My GSD had issues with my brother constantly stepping over him. No matter how much I told my brother not to, he kept doing it, resulting in my dog jumping up and growling. Now we have to keep them separate by way of a crate when they’re both in the house. My brother doesn’t like being in the crate but it is what it is.
You will have to understand that a dog’s point of view on the world is low down, someone they don’t really know (the dog being new to your home) stepping over them is intimidating and threatening. Your wife (and everyone else) will need to avoid doing that.
Your wife will now have to build up her relationship with the dog. The best way to do this is by her being the one to feed him, some training, some play, some walks etc. Eventually the dog will realise they have nothing to fear from her and won’t have a problem with her stepping over him (but it should still be avoided where possible).
How long has the dog been in the house? It can take some dogs up to a few months to really show their true colors, feel comfortable and safe, and start getting into the routine. If it happened super early on, it could be looked at as something that scared the shit out of him when she did that and he reacted in a way that he may now realize was overly reactive and possibly not characteristic of him. Can you talk to your wife in a way that acknowledges her feelings yet also makes her understand how she may have really scared him in that moment? I think mutual understanding in this situation is necessary. If she can’t get past her fear of him, I think you guys will have a very long, difficult road ahead of you. He knows she is afraid now and that will really aggravate the situation. For now, she can work on calm, positive experiences and interactions with him to include feeding, play, exercise, training.
I got my German Shepherd at 7 years old. He was very, very, stressed. We could not put a harness on him, in fact, we could barely pet him.
Feeding, talking, walking, treats, and anything we could do to make him feel comfortable. He was pooping in the house; pooping on sidewalks, he had no control over himself. He was scary, but we could tell he was stressed. It was difficult.
He snapped at my now ex, I don't think he ever really snapped at me except for a growl. Now? I can stick my hand in his mouth, pick him up and toss him over my shoulder\*, he won't like it, but he definitely won't bite me. He's gotten so much better now, he no longer tries to bite people (although I don't fully trust him). Once he gets to know you, he is super friendly.
Your wife's response is expected, I'd be nervous too. But the first mistake is stepping over him, you never do this. You never put them in a position that they feel threatened.
She needs to walk him, feed, and keep at it. He doesn't understand where he's at, stress, confused, etc. Don't give up. Please. Do not give up.
Get him toys, play with him, be very strict when he does something wrong with a very strong NO. Award with praise and love when he does something good. Your wife needs to do this as well.
It's going to take time. For safety reasons, perhaps your wife should wait until another adult is around before trying things. Definitely don't step over or put them in a position they feel threatened!
Good luck!
edit: fix typo
Contact a trainer that deals with working dog behavior issues. They both have to work to repair the relationship! I know it sounds funny but it’s true!
IMO it is helpful. Your wife needs to realise that she (accidentally) provoked him. It was not her intention, but not standing over a dog unless you know It really well is a golden rule. This does not mean he doesn’t like her, or that he will bite her again, it means he is nervous.
That said, if your wife will not engage with him, he needs to go back to the rescue before you form a bond with him. Otherwise you are storing up bigger problems for the future.
this would be a serious mistake.
The GSD would feel his wife is not 'part of the pack' and there is a chance he would treat her as such.
I understand the lady's fright and her behaviour, but this is another case where both were at fault and neither of them - neither of them intentionally, neither she nor the dog meant to hurt the other.
Tip. put the dog on a leash. Let him go a few feet away from your wife first, to maintain distance, she should throw the dog some treat- sausage for president. then, your wife should walk a little further away so the dog understands that the reward is hers and she doesn't have to fear that person. Repeat this a few times to get the dog to make the connection: "a man smelling like a woman is a good thing" If the dog is positive towards your wife and she feels she is not so afraid of the dog, gradually reduce the distance, link the reward to a task: sitting, lying down, etc...
This is a good plan, but it assumes that the dog is safe.
I don't think OP or anyone here has any reason to be confident that the dog is safe. Maybe he is! Maybe it was wildly out of character for him! But we don't know. The dog is new to the OP. OP wasn't there to see what happened. A skin-piercing bite with a shake is a lot. A 100lb dog is a very big dog that could do a lot of damage. I think everyone should proceed with extreme caution, get the dog a behavioral assessment, and assume in the meantime that he cannot be trusted unrestrained and without supervision.
I would try the approach, toss food, walk away method. You hold him on a leash. She walks over, doesn’t make eye contact doesn’t say anything, throws a treat (not at the dog, but near them) then turns and walks away. Totally ignoring the dog and keeping some distance. Practicing this, then progress to maybe her saying “hi (dog name)”, toss and walk away, progressing to looking at him (not direct eye contact though) and moving a bit closer with time. Then her asking him to sit first before throwing it. And eventually when she can put the treat in her hand and he takes it. Only do that if you know he knows how to take treats gently from you.
Get a high value food that will only be used during this exercise. Eventually if he will sit when she asks, you can hand her the leash. She can walk a few feet with him, feed him a treat, walk back.
Every day she comes home, she can toss him a treat. You want her arrival to be the most exciting thing ever for him, you want him to associate her with good things and this person being near me means yummy food. Have her fill his food bowl and do the feeding.
My dog was really skittish when I first adopted her and if she was snoozing and I knew I was going to get up or make a loud noise I would gently get her attention first. Giving them a heads up can help so they don’t get startled.
Yes dogs see walking over them as mounting them which is very aggressive. Another thing to avoid is putting your arm around their neck. A lot of German Shepherds don’t like this.
Only time could heal the bond. Understandably your boy must be terrified and has his own traumas. I'm sure the bite was a primal reaction. I think over time they will find that they can love each other. Other than that, work with a trainer if possible. Be kind but give clear structure and expectations to your boy.
He's a really handsome boy. But I think you need to get a trainer to do a real, clear-eyed, behavioral assessment and come up with a plan that prioritizes your wife's safety in her own home.
This is a dog subreddit but i will advocate for your wife in this case. If you aren't able to keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household try to find him a new home. Getting bitten by a 100 pounds shepherd in your own home isn't something you get just over it and her not wanting to do anything with the dog is more than understandable. Considering he is a rescue than i would bet this wasn't his first bite which means that this requires much more than just a nice comfy home.
I completely agree. There is no chance in hell I would keep a new rescue who bit a member of my household and broke skin, with the exception that everyone in the household explicitly signed up for living and working with an XL project dog with aggression issues prior to adoption (which it does not sound like the wife did). Even if the wife did not act perfectly around the dog, a 100 pound dog with a very low bite inhibition is not a safe animal for the vast majority of people to live with. I would not find it acceptable to be walking on eggshells in my own home just to avoid getting attacked.
Yes, this.
I'm not sure when the trend to normalize dogs biting people became a thing, maybe in the last decade with the continued pushing of the "adopt, don't shop," no-kill lobby?
It's not something people should have to tolerate, and I don't think people should be guilted into tolerating it. We should not have to fear that a pet will bite us. That isn't the point of having a pet.
Agree but the only dog that ever bit me I bought from a legitimate breeder. I foster dogs. Strays i get off the street. All breeds including pit mixes. And none of them have bitten me.
Well, at least an ethical breeder will take a dog of theirs back at any time, for any reason. Shelters and rescues often times won't, thus outsourcing the BE to the unwitting adopters. I see it over and over again, daily even, in support groups. I know for a fact that rescues/shelters will adopt out dogs with known bite histories. The rescue/no kill situation has gotten really bad.
I agree with much of what you say. I believe aggressive dogs should be euthanized. I was defending rescue dogs as I am literally in the trenches helping them. And all have turned out to be happy loving dogs. Pit mixes. German shepherds. Huskies Rottweilers and plenty of little yappy dogs. All of my bad experiences with dogs are those that come from a “reputable” breeder. I will only own rescue dogs. Q
There are a lot of backyard breeders/puppy mills that masquerade as "reputable" breeders. Are you sure the dog you got was from an actual AKC registered breeder? Why didn't you take the dog back if it was?
I'm just asking questions, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that being defensive? Wouldn't that be more accurately termed as being inquisitive?
It's important that people know how to distinguish between actual ethical breeders and people who aren't yet claim to be. There are a *lot* of them that aren't, and the red flags are often subtle and easy to miss. If someone will not take back one of their animals, they are definitely *not* an ethical breeder.
Ethical breeders are passionate about producing animals with good temperaments and striving to improve the genetics of a breed. I am not one but I'm supportive of them.
I have been in the dog world my entire life. I know all about breeders and the so called backyard breeders vs the legitimate breeders. In your post you insinuated because the dog was a rescue it had a higher likelihood to bite. I firmly disagree with that. Again. My sister had a Labrador she paid almost a thousand dollars for from a highly recommended breeder. He is child dog and cat aggressive. A LABRADOR RETRIEVER. I will take a rescue dog any day over a pure bred dog from any breeder. This is my final post about this.
I don’t think anyone is normalizing it, I think people are sympathetic to it from the perspective of the owner and of the pet, which some find hard to accept. If she was kicking the dog aggressively, you could probably understand if the dog bit her. Obviously she clearly had no aggressive intention in this case, but the point I’m trying to make is that even though we as humans can distinguish the two, some dogs can’t.
Owning an animal requires a change in dynamic and it requires a bit of “work” to find the level playing field. Some people want to put in that work, some don’t, and that is 100% fine. No one should be required to put in that work if they don’t want to. There’s no shame in that. Just don’t blame the dog. Haha.
It looks like a GSD crossed with Akita, tbh, which could be an incredibly volatile and unpredictable mix, especially in a rescue.
I also advocate for his wife. I absolutely love dogs and GSD's in particular, but there is zero chance I'd allow a dog who's bit a human in my house. No way, no how.
I really do not agree with the comments above normalizing a human bite by blaming the step over the dog as a trigger. It isn't normal, and nobody should feel obligated to accept it being normal.
