Pedigree - Page 3

It is obvious that he is fear aggressive as well, because if a person makes contact with his eyes, he absolutely freaks out, and attempts to lunge and then snarls, and snaps. It seems to me that is coming from insecurity, and fear.

It was obvious he was fearful too, because at 8 weeks he avoided all of us, never made eye contact, and wanted nothing to do with any of us, besides a 4 year old. He would back up if we attempted to pet him. Despite me constantly training him to get use to a collar, even attempt Zak George's method, he did get use to it, but refused to go on walks for more than a month because he was absolutely terrified, and anxiously pulled (choking himself) as we got close to the house. To this day, he still hates going on walks, which is crazy odd. He'll hide in his kennel if you ask him; "Do you want to go for a walk" all excited, yet, if you say; "Do you want some food" he'll run out, whining for food.

At 8 - 12 weeks, he met more than 100 people, yet, wanted nothing to do with them, would back up & hide, would avoid interaction. Like every dog owner, I would take him to cafe's time to time, and get a table far away, and have him under me, let him sit and watch, I would take him to places like Walmart's and sit outside for hours, at a distance, letting him watch, I would take him to fairs, sitting at a distance, letting him watch the children the entire time, I would take him to schools since I know people there, and let him watch the kids. He was always more aggressive to younger boys, not girls.

I did everything I could to socialize him, I never forced interaction with him either because I knew he was freaking out inside, so maybe 5 minutes of people seeing him, and then leave if it got to much, trying to end on a positive note.

I believe because of all of this.. My pups fearfulness had triggered the aggression part, to where, because I was constantly attempting to socialize him, he believes I won't protect him, so, he acts on what he can do to protect himself (which is barking, lunging, snarling, and attempting to bite.) So, because of that, yes, I do blame myself.

He has the personality of a couch potato. It's as if I bought a bull dog, rather than a Shepherd haha.
I love him to death, but yeah it has been an emotional roller coaster for me. Because I'm terrified he will bite someone than get put down. As to why, I blame myself every, single day.

And his pedigree, and all of that, was a theory, created by my friend's stating he looks way to big for his age, and than, a friend analyzing his other pedigree, and kept saying this is only the sires, etc, while harassing me for his papers, thinking it's not right that he doesn't have papers.

Koots & Western Rider have it correct, this breeder does bully me, it's as if she didn't want me to know of his issues, and hid them, as to why she swore at me on the phone for socializing my puppy to people at 9 weeks, yet, Dr Ian, states, a dog needs to meet at least 100 people before the 12 week gap...?? Because, I have more than 5 people in my household, that was 'enough' socialization for him?? No. Clearly it was because he was FEARFUL, and knew it was to much for him.

I asked for methods to stop his biting habit (which he still has today, mouthing), constantly working with it, and she literally told me; "Well my dogs don't do that to me." And hung up on the phone. Breeder has also ignored my phone calls.. Emails...

Than, when I started seeing the fearful & aggression issues, I looked all over the internet on reviews, that I never found beforehand, I found that people were having the EXACT same issues as me, fear aggression.. Their dogs had bit, or attack someone, so they gave their dog up, one guy was advertising his 15 month old her got from her because he's 'fear aggressive' BUT, he's 'pretty' .... Another gave up his 10 month old because it tackled an old lady, and bit her, and got a strike, so gave him back to the breeder. Another one has aggression towards dogs, but, okay with people, yet has count less of stomach problems.

That's all I find, more and more reviews of fear aggression.

At least he's a good at home dog.. Sad, that I can't bring him out unless nobody is around, or can't bring him hiking, or walks at a lake, none of that.. Really sucks, I can't have friends over either because he attempts to attack them, which he did to a friend of mine the other day.

He tripped out seeing a visit from our friend's 4 year old whom he has known since he was a puppy, whenever the 4 yr old turned around, he charged him, growling and snarling baring his teeth, and snapping and attempted to attack him. Keep in mind this 4 yr old did not touch him, or anything and knew him since he was a puppy, he was the one he followed around when he was a puppy. Yet, seeing him again, freaked him out, and he has been socialized around kids. He literally treated the 4 yr old like how he sees another dog, freaked out because of fear, and acted on it.

Also, his behavior with dogs is.. Barking at them, lunging at them, trying to snap at their face, and biting their butts as hard as he can (he attempts to), and if they attempt to smell him, well it's him running away with his tail tucked.

Pretty sure it's not... Just a fear period.

Breaks my heart.

@ Koots - And yes, don't worry, she will be getting a big negative review because, nobody deserves to go through this and get screwed over like that, nobody. Her dogs are dangerous, but, very sweet (at home). Not fair for any recurring buyer, or new buyer, or blind buyers (like me). I own a company, so a company review would not be great for her. Sigh.

Still gonna work with him and not give up.

Your story just about breaks my heart, too. The poor dog. You should name the breeder. You should buy and use the muzzle and prong collar for now.

Find a real good animal behaviorist to help you, to be able to help your dog. Safety first has to be your number one priority.

