings which sometimes is about an hour in total due to work and having to do work around the house."

Get a good secure kennel area made for her - and put her in and leave her in . Even if 10 or 15 minutes to start. Several times a day .

I would change the routine . If she is used to feeding and walking at a same time each day she will push you to get on the routine "she waits by the car in the morning if you go out " .

You start by being in charge .

If you do go out on the street put the muzzle on her and never mind her not being happy - she will get used to it. In this case it is necessary for her own good, before it gets worse.

 

[Maika]

Hi. Thank you all for your kind response. I have noted many things from what you have all said. I have found a very good Dog Training center about 30 Km's from where I live. It's in Spanish but I will enclose the link anyway so you will get an idea. I have to call them tomorrow and they look very good so am crossing my fingers I can get her some good training and me as well. Only hope the price is not to high as they even do international shows etc. How can I make a post on the forum so I can tell people on a weekly basis how she is doing??, make a new post named Maika's Training or similar?. Thank you all again.

 

[JackandMattie]

Hi. Thank you all for your kind response. I have noted many things from what you have all said. I have found a very good Dog Training center about 30 Km's from where I live. It's in Spanish but I will enclose the link anyway so you will get an idea. I have to call them tomorrow and they look very good so am crossing my fingers I can get her some good training and me as well. Only hope the price is not to high as they even do international shows etc. How can I make a post on the forum so I can tell people on a weekly basis how she is doing??, make a new post named Maika's Training or similar?. Thank you all again.

That is good news!

Yes, that will work, to make a new post called Maika's training.

Please keep us posted. In the meantime, you have been given some very good advice on how to manage the dog: Muzzle, kennel, leash, and be aware of when someone is on your property. Good luck!!

 

[The Packman]

Just got to keep her on a short leash !

 

[MadLab]

Sounds like the dogs fear is being nurtured from an early age. People may like a dog being there shadow but to me it is not a balanced relationship. The dog must be able to relax with out being attached to a human. When the dog is taught how to be comfortable in it's owners company then it may be easier to teach it to be comfortable with visitors and strangers. When the dog starts to see the owner as the leader then it will start to stand down when told.

Walk the dog on a long line and you can still throw the ball for the dog to collect. Go for a cycle with the dog and start to exercise it more and it will get more used to meeting strangers. Use the muzzle to be sure the dog doesn't bite. I find a fabric muzzle the least ugly on a dog and is less intimidating looking.

Don't let a dog interfere with your life like not having visitors over etc. Then the dog is dominating the situation. You just build a secure cool dog run and put the dog there if it can't behave. You can bring it out on a lead occasionally and see how it gets on. Let it get over the shock of having people on the territory.