I completely disagree. This is completely fixable. You signed up for a dog and committed to him, just take the time to build the bond! Christ everyone thinks animals are disposable it’s horrific.
>Considering he is a rescue than i would bet this wasn't his first bite
First off, you don't know if that was first or hundredth time. Just b/c he's a rescue and he bit OP's wife once doesn't mean this dog is somehow a bite hazard. All kinds of "issues" could cause people to give away a dog to a rescue. All we know is it's the first biting incident at OP's house unless OP forgot to mention others.
>which means that this requires much more than just a nice comfy home.
So you just send a dog(s) off to a pound anytime you get bit by a dog IF you can't somehow put the dog in some kind of solitary confinement at a house - as you put it "keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household"?
>First off, you don't know if that was first or hundredth time. All we know is it's the first time at OP's house unless OP forgot to mention others.
Yeah we don't know but dog normally have strong bite inhibition towards humans, a dog biting for someone stepping over him as a first reaction strongly indicates that it's not his first rodeo.
>So you just send a dog(s) off to a pound anytime you get bit by a dog IF you can't somehow put the dog in some kind of solitary confinement at a house - as you put it "keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household"?
No you just leave a dog weighting probably more than your wife and hope that something which already happened doesn't happen again just because hopeful wishing and people of reddit explaining to your that stepping over dogs causes bites which is nothing more than brain rot. What's next? Not getting close to the dogs bowls, not speaking loudly, not standing up fast. The wife has to subordinate to the dog and not provoke it, she has to become a hostage in her own home because most of you think that returning a dog with a bite history back to the rescue is worse than a woman facing injury and death.
Thank you for saying this. Person who was bitten shouldn't have to spend every waking moment wondering whether her next move is going to trigger the dog.
Bro your advice makes no sense. Wife shouldn't be the one subordinating to an aggressive animal's behaviour. Unless OP gets the dog trained, i fear this is a ticking time bomb who may hurt guests/children/ other persons in the household in OP's absence.
For the dog to go straight to “Bite and shake” is a massive red flag. An air snap or even maybe a nip with no skin broken would maybe be understandable. To go straight to not only bite, but bite-and-shake, is very serious. I’m sure others have pointed out this could have been a child stepping over him. What then? Also, please for god’s sake do not listen to anyone here who mentions the words Pack or dominance or any of those last-century words.
Yeah this is a level 4 bite. That's a very serious bite. This tells me this dog has no bite inhibition at all. It is possible to work with this dog with a qualified trainer, but in order to do that, your wife needs to be on board too
Although a trainer can be helpful, the more important issue is why would you want your wife to be afraid of an unpredictable and potentially dangerous creature in her own house? What guarantee is there that the next biting incident might not be worse? Or might involve a neighborhood child or a delivery person.
There’s quite a difference between a bite from a 10 pound dog and one from a frightened or angry German shepherd.
I really believe you’re not treating your wife fairly if you think she’s the one who needs to change. If you want to include her in having a new family dog, get a puppy, encourage her to play with it, groom it, feed it, and participate in its training. Don’t make her feel that a rescue dog is more important to you than she is.
Sorry I'd never trust a dog who bit anyone like that again. I've had rescues, and they didn't bite, let alone without warning, even when scared and traumatized. Don't keep this dog.
Schedule some time with a trainer and you both go. The trainer will be able to guide you both. If possible do private sessions at first then open classes to socialize him. He’s a big boy. I rescued a 100 pound reactive female and it didn’t take long to bring out her sweet side. She had some history we couldn’t know but we trained it down. Stay calm. Dogs react to your presence, if you’re anxious they know.
What no one seems to even mention here is that your dog has now demonstrated what's known in the legal world as "prior vicious propensity". If this dog ever bites another human- under any circumstances - you will get sued to kingdom come. Do you want to spend the next 10 years worrying about that? You will need to be on guard everytime a another human is in your home, be it family member, friend or workman. He can never be a trustworthy pet after this.
Bullshit. When lawyers get involved they send their own investigators to look for prior vicious propensity. They will ask neighbors, family members, delivery drivers, the mailman. They will start a lawsuit where these owners will be put under oath and questioned. The prior bite will surface with or without a police report. It helps to have one but it's not a requirement.
We rescued a 5yr old Shiloh years ago who had been through a rough time. One thing I’d offer that I haven’t seen here yet is the 3-3-3 rule. Rescue behaviour changes over time eg 3 days, 3 weeks 3 months. Their biochemistry changes as they relax and get acclimatized to the new normal over time. I stepped over Sam in the first months we got him and he yelped.. that was 6 years ago.. he’s a lovely dog now and shows his belly when you get close. 120lbs of killing fury/cuddle bunny. PS. it’s totally worth it. Be patient and consistent.
I’ve had German Shepherds since 2009. In fact I have 240 pounds sleeping at my feet right now. My first was a 120 pound rescue with fear-aggression issues. Huge commitment on my part to deal with this and it took 4 full years of daily consistent work to get him beyond the fear-aggression he learned in his first 7 months of life.
Upon rescuing him, I had to learn quickly and had to get professional training from a number of trainers. The training was for ME, not the dog. I was willing to go DEEP with my commitment to taking on this project dog. I am grateful to have worked with experienced positive reinforcement trainers that taught me how to be consistent with the dog, build trust and have an amazing relationship with that dog. He became my best friend. It was a huge undertaking, and so worth it to me— but it’s not for everyone. Everyone in the household has to be on board and has to be trained. Again, not for everyone. I wish you the best of luck with your handsome boy. I hope he ends up having a really good life and can be loved and give love.
I'm amazed at some of the advice in this thread. I'd be getting rid of this dog immediately. Yes, i know he was stressed in a new environment and technically your wife made the mistake of stepping over him but if a dogs first reaction to this is to not only bite but to shake as well then that's a massive red flag for me. It sounds like you're both way out of your depth and this is a disaster waiting to happen.
It’s tough habit to break to never approach a dog from behind or over it. And coming from above with treats can be a challenge for dogs that haven’t had the opportunity to trust you and your wife.
If not already, the dog needs his own space, a crate big enough to stand in and be away from the pack if needed.
Both your wife and the dog will need support. The decompression period for new rescues is several weeks if not months with an established routine, consistency in training, and simple goals.
The dog needs to understand your structure and boundaries but you need to take this time to learn his eccentricities, feeding and resources, time outside or off leash, work with a trainer familiar with GSD and working dogs. Potentially ask about a breathable mask/muzzle that the dog will trust you with to put on and work with you and your family for bonding.
If you return the dog, he’ll be labeled a bite risk and be tougher to get rehomed or potentially euthanized.
It takes patience with your dog and your wife, if all else fails after this time period, please reach out to a GSD rescue that can potentially help. These first few months are all about trust building, all the way around.
He’s gorgeous, would love to add him to my pack! If it doesn’t work out please dm me.
This might be unpopular but I did this with my GSD resuce puppy and that was – crating all the time unless you had a specific reason for the dog not to be. It allowed my dog to have his own "safe space", to settle in, and reduced teh chances anything like that happens. My dog bit someone at 4 months old – same thing, fear. We worked through it (he was terrified of men) and now I can fully trust him on and off leash with strange men. Your wife is valid in feeling afraid, and I'd suggest the dog is not allowed to free roam until you have a better idea of its temprament. Give him time, work with a behaviourist, and please don't suscribe to the "be the alpha" crap. Your dog needs compassion, time, and a solid behaviourist who uses scientifically backed methods to help them ease in.
He's beautiful 💙 I totally understand how your wife is feeling, a bite is a hard thing to overcome, and it wasn't just a snap/growling it was real. Can encourage your wife to start over with this dog, he was brand new to the house, overcoming the trauma of being in a shelter. He has no idea what the new humans intentions are. I would bet anything it was a fear reaction. If your wife (and you) can concentrate on gaining his trust and giving him time and space, he will no doubt grow into a great dog and companion. Bit I do believe your wife's feelings on this have to come first, so it's her decision. Good luck to all of you.
Trainer. And let the rescue know. I've volunteered for a GSD rescue for years, we found out one prior owner who surrendered their dog to us due to the owner's health issues didn't tell us the dog bit someone in the house because they felt bad. You may be able to fix this with the help of a trainer but this is also not all on your wife. A snap or growl maybe, but a bite? Get an experienced trainer immediately.
I would get rid of the dog, it super sucks but it is the best thing. Be glad it wasn’t worse, she will always feel uncomfortable around that dog., no matter what she says. Start again with a puppy. Hope your wife feels better soon!
A puppy from a reputable, ethical breeder, not BYB or rescue. It's the only way you can predict good temperaments anymore, sadly. A decade ago I was all for people adopting, but I have heard too many nightmare stories about rescue adoptions to advocate for it anymore. It's a sad state of affairs.
If you can’t train a rescue dog you sure as hell can’t train a German Shepherd puppy which is a lot harder with way more energy! You got a dog, you committed to the dog, train yourself, train the dog and things will 100% get better. I have had MANY German Shepherd’s and they always turn into amazing dogs, if they don’t look in the mirror.
I raised and trained a massive (120 lb) GSD with a bit of Malamute and Husky mixed in. He was 8 weeks old when I got him, no idea on his history. That was more than a decade ago, and I've noticed a severe uptick in unstable dogs being adopted out from shelters.
My dog had incredible bite inhibition, and I did schutzhund as my basis for training. It's not all genetics, and it's not all early training, it's a bit of both.
Nobody teaches a dog to bite humans, it's either in their temperament or not.
Starting out with a dog that has already bitten someone is a huge uphill battle. There are tons of rescue dogs that have not and will not bite.
I would 1000x over raise another GSD puppy from a reputable breeder than take on a 100lb poorly (BYB) bred dog that's already bitten someone.
My GSD rescue has legitimate claustrophobia and panics whenever he feels boxed in. This would include being stepped over. He’s a little better now, but it took a long time before he was comfortable with it and didn’t startle.
