My Dog Has Severe Issues With Nervous Aggression
Question:
Please can you help? 18 months ago we adopted from rescue a white GSD who was about 18 months at the time. The rescue said that he was good with people/dogs/children and was very passive. Sadly this is not true. We think he was chained up for most of his time pre-rescue, possibly teased and has some severe issues with nervous aggression. He is passive with us and shows no aggression, he is the ‘under-dog’ with our other x breed rescue who is not aggressive but he has problems with people coming to the house – apparently docile one minute and then will make a sudden lunge. We have to keep him on the lead as he will attack other dogs and he’s a very big dog. If out, he will snap and lunge if people come up to him. We have taken him to training, have tried doing the ‘watch me’ when out so he gets guidance from us but if we lose concentration he can lunge. Worringly, he really seems to hate children and has reacted badly to all he has met. We are at our wits end with him as we can’t enjoy him – last night was the final straw as a friend came to bring us a present, the dog escaped from the room I’d put him in and bit his hand on the doorstep. It is obviously our failure to help him over his issues but we are now desperate. Thanks
ANSWER:
I’m sorry to hear about these problems. I know that aggression can be a scary and difficult issue to deal with.
I can’t overstate the solution to your problem; obedience, obedience, obedience. The fear, anxiety, and aggression that your dog is experiencing is symptomatic of a dog whose mind is not focused, not controlled, not calm, etc. Do you know what is focused, controlled, and calm? You guessed it! Obedience!
It sounds like you have worked hard so far to instill the sense of obedience with your dog. What you need to accomplish, however, if you are going to see a turn-around in behavior is a much higher level of obedience.
With a dog that has such intense aggression you may want to seek the help of a professional but I would continue working on leash obedience with your dog and gradually work towards having off leash obedience as well.
Think about it, though. If your dog lies down and stays it is impossible for him to bite your friend coming through the door. If he sits and stays by your side he can’t lunge after a passing dog. If he reliably comes when called then there is no such thing as charging after someone in an aggressive fit.
As I write this I recognize that this is a task easier said than done. Getting obedience from such an intense dog is no small feat. It will work, though, so get on task and start teaching your dog that it doesn’t matter the distraction, he needs to be obedient. Good luck.
Ty Brown is an expert dog trainer, author, and speaker who specializes in obedience training, behavior modification, protection dog training, and narcotics dogs. To learn more about Ty and the dog training services he offers, visit www.dogbehavioronline.com
Go ahead and ask us! Click the button below.
Your best bet with this dog is to work on gradually getting him used to other dogs. Yes, it’s important to work on regular training, using positive reinforcement, but it’s also important to teach him that dogs are a good thing. That takes time and effort, but it really pays off.
If you punish him, you will get more of this behavior you mentioned – apparently docile (shut down) and then aggressive out of the blue. Don’t get rid of his communication system and force him to skip over barking/growling/lunging and go right for the bite!
Here’s a good resource: Fearfuldogs.com.
First, you have to look at the GSD as a breed. They have been breed for years to herd, and protect the animals that they are watching over. GSD’s are predisposed to have a strong protective reflex– hence why your snow white boy hasn’t attacked you or your family (including his sibling!)
Have you ever heard of “not playing with a full deck?” We know this can happen with people, why is it so difficult to believe that a dog might have a screw loose? Sometimes dogs were raised “right” and just have issues– they are genetically pre-disposed.
I adopted a Pit Bull when she was 8 weeks old. She was supposed to go to a home as an “only dog” because she picked on her siblings. She was adopted to me because of my experience with dogs with behavior issues. I hired a well known behaviorist (interviewed on 20/20, nationally known) to come and train her starting at 8 weeks.
I foster dogs, and my Pittie really hadn’t been an issue. There has been times in where she was dominant (mounting, pawing) but she was well trained, so correcting her was easy. I can leave the front and back door open, and the dogs will not cross the thresh hold unless I have walked out, and ask them to follow me. I walk 5 at a time, and they walk beside me or behind me. They do not eat a treat on their paw unless I tell them to.
When my Pittie got to around two she was horrible. She barked at kids on bikes during our walks. She started picking on her sister, as well as becoming violently aggressive with another foster. Between them, there was a fight where I was bit, my hand was broken, and the two of them cost $4,000 at the vet. (Funny how I went to the hospital AFTER I brought the dogs back home)
Let’s pretend that the whole “dog years” calculation of 7 years for every 1 human year. What are kids like in between 14 and 21? What are children like during these years? They are trying to mature and stand on their own. The problem with dogs is that they are pack animals, and during these years, they are trying to find their place in the pack. How did Simba become the pack leader?
I hear the obedience thing. YES, this does work for most dogs. I have fostered 120 dogs in my life, and only this one do I think that she might be genetically pre disposed to being a little anxious. I have SEEN my own dog go from not eating for an HOUR until I told her it was OK (in her own room, I wasn’t there to remind her to leave it) to try to bully a dog.
My answer? After numerous vets recommended putting my Pit Bull down, one prescribed her anti-anxiety medication. She’ll be 3 in August, and she’s been on the meds for about 4 months. The MOST important thing about using these meds is to continue obedience training. The end goal, is that they focus on you enough to see that you’re the alpha dog, and you will protect him, so there is no need to be aggressive. You said, “It is obviously our failure to help him over his issues but we are now desperate.” I’m with you!!! Imagine how much OVER correction I must have done with a broken hand, and being neurotic because I didn’t know how I was going to break up the next dog fight!! I separated her from the pack she knew. How horrible for her!!! With the meds, I saw her anxious behavior less, I was able to lead her better because I wasn’t constantly afraid that she might pick a fight with another dog.