Dog Aggressive German Shepherd/malinois
Our 12 mo german shepherd/malinois neutered male is being aggressive towards our 10 yr. golden retriever neutered male and our Shitzu mix 6 yr. neutered male. We also have 9yr. Spayed female lab who he shows no aggression to. The aggression happens in our presence only. Need a behavior modification plan. We have all resources to separate but want a plan to create acceptance and peace. Thanks!
German Shepherd Aggression And Attack Warning Signs
Watch out for signs that your German Shepherd is getting ready to attack another dog.
These warning signs may include:
- a focused stare on their intended target
- raised hair on their back
- a stiff body and muscles
- pulling wildly and strongly toward the other dog
- showing their teeth or pulling their lips back
- and growling
You may even have to avoid your dogs stressors temporarily if your dog is becoming that upset.
So have a plan of action in mind, such as crossing the street safely to avoid another dog walker or choosing a new route to take your dog for exercise.
Give your German Shepherd the chance to choose a good behavior, instead of adding to their stress and causing them to attack unnecessarily.
Discipline Your Aggressive German Shepherd In The Right Way
While your first instinct might be to harshly punish your German Shepherd for showing aggression, this could make matters worse.
Instead, youll need to learn how to have the right discipline techniques for a German Shepherd.
Discipline them the same way to ensure they understand that your actions will remain consistent and theyll know what to expect.
The best way to discipline an aggressive German Shepherd is to always have them on a leash and to direct them away from whats upsetting them. Dont jerk them on their leash, but call them to you and walk away without yelling or screaming.
Avoid getting them more worked up by not using harsh reprimands or physical violence or force.
Your job is to help your aggressive German Shepherd not encounter any stressors by anticipating what they react to and avoiding it. Plan ahead for what youll do when you see another dog coming your way.
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Why German Shepherds Arent Always Aggressive
Why arent all German Shepherds aggressive? While German Shepherds do have a loyal, protective nature that can predispose them to aggression, there are many things you can do to prevent your dog from becoming aggressive.
Aggressive German Shepherds arent the result of their heritage. Most aggression is caused by a failure on the part of their humans.
Rest assured that if you socialize, train, and exercise your German Shepherd, they should not develop any aggressiveness.
Hyperactivity In German Shepherds
Scientists have likened the features of hyperactivity, or scientifically Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in dogs to those manifesting in human children.;
German Shepherds with ADHD will portray behavior problems such as hyperactivity, inability to pay attention, being easily distracted, impulsiveness, poor social skills, aggressive responses, fear, and sensitivity to noise.
The consensus seems to reign about the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in ADHD. Concerning genes, the German Shepherd has been named among breeds most prone to ADHD. Research has also listed some of the environmental factors impacting the condition in dogs:
- Level of affection received from the owner
- Number of social contacts
- Frequency of walks and playtime
- Neuter/spay
The German Shepherd Dog is naturally a high-energy dog, and the presence of ADHD can make life difficult for both the owner and the dog. Hyperactive German Shepherds may be uncontrollable during walks, manifest excessive leash-pulling, become overly excited when you remove the leash or return home, and be difficult to engage in obedience training.;;
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Is German Shepherd An Aggressive Breed
The German Shepherd breed is known for their aggressive behaviors and tendencies. German Shepherds are considered good guard dogs but if they are not trained guard dogs, then you need to curb any aggressive tendencies.
Are German Shepherds good guard dogs? Introduction The German Shepherd breed is known for their aggressive behaviors and tendencies. In fact, they are often touted for this behavior and it is utilized to make good, strong guard dogs. German Shepherds are quite an intelligent breed, which means that you should be able to train them fairly easily.
What age do German shepherds start to be aggressive? Hitting, yelling or other harsh punishments at a young age can breed aggressive behavior in German Shepherds over time. A German Shepherd like other breeds of dog needs to have been properly socialized with people and other dogs by the time he reached 14 weeks.
Why is my German Shepherd so aggressive? It is often worrying for dog owners if they notice their German Shepherds aggression. Aggression in your German Shepherd can be categorized into many different types, however, in most cases, it is caused by the fear of something.
Are German Shepherds Naturally Aggressive
German Shepherds are one of the most loyal dog breeds you can adopt. Theyre protective and intelligent, making them exceptional guard dogs and family members. On the other hand, theyre more naturally aggressive than other breeds. Oftentimes, their aggression is a sign of other factors at play, like boredom.
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Year Old German Shepherd Growls At Me
From under the desk, he’s always in eyes view…
the look he gave me after i tried to pet him.