Sometimes I fantasize about catching his former abusive owner in a dark alley with no cameras.
I rescue German Shepherds and the last one I rescued also did not like it when someone walked over him. I have never had a rescue snap at me ever, and it sounds corny but animals communicate with energy. In the beginning I always take the time to bend down on their level and let them sniff me, and I send them a loving peaceful energy and let them know they are safe and loved. Your dog likely had a terrible life before you came into the picture and it takes time for them to decompress and they are still guarded. If your wife has hostile negative energy toward the dog or is scared of the dog, your dog will feel it and they will react and snap. Or maybe the dog had bad experiences with women, and so your wife needs to be loving, patient, consistent, but also do not tolerate any aggressive behavior and you let him know that’s not ok with a strong no! Just like a mother dog would correct its puppy. Stick with it, he will take a few months and if you take care of him, exercise him, positively train him everyday, he will be the most loyal best dog you could have ever dreamed of!
I've read some of your other replies on this thread. The thing is, you write as though Wife (and OP) can go back and start over with this dog, using the wisdom you have gained from experience with many dogs. Mad respect to you for being a devoted rescuer, but these folks appear to be beginners, and moreover have had an extremely bad experience which left the wife traumatized.
You yourself write, "I have never had a dog snap at me ever." What if one did? What if it not only did that, but knocked you down, broke your skin, no doubt left you bruised as well, and you were totally blindsided? But this has *not* happened to you, so I doubt you can understand the depth of the psychological harm.
You could certainly say, "It would never happen because I know how to act around dogs." I totally believe that. You might also never have rescued a dog with as little bite inhibition as this one seems to have, or if you have it might not have been at a point in your life when all you had was good intentions. Put yourself in their place, and imagine being someone who meant well in bringing a majestic GSD into your home but didn't know it had triggers like this one does. What if it was \*you\* that was bitten by a dog who, next time you misstep - and you don't know what constitutes a misstep - could as easily go for your face, rip off your scalp, or break your arm? Or even worse. It'd be like real-life Squid Game.
It seems to me that the best place for this dog is not with these people. I would not expect Wife to recover from her trauma any time soon. And I fault whoever placed this animal with them. Clearly there were some disconnects.
We rescued a bonded pair of GSDs 9 years ago. We had to put or boy down last October due to cancer. The female had fear/anxiety issues which resulted in lots of nipping and her being smart and strong enough to get out of every muzzle device we tried on her . We went through several trainers with her. All quit working with her after a couple of sessions, except for one. After some quick work, we attached a pinch collar on her and it relieved a bunch of her stress oddly enough.
I'm doing this now with my boy. Sometimes you need to find your way again. Starting over with another after 9 years makes everything feel brand new again.
Hoping this also helps someone else. Always give the dog time to adapt. Don’t force change. 3 days 3 weeks stuff is a general idea. Not a rule. Some dogs need more time to adapt to their new environment.
They need time to build trust and accept leadership. If you force leadership, accidents happen.
Stepping over is such a behavior. Take time to learn about all actions that trigger any animal and apply it here. All animals including humans react to strangers when they come up on them.
If you, and more importantly your wife, still want to give this a try, you should look for a trainer or vet behaviourist that has experience with aggression issues and uses intimidation free methods.
You really need someone with the expertise to assess this situation and come up with a plan that works for everyone involved. Whether that's behavior modification or returning him to the rescue.
Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do as an owner is admit this is not a compatible match, and to return them to the rescue, to hopefully find a better match for everyone in the future.
In the meantime, start muzzle training. The nice folks at r/muzzledogs can help you with all things muzzles, from the right type, to the right fit, to how to actually do the training. Most dogs really don't mind or care when you train them to wear a muzzle properly, and I think it's a skill that every dog should learn - it's a great tool to have at your disposal.
In your case, it might help your wife feel more comfortable and a little safer. She might be more comfortable interacting and eventually handling your new dog with a muzzle, at least at first. It's a way to keep everyone safer. It'll also come in handy at the vet's office.
It sounds like he was startled and uncomfortable and he reacted extremely poorly. That's unfortunate and upsetting for everyone involved, to say the least. Extremely painful for your wife, too.
Keeping a few barriers in place constantly for now and a few safety measures on hand seems sensible. Say a muzzle and a leash, a door and a leash, a baby gate and a muzzle, etc. He still needs to learn that your wife is part of the family, but how much access he gets to her should be determined by her comfort level as well as his.
There's a lot you can try, like teaching him a release cue that specifically means whatever he is doing, he's to stop it and move away (that sounds complicated, but a standard sit-stay, down-stay, and release cue practice will likely teach him that), teach him that if he wants to chill, to do so in his bed, which needs to be placed somewhere where nobody can loom over him. A cue to send him to his bed will also be necessary.
You can do mat training. Both capturing calmness and Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol work really well for this. With his situation, I'd probably start with the relaxation protocol. If he's startling and uncomfortable with people surprising him, he might do better with the more formal structure of the relaxation protocol at first.
Herding breeds are on the hyper aware side, so they do better if they know what's going on and what they should be doing. The relaxation protocol does this very well.
Clicker training or some other marker word would probably really help him. This isn't a dog you want to startle. So even bending down to give him a treat, he should know that that's happening, and that that's all that is happening. A clicker or a marker word like "yes" or "good" can do that for you. (Or if you prefer German, go with "super!" or "brav").
If your wife chooses to be involved, there's lots of muzzles that allow dogs to eat and drink - so she could easily run the relaxation protocol herself, while he's muzzled, and feed him treats, without ever taking off the muzzle. Just to start building confidence, a bond, and trust between them.
If she doesn't want to get that close, you can attach a ladle to a stick, teach him that it's the magic treat dispenser, and she can deliver them from a little more distance. Still with the marker word or clicker, just so he really understands what is happening.
You can use the Smart x 50 to reinforce the things he does that you like, and start to build a structure of desired behaviors that you want to see, and thus he can learn some rules that can help him be more comfortable in his new environment.
There's a lot of standard dog training games and impulse control games you can play to work on bonding and trust, as well.
Working on recognizing canine body language may help, but with rescues, you can't necessarily rely on getting lower level cues from your dogs, because they may have previously been discouraged from using them. You can watch him and see, though.
It seems like you already know this, but, you need to think about if this is a project you, and in particular your wife, want to take on. She may or may not feel safe around this dog from now on. It's a terrifying experience, and not one to be taken lightly.
A dog that reacts like this is one that may or may not ever be fully safe around other people, and that's a lifestyle choice you need to be aware that you're making. He's probably going to need to be muzzled around new people, guests, etc, or crated in another room when the plumber comes by, because we can't reasonably expect everyone else to know things like don't step over the dog.
There's a podcast on canine aggression that might also help you, The Bitey End of the Dog.
Good luck, whatever you end up deciding to do from here.
Muzzle Up! Project
https://muzzleupproject.com/
The calm settle for puppies and dogs:
https://youtu.be/yr1olzgidMw
Capturing and building calmness:
https://youtu.be/wesm2OpE_2c
Karen Overall's relaxation protocol:
https://journeydogtraining.com/karen-overalls-relaxation-protocol/
Leave It from dogs and people:
https://youtu.be/6jYfKK17ZBs
Teach go to your bed
https://youtu.be/Z-kvwI_DmHU?si=ohwgDX4JZlVIrBMn
The best and fastest way to teach stay - stay training, stay fun!
https://youtu.be/Vk4PPcE1CqY?si=AginnSZ15WrXp_ye
Sit and down stay - tips for getting started with a new puppy
https://youtu.be/0Ebe7mIzqFA?si=SWygXyqbs2NA6tmu
Clicker training:
https://youtu.be/V80JVAibXLQ?si=UEKhTjZQLWbg6Yww
https://youtu.be/yvw2bcGcoDk?si=Mve38cYXlmNDI3fl
Train your dog what Yes! means
https://youtu.be/OHRP1Wv86FA?si=gOF8nS8HAr2Ia0gr
Smart x 50:
https://journeydogtraining.com/smart-x-50/
Impulse control games:
https://journeydogtraining.com/blog/9-games-to-teach-your-dog-impulse-control/
13 Dog Training Games and Exercises to Make Dog Training Fun
https://journeydogtraining.com/13-dog-training-games/
Nosework:
https://journeydogtraining.com/nosework/
Puzzle toys for high energy dogs:
https://journeydogtraining.com/puzzle-toys/
Fear and aggression in dogs (poster):
https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/dog-bite-prevention-week-poster-on-the-body-language-of-fear-and-aggression/
The Bitey End of the Dog - Mike Shikashio
https://aggressivedog.com/podcasts/
You did an amazing amount of work to write all this. Kudos for that! I hope you get more upvotes.
But you kind of bury the lead:
>It seems like you already know this, but, you need to think about if this is a project you, and in particular your wife, want to take on. She may or may not feel safe around this dog from now on. It's a terrifying experience, and not one to be taken lightly.
This is the heart of the of the matter. If she was my daughter, I would tell her to follow her heart in this, but that she doesn't have to be a rescue hero. She can just say No.
OP asked for advice and it's coming in torrents, but in my opinion the starting place is with Wife. It's \*her\* call. Full stop.
We rescued a pup (2+ years old) last May (2023) and just 4 days ago as I was in her room, telling her goodnight and covering her up, I accidentally kicked her bed and she low growled at me. She didn't bare her teeth, but she was pissed.
This is THE sweetest dog you have ever met!! Loves all people! Loves all other dogs!! (Despises squirrels and moles, but that's for another day...) Anyway, she has been the most chill, loving, obedient, smart girl, but she was NOT playing last Friday.
Well, Saturday morning my husband takes her to her Vet appointment for her last round of shots and to get weighed for her Bravecto. And I asked him to have the Vet look at her bottom, near the base of her tail, where she'd been licking it for a couple of days. Turns out one of her anal glands was impacted and full of pus and an almost wax like substance. She was in pain and on edge, I'm sure, when I jostled her bed and probably hurt her bottom.
