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What To Do If A German Shepherd Attacks You

Bringing A New Baby Home

Aggressive German Shepherd tries to attack dog trainer- aggressive dog behavior training

If you already have a German Shepherd and are about to bring a new baby home, your dog can learn to love and protect your new little one, as well. German Shepherds of all colors are naturally curious about babies. They are full of new sounds and smells for your dog to discover. Some of these sounds may take some getting used to!

But if you teach your dog that this new little person is part of your family, he will accept and love the baby just the same as everyone else. German Shepherds tend to have a gentle and loving disposition when it comes to babies. As your baby grows, teach respect for the dog, as well. Gentle petting and respecting the dogs space can be something your child knows from day one. Always monitor your dog and baby and dont leave them alone together.

While a German Shepherd is known for being generally safe with kids, its never a good idea to leave any dog alone with a baby. Even what the dog perceives as gentle playing is not something a newborn can handle, so always be present when allowing your dog to interact with your child.

German Shepherds In Popular Culture

While the breed may have started out in Germany, it has taken over as oneof the most popular in the United States, thanks in part to the appearanceof German Shepherds in movies and TV shows.

German Shepherds are sometimes used as acting dogs, due to theirintelligence and ability to be trained to follow commands. There have beenseveral well-trained German Shepherds which have thrived on camera. Hereare some of the best German Shepherd movies which feature the dog in aprominent role:

Train Your Dog To Attack

Now that your dog has mastered simple commands and you have your kit ready, its time to train him to attack.

This is how to go about it:

  • Start by putting on a pair of gloves
  • Next, tap your dogs face. This will cause him to grab the gloves. At this point, say the attack command

Note: you can choose your attack command from any language. The idea is to use something unique so that a stranger will not be able to command your dog to attack.

  • Keep touching his face and giving the attack commands.
  • Now, try giving the command without touching his face. If he attacks, reward him with praise and treat.

If he doesnt attack, go back to touching his face and issuing the command.

  • Continue until your dog attacks when you simply give the command. Offer him treats as he obeys.
  • Next, give him some distance and give the command. If your dog approaches you and attacks your glove, reward him with a treat.

And if he doesnt, dont get discouraged. Go over it again.

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Teaching Your Dog To Bark At Intruders

  • 1Ask a friend to hang around outside your house. You might want to train your German shepherd to bark when he hears potential intruders outside your house. To do this have a friend hang around outside. Then, have your friend make a little noise sufficient to trigger the dogs guarding instinct and wait for him to bark.XResearch source
  • 2Praise your German shepherd to reinforce the barking. After your dog starts barking at your friend, praise him and give him a treat to reward the behavior. Then, give him the âquietâ command to get him to stop barking. Make sure that you praise and reward him for being quiet as well.XResearch source
  • 3Reinforce this behavior only when your German shepherd is at home. It is not a good idea to teach your dog to bark at strangers when you are out on walks or at the veterinarianâs office. To be a good guard dog, your German shepherd should not regard strangers as a threat. To reinforce calm behavior around strangers, praise and reward your dog when he is calm around people outside of your home.XResearch sourceAdvertisement
  • German Shepherd Bite Statistics

    If your German Shepherd often attacks small dogs this post ...
    • Nearly five million people in the United States are bitten by a dog every year, and the most common victim is children who are bitten by a family pet.
    • According to a study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, certain dog breeds bite more than othersGerman Shepherds are #4 on the list of breeds who are most likely to bite. However, this is behind unknown at #1 and mixed breed at #3.

    Read More: Dog Bite Statistics

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    Why Some German Shepherd Attacks Happen

    German Shepherds are often used as guard dogs for businesses, junkyards, car lots, and warehouses. The problem with having dogs that are trained to defend property against strangers is that the owner has to be careful not to let these dogs come into contact with other strangers that he does not intend for them to attack. If there is a gate left open or a hole in the fence, these dogs may get out and attack people that are not really a threat to the property the dog believes it is protecting. Furthermore, if the property entrances are not properly secured and/or marked with warnings, unsuspecting meter readers, postal workers, salesmen, and other visitors may become victims of German Shepherd attacks by mistake.

    How To Train A German Shepherd To Attack

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  • Should You Get Professional Assistance?
  • Training a German Shepherd is a complex process, requiring time and patience. This training process needs to be carried out properly for the safety of you, your dog, and anyone they come into contact with. Here is your guide to turning a German Shepherd into an attack dog:

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    Speaking With A Lawyer

    The rules on liability for an injury caused by a dog vary from state to state. The outcome of any case depends on how the law applies to the particular circumstances. Whether your dog has hurt someone or you’re the injured person, consider speaking with a personal injury attorney who can help you protect your rights.

