Pedigree - Page 6

Exactly how old is this pup?

I tend to think of where a dog is in its lifespan and what is appropriate. I treat a dog differently when it is 2months, 7months, two years, six years and eleven years of age. Corrections may or may not be appropriate, and if you have a dog that thinks the world is out to get him, a misplaced correction can prove it.

Hi Holesinmyboots,
I'm sorry to hear your having such a hard time with your first GSD. Like Markobytes, I was wondering hold old your pup is?
I've read this entire thread and based on your replys I get the impression that your pup rules your house in more ways than one.

Also, no one has said it, but you need to seriously think about his future and yours should his behavior be allowed to continue and/or escalate. I'm not saying this to be mean but you need to understand that this type of temperament can be dangerous and unpredictable. For example, many male GSD's go through a period (usually around 18 months) where their hormones start to wake up and tell them they should be the leader of the pack ( which includes you and your family). This can be a trying and challenging time for owners and males with stable temperaments. Meaning it's going to be much harder and potentially more dangerous for you and your family members.

My advice to you, if you want to keep him, which it sounds like you do, would be to get professional qualified help ASAP. Qualified means someone who has experience with the breed and methods of training his type of temperament, not an internet forum. Someone who can 1. evaluate him, 2. train the both of you and 3. teach you how to read his body language so you can avoid potential adverse situations. I know a trainer in the Vancouver area who has been training and competing with GSD's for many years. I don't know if he does this type of training but he may be able to recommend someone who does. Let me know if your interested.

I know this may sound harsh but the alternative is far worse.

Best of Luck with your boy.

I am trying to set boundaries, so he knows, I do not let him on my couches, or anything. He also does believe the world is out to get him, he's even to terrified to put his head out of the window for a car ride. If he sees me leaving, he freaks out crazy because of anxiety. He ends up falling asleep in the car too because he use to be so terrified of car rides, does not like sticking his head out the window.

I'm gonna try to find some trainers and contact some of you, and some of the people you guys recommended.
Do you think fixing him at 1 year will help this? ... Don't think this could be hormones so I don't think fixing him would make a big difference, since it's clearly embedded in his genetics, not to mention this all started at 4 months.

He's 5 months now guys, he's very close to turning 6 months.

He doesn't sit well with corrections, amps him up... And than he scrunches his nose baring his teeth because he gets so frustrasted. I have leash popped him at times when I knew he was gonna freak out on some people, he then whined because I did it so he couldn't.. The behavior stopped for a bit, than he started doing it again.

Guess you need to work on your relationship - no dog is allowed to "scrunch his nose, baring his teeth" towards me, it´s handler.
"Leash popping" won´t help, it´s about your attitude.
I am glad you asked for help, it´s not too late yet.
Good luck!

In answer to your question, no, neutering him at 12 months of age isn't going to do much for your problems with him--at 5 months old, it's not the testosterone that's the source of this behavior, so no matter what anyone tries to tell you, it would be better for the dog, healthwise, to wait until he's 18 months old before having him neutered [if you do want to neuter him at some point].

Neutering may actually worsen fear based aggression.

Sorry guys, here's an update, have been very busy, but I called the Canadian Kennel Club, and found out, that his parents (Lucky & Solid Gold) are registered, obviously, but Sandy didn't even BOTHER to register the puppies in the litter.. So, basically, we've been waiting for 4 months plus, clearly not gonna see our papers, the lady on the phone told me, in 2 months if... We don't see what we are promised, to file a complaint against her... As, by law... We are suppose to get those papers, or something like that.

And, I knew neutering will not help, my entire family keeps recommending it, but I refuse, as I feel it'll make things worse like you all have said. In general too, he is a very lazy dog, currently when I take him for walks he wraps his leg around me and starts biting my leg as hard as he can, because he REFUSES to go for a walk, the only thing he wants to do is walk across the street to go play with his ChuckIt! I have NEVER seen a dog like this in my life, especially a German Shepherd who has a disinterest in walks, and throws a tantrum if you take him.

This is clearly embedded in his genetics, and is more so.. Not fear aggression, but real raw aggression, which is crazy, as I've never seen this in my life.