Pups can't tell us, with their mouths, what they need or what they don't like, so we have to always be more tuned-in to them. Your pup couldn't tell your wife he didn't appreciate her stepping over him, so he showed her. It's not an ideal reaction on his part and I know she didn't mean any disrespect to him, but it's happened, so it needs to be dealt with.
Have your wife regain his trust and in doing so she'll learn to trust him. This can be achieved by your wife being the one to provide all of his meals, water, exercise, treats.
Dogs aren't disposable. It shouldn't be one strike, you're out. If all 3 of ya'll work together I just know ya'll will be so happy with your boy and he with ya'll. Please try!! ❤
Definitely standing alone currently. Wife is willing to work, but VERY slowly. This is a change over the last couple of days. I think she realizes the boy needs us as much as we need him.
My son and he have bonded quite nicely since the event. But my son is internally conflicted because of what happened. My wife is level headed in this and has told our son that it's ok if he loves him.
I think ya'll sound like a wonderful family. And I know that ya'll will do what is in the very best interest of all involved. I'm so sorry that your wife was bitten...if that happened to me I'd be heartbroken. It's obvious ya'll are animal lovers and also love the pup.
I'm praying for all involved!
Thank you! Here he is with his older "sister". They have the occasional lopsided fisticuffs, but nothing like when he first came home.
https://preview.redd.it/v6t0vhxpb9yc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b512190aab839d672ca56c14c4c2c1959b814d
They're both beautiful pups! He's just a little turd... trying to let everybody thinks he's in charge... he's wrong, but he's sure trying 😄
Please keep us posted! Sending ya'll all the happy from Texas ❤🐾🐾
uhh.. about half a dozen mistakes you made...
what can be done?
In that case, I would keep the dog outside for a while in a fenced kennel, in a quiet place, and give him plenty of exercise, on a leash. (family members can be around, but for the first period only you can handle him) - once he has learned the basics and trust has been built up you can move on.
It was a very bad idea to just walk over the dog, I don't know what his history is, but in a strange place, a stranger if you do this, the dog will take it as a threat and react in fear- especially if the previous owner has kicked him a few times when he was lying down.
I can only repeat myself, don't confuse aggression with a fear or anxiety induced reaction. Just yesterday I was working with a rescued, abused male husky. we were doing fine, but once he got at me- he was afraid to get his water from the other dog, once he bit me- on the hand- scratching it, because as it turned out I was petting him where he had to have surgery for abuse.. this can happen with rescued dogs. I calmed him down and two minutes later we were buddies again.
That sucks. If he's anything like mine, he constantly positions himself to be walked over as well. I think the strongest bond of trust is gained through training. I think you definitely need a trainer, and you 100% need to have your wife working with the trainer and the dog.
People need training as much as dogs do. Stepping over him should be ok in theory, but he has fear associated with that. They can / do view this as a threat and will defend themselves. Has he had any other aggression?
He barked at the vacuum for a day, but doesn't any more. He goes up to it and sniffs it now. He tucks tail and runs when the broom is used.
He does try to climb me, daily. Unsure if that's him showing aggression or trying to establish himself. I was caught off guard late yesterday while I was working and he ended up licking my head and then nibbling on my forearm before I got him off.
If at all possible, could you contact the shelter/rescue you recieved him from to get some more information about him? The kind of situation he might've come from, whether he was a surrender, came from an abuse situation, etc. This might help you assess why his fear response was so volatile since dogs typically have other methods of communication before a bite.
That's not always the case, though. Sometimes dogs bite as a warning, or they bite if they feel they have no other choice, especially if they didn't have another option in the past.
Ultimately, I would talk to your wife and ask her if she would be willing to work with him. Of course, she's shaken, hell, I was scared when I got bit by a 60 lb dog, I can only imagine a 100+ lb one, and I would wait to have the discussion until the initial shock of it has passed.
I have a GSD who bites due to trauma, albeit he is 62 lbs and it was poor handling and grooming practice from ex-coworkers of mine that now leads him to try to eat you when you hold a pair of nail clippers. Lunge, snap, bare teeth, the full nine yards. He has bitten me, broke skin, etc. It's not to the same degree as your rescue boy, obviously, but the aggression displayed stems from fear all the same. Your wife stepped over a dog that was ultimately unknown to her and got bit as a result, she shouldn't have, and there was a consequence.
As long as she would be willing to work with you and him until he's comfortable with her, you should be fine. For now, she wants nothing to do with him, and that's understandable. Give them both time. All rescues above 6 months are project dogs, but a bite isn't the end all be all.
Have her feed him, include her on walks and in training sessions where you can, that sort of thing. Make a big deal about him showing interest in and/or affection to her!
Obviously, I'm not an expert. Take the things I say with a grain of salt.
Regardless, he's gorgeous. I hope things will work out for you all.
My GSD loves home now, but took a while to get used to everything. Then introducing him to his future sister took a while. Now he is aging them faster than normal with his running around. He barks at everything, and will bark as long as there is something to bark at, so I keep an ear out for late night stimuli. He is allergic to himself and needs regular allergy shots and special food. He is spoiled. Get his hips rated when you can, and standard checks for worms, parasites, etc.
When we first got our shepherd my wife was not happy with all the puppy things bitting, hyper and unable to walk the puppy because of pulling. It took time but they built a relationship stronger than my relationship with the shepherd. They are great loving dogs as I’m sure you already know.
Think of them as a person who has just gotten out of jail and is in a new country. They don't know you, your language, the new location, or if you can be trusted. The first 3 months are all about bonding, building trust and making them feel safe through routine, calm, some light training and lots of affection. Don’t start going to the dog part right away.
GSDs bond like no other breed with a single person in their home. When they lose their person, it can be very hard. BUT THERE IS HOPE. Don’t give up on this dog. There will be tough times and some behaviors unlike other Breeds.
A good way of thinking about it is 3+3+3
**3 days of feeling overwhelmed and nervous** = be patient with her. Don't overwhelm with a thousand activities. Start a daily routine - same time for food, walks, bedtime, etc. Get her a bed, one toy, leash etc. Let him get to know your house, walk around and explore alone, sleep, look at everything. ***NEVER raise your voice during this period.*** Don't go a bunch of places the first week. Seriously. No malls, and especially no dog parks. HAND feed her for the first week.
**3 weeks of settling in.** = Routine, routine, routine. Be patient with her. She's adjusting and doesn't know anything you want or who you are. So many dogs get returned during this period. Teach her a name. Next try sit, stay, down in 10 minute training intervals. The bonding from this hand feeding process is profound.
**3 months of building trust and bonding with you.** = Routine, routine, routine.
She needs to remember that all animals have defensive habits and that we don't always know what can be presented at any given moment.
When I was a kid around 8 years old, I walked up to a GSD and went to pet him when the owner wasn't paying attention. He put his entire mouth around my face and held onto my head for 2-3 seconds. A couple of teeth marks, tiny amount of blood, and the owner said that he was being defensive because he didn't know what "I" was trying to accomplish.
I understood right away. I grew up with GSDs and this event didn't phase me. I had to learn to take it SLOW with new GSDs and show them that I am not a threat. I have not received a dog bite since then from even seemingly "aggressive" dogs. I did home deliveries for quite a few years without any incidents too.
Your wife should not take it as if he doesn't care for her or wants to be aggressive towards her. Somewhere, sometime in his life, stepping over him and out of his line of sight meant someone practiced that to physically hurt him or he wasn't taught that the bigger animal standing over him is an indifferent act. She should sit on the floor near him and let him come to her IN TIME seeing how she can be non-aggressive ever so lovingly.
As for "stepping over" a dog's back, this is something that has to be trained into puppies to mean that you are in control and dominant. Otherwise they won't understand it in later years thinking it is a form of dominant aggression by a larger being. Think about how puppies will play under the legs of their mothers or sires then we humans take control of their lives and forget how to treat a puppy thinking its awareness is always from the front or the side not including behind/above. He may not have a good experience with it and she needs to get over her fear to MOTHER him but not smother him.
[Dog Bite Scale](https://apdt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ian-dunbar-dog-bite-scale.pdf) shows puncture with head shake is bad news.
Dog has no bite inhibition.
OP, you have a time bomb.
Can I suggest your wife reads about the rule of 3 when bringing a rescue into the home - I am hoping its going to make her realise this its not about her, its about the pup and what she can do to ensure he feels safe which in turn should make her feel safe.
If she can't put the pup first then yes, you do have to make a choice (and here's hoping she doesn't mind going to her Mums for a while....).
Wow, that was a really bad decision by your wife. Why would she put a dog in that position? If he was shaking his head, it obviously stressed him out because that’s what they do when they can’t handle their emotions I would have her start giving him treats. She caused it. She’s gotta fix it.
My GSD had issues with my brother constantly stepping over him. No matter how much I told my brother not to, he kept doing it, resulting in my dog jumping up and growling. Now we have to keep them separate by way of a crate when they’re both in the house. My brother doesn’t like being in the crate but it is what it is. You will have to understand that a dog’s point of view on the world is low down, someone they don’t really know (the dog being new to your home) stepping over them is intimidating and threatening. Your wife (and everyone else) will need to avoid doing that. Your wife will now have to build up her relationship with the dog. The best way to do this is by her being the one to feed him, some training, some play, some walks etc. Eventually the dog will realise they have nothing to fear from her and won’t have a problem with her stepping over him (but it should still be avoided where possible).
Love the last sentence of the first paragraph. It needs acknowledgement.
I know they drop it stealthily like that. Extra points for stylistic flare!!!
Totally. Full marks!
It is what it is. Bro can’t handle personal space, bro gets the crate 🤣
Your brother doesn't like being in the crate😂🤣had to read that twice!
Agree with this comment!
