Need help from experienced GSD owners - Page 2

She's 21 months old.
I just talked to my friend (GSD experienced).  Said it's a bad idea to keep her constantly on leash.  I don't know what to think.  I am more than mixed up.  Wish I knew a policeman from a K9 unit.  She is a perfect dog with a wrong owner. 

If this is not a joke, all I can say is make sure your insurance policy is paid.

To my knowledge there is a leash law just about everywhere. You have to control your dog and if you are not in your fenced in yard you have to contain your dog. I t is too big of a risk to you, your dog and the public. I wish I could see the over all temperment of her.

The only thing any two dog trainers will agree on is what the thrid is doing wrong.

I my opinion you should get some help, maybe a Sch club. Do you do bite work with her?  Training will help you know more about what she might do and how to handle her better.

I never let my dog run loose EVER and is always on a leash when we are out.

No 21-month-old GSD with a sound temperament would do that to a kid. Jem38 is right, you better have several million bucks worth of insurance if you're ever going to keep the dog off leash when she's not securely fenced.

I hate sh** like this. When the totally predictable disaster happens and some little kid gets mauled, it gives the whole breed a bad rap. Not to mention the damage to the poor kid.

BTW, if you do bitework with a dog that has been aggressive toward kids and a disaster happens, you are toast in court. You could even face criminal charges for what the dog has done. There's a lady whose two Rottweilers killed a little boy while they were running loose off leash, and she went to jail for it. One of the things that really counted against her was the fact that she had (very incompetently) done bitework with the dogs, knowing full well that they were dangerous.

The good news is that she didn't bite the kid and came back when you called her...The bad news is that she ran out of her yard and scared the kid (I hope this kid is ok and you might check on him to be sure how he's feeling about what happened)...I really worry about people but in particular children being introduced to dogs correctly and an incident like this doesn't cause a life-long affect...

I think everyone has room to learn and hopefully you've learned something from this incident...Now...You need to find out what you can do to prevent this kind of thing to happen again...

I think you can:
1) Keep your dog in your fenced in yard...
2) Always keep your dog attended (don't allow your dog outside without supervision)
3) If taking your dog off your property...but sure to keep him on leash...
4) Take you and your dog to some Obedience Classes or even join some dog clubs like a Schutzhund Club...You will learn a lot of how to handle your dog and what you should and shouldn't do...

There are places you can find to let your dog run and you can play with him...He does need exercise...These things are all things you can learn...

Remember...We all started someplace and we've all made mistakes...You just need to keep You...Your Dog...and the Public safe...

Good Luck...

~Bob~

"No 21-month-old GSD with a sound temperament would do that to a kid."

No 21-month-old GSD would do what: protect her property?  Are you high?  That is exactly what they should do. 

by Keith Grossman on 08 January 2013 - 02:01	Keith Grossman Posts: 2873 Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 11:18 pm
"No 21-month-old GSD with a sound temperament would do that to a kid." No 21-month-old GSD would do what: protect her property?  Are you high?  That is exactly what they should do.

Keith, "protect her property" from a small kid? What are you smoking? Would it also have been "exactly what she should do" if the dog had mauled or killed the small kid to "protect her property"? Were the Rotties that killed that iittle boy doing "exactly what they should do" by "protecting their property"?

These kinds of posts are part of the reason GSDs get added to the breed ban lists. People who read this sh** and don't know any better think that's what GSDs are bred to do--flip out and attack small kids, and do it just because the kid walked down a public street.

Most of us think it's more important to protect kids than it is to protect property. That's why we buy GSDs that are hardwired not to hurt kids.

You won't get it no matter what anyone says, so I'm done stating the obvious here,

VeroHera,,

Don't be angry with the dog or yourself. Just be honest about what happened and do EVERYTHING to avoid this again. I can tell you from personal experience that it can be very difficult to accept when something like this happens.It is your responsibility to protect your dog by keeping her on leash ' under your control... Just be thankful that your dog did come to you when called and did not harm the child physically.... 

I certainly would keep her on a leash from now on..A long tracking lead works well so she can still run and get exercise while under your control..Are you serious about wanting to find a K9 handler??..

I did not mean the dog has to be on a leash all the time.  I work with my dog in my fenced field so she is not on a leash. When I am in public she is on a leash. Even if I totally trust her I don't always trust children know how to act around your dog. Do not trust other dogs to behave correctly so I will not take the chance. Is there a chance the breeder whom you bought the dog from may have some contacts to work with you? Do not give up too quickly! Don't beat yourself up as some have mentioned a Shutzhund club in your area may be a great place to start. As Q man said "We all started someplace and we've all made mistakes"

Good Luck
Minicus