My Google review never went up so I have to re-post it some time, but a girl .. A week ago, posted about her Shepherd she received from Sandy who is now one years old, I found out from her review, that her dog (female) has had the SAME issues as my boy is having, at 6 months, their dog was not FEAR aggressive, but entirely aggressive. Every month she stated her dogs aggression issues escalated and has already bit a person... The girl's trainer works for the SPCA who rehabilitates dogs, and found out there is 4 other puppies who ALSO have the same issues as my dog, and her dog. She stated that her SPCA trainer never said something like this before but told her there is some sort of genetic predisposition IN her dog to be aggressive.

At 8 months before her dog BIT somebody, she contacted Sandy, you guys were absolutely CORRECT, Sandy blamed her completely and was no help, and said; "You should've contacted me sooner." She stated Sandy was insanely hard to reach as she IGNORED numerous calls and emails (which I told you guy's about.)

Just like what happened to me, Sandy never OFFERED to show the parents of the puppy, this girl was an inexperienced buyer like ME, and was never offered.

I do remember Sandy having over 15 dogs, continuous rows.. In kennels that indeed did seem very aggressive.

The only dog she let us meet was .. Megabucks, and a dog who crawled around the ground as her back legs were not working anymore...

The reviewer and her trainer believes that.. Sandy (like you guys were ALL wondering) mixed a WL line import / SL which I believe is Hills... And mixed it with her show line to fix the hip problems she was having with her dogs. I remember when I went to her kennels, she stated the puppies were WORKING LINE PUPS, when actually they're SL mixed with some apparent working line? (But you guys said Hills was SL..) So I have no CLUE what she was trying to do.

You guys were all right, I should've NEVER been afraid of her, and protected her name, she is a TERRIBLE breeder (sketchy), full of continuous excuses, and clearly does NOT care about her dogs as she does not temperament test them and sells them off to buyers who have to deal with their dog being AFRAID of the world or wanting to fight it.

Who would've thought a lady who DOMINATED the show ring with her 'champion' dogs, would come out to be an absolutely HORRIBLE breeder, especially with '35 years of experience.'

I am now stuck with a dog I am attached to, who BARES his teeth at me, and my family, for 13 years of my life, who gets the best treatment in the world, and best food.

It absolutely breaks my heart, my first dog I've wanted for years, with a love and passion for this breed, FLUSHED down the toilet completely.

I do not recommend ANYONE looking for a companion pet to visit her kennels, stay the HECK away, because you'll be emotionally TORN as the genetic issues are incredibly TERRIBLE. If you want a show line dog do not even BOTHER, because the dog will be too aggressive to even BE in the ring.

Terrible breeder who also FAVORS her buyer depending on what they do (career wise)... (
Terrible... Save yourself the trouble, Bullinger is 4 minutes down the street from her, if you want a quality dog, Bullinger is right there.
 

Holes, an outcross doesn´t produce "crazy" dogs, a show/working line cross doesn´t produce "aggression",
a lot of people made these crosses, the result were "normal" dogs...

Are you sure this poor little guy is healthy?
Does he move "normal"?
Everything else okay? (eyes, ears, balance )

Besides that I´d sue the breeder, in case you paid for pedigrees the breeder has to take care of pedigrees, no doubt.

Stop to feel sorry for him, you are the handler, he has to listen to you, and he has to behave...
Don´t force him to "make friends", but teach him to "tolerate" his surrounding.

Sounds like a lot of work...

It is a lot of work, because the genetic issue is so bad. Like so many people have never seen this before and they've been dealing with dogs for more than 25 years. Even the reviewer stated her SPCA trainer rehabs dogs for the SPCA, and is having trouble with him, while still trying to rehab him.

You are right.

I do believe he moves normal, but ever since he was a puppy he's been pretty clumsy, if you throw something in the air at him he's not gonna catch it, he just stares in space and has no clue where it's going, but, I do believe his eyes... Are fine, the vet did say he was healthy, his ears.. At 6 months have not even gone up, they're crazy floppy, it's actually easier to read his body language because he puts them back a lot when he's terrified of something and trots away.... She glues the puppies ears at a young age because she knows her dogs genetics... Have weak ears, it did nothing for our puppy, when the glue came off, he was afraid of his ears, running into furniture, and hiding, also covering his head with his paws and eyes because he was terrified, and shaking his head. It was messed up.
Other than that, I do believe his ears are fine, just constant quick wax buildup in less than two weeks.

Would I have to sue after the 2 month mark?

You know what surprises me, how no one who bought that 'sold out' litter probably asked for their papers, because she didn't even bother to register the puppies, so I assume Sandy does this a lot...