I have a 3 month old german shepard mix. He is very calm, even stays laying down when a visitor walks in, he is housebroken and knows basic commands . I also have two children, 4 years old and 19 months. My kids like to run around a lot and the puppy will run right along with them and bite. He sometimes bites and starts to tug at them. I try to stop him by saying no and mimicking a biting effect with my hand in a claw motion. He seems to do it when he gets excited and there is a lot of movement around. I wanna stop this because he does pierce the skin at times. I know he is teething but he only seems to bite the children, even if they don’t pay attention to him, he will come up and bite them. Can anyone help?
If You Try To Dominate It
German Shepherds live in a pack and thats why they have a hierarchical system in which they take the position of an alpha. So, when you try to rule over your GSD, your dog will get aggressive and show signs of bad behavior. This happens because it is dominant by nature and does not take orders too well. To solve this problem and make your dog listen to you, you will first need to set your position as the alpha of the pack. Only then you will be able to make it follow your commands and not react otherwise.
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Territorial Aggression When Other Dogs Are Around
If your German Shepherd attacked your other dog then your other dog may have gotten too close to a prized possession.
Some highly valued possessions that cause your German Shepherd aggression towards other dogs may be:
- you
- potential mates
- or toys, such as bones, treat chews and any other prised toys around
Your German Shepherd may feel the need to protect these resources and become confrontational or attack your other dog.
Be aware of adding in a new puppy to your home and allowing it to invade your older dogs food dishes, beds, toys, or space, which can upset the older dog and cause a dog attack.
And, a female German Shepherd could become territorial and dog aggressive when shes given birth to puppies in order to protect her litter.
How To Stop Hyperactivity In German Shepherds
Experts have used human ADHD questionnaires to detect the condition in dogs since; it seems hyperactivity has similar body chemical markers in dogs as in humans. This explains why testing ADHD in dogs entails observing changes in respiratory and heart rate and behavior.
Also, ADHD has been explained as self-stimulation, which means that the triggers cause the dog to invent ways to stay active.;
Consequently, solving hyperactivity in German Shepherds entails countering self-stimulation with external stimulation; youll need to keep your GSD more physically and mentally stimulated to deter him from finding ways of staying active.
As often repeated, the test for ADHD is to give your German Shepherd a prescribed stimulant in a controlled clinical situation and then observe the change in their respiratory rate, heart rate, and behavior. The levels for these markers will reduce in dogs with ADHD.
It is important to work with your GSDs vet to diagnose your dog for ADHD and follow any recommended training or medical interventions. Avoid self-diagnosing your dog, and especially self-made remedies.
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Hello Gianna,I recommend hiring a professional trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression in your case. I would find someone who has experience with obsessive compulsive behavior, possessiveness, and fear.Ideally the trainer would also work with a staff or team of trainers, so that you have the resources to counter condition pup to a lot of different “strangers” -i.e. the other trainers on staff. As well as well mannered dogs that the training can be practiced around.I would also desensitize pup to wearing a basket muzzle so that you can train more safely and do more in training.Here an example of an aggressive dog who is aggressive and reactive. I would highly recommend working in person with a training group due to the resources needed with these cases and the bite risk with such aggression. A good training group should be taking safety measures while training to keep everyone involved safe too.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tiHairtYUchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juiJ-Hq8dIBest of luck training,Caitlin Crittenden
Excessive Barking In German Shepherds
Barking is a normal communication behavior in dogs, and German Shepherds are known to be naturally vocal. Nonetheless, when barking becomes excessive, it can become a nuisance for both the owner and the neighborhood.
Excessive barking means your dog will start to bark for any little stimulant and go on and on and on. It could be a doorbell, a passing stranger, or even the rustling of leaves in the backyard. If your GSD barks excessively, this may be the first sign that there are underlying issues and that he is sensitive to certain triggers.
Triggers of excessive barking include:;
- Boredom your German Shepherd is home alone most of the time.
- Insufficient exercise both physical and mental.
- Fear and anxiety your GSD is poorly socialized and gets anxious at the sight of people and other dogs/pets.
- Territorial behavior your dog is overly protective of you, your home, or his possessions.;
- Attention seeking your dog has been reinforced to receive your attention when he barks incessantly.
- Medical issues your German Shepherd has a medical condition that causes them pain and discomfort.;
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What Are Spaying And Neutering
Even though spaying and neutering are common procedures, a lot of pet owners do not know exactly what happens during the operation. Of course, we have a general idea of what happens, but veterinarians dont really go into too much detail about what this procedure entails.
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually two different procedures. Even though they both have the same purpose, spaying is the term used when the procedure is conducted on a female dog, and neutering is used when the dog is male. So, with that in mind, lets take a look at exactly what the spaying and neutering process is.;;
Signs Your German Shepherd Is Bored
Raising a dog is quite a responsibility, and while some pets just need food and shelter, dogs require positive engagement, socialization, and exercise. German Shepherds are a large breed with lots of energy, and if you dont find productive outlets for this energy, youll have an aggressive dog who is poorly socialized and frustrated.;
We often overlook our own boredom but doing the same with our canines is unfair. The consequences of boredom vary, and you should watch out for the following signs that indicate that your German Shepherd is bored.