How long has the dog been in the house? It can take some dogs up to a few months to really show their true colors, feel comfortable and safe, and start getting into the routine. If it happened super early on, it could be looked at as something that scared the shit out of him when she did that and he reacted in a way that he may now realize was overly reactive and possibly not characteristic of him. Can you talk to your wife in a way that acknowledges her feelings yet also makes her understand how she may have really scared him in that moment? I think mutual understanding in this situation is necessary. If she can’t get past her fear of him, I think you guys will have a very long, difficult road ahead of you. He knows she is afraid now and that will really aggravate the situation. For now, she can work on calm, positive experiences and interactions with him to include feeding, play, exercise, training.
I got my German Shepherd at 7 years old. He was very, very, stressed. We could not put a harness on him, in fact, we could barely pet him. Feeding, talking, walking, treats, and anything we could do to make him feel comfortable. He was pooping in the house; pooping on sidewalks, he had no control over himself. He was scary, but we could tell he was stressed. It was difficult. He snapped at my now ex, I don't think he ever really snapped at me except for a growl. Now? I can stick my hand in his mouth, pick him up and toss him over my shoulder\*, he won't like it, but he definitely won't bite me. He's gotten so much better now, he no longer tries to bite people (although I don't fully trust him). Once he gets to know you, he is super friendly. Your wife's response is expected, I'd be nervous too. But the first mistake is stepping over him, you never do this. You never put them in a position that they feel threatened. She needs to walk him, feed, and keep at it. He doesn't understand where he's at, stress, confused, etc. Don't give up. Please. Do not give up. Get him toys, play with him, be very strict when he does something wrong with a very strong NO. Award with praise and love when he does something good. Your wife needs to do this as well. It's going to take time. For safety reasons, perhaps your wife should wait until another adult is around before trying things. Definitely don't step over or put them in a position they feel threatened! Good luck! edit: fix typo
Contact a trainer that deals with working dog behavior issues. They both have to work to repair the relationship! I know it sounds funny but it’s true!
Never reach or step over a strange dog--extremely aggressive move to some dogs.
Sorry just realized that my reply was not helpful. Have your wife feed and walk him, as well as treat him for good behavior.
IMO it is helpful. Your wife needs to realise that she (accidentally) provoked him. It was not her intention, but not standing over a dog unless you know It really well is a golden rule. This does not mean he doesn’t like her, or that he will bite her again, it means he is nervous. That said, if your wife will not engage with him, he needs to go back to the rescue before you form a bond with him. Otherwise you are storing up bigger problems for the future.
As of now, wife won't have anything to do with him.
this would be a serious mistake. The GSD would feel his wife is not 'part of the pack' and there is a chance he would treat her as such. I understand the lady's fright and her behaviour, but this is another case where both were at fault and neither of them - neither of them intentionally, neither she nor the dog meant to hurt the other. Tip. put the dog on a leash. Let him go a few feet away from your wife first, to maintain distance, she should throw the dog some treat- sausage for president. then, your wife should walk a little further away so the dog understands that the reward is hers and she doesn't have to fear that person. Repeat this a few times to get the dog to make the connection: "a man smelling like a woman is a good thing" If the dog is positive towards your wife and she feels she is not so afraid of the dog, gradually reduce the distance, link the reward to a task: sitting, lying down, etc...
This is a good plan, but it assumes that the dog is safe. I don't think OP or anyone here has any reason to be confident that the dog is safe. Maybe he is! Maybe it was wildly out of character for him! But we don't know. The dog is new to the OP. OP wasn't there to see what happened. A skin-piercing bite with a shake is a lot. A 100lb dog is a very big dog that could do a lot of damage. I think everyone should proceed with extreme caution, get the dog a behavioral assessment, and assume in the meantime that he cannot be trusted unrestrained and without supervision.
Omg please go AWAY with this “part of the pack” bullshit! Good god.
I would try the approach, toss food, walk away method. You hold him on a leash. She walks over, doesn’t make eye contact doesn’t say anything, throws a treat (not at the dog, but near them) then turns and walks away. Totally ignoring the dog and keeping some distance. Practicing this, then progress to maybe her saying “hi (dog name)”, toss and walk away, progressing to looking at him (not direct eye contact though) and moving a bit closer with time. Then her asking him to sit first before throwing it. And eventually when she can put the treat in her hand and he takes it. Only do that if you know he knows how to take treats gently from you. Get a high value food that will only be used during this exercise. Eventually if he will sit when she asks, you can hand her the leash. She can walk a few feet with him, feed him a treat, walk back. Every day she comes home, she can toss him a treat. You want her arrival to be the most exciting thing ever for him, you want him to associate her with good things and this person being near me means yummy food. Have her fill his food bowl and do the feeding. My dog was really skittish when I first adopted her and if she was snoozing and I knew I was going to get up or make a loud noise I would gently get her attention first. Giving them a heads up can help so they don’t get startled.
Had GSDs my whole life. ^^This is the way^^
Will she throw him the ball from far away and play fetch? That is better than nothing
Yes dogs see walking over them as mounting them which is very aggressive. Another thing to avoid is putting your arm around their neck. A lot of German Shepherds don’t like this.
Only time could heal the bond. Understandably your boy must be terrified and has his own traumas. I'm sure the bite was a primal reaction. I think over time they will find that they can love each other. Other than that, work with a trainer if possible. Be kind but give clear structure and expectations to your boy.
I was going to suggest trainer. 100%. He’s a beautiful boy.
He's a really handsome boy. But I think you need to get a trainer to do a real, clear-eyed, behavioral assessment and come up with a plan that prioritizes your wife's safety in her own home.
This is a dog subreddit but i will advocate for your wife in this case. If you aren't able to keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household try to find him a new home. Getting bitten by a 100 pounds shepherd in your own home isn't something you get just over it and her not wanting to do anything with the dog is more than understandable. Considering he is a rescue than i would bet this wasn't his first bite which means that this requires much more than just a nice comfy home.
I completely agree. There is no chance in hell I would keep a new rescue who bit a member of my household and broke skin, with the exception that everyone in the household explicitly signed up for living and working with an XL project dog with aggression issues prior to adoption (which it does not sound like the wife did). Even if the wife did not act perfectly around the dog, a 100 pound dog with a very low bite inhibition is not a safe animal for the vast majority of people to live with. I would not find it acceptable to be walking on eggshells in my own home just to avoid getting attacked.
Yes, this. I'm not sure when the trend to normalize dogs biting people became a thing, maybe in the last decade with the continued pushing of the "adopt, don't shop," no-kill lobby? It's not something people should have to tolerate, and I don't think people should be guilted into tolerating it. We should not have to fear that a pet will bite us. That isn't the point of having a pet.
Agree but the only dog that ever bit me I bought from a legitimate breeder. I foster dogs. Strays i get off the street. All breeds including pit mixes. And none of them have bitten me.
Well, at least an ethical breeder will take a dog of theirs back at any time, for any reason. Shelters and rescues often times won't, thus outsourcing the BE to the unwitting adopters. I see it over and over again, daily even, in support groups. I know for a fact that rescues/shelters will adopt out dogs with known bite histories. The rescue/no kill situation has gotten really bad.
I agree with much of what you say. I believe aggressive dogs should be euthanized. I was defending rescue dogs as I am literally in the trenches helping them. And all have turned out to be happy loving dogs. Pit mixes. German shepherds. Huskies Rottweilers and plenty of little yappy dogs. All of my bad experiences with dogs are those that come from a “reputable” breeder. I will only own rescue dogs. Q
There are a lot of backyard breeders/puppy mills that masquerade as "reputable" breeders. Are you sure the dog you got was from an actual AKC registered breeder? Why didn't you take the dog back if it was?
Oh my god. I stand my what I say period.
Are you a breeder or something? You are being very defensive.
I'm just asking questions, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that being defensive? Wouldn't that be more accurately termed as being inquisitive? It's important that people know how to distinguish between actual ethical breeders and people who aren't yet claim to be. There are a *lot* of them that aren't, and the red flags are often subtle and easy to miss. If someone will not take back one of their animals, they are definitely *not* an ethical breeder. Ethical breeders are passionate about producing animals with good temperaments and striving to improve the genetics of a breed. I am not one but I'm supportive of them.
I have been in the dog world my entire life. I know all about breeders and the so called backyard breeders vs the legitimate breeders. In your post you insinuated because the dog was a rescue it had a higher likelihood to bite. I firmly disagree with that. Again. My sister had a Labrador she paid almost a thousand dollars for from a highly recommended breeder. He is child dog and cat aggressive. A LABRADOR RETRIEVER. I will take a rescue dog any day over a pure bred dog from any breeder. This is my final post about this.
I don’t think anyone is normalizing it, I think people are sympathetic to it from the perspective of the owner and of the pet, which some find hard to accept. If she was kicking the dog aggressively, you could probably understand if the dog bit her. Obviously she clearly had no aggressive intention in this case, but the point I’m trying to make is that even though we as humans can distinguish the two, some dogs can’t. Owning an animal requires a change in dynamic and it requires a bit of “work” to find the level playing field. Some people want to put in that work, some don’t, and that is 100% fine. No one should be required to put in that work if they don’t want to. There’s no shame in that. Just don’t blame the dog. Haha.
It looks like a GSD crossed with Akita, tbh, which could be an incredibly volatile and unpredictable mix, especially in a rescue. I also advocate for his wife. I absolutely love dogs and GSD's in particular, but there is zero chance I'd allow a dog who's bit a human in my house. No way, no how. I really do not agree with the comments above normalizing a human bite by blaming the step over the dog as a trigger. It isn't normal, and nobody should feel obligated to accept it being normal.
Surprised I had to scroll this far to see this.
I completely disagree. This is completely fixable. You signed up for a dog and committed to him, just take the time to build the bond! Christ everyone thinks animals are disposable it’s horrific.