    About German Shepherd Dog Attacks

    What should I do if approached by dog- Aggressive German Shepherd gets attacked by small dog on walk

    German Shepherds are large dogs. They were originally bred to be sheep herding dogs and quickly became a favorite for families due to their protective instinct. German Shepherds engage in two forms of biting that usually involve children. The first is the guiding nip and the second is the grab-and-drag. These dogs will bite children using the grab-and-drag bite in order to pull a child out of harms way. Children will sometimes misread this protective instinct and will panic and pull away which can increase injury. If these dogs bite to defend territory or the home or yard they usually will first bark and or growl in order to get the perceived threat to retreat.

    Merritt Clifton is an editor of Animals 24-7. He performed an extensive record review and determined that German Shepherds were responsible for the following number of disfiguring injuries and deaths over a 32 year period from 1982 to 2013.

    Breed

    Attacks committed by several German Shepard mixes were also documented:

    Breed

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    Why Your German Shepherd Attacks You

    Each of the different reasons why your German Shepherd does it will likely come with some clues.

    Below, I will mention a number of possible causes along with the things that would make them more likely.

    Mistreatment

    The reason why your German Shepherd attacked you could be that it was mistreated. It could be that you mistreated it yourself but it could also be the case that someone mistreated it in the past and it has caused behavioral issues.

    Instead of being aggressive towards your German Shepherd or to punish it yourself it would help to be calm around your German Shepherd and to use positive reinforcement training to get it to behave the way that you want it to.

    Injury

    It could be the case that your German Shepherd has an injury and it has been causing it to be in pain and to lash out. This would be more likely if your German Shepherd has been showing signs of being in pain such as by whining or by limping. In this case, it would help to take your GSD to a vet.

    You have inadvertently trained it to be aggressive

    It might be the case that you have inadvertently trained it to be aggressive. This would be more likely if you tend to give it things that it wants when it is aggressive such as positive or negative attention, toys or treats.

    Instead, it would help to avoid rewarding it when it is aggressive and to train it to behave the way that you want using positive reinforcement training instead.

    Resource guarding

    It felt threatened

    A lack of training

    Training Your Dog May Change His Personality

    I do not believe you need to surrender thousands of dollars for a personal protection dog, but you do need to realize that training your pet is going to change his personality.

    Your dog may fail to serve as a personal protection animal and still be an excellent animal. The statistics of the , a group that often tests dogs used for personal protection, indicate that the majority of dogs that are tested using the Dog Mentality Assessment Test do not pass. I have never had a Siberian Husky that would serve to protect me. My Pit Bull cross seemed to understand the requirements almost right away. Not one of them was a better dog than the others they were all individuals and had different skills.

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    What Can Be Done For My Dogs Aggression

    A thorough history and assessment of aggressive episodes and your dogs behavioral history are essential for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. See www.AVSABonline.org for guidelines when selecting someone to help you with your pets behavior problem. A behavior modification program will generally include avoidance of triggers, teaching new responses, positive reinforcement for desirable behaviors, control with a head halter and leash, training exercises for response substitution and desensitization for the dogs significant triggers .

    “Dogs that are willing to use aggression to change the outcome of a situation are rarely cured.”

    Reasons Your German Shepherds Aggressive Towards Other Dogs

    This post will show you what you can do about your German ...

    It is not a German Shepherds nature to be aggressive, but it is possible to provoke one to behave that way. A German Shepherd is a big dog, and their naturally buff physique can have them inflicting a lot of damage with ease. They have the potential to be aggressive, which is why they make such strong military or police dogs.

    German Shepherds are able to be trained quite easily as they are very intelligent. If they are trained young, it is fairly easy to avoid bringing out their aggression. A responsible owner will make training a priority and will bring in reinforcements if necessary.

    There might be small signs of aggression that a German Shepherd might display as they are learning. They may occasionally bite at your furniture or play a little rough. Remember that there are usually reasons why your dog will act this way, and this does not mean they are dangerous and it is time to give up.

    Understanding what leads to a German Shepherds aggressive tendencies and knowing how to change that behavior is essential in making sure your German Shepherd becomes well-behaved. Doing so will not only make your life peaceful but will ensure your German Shepherd can be the happy, healthy, loving dog they are meant to be.

    Below we will discuss how to understand your German Shepherds aggressive behaviors and how you can avoid them displaying these behaviors towards you, other people, and other dogs.

  • FAQ
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    Can A German Shepherd Kill You

    A lot of people keep asking the question, Can a german shepherd kill you? One of the most commonly dog breeds used by the military and the police force is the German Shepherd. They are loyal, intelligent, and resilient dogs that love to please their humans.

    They are also strong, tough, and intimidating in appearance and behavior. Because of their combat service experience, GSDs tend to be viewed as an inherently violent breed, which can cause people to worry about their familys safety.

