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#195006 - 05/15/08 11:33 AM
Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
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Matthew Criner
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 01/22/06
Posts: 173
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Guys I need to know what to do and I am very worried and scared. I don't know if you guys remember me but I have a 28 month old German Shepherd Male.
About 2 weeks ago I was about to leave and my dog was under my bed. He has been going under their a lot lately. He likes it under there but sometimes he goes under there when he's afraid of something. We have been having a bit of a problem with fleas this season and he has been very itchy. Before i used to spray some flea stuff on him but I think since he has been itching so bad it stung him badly. Now everytime I get any type of spray bottle out he runs under the bed. And if I spray him he growls and such.
However, this was not the reason he was under the bed this time. I wanted to put him in his kennel because I was about to leave. So I tried getting him out by putting a treat in his kennel, this usually always works but for some reason he wouldn't move. So eventually I just grabbed his foot and started pulling him out. He growled and kind of cried and bit me very hard. However, as he was biting me he was crying the whole time. So I kind of think it is more of a fear bite. However, it hurt my hand badly and I had to go to the emergency room. It was a bad crush injury, but luckily my hand was not broken.
For a week or so after this incident, he has been spending most of his tiem in his kennel. He only comes out when I am not in the room and when I come in the room he immedietly runs in his kennel.
Now this morning he was out and at my bed room door. I was trying to put him in his kennel and he didn't want to because he wanted to come out with me. I just went near him and said go in your kennel and attempted to touch him and he growled and bit my hand, but not hard at all.
I immedietly scolded him and yelled at him and he sat down and looked at the ground. I then started doing random stuff around my room and about 5 minutes later I told him to get in his kennel and then put a treat in his kennel and he ran in there.
What do you think I should do? I love him dearly and really don't want to give him up, but I am afraid I might have to. My breeder has a 5 year warranty, so would it be best to give him back? I really would like to just correct the problem but I kind of am scared that he could really hurt me or god forbid someone else. He has never showed any aggression towards anyone else, and he never does anything like this to my girlfriend whom lives with me too.
He also has never showed agression towards other dogs. I live with my parents and they have a little cairn terrier who is 13 years old and very dominant. When he tries to sniff her and play with her sometimes she gets mad and growls and nips at him. He just runs or walks away or walks over to me. Never has even growled at her.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Edited by Matthew Criner (05/15/08 11:35 AM)
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#195009 - 05/15/08 11:52 AM
Re: Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
[Re: Matthew Criner]
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Ingrid Rosenquist
Registered: 03/01/05
Posts: 392
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Oh man, I am not sure where to begin.... Matthew, don't take this the wrong way, but based on your prior posts and the information in this post, I think you have a problem bigger than you can handle, even with advice from this list.
I am not sure if you are the problem or the dog is the problem or it is a combination of both but you need a professional evaluation of your dog by someone who has experience dealing with aggression and who can advise you on whether it is appropriate for you to keep the dog and try to rectify the issues you are having or if the dog should be sent back to the breeder for evaluation on whether he is viable for placement in a more experienced home.
Are you still in FL? Pensacola, right? Perhaps someone on this board can point you in the right direction for help. Good luck.
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#195011 - 05/15/08 11:58 AM
Re: Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
[Re: Ingrid Rosenquist]
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Lindsay Janes
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 10/24/05
Posts: 365
Loc: Southwest
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May I ask why are you trying to pull his foot? It sounds like your dog is very afraid of you if he kept running away from you and not running away from other.
_________________________
"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"
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#195012 - 05/15/08 11:59 AM
Re: Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
[Re: Matthew Criner]
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Connie Sutherland
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 07/13/05
Posts: 9931
Loc: North-Central coast of Califor...
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Matt, I have to agree with Ingrid, and for new folks I want to assure them that this is based on a couple of years' of posts and not on just this one (which shows problems a-plenty..... ).
Matt, you need a professional.
There is a TON of info here:
http://www.leerburg.com/articles.htm#dom
and I would start listening to podcasts and reading articles and ordering the video about aggressive dogs, and STOP pulling him by the foot.
But I would also start looking for help. There is no shame in being new to dog-training and not having the wherewithal to deal with this. The shame is in NOT getting help and NOT ceasing inappropriate "corrections."
This dog went through a lot just to be alive now, I know, but that doesn't mean he can be left to run the house and terrify humans, even if it's fear-aggression. It is not fair to you OR to him. Get help.
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#195015 - 05/15/08 12:10 PM
Re: Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
[Re: Matthew Criner]
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Cameron Feathers
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 03/11/08
Posts: 619
Loc: South Carolina, US
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I wanted to put him in his kennel because I was about to leave. So I tried getting him out by putting a treat in his kennel, this usually always works but for some reason he wouldn't move. So eventually I just grabbed his foot and started pulling him out. He growled and kind of cried and bit me very hard. However, as he was biting me he was crying the whole time. So I kind of think it is more of a fear bite.