You are to be commended for making this commitment to your dog. I have had difficult to live with dogs from puppyhood, and there can be improvements with time and proper management of his issues.

I certainly wouldn't feel the need to protect this unhelpful breeder. Having papers or not, isn't really what will matter with this dog, either.

Good luck!

Perhaps the breeder should refund the money paid so that she could then pay for the needed help.

 

I've wrote a review for the breeder, a long and honest one (waiting for it to post), but, I might as well say the kennel name, because, what do I have to lose? We already bought the dog, doesn't even matter if we recieve the pedigree & papers now, since we were never planning on breeding him, or anything like that... So, what more can I lose? My family is attached to him... We get very attached, so, I am gonna work as hard as I can, and try to 'bombproof' him, since he is like a cute little bomb ticking and waiting to go off.

The kennel name is Woodside German Shepherds (ASL).
So, if anyone is looking for a Shepherd from this breeder, be sure to do your research, and be sure this is what you want, keep in mind, the dogs are not temperament tested, so you're gambling when you buy, these dogs, definitely do work well in the show ring, or if you are someone who lives far out in the country and more so isolated, perfect dog.. Other than that, I would not recommend for as an active companion, unless you luck out with a strong genetic dog. I must admit, they are very handsome dogs, which I cannot deny. If the breeder says she has one left, say no, wait for the next litter if you do even consider buying from her. A co-worker went to buy one, and even for him, she said there was only 'one left' which seems like pure nonsense.

The breeder is also very hard to deal with, one day she's your friend, the second day she's not. So know this, you might get frustrated. When we booked our appointment and showed up, she didn't even know we had one, and was slightly aggressive, which is ridiculous, she didn't even call us for pickup day.

@ BeeTree - Thank you, I bought him a muzzle through Amazon, but sheesh, he has a big nose, haha, I need to find a better fitting one, maybe a cage one. What sucks is it's so hard because people already give him bad looks and terrified of him (despite him being a puppy), even when he doesn't even bark or do anything to them, a cage muzzle will give them even worse thoughts. I might get him a prong collar and study a lot on how to use it, but, I hear doing that with fear aggressive dogs is not good, I know he's insecure, and has all these issues, so I've always been afraid of methods like that. Ever since I got him, I've always been slow with him, calm, and never frustrated, and try to be as positive as possible, I also do spoil him like crazy, since a dog like him will always see the world as a tough place. Really hurts knowing this, especially seeing his anxiety shatters me into pieces.

Despite having him and going through thick and thin with him, he's already captured my mother's heart, and all of ours, and made us a lot better, when we all have those worse days... Especially my mom who was almost was murdered & had other things that had happen to her, so despite a big challenge he is, we are still grateful for the smile he brings on our faces, and still thank this dog for the recovery of my mother.

Thanks again, all.

If anyone knows more information about Woodside, can you please shoot me a PM, I would love to hear more stories.

Honestly Western, I wish, but it's okay. Paying for all of the classes to fix him, is definitively punishment for us not doing our research, but also a lesson. :)

 

Western - that means the breeder would have to admit there is a temperament issue with her dogs - not likely to happen. Considering what the OP has written about the breeder bullying her, the breeder would no doubt blame the puppy owner.    After all, it couldn't be her dogs are flawed because they have a CH title (need that sarcasm font).      

Yeah, like Koots said, she would probably deny, lots of people have obviously bought her dogs, that percentage who did get a confident dog, got lucky, so, she'd probably easily say, none of her clients had issues like that. Maybe she wouldn't deny it, honestly, I have no clue. But, heck, even asking her for advice on ways to get him to stop mouthing us (nothing works to this day, after all the methods we've tried), she just told us; "Well they don't do that to me..." Or "They've never done that to me." And offer no advice afterwards, end of call.

I honestly wish the dogs were temperament tested before they go to homes. It's sad hearing that some of the dogs she has bred has ended up at a GSD rescue and 'known' it's upsetting.

I do believe she does have a passion for her dogs though, and clearly does love them, that's something I cannot deny. 

Edit: One of her advice tips were not screaming or yelling in the household, ever, when a puppy is around. We never did, ever. Because it could mess the puppy up. We never once yelled. Yet he was so fearful, so, I wonder if that was one of the keys, that she knew he was fearful, and knew if yelling would trigger it.

This is not the first "Woodside" dog that I have heard of having temperament issues. Years ago, a neighbour (when I lived in Vancouver) got a Woodside pup. It was fear-aggressive also, and when it was an older pup, the owner asked me to help her with the dog since I had trained a few others for people. This dog never improved and I never did trust it. One day it got out of the yard and bit a child - end of dog.

To the OP - I wish you luck, you are doing the right things to help your dog.

Thank you Koots.

If she paid for a registered dog, or one that could be and did not get that then she may have a leg to stand on.

I have looked for the sire of her dog Lucky-Goldy and find no information of him not even on the breeders site, she was never given information about the dam. 

Is Woodside Shepherds passing false papers or information about the breedings they are doing.

I can't even find Woodside's Salsa, I literally looked for all of this, could find none of it.