    Dog Bite Statistics Children Are Most Likely Victims To Be Bitten By A German Shepherd

    German Shepherd. By Ellen Levy Finch Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

    There are approximately 4.7 million dog bites every year according to the Center for Disease Study. Approximately 1 out of every 5 dog bite victims require emergency medical treatment. Children ages 5 to 9 years old sustain more dog bites than any other age.

    Child dog bite attack injuries are usually more serious then those suffered by adult victims. Children are smaller and weaker and thereby less capable of fending off dog attacks. Children are also shorter and their head, neck and face are in closer proximity to a dogâs mouth.

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    Gently Antagonize Your Dog

    Wear protective gear. Raise the arm that is wrapped up and wave it in front of your dogs face, gently nudging their nose as you do so. Do this long enough and this should antagonize your dog, causing them to bite you on the arm. When they do this, shout the Attack command.

    Dont let your dog bite you for too long. Give them the Stop command so that let you go. Praise them for their response with treats or affection.

    Repeat this process several times, yelling Attack every time your dog lunges towards you and bites you on the arm. They should receive a reward every time they bite you.

    Train Him Not To Bite

    Aggressive German Shepherd tries to attack dog trainer- how to train aggressive dog

    The first method you can try is positive reinforcement training. This is where you reward the behaviors you want to see from your German shepherd so that he learns to give them a positive association.

    To use the method to stop your dog from biting, you must:

    • Stand up and stop him from biting your arms or hands by leaving the room if necessary.
    • Wait a few moments and then return your attention to him and then prevent him from biting them again if he starts biting.
    • Repeat the above until he learns that biting causes him to lose attention.
    • Reward him with a treat when he does particularly well.

    You can watch the video below to see more on how to get your German Shepherd to stop biting your arms with positive reinforcement training along with more tips.

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    What Is The Prognosis For Dogs That Show Aggression Toward Their Family

    Dogs that are willing to use aggression to change the outcome of a situation are rarely cured but often can be controlled. Improvement may occur by having predictable interactions, avoidance of aggression provoking stimuli, a good daily routine of exercise, play and social interaction. However, some dogs may continue to be aggressive toward family members and present a risk to those who live with them. Certain family situations may make it impossible to safely rehabilitate an aggressive dog and keep people from harm. Each case requires an assessment with a veterinary behaviorist and ongoing follow up to determine if progress is being made .

    Contributors: Debra Horwitz, DVM, DACVB & Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVB, DECAWBMEdited by: VCA Inc. This article has been modified from its original text as supplied from LifeLearn and may not reflect any views of, or is certified to be accurate by, LifeLearn.

    Calming And Stressful Signals

    We all know a dog emits calming signals to help calm a situation.

    Calming signals are often referred to as stress signals, and although many of these signals are the same, their interpretation also depends on the actual context or situation in which they occur. The terms conflict signals and displacement signals also overlap.

    For example, You are with your cute puppy in a café. A stranger approaches you, and your hand reaches out to pet the puppy. Your puppy yawns and turns his head away. This is a very clear sign of stress, as your puppy is not happy with a stranger coming over and approaching.

    The stranger continues to reach out, and your puppy licks the strangers hand. Now your dog uses appeasement behavior to indicate that he is not going to cause harm in any way and also to indicate that he wants the stranger not to cause any harm. Despite these calming signals, your dog may not be happy with this interaction.

    Another example: Maybe youre standing at a bus stop, and you ask your dog to sit when a bus approaches. Your cute dog puts his nose to the ground and sniffs even though nothing is interesting. Your dog may feel somewhat overwhelmed with the approaching bus and may not sit because he doesnt think it is safe to do so. Instead, he decides to sniff the ground.

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    What Counts Toward Knowledge Of Danger

    If the owner denies responsibility and the dispute ends up in court , the judge or jury will have to decide whether or not the owner should have known the dog was likely to hurt someone. When making this decision, the court will take into account certain facts about the dog’s history. Among these considerations:

    Previous bites. It may be obvious that if a dog bites once, the owner will forevermore be on notice that it’s likely to happen again. But this guideline isn’t as straightforward as it may appear. For example, if a puppy nipped someone, the court may find that its owners weren’t necessarily on notice that the dog was dangerous ).

    Barking at strangers. If a dog barks at strangers but has never been menacing, its owner will probably not be liable when it bites someone. .)

    Threatening people. A dog that often growls and snaps at strangers who come near it when out in public, but hasn’t actually bitten someone, is a different case entirely. The dog’s actions should put its owner on notice that the dog might bite someone. .)

    Jumping on people. The owner of a playful, large dog that’s in the habit of jumping on house guests could be be liable if the animal knocks over a friend who comes to visit. The owner should know that the tendency to jump could be dangerous. .)

    Chasing people. If a dog likes to chase bicyclists or motorcyclists, the owner may be liable if the dog causes an injury while doing something similar.

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