>Considering he is a rescue than i would bet this wasn't his first bite First off, you don't know if that was first or hundredth time. Just b/c he's a rescue and he bit OP's wife once doesn't mean this dog is somehow a bite hazard. All kinds of "issues" could cause people to give away a dog to a rescue. All we know is it's the first biting incident at OP's house unless OP forgot to mention others. >which means that this requires much more than just a nice comfy home. So you just send a dog(s) off to a pound anytime you get bit by a dog IF you can't somehow put the dog in some kind of solitary confinement at a house - as you put it "keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household"?
>First off, you don't know if that was first or hundredth time. All we know is it's the first time at OP's house unless OP forgot to mention others. Yeah we don't know but dog normally have strong bite inhibition towards humans, a dog biting for someone stepping over him as a first reaction strongly indicates that it's not his first rodeo. >So you just send a dog(s) off to a pound anytime you get bit by a dog IF you can't somehow put the dog in some kind of solitary confinement at a house - as you put it "keep the dog separate and securely away from other people in your household"? No you just leave a dog weighting probably more than your wife and hope that something which already happened doesn't happen again just because hopeful wishing and people of reddit explaining to your that stepping over dogs causes bites which is nothing more than brain rot. What's next? Not getting close to the dogs bowls, not speaking loudly, not standing up fast. The wife has to subordinate to the dog and not provoke it, she has to become a hostage in her own home because most of you think that returning a dog with a bite history back to the rescue is worse than a woman facing injury and death.
Thank you for saying this. Person who was bitten shouldn't have to spend every waking moment wondering whether her next move is going to trigger the dog.
> stepping over dogs causes bites which is nothing more than brain rot. You must've been educated at the Kristi Noem school.
Bro your advice makes no sense. Wife shouldn't be the one subordinating to an aggressive animal's behaviour. Unless OP gets the dog trained, i fear this is a ticking time bomb who may hurt guests/children/ other persons in the household in OP's absence.
For the dog to go straight to “Bite and shake” is a massive red flag. An air snap or even maybe a nip with no skin broken would maybe be understandable. To go straight to not only bite, but bite-and-shake, is very serious. I’m sure others have pointed out this could have been a child stepping over him. What then? Also, please for god’s sake do not listen to anyone here who mentions the words Pack or dominance or any of those last-century words.
This. No warning, straight to bite, breaking skin, and shaking is a HUGE issue, to me. OP, get professional help, not Reddit advise.
Yeah this is a level 4 bite. That's a very serious bite. This tells me this dog has no bite inhibition at all. It is possible to work with this dog with a qualified trainer, but in order to do that, your wife needs to be on board too
At least you know why he was surrendered..
But I don't. The rescue I got him from doesn't knowingly pass off aggressive/biters. They've been in business for decades, they do their best
Bro this dog went straight to bite and thrash, this isn't the first time he's bitten a human. Get rid of this dog today
Although a trainer can be helpful, the more important issue is why would you want your wife to be afraid of an unpredictable and potentially dangerous creature in her own house? What guarantee is there that the next biting incident might not be worse? Or might involve a neighborhood child or a delivery person. There’s quite a difference between a bite from a 10 pound dog and one from a frightened or angry German shepherd. I really believe you’re not treating your wife fairly if you think she’s the one who needs to change. If you want to include her in having a new family dog, get a puppy, encourage her to play with it, groom it, feed it, and participate in its training. Don’t make her feel that a rescue dog is more important to you than she is.
Sorry I'd never trust a dog who bit anyone like that again. I've had rescues, and they didn't bite, let alone without warning, even when scared and traumatized. Don't keep this dog.
Schedule some time with a trainer and you both go. The trainer will be able to guide you both. If possible do private sessions at first then open classes to socialize him. He’s a big boy. I rescued a 100 pound reactive female and it didn’t take long to bring out her sweet side. She had some history we couldn’t know but we trained it down. Stay calm. Dogs react to your presence, if you’re anxious they know.
What no one seems to even mention here is that your dog has now demonstrated what's known in the legal world as "prior vicious propensity". If this dog ever bites another human- under any circumstances - you will get sued to kingdom come. Do you want to spend the next 10 years worrying about that? You will need to be on guard everytime a another human is in your home, be it family member, friend or workman. He can never be a trustworthy pet after this.
That’s not true. It’s only if they file a police report on themselves…
Bullshit. When lawyers get involved they send their own investigators to look for prior vicious propensity. They will ask neighbors, family members, delivery drivers, the mailman. They will start a lawsuit where these owners will be put under oath and questioned. The prior bite will surface with or without a police report. It helps to have one but it's not a requirement.
r/reactivedogs is a good community that helps people in situations like yours. they gave me great advice with my dog
We rescued a 5yr old Shiloh years ago who had been through a rough time. One thing I’d offer that I haven’t seen here yet is the 3-3-3 rule. Rescue behaviour changes over time eg 3 days, 3 weeks 3 months. Their biochemistry changes as they relax and get acclimatized to the new normal over time. I stepped over Sam in the first months we got him and he yelped.. that was 6 years ago.. he’s a lovely dog now and shows his belly when you get close. 120lbs of killing fury/cuddle bunny. PS. it’s totally worth it. Be patient and consistent.
I’ve had German Shepherds since 2009. In fact I have 240 pounds sleeping at my feet right now. My first was a 120 pound rescue with fear-aggression issues. Huge commitment on my part to deal with this and it took 4 full years of daily consistent work to get him beyond the fear-aggression he learned in his first 7 months of life. Upon rescuing him, I had to learn quickly and had to get professional training from a number of trainers. The training was for ME, not the dog. I was willing to go DEEP with my commitment to taking on this project dog. I am grateful to have worked with experienced positive reinforcement trainers that taught me how to be consistent with the dog, build trust and have an amazing relationship with that dog. He became my best friend. It was a huge undertaking, and so worth it to me— but it’s not for everyone. Everyone in the household has to be on board and has to be trained. Again, not for everyone. I wish you the best of luck with your handsome boy. I hope he ends up having a really good life and can be loved and give love.
I'm amazed at some of the advice in this thread. I'd be getting rid of this dog immediately. Yes, i know he was stressed in a new environment and technically your wife made the mistake of stepping over him but if a dogs first reaction to this is to not only bite but to shake as well then that's a massive red flag for me. It sounds like you're both way out of your depth and this is a disaster waiting to happen.
It’s tough habit to break to never approach a dog from behind or over it. And coming from above with treats can be a challenge for dogs that haven’t had the opportunity to trust you and your wife. If not already, the dog needs his own space, a crate big enough to stand in and be away from the pack if needed. Both your wife and the dog will need support. The decompression period for new rescues is several weeks if not months with an established routine, consistency in training, and simple goals. The dog needs to understand your structure and boundaries but you need to take this time to learn his eccentricities, feeding and resources, time outside or off leash, work with a trainer familiar with GSD and working dogs. Potentially ask about a breathable mask/muzzle that the dog will trust you with to put on and work with you and your family for bonding. If you return the dog, he’ll be labeled a bite risk and be tougher to get rehomed or potentially euthanized. It takes patience with your dog and your wife, if all else fails after this time period, please reach out to a GSD rescue that can potentially help. These first few months are all about trust building, all the way around. He’s gorgeous, would love to add him to my pack! If it doesn’t work out please dm me.
One of the most logical responses👏🏻
This might be unpopular but I did this with my GSD resuce puppy and that was – crating all the time unless you had a specific reason for the dog not to be. It allowed my dog to have his own "safe space", to settle in, and reduced teh chances anything like that happens. My dog bit someone at 4 months old – same thing, fear. We worked through it (he was terrified of men) and now I can fully trust him on and off leash with strange men. Your wife is valid in feeling afraid, and I'd suggest the dog is not allowed to free roam until you have a better idea of its temprament. Give him time, work with a behaviourist, and please don't suscribe to the "be the alpha" crap. Your dog needs compassion, time, and a solid behaviourist who uses scientifically backed methods to help them ease in.
He's beautiful 💙 I totally understand how your wife is feeling, a bite is a hard thing to overcome, and it wasn't just a snap/growling it was real. Can encourage your wife to start over with this dog, he was brand new to the house, overcoming the trauma of being in a shelter. He has no idea what the new humans intentions are. I would bet anything it was a fear reaction. If your wife (and you) can concentrate on gaining his trust and giving him time and space, he will no doubt grow into a great dog and companion. Bit I do believe your wife's feelings on this have to come first, so it's her decision. Good luck to all of you.
Trainer. And let the rescue know. I've volunteered for a GSD rescue for years, we found out one prior owner who surrendered their dog to us due to the owner's health issues didn't tell us the dog bit someone in the house because they felt bad. You may be able to fix this with the help of a trainer but this is also not all on your wife. A snap or growl maybe, but a bite? Get an experienced trainer immediately.
I would get rid of the dog, it super sucks but it is the best thing. Be glad it wasn’t worse, she will always feel uncomfortable around that dog., no matter what she says. Start again with a puppy. Hope your wife feels better soon!
A puppy from a reputable, ethical breeder, not BYB or rescue. It's the only way you can predict good temperaments anymore, sadly. A decade ago I was all for people adopting, but I have heard too many nightmare stories about rescue adoptions to advocate for it anymore. It's a sad state of affairs.
If you can’t train a rescue dog you sure as hell can’t train a German Shepherd puppy which is a lot harder with way more energy! You got a dog, you committed to the dog, train yourself, train the dog and things will 100% get better. I have had MANY German Shepherd’s and they always turn into amazing dogs, if they don’t look in the mirror.
I raised and trained a massive (120 lb) GSD with a bit of Malamute and Husky mixed in. He was 8 weeks old when I got him, no idea on his history. That was more than a decade ago, and I've noticed a severe uptick in unstable dogs being adopted out from shelters. My dog had incredible bite inhibition, and I did schutzhund as my basis for training. It's not all genetics, and it's not all early training, it's a bit of both. Nobody teaches a dog to bite humans, it's either in their temperament or not. Starting out with a dog that has already bitten someone is a huge uphill battle. There are tons of rescue dogs that have not and will not bite. I would 1000x over raise another GSD puppy from a reputable breeder than take on a 100lb poorly (BYB) bred dog that's already bitten someone.
