HEM
Well-Known Member
Hi all!
I haven't posted on the forum in a while but know there are some very knowledgeable people on here especially when it comes to GSDs.
So we have a 4 month old boy who we have had for about 2.5 weeks (I know, not long at all really). He is a sweet dog, brave, smart, loving has a great temperament most of the time which is why I think it may be something in his routine that needs to change to keep this temperament consistent.
He of course, like any pup gets excited and nibbles which is fine. He has gained a good bite inhibition already within the 2.5 weeks of being with us. When he first arrived he would snap alot, not puppy nibble but would turn and snap with no seeming reason, he seems to have stopped doing this 90% of the time I think down to us very quickly making it clear its not ok to snap like that especially when the human has barely even looked in your direction. The issues is he seems to get into a state which we have now named "the red mist" where he can't seem to control himself, he will start biting and pulling at clothing/skin/anything part of the closest human. He is a big and strong 4 month pup so this really needs to be nipped in the bud! We have all had ripped clothing, blood and bruises from his bites we have also had pups before and this is not anything like we have dealt with in the past.
If you are playing with him you kind of expect teeth to touch skin, but he never really actually bites here. This is where he really shows off his bite inhibition. He puts teeth to skin but never any pressure and as soon as you are done playing he will go back to chewing his toy or is quite happy to just sit/lay and watch the world. But when this red mist takes over it's like he can't control anything, he doesn't respond to any commands and bites like he is trying to harm the only way so far we have been able to "stop him from attacking" for want of a better word! Is by distracting him (we have taken to having a tea towel or duster close by at all times to get his attention and trow for him to get) and then either putting him in the crate/kitchen on his own for a time out. This morning I have just been told that yesterday he "went" for my mum in the garden during one of his red mist moment hooning around the garden like a loony. Unfortunately noone else was around to see this but this is the first time where mum has said that she thought he actually showed aggression. He ended up hurting himself from bolting around the garden and of course mum was worried to approach after he's just been quite aggressive and is now hurting so called my dad to assist. They got him into the crate for a rest and a time out and seemed fine after but mum is now really worried that this red mist state isn't just him settling in still and actually could be a sign of proper aggression?
My parents are both dog people and have both owned before, my dad particularly I would say was a pretty experienced dog owner and has had GSDs in the past. He is not wanting to get too involved at the moment though as it was my mum who wanted the dog and is to be the primary career throughout the day.
I would really appreciate any tips/ideas/thoughts? I am worried he is going to knock my mums confidence and all hell is going to break loose.
We have been talking about different causes and reasons and different things we can try. So far we have come up with that he is over tired and the plan starting this week is to have more enforced naps in crate. We are trying an hour out of the crate at a time and then how long he is in the crate is dependent on him (he likes the crate and will happily sit/nap/chew a toy for a couple of hours at a time).
We also discussed him not being stimulated enough but I don't think this is the issues! He doesn't really know how to play but we are working on it playing out in the garden multiple times a day, he had an abundance of toys he loves to chew, play tug of war with etc. and is currently doing x3 30min walks a day but doesn't actually seem to want to go on the walks (he'll pull back to the house/just sit and stop and will barely even move with coaxing with treats)
He is currently on antibiotics for a bacterial infection and is having probiotics in the morning as has very runny poos. We also don't really know what he had done previously before he came to us 2.5 weeks ago.
If you have got this far give yourself a pat on the back! I really would appreciate your thoughts and any ideas or tips!
I haven't posted on the forum in a while but know there are some very knowledgeable people on here especially when it comes to GSDs.
So we have a 4 month old boy who we have had for about 2.5 weeks (I know, not long at all really). He is a sweet dog, brave, smart, loving has a great temperament most of the time which is why I think it may be something in his routine that needs to change to keep this temperament consistent.
He of course, like any pup gets excited and nibbles which is fine. He has gained a good bite inhibition already within the 2.5 weeks of being with us. When he first arrived he would snap alot, not puppy nibble but would turn and snap with no seeming reason, he seems to have stopped doing this 90% of the time I think down to us very quickly making it clear its not ok to snap like that especially when the human has barely even looked in your direction. The issues is he seems to get into a state which we have now named "the red mist" where he can't seem to control himself, he will start biting and pulling at clothing/skin/anything part of the closest human. He is a big and strong 4 month pup so this really needs to be nipped in the bud! We have all had ripped clothing, blood and bruises from his bites we have also had pups before and this is not anything like we have dealt with in the past.
If you are playing with him you kind of expect teeth to touch skin, but he never really actually bites here. This is where he really shows off his bite inhibition. He puts teeth to skin but never any pressure and as soon as you are done playing he will go back to chewing his toy or is quite happy to just sit/lay and watch the world. But when this red mist takes over it's like he can't control anything, he doesn't respond to any commands and bites like he is trying to harm the only way so far we have been able to "stop him from attacking" for want of a better word! Is by distracting him (we have taken to having a tea towel or duster close by at all times to get his attention and trow for him to get) and then either putting him in the crate/kitchen on his own for a time out. This morning I have just been told that yesterday he "went" for my mum in the garden during one of his red mist moment hooning around the garden like a loony. Unfortunately noone else was around to see this but this is the first time where mum has said that she thought he actually showed aggression. He ended up hurting himself from bolting around the garden and of course mum was worried to approach after he's just been quite aggressive and is now hurting so called my dad to assist. They got him into the crate for a rest and a time out and seemed fine after but mum is now really worried that this red mist state isn't just him settling in still and actually could be a sign of proper aggression?
My parents are both dog people and have both owned before, my dad particularly I would say was a pretty experienced dog owner and has had GSDs in the past. He is not wanting to get too involved at the moment though as it was my mum who wanted the dog and is to be the primary career throughout the day.
I would really appreciate any tips/ideas/thoughts? I am worried he is going to knock my mums confidence and all hell is going to break loose.
We have been talking about different causes and reasons and different things we can try. So far we have come up with that he is over tired and the plan starting this week is to have more enforced naps in crate. We are trying an hour out of the crate at a time and then how long he is in the crate is dependent on him (he likes the crate and will happily sit/nap/chew a toy for a couple of hours at a time).
We also discussed him not being stimulated enough but I don't think this is the issues! He doesn't really know how to play but we are working on it playing out in the garden multiple times a day, he had an abundance of toys he loves to chew, play tug of war with etc. and is currently doing x3 30min walks a day but doesn't actually seem to want to go on the walks (he'll pull back to the house/just sit and stop and will barely even move with coaxing with treats)
He is currently on antibiotics for a bacterial infection and is having probiotics in the morning as has very runny poos. We also don't really know what he had done previously before he came to us 2.5 weeks ago.
If you have got this far give yourself a pat on the back! I really would appreciate your thoughts and any ideas or tips!