Your Dog Chews and Digs a Lot
While chewing things and digging soft earth are natural tendencies among canines, if you notice a spike in such behavior, you can be sure that it is because your girl wants to alleviate her boredom.;
In case youve never adopted a dog before, you may talk to a friend who has dogs and ask them to observe whether the frequency with which your German Shepherd digs or bites is typical for her age/breed. Please note that youll need to train your dog to avoid such behavior, even if this is not excessive. You can check out this article, German Shepherd Behavior Problems: Tips That Actually Work! for greater insight into this topic.
Your Dog Pants and Claws Sans-Stimuli
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Why Is My German Shepherd So Skinny For Caring Dog Lovers
Hello everyone! This is another step in our series of articles on German Shepherds. I hope you have already gone through our articles on German Shepherd Signs of Affection and Do German Shepherds Have Webbed Feet? Todays article is going to answer, why is my German Shepherd So Skinny?. As we are familiar with well-bred German Shepherd dogs, skinny ones are not common. So, what is your idea? Well, those who have German Shepherd dogs at home can perhaps experience this problem. Without further delay let us learn the reasons behind German Shepherds getting skinny.
Are Male German Shepherds More Aggressive
Yes; male German Shepherds tend to be more aggressive than their female counterparts. Male GSDs are more aggressive because of their territorial problems and dominant behavior. Compared to a neutered male GSD, an intact male tends to mark his territory more because of his higher testosterone levels.
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Most Common German Shepherd Behavioral Problems
Before we dive into the most common behavioral problems associated with German shepherds, I think its important to look at where the breed has actually come from.
Over the last century, German shepherds have been used for tracking, search and rescueespecially for the police and protection and guarding. So, its no surprise that a lot of the issues are in this exact area.
They have been intentionally bred for traits such as fierce loyalty, intelligence, and strength.
This leads to one of the first common problems for German shepherds, which revolves around aggression and the need to protect. Its very possible that an untrained German shepherd would be likely to bark or lunge at other dogs or people, especially on his own property.
Its not at all that this type of dog is being mean or nasty. In fact, from the dogs point of view, he believes hes just doing his job of protecting his family or territory.
Its a very, very common problem, and, at the end of the day, it is what the German shepherd has been bred to do a lot of the time.
The good newsthis behavior can be untrained. Or even better yet, if youre working with a German shepherd puppy or a young German shepherd, you can easily avoid this behavioral problem. And in case you are wondering, this does not automatically mean, that if you ever really do need help, that they wont rise to the occasion!
Once again, with some basic training and a good sturdy harness, this behavior can be easily prevented.
Socialization Is More Important Than You Think
Many dog owners dont even realize how important socialization is from an early age. The German shepherd puppy shows signs of intelligence right from the start.
Use that and start working on his relationship with other animals and people IN TIME.
Its going to be way harder to teach him manners once your wolfie becomes an adult dog.
Problems occur when you adopt an older dog who hasnt been socialized properly. Such a case might require proper training and a behaviorist to solve the issue.
Socializing the German shepherd dog will control his need for territorial dominance. This was once a guard dog ; he would never allow anyone to come near his territory.
Have the training sessions focus on play dates with other puppies, so your german shepherd gets to learn while interacting with the others.
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Why Are German Shepherds Not Calm Out Of Control Or Aggressive
Owner-directed Aggression
GSDs may growl, lift a lip, snarl, snap, or bite to prove theyre in charge of a situation. This occurs when they feel their position is being challenged primarily by their owners or children. For example, This is often the case with children under six years of age. German Shepherds can attack children who behave inappropriately such as interacting with the GSD while the GSD is eating or pulling the GSDs tail.
Protective Aggression
A German Shepherd can become aggressive to a stranger because he perceives the stranger as a threat to his owner and his territory. Even though the owner doesnt consider the stranger as a threat, the German Shepherd can attack the stranger.
Fear Aggression
A German Shepherd may be aggressive when he is punished or abused by his handler. If you put your GSD away in a closed space, he will feel left behind and scared. This will lead to lack of trust so he will fight or be aggressive when he is faced with the same scary situation.
Dog-to-dog Aggression
Unsocialized GSDs usually show excessive aggression towards other dogs. An unsocialized GSD will struggle in accepting change such as meeting and interacting with other animals like dogs appropriately.
Obedience Training is an effective way to make your GSD calm. Experts agree this is better rather than enforcing BSL.