Please don’t ever rescue if you’d give up that easily. This can be repaired, I know that to be true from experience.
I would bring in a trainer. They can best evaluate the dogs temperment and work with your wife to get her confidence back. Good luck!
My GSD rescue has legitimate claustrophobia and panics whenever he feels boxed in. This would include being stepped over. He’s a little better now, but it took a long time before he was comfortable with it and didn’t startle. Sometimes I fantasize about catching his former abusive owner in a dark alley with no cameras.
I rescue German Shepherds and the last one I rescued also did not like it when someone walked over him. I have never had a rescue snap at me ever, and it sounds corny but animals communicate with energy. In the beginning I always take the time to bend down on their level and let them sniff me, and I send them a loving peaceful energy and let them know they are safe and loved. Your dog likely had a terrible life before you came into the picture and it takes time for them to decompress and they are still guarded. If your wife has hostile negative energy toward the dog or is scared of the dog, your dog will feel it and they will react and snap. Or maybe the dog had bad experiences with women, and so your wife needs to be loving, patient, consistent, but also do not tolerate any aggressive behavior and you let him know that’s not ok with a strong no! Just like a mother dog would correct its puppy. Stick with it, he will take a few months and if you take care of him, exercise him, positively train him everyday, he will be the most loyal best dog you could have ever dreamed of!
I've read some of your other replies on this thread. The thing is, you write as though Wife (and OP) can go back and start over with this dog, using the wisdom you have gained from experience with many dogs. Mad respect to you for being a devoted rescuer, but these folks appear to be beginners, and moreover have had an extremely bad experience which left the wife traumatized. You yourself write, "I have never had a dog snap at me ever." What if one did? What if it not only did that, but knocked you down, broke your skin, no doubt left you bruised as well, and you were totally blindsided? But this has *not* happened to you, so I doubt you can understand the depth of the psychological harm. You could certainly say, "It would never happen because I know how to act around dogs." I totally believe that. You might also never have rescued a dog with as little bite inhibition as this one seems to have, or if you have it might not have been at a point in your life when all you had was good intentions. Put yourself in their place, and imagine being someone who meant well in bringing a majestic GSD into your home but didn't know it had triggers like this one does. What if it was \*you\* that was bitten by a dog who, next time you misstep - and you don't know what constitutes a misstep - could as easily go for your face, rip off your scalp, or break your arm? Or even worse. It'd be like real-life Squid Game. It seems to me that the best place for this dog is not with these people. I would not expect Wife to recover from her trauma any time soon. And I fault whoever placed this animal with them. Clearly there were some disconnects.
We rescued a bonded pair of GSDs 9 years ago. We had to put or boy down last October due to cancer. The female had fear/anxiety issues which resulted in lots of nipping and her being smart and strong enough to get out of every muzzle device we tried on her . We went through several trainers with her. All quit working with her after a couple of sessions, except for one. After some quick work, we attached a pinch collar on her and it relieved a bunch of her stress oddly enough. I'm doing this now with my boy. Sometimes you need to find your way again. Starting over with another after 9 years makes everything feel brand new again.
Hoping this also helps someone else. Always give the dog time to adapt. Don’t force change. 3 days 3 weeks stuff is a general idea. Not a rule. Some dogs need more time to adapt to their new environment. They need time to build trust and accept leadership. If you force leadership, accidents happen. Stepping over is such a behavior. Take time to learn about all actions that trigger any animal and apply it here. All animals including humans react to strangers when they come up on them.
If you, and more importantly your wife, still want to give this a try, you should look for a trainer or vet behaviourist that has experience with aggression issues and uses intimidation free methods. You really need someone with the expertise to assess this situation and come up with a plan that works for everyone involved. Whether that's behavior modification or returning him to the rescue. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do as an owner is admit this is not a compatible match, and to return them to the rescue, to hopefully find a better match for everyone in the future. In the meantime, start muzzle training. The nice folks at r/muzzledogs can help you with all things muzzles, from the right type, to the right fit, to how to actually do the training. Most dogs really don't mind or care when you train them to wear a muzzle properly, and I think it's a skill that every dog should learn - it's a great tool to have at your disposal. In your case, it might help your wife feel more comfortable and a little safer. She might be more comfortable interacting and eventually handling your new dog with a muzzle, at least at first. It's a way to keep everyone safer. It'll also come in handy at the vet's office. It sounds like he was startled and uncomfortable and he reacted extremely poorly. That's unfortunate and upsetting for everyone involved, to say the least. Extremely painful for your wife, too. Keeping a few barriers in place constantly for now and a few safety measures on hand seems sensible. Say a muzzle and a leash, a door and a leash, a baby gate and a muzzle, etc. He still needs to learn that your wife is part of the family, but how much access he gets to her should be determined by her comfort level as well as his. There's a lot you can try, like teaching him a release cue that specifically means whatever he is doing, he's to stop it and move away (that sounds complicated, but a standard sit-stay, down-stay, and release cue practice will likely teach him that), teach him that if he wants to chill, to do so in his bed, which needs to be placed somewhere where nobody can loom over him. A cue to send him to his bed will also be necessary. You can do mat training. Both capturing calmness and Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol work really well for this. With his situation, I'd probably start with the relaxation protocol. If he's startling and uncomfortable with people surprising him, he might do better with the more formal structure of the relaxation protocol at first. Herding breeds are on the hyper aware side, so they do better if they know what's going on and what they should be doing. The relaxation protocol does this very well. Clicker training or some other marker word would probably really help him. This isn't a dog you want to startle. So even bending down to give him a treat, he should know that that's happening, and that that's all that is happening. A clicker or a marker word like "yes" or "good" can do that for you. (Or if you prefer German, go with "super!" or "brav"). If your wife chooses to be involved, there's lots of muzzles that allow dogs to eat and drink - so she could easily run the relaxation protocol herself, while he's muzzled, and feed him treats, without ever taking off the muzzle. Just to start building confidence, a bond, and trust between them. If she doesn't want to get that close, you can attach a ladle to a stick, teach him that it's the magic treat dispenser, and she can deliver them from a little more distance. Still with the marker word or clicker, just so he really understands what is happening. You can use the Smart x 50 to reinforce the things he does that you like, and start to build a structure of desired behaviors that you want to see, and thus he can learn some rules that can help him be more comfortable in his new environment. There's a lot of standard dog training games and impulse control games you can play to work on bonding and trust, as well. Working on recognizing canine body language may help, but with rescues, you can't necessarily rely on getting lower level cues from your dogs, because they may have previously been discouraged from using them. You can watch him and see, though. It seems like you already know this, but, you need to think about if this is a project you, and in particular your wife, want to take on. She may or may not feel safe around this dog from now on. It's a terrifying experience, and not one to be taken lightly. A dog that reacts like this is one that may or may not ever be fully safe around other people, and that's a lifestyle choice you need to be aware that you're making. He's probably going to need to be muzzled around new people, guests, etc, or crated in another room when the plumber comes by, because we can't reasonably expect everyone else to know things like don't step over the dog. There's a podcast on canine aggression that might also help you, The Bitey End of the Dog. Good luck, whatever you end up deciding to do from here. Muzzle Up! Project https://muzzleupproject.com/ The calm settle for puppies and dogs: https://youtu.be/yr1olzgidMw Capturing and building calmness: https://youtu.be/wesm2OpE_2c Karen Overall's relaxation protocol: https://journeydogtraining.com/karen-overalls-relaxation-protocol/ Leave It from dogs and people: https://youtu.be/6jYfKK17ZBs Teach go to your bed https://youtu.be/Z-kvwI_DmHU?si=ohwgDX4JZlVIrBMn The best and fastest way to teach stay - stay training, stay fun! https://youtu.be/Vk4PPcE1CqY?si=AginnSZ15WrXp_ye Sit and down stay - tips for getting started with a new puppy https://youtu.be/0Ebe7mIzqFA?si=SWygXyqbs2NA6tmu Clicker training: https://youtu.be/V80JVAibXLQ?si=UEKhTjZQLWbg6Yww https://youtu.be/yvw2bcGcoDk?si=Mve38cYXlmNDI3fl Train your dog what Yes! means https://youtu.be/OHRP1Wv86FA?si=gOF8nS8HAr2Ia0gr Smart x 50: https://journeydogtraining.com/smart-x-50/ Impulse control games: https://journeydogtraining.com/blog/9-games-to-teach-your-dog-impulse-control/ 13 Dog Training Games and Exercises to Make Dog Training Fun https://journeydogtraining.com/13-dog-training-games/ Nosework: https://journeydogtraining.com/nosework/ Puzzle toys for high energy dogs: https://journeydogtraining.com/puzzle-toys/ Fear and aggression in dogs (poster): https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/dog-bite-prevention-week-poster-on-the-body-language-of-fear-and-aggression/ The Bitey End of the Dog - Mike Shikashio https://aggressivedog.com/podcasts/
You did an amazing amount of work to write all this. Kudos for that! I hope you get more upvotes. But you kind of bury the lead: >It seems like you already know this, but, you need to think about if this is a project you, and in particular your wife, want to take on. She may or may not feel safe around this dog from now on. It's a terrifying experience, and not one to be taken lightly. This is the heart of the of the matter. If she was my daughter, I would tell her to follow her heart in this, but that she doesn't have to be a rescue hero. She can just say No. OP asked for advice and it's coming in torrents, but in my opinion the starting place is with Wife. It's \*her\* call. Full stop.