Sounds that way to me, too.
First of all, I would not allow this dog any freedom, period. He would be in his crate or tethered to me at all times. "I move, you move" What kind of exercise does he get? Has he been to the vet recently? What kind of diet is he on? Has he been drinking more lately? What about urine output? Same? More? Less? Has he seemed "normal" lately? There might be some kind of medical issue going on with him as well.
Regardless of why, though, there are some changes that need to be made in the way he is handled at home. DO NOT allow this dog to go under furniture, period. He is creating a den, which is usually by a dog looking for a "safe" place to rest. If there is a leash attached at all times you will not have to grab HIM, just the leash. Then you can encourage him out. But I would NOT allow him to be loose in the house, period. Read some of the ebooks here to learn more about what you are dealing with.
For a week or so after this incident, he has been spending most of his tiem in his kennel. He only comes out when I am not in the room and when I come in the room he immedietly runs in his kennel.
Clearly, your dog is telling you that he is afraid. You will really need to work on building that trust up with him. When he is tethered, close the kennel door so that he cannot run in there if you walk near it. This will help prevent another fear bit if he panics, runs in there are you are close. From what you wrote, he doesn't sound aggressive, he sounds afraid. You should focus on not putting him in situations where he feels like he is in danger. Tethering him to you will prevent most "mischief" which will create an environment where he doesn't need much (if any correction) This makes you and being with you FUN because all he will get is PRAISE.
He has never showed any aggression towards anyone else, and he never does anything like this to my girlfriend whom lives with me too.
He also has never showed agression towards other dogs. I live with my parents and they have a little cairn terrier who is 13 years old and very dominant. When he tries to sniff her and play with her sometimes she gets mad and growls and nips at him. He just runs or walks away or walks over to me. Never has even growled at her.
I cannot stress this enough. You need to get some more education on aggression, what it is, what causes it. Dog aggression and people aggression are two different things, and you don't have to have one to have the other. Fear biting is something entirely different, too. Please, take some time to read, and get some of the videos that are offered here to get better educated. Even if you end up taking the dog back to the breeder, you can end up in this same situation with a new dog if some of the same things are done.
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/packstructure.pdf
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/theoryofcorrections.pdf
It doesn't sound like you have a dominant dog, but some of this will still apply: http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/dealingwithdominantdog.pdf
http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/dealingwithaggressivedog.pdf
some of the videos:
http://www.leerburg.com/302.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/301.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/308.htm
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#195145 - 05/16/08 08:25 AM
Re: Dog Bit Me HELP!!!!!
[Re: Matthew Criner]
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Mike Arnold
Registered: 07/09/04
Posts: 554
Loc: CNY
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Mr. Criner [I like to use 'Mr.'],
I think I will be less diplomatic than other posters.
28 months. You have had a good deal of time to train and bond and work with your dog.
You allow your dog to go under your bed? Why? He has a crate or kennel. That should be his comfortable refuge.
You interpret his behavior in re under the bed as 'he likes it under there.' How do you know what he likes? His kennel is his place, not under your bed.
You toss a treat into the kennel. Why? If it is his place he should go into it willingly. A bribe is a bribe is a bribe but it is not training.
The dog bit you. Why? Fear of you? Fear of how you train and work with him? I think so. Remember, you have had months to get the dog to come to you on command.
He bit you. Welcome to the club. You tried to manhandle a dog who was unwilling for what ever reason to come to your command. There is some thing seriously wrong with your training methods - just an opinion.
I don't think you need more evaluation than the dog.
"(W)hen I come in the room he immedietly runs in his kennel." Nice bonding. Can you tell yet that I'm on the dog's side? What kind of dog doesn't come willing to its master? A scared dog? Of his master?
I don't think the dog wanted to go out with you [second cited bite incident], rather I think he wanted to get away from you.
Scolding and yelling. Sure fire training techniques. Not!
Keep the GSD away from the other mutt. You owe it to your dog to 'protect' it from other creatures and people.
And these thoughts are just my immediate reactions to your post.
Frankly, you need a mirror. You need to evaluate your training techniques. You need to evaluate your reward-correction approach. You need to forget the scolding and yelling and concentrate on training, and consistency, and calm demeanor, and, and, and...
You started your post: "Guys I need to know what to do and I am very worried and scared." As near as I can tell from your post, you need to work on you. You described behavior in the dog you caused and/or condoned. You don't get to 28 months and suddenly discover the sky is falling.
Better yet, let your girlfriend work with the dog. The dog will benefit, and I don't know anything about her.
I don't think you see the big picture. It ain't the dog.
More than two cents.
_________________________
Mike A.
"That dog don't take to pettin, son."
Hondo [as played by John Wayne]:
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