Need Advice with Prince - Page 3

Deanna...:)
I bet you are more firm with your kids than with Prince....and if one cussed at you under his/her breath you would have made sure that never happened again..
You are a smart cookie, you know him better than anyone, start putting him back in a "box" of rules....and for immediate future reclaim your  bed by not allowing him on it...but don't be surprised if he starts marking it......boys like to test their limits..

My male Belgian Mal. "grumbles" or "talks". It is far different from his actual growl or on alert bark. I'm not sure if GSD's "talk" in this fashion as well, but I can tell you my Mal is a big "talker" which might sound more intimidating than it is if someone didn't know his vocal keys.

I did not read through this entire post and please forgive me for being blunt.  Deanna, did you not train Prince with Kelly at TOPS?  Please, get off the internet, stop asking people online for help, call Kelly!  She knows the dog, she knows you, she has more insight into your issues than anyone can assume to assess over a computer screen.  Aggression is nothing to mess around with, call Kelly or better yet, take Prince to see her for some refresher training for both of you.

viperk9- solid advice.

Viper, best advice yet. How old is Prince now? Three. That's usually when a strong male is due for his comeuppance and let them know they are STILL on the bottom of the picking order in relation to human family.

Hexe recommended having Prince tested for thyroid function and I would second that. It's a simple blood test that could identify an underlying  physical cause for Prince's behavior issues. Here a link to some info on this disease and note that the author states that GSD's are especially prone to being aggressive if their thyroid glands are malfunctioning.

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/hypothyroidism-in-dogs

If you do decided to have him tested, I'd also suggest that you have your vet collect the sample and send it to Jean Dodd at Hemopet. Dr. Dodd knows the breed and is now chairing the GSDCA's health committee. You can also consult with her on the phone or internet. She will respond to all inquiries; she has helped me out several times with a vaccination concern and is very timely with her replies and recommendations.

http://hemopet.org/hemolife/thyroid-testing.html

Thanks everyone for the posts!..

Bob,,​I open the cage and reach in and take him out,,I do not call him and disipline him,,I always appreciate your posts and will never forget the way you stepped up and encouraged me with Prince ...:)

Moons,,Rethinking the relationship is really key here IMO,,And no, I wont pop Prince in the nose anymore lol,,But be assured he never blinked..

Ladyfrost,,Just didn't want you to think I was a nice person or something,,lol,,:) I actually really don't like people very much, but animals have me wrapped around their lil paws!!..

Blitzen..Great links, thanks so much..I will certainly not let this avenue go unchecked if the issue doesn't resolve itself soon,,I "Liked" Jeans FB page too...

Viper,,I appreciate your reminder and yes, Kelly did work with Prince at Topps!...Without Kelly there would be no Ruger1!!...She saved our lives..:) I will not hesitate to take him back up for a little vacation if things don't improve and even then I know that he and I would benefit from a refresher for sure,,,On the flip side I do enjoy hearing what others have to say on the topic, but I never do anything without checking in with Kelly or Jim!!,,,Thanks for your post!

PMwatch,,Yes, Prince grunts with affection too...lol...> however, this was not a grunt <
 

I'm working days tomorrow, if you want, feel free to call me in the afternoon.

Jim

Curious as to why there are two dislikes on Blitzens post above about blood testing?..I am presently waiting for returns calls from my vets about getting a full blood panel done ASAP ...Also the holistic vet ( of all people ) recommended that I give Prince alprazolam ( Xanax ) 1mg before the draw...I push pills all day long to my patients without worry, but I worry about giving Prince one little pill. Does anyone have any experience with giving Xanax to dogs. Years ago we gave our cat Ativan and the poor cat turned into a rabid raccoon...

Also, I have spoke with Kelly and Prince is going on a vacation!!,,He will be spending a week or two there and he will be getting neutered soon after!,,,~~Yes, Moons I said the N word!!!...lol,,

Jim,,thank you ,,,
 

Deanna, pay no attention to the dislikes. These people don't care about Ruger, they only care about disliking anything I say or disliking any mention of the GSDCA. Happens all the time. If they have a valid reason to disagree with blood testing, they should step up to the plate and say why.

Jean Dodd is the authority on hypothyrodism in dogs; she says that it's one of the leading causes of dog aggression. I think a woman with her credentials and longevity in vet medicine is a lot more likely to benefit Ruger than some keyboard diva pressing the dislike button. Never overlook the obvious, test for the physical issues that might be the cause of his behavioral issues. If they check out OK, then you know that it's back to the drawing board.

Good luck, Jean loves all dogs and will help you with anything she can. She makes herself available to everyone. I've known her since the 70's when she worked with another breed on some blood testing for a recessive condition. She was the same then as she is today - the real deal.