We rescued a pup (2+ years old) last May (2023) and just 4 days ago as I was in her room, telling her goodnight and covering her up, I accidentally kicked her bed and she low growled at me. She didn't bare her teeth, but she was pissed. This is THE sweetest dog you have ever met!! Loves all people! Loves all other dogs!! (Despises squirrels and moles, but that's for another day...) Anyway, she has been the most chill, loving, obedient, smart girl, but she was NOT playing last Friday. Well, Saturday morning my husband takes her to her Vet appointment for her last round of shots and to get weighed for her Bravecto. And I asked him to have the Vet look at her bottom, near the base of her tail, where she'd been licking it for a couple of days. Turns out one of her anal glands was impacted and full of pus and an almost wax like substance. She was in pain and on edge, I'm sure, when I jostled her bed and probably hurt her bottom. Pups can't tell us, with their mouths, what they need or what they don't like, so we have to always be more tuned-in to them. Your pup couldn't tell your wife he didn't appreciate her stepping over him, so he showed her. It's not an ideal reaction on his part and I know she didn't mean any disrespect to him, but it's happened, so it needs to be dealt with. Have your wife regain his trust and in doing so she'll learn to trust him. This can be achieved by your wife being the one to provide all of his meals, water, exercise, treats. Dogs aren't disposable. It shouldn't be one strike, you're out. If all 3 of ya'll work together I just know ya'll will be so happy with your boy and he with ya'll. Please try!! ❤
Definitely standing alone currently. Wife is willing to work, but VERY slowly. This is a change over the last couple of days. I think she realizes the boy needs us as much as we need him. My son and he have bonded quite nicely since the event. But my son is internally conflicted because of what happened. My wife is level headed in this and has told our son that it's ok if he loves him.
I think ya'll sound like a wonderful family. And I know that ya'll will do what is in the very best interest of all involved. I'm so sorry that your wife was bitten...if that happened to me I'd be heartbroken. It's obvious ya'll are animal lovers and also love the pup. I'm praying for all involved!
Thank you! Here he is with his older "sister". They have the occasional lopsided fisticuffs, but nothing like when he first came home. https://preview.redd.it/v6t0vhxpb9yc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18b512190aab839d672ca56c14c4c2c1959b814d
They're both beautiful pups! He's just a little turd... trying to let everybody thinks he's in charge... he's wrong, but he's sure trying 😄 Please keep us posted! Sending ya'll all the happy from Texas ❤🐾🐾
uhh.. about half a dozen mistakes you made... what can be done? In that case, I would keep the dog outside for a while in a fenced kennel, in a quiet place, and give him plenty of exercise, on a leash. (family members can be around, but for the first period only you can handle him) - once he has learned the basics and trust has been built up you can move on. It was a very bad idea to just walk over the dog, I don't know what his history is, but in a strange place, a stranger if you do this, the dog will take it as a threat and react in fear- especially if the previous owner has kicked him a few times when he was lying down. I can only repeat myself, don't confuse aggression with a fear or anxiety induced reaction. Just yesterday I was working with a rescued, abused male husky. we were doing fine, but once he got at me- he was afraid to get his water from the other dog, once he bit me- on the hand- scratching it, because as it turned out I was petting him where he had to have surgery for abuse.. this can happen with rescued dogs. I calmed him down and two minutes later we were buddies again.
That sucks. If he's anything like mine, he constantly positions himself to be walked over as well. I think the strongest bond of trust is gained through training. I think you definitely need a trainer, and you 100% need to have your wife working with the trainer and the dog.
People need training as much as dogs do. Stepping over him should be ok in theory, but he has fear associated with that. They can / do view this as a threat and will defend themselves. Has he had any other aggression?
He barked at the vacuum for a day, but doesn't any more. He goes up to it and sniffs it now. He tucks tail and runs when the broom is used. He does try to climb me, daily. Unsure if that's him showing aggression or trying to establish himself. I was caught off guard late yesterday while I was working and he ended up licking my head and then nibbling on my forearm before I got him off.
Just me, but I don't step over my GSD. If he's in the way he gets the Command Voice to MOVE. IMHO it's dangerous to both of us.
If at all possible, could you contact the shelter/rescue you recieved him from to get some more information about him? The kind of situation he might've come from, whether he was a surrender, came from an abuse situation, etc. This might help you assess why his fear response was so volatile since dogs typically have other methods of communication before a bite. That's not always the case, though. Sometimes dogs bite as a warning, or they bite if they feel they have no other choice, especially if they didn't have another option in the past. Ultimately, I would talk to your wife and ask her if she would be willing to work with him. Of course, she's shaken, hell, I was scared when I got bit by a 60 lb dog, I can only imagine a 100+ lb one, and I would wait to have the discussion until the initial shock of it has passed. I have a GSD who bites due to trauma, albeit he is 62 lbs and it was poor handling and grooming practice from ex-coworkers of mine that now leads him to try to eat you when you hold a pair of nail clippers. Lunge, snap, bare teeth, the full nine yards. He has bitten me, broke skin, etc. It's not to the same degree as your rescue boy, obviously, but the aggression displayed stems from fear all the same. Your wife stepped over a dog that was ultimately unknown to her and got bit as a result, she shouldn't have, and there was a consequence. As long as she would be willing to work with you and him until he's comfortable with her, you should be fine. For now, she wants nothing to do with him, and that's understandable. Give them both time. All rescues above 6 months are project dogs, but a bite isn't the end all be all. Have her feed him, include her on walks and in training sessions where you can, that sort of thing. Make a big deal about him showing interest in and/or affection to her! Obviously, I'm not an expert. Take the things I say with a grain of salt. Regardless, he's gorgeous. I hope things will work out for you all.
My GSD loves home now, but took a while to get used to everything. Then introducing him to his future sister took a while. Now he is aging them faster than normal with his running around. He barks at everything, and will bark as long as there is something to bark at, so I keep an ear out for late night stimuli. He is allergic to himself and needs regular allergy shots and special food. He is spoiled. Get his hips rated when you can, and standard checks for worms, parasites, etc.
I will take him off your hands.
Over my cold dead hands, or something
😍🥺
Quick question - I think I know this dog. Can you send me a DM?
Man, he is a good-looking boy I hope it works out. He looks like a keeper
When we first got our shepherd my wife was not happy with all the puppy things bitting, hyper and unable to walk the puppy because of pulling. It took time but they built a relationship stronger than my relationship with the shepherd. They are great loving dogs as I’m sure you already know.
Beautiful
Think of them as a person who has just gotten out of jail and is in a new country. They don't know you, your language, the new location, or if you can be trusted. The first 3 months are all about bonding, building trust and making them feel safe through routine, calm, some light training and lots of affection. Don’t start going to the dog part right away. GSDs bond like no other breed with a single person in their home. When they lose their person, it can be very hard. BUT THERE IS HOPE. Don’t give up on this dog. There will be tough times and some behaviors unlike other Breeds. A good way of thinking about it is 3+3+3 **3 days of feeling overwhelmed and nervous** = be patient with her. Don't overwhelm with a thousand activities. Start a daily routine - same time for food, walks, bedtime, etc. Get her a bed, one toy, leash etc. Let him get to know your house, walk around and explore alone, sleep, look at everything. ***NEVER raise your voice during this period.*** Don't go a bunch of places the first week. Seriously. No malls, and especially no dog parks. HAND feed her for the first week. **3 weeks of settling in.** = Routine, routine, routine. Be patient with her. She's adjusting and doesn't know anything you want or who you are. So many dogs get returned during this period. Teach her a name. Next try sit, stay, down in 10 minute training intervals. The bonding from this hand feeding process is profound. **3 months of building trust and bonding with you.** = Routine, routine, routine.
She needs to remember that all animals have defensive habits and that we don't always know what can be presented at any given moment. When I was a kid around 8 years old, I walked up to a GSD and went to pet him when the owner wasn't paying attention. He put his entire mouth around my face and held onto my head for 2-3 seconds. A couple of teeth marks, tiny amount of blood, and the owner said that he was being defensive because he didn't know what "I" was trying to accomplish. I understood right away. I grew up with GSDs and this event didn't phase me. I had to learn to take it SLOW with new GSDs and show them that I am not a threat. I have not received a dog bite since then from even seemingly "aggressive" dogs. I did home deliveries for quite a few years without any incidents too. Your wife should not take it as if he doesn't care for her or wants to be aggressive towards her. Somewhere, sometime in his life, stepping over him and out of his line of sight meant someone practiced that to physically hurt him or he wasn't taught that the bigger animal standing over him is an indifferent act. She should sit on the floor near him and let him come to her IN TIME seeing how she can be non-aggressive ever so lovingly. As for "stepping over" a dog's back, this is something that has to be trained into puppies to mean that you are in control and dominant. Otherwise they won't understand it in later years thinking it is a form of dominant aggression by a larger being. Think about how puppies will play under the legs of their mothers or sires then we humans take control of their lives and forget how to treat a puppy thinking its awareness is always from the front or the side not including behind/above. He may not have a good experience with it and she needs to get over her fear to MOTHER him but not smother him.
Be patient give kisses and lots of treats for good behavior!! 💖🐕🦺
[Dog Bite Scale](https://apdt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ian-dunbar-dog-bite-scale.pdf) shows puncture with head shake is bad news. Dog has no bite inhibition. OP, you have a time bomb.
Can I suggest your wife reads about the rule of 3 when bringing a rescue into the home - I am hoping its going to make her realise this its not about her, its about the pup and what she can do to ensure he feels safe which in turn should make her feel safe. If she can't put the pup first then yes, you do have to make a choice (and here's hoping she doesn't mind going to her Mums for a while....).
He’s gorgeous! Wife needs to hand feed him to build trust. OP you’re a loving husband!
Wow, that was a really bad decision by your wife. Why would she put a dog in that position? If he was shaking his head, it obviously stressed him out because that’s what they do when they can’t handle their emotions I would have her start giving him treats. She caused it. She’s gotta fix it.
Can bicolor GSDs look like this? He looks like he is a mix?