Have I ran out of options for my dog?

[Spiritedly]

My GSD is very similar. She was fine until she was about a year old and then started getting aggressive and nervous when out but was/is a completely different dog at home. I was lucky enough to have a private yard so she could run around there with our other dog and not worry about meeting other dogs or people. A year or so ago she was diagnosed as having EPI which can cause personality changes and aggression and since starting treatment for it she has improved although she still can't be let off lead in public and I tell people not to approach her as it's not worth the risk.

 

[Moobli]

So sorry to hear you are so stressed and unhappy in your current situation.

You have had some excellent advice already. It is hard to consider a less active life for an energetic, lively young dog but the reality is that some dogs just cannot cope with the outside world.

Personally I would invest in a treadmill (you might be able to get a cheap secondhand one on one of the freeads groups), look into the scentwork games already mentioned. Talking Dogs Scentwork is ideal as you can buy a book, DVD, and even a starter kit with box, catnip scent and mouse so can get started immediately. You can train scentwork in the house and garden, so no need to leave home. Also fields to rent for dog walking/training do seem to becoming increasingly popular and widespread so certainly worth looking into just so she can have a real blast and run off energy once or twice a week. If it is possible to walk her early morning/late evening - even just around the lanes or street where you live will give her some added stimulation of different sounds and scents. As was mentioned scattering her food around the garden, placing it in dog puzzles/toys (like a kong or a Nina Ottosson games) and making her work for her dinner - ie rewarding for scentwork and obedience lessons will all help with mental stimulation and will help satisfy and tire her.

A raw bone or frozen stuffed kong are ideas to leave with her when you are out exercising your other dog, and she will learn to associate your leaving with an extra tasty treat - so will become something to look forward to.

Does she enjoy car trips? If so, take her for a drive around to give her a change of scenery.

There are many different things you can do to help her have a good life without the stress of meeting other people and dogs. All you can do is see how she goes. You know her best and so will be able to gauge whether she is coping or not. At the end of the day, there are much worse things than being pts and if that is what it comes to, then you can feel you have tried all other options first.

Good luck.

 

[pippixox]

I completely feel for you when you feel judged. my last dog was a GSDx who I got as a 2 year old. he loved all people but other dogs, except a few of my friends, really really really stressed him. I spent the first year trying classes, de-sensitising ect. but the day I decided to just avoid other dogs, except my friends 3 he liked, life was so much better for both of us. He did love walks but in quiet places- we avoided parks! luckily he loved people so much, so would go to family events.

he would pull like a tank when he saw other dogs, but then want to run past. if they got too close he would get aggressive, but it was fear. people did not understand this. especially due to his breed, they would judge.

luckily he was great running around my horse fields where there were no other dogs.

I also had 2 friends who knew him well and were strong so could manage him on walks if we went away (although we rarely did!)

My MIL has 2 Chihuahuas who hate walks- she also had a basset before who you could not drag out of the house!
I know you tend to think it is ok for smaller dogs, not bigger dogs, but it does sound like they are happy in their comfort zone.

we are all different. I am an anxious person who hates crowded places!

 

[Wella]

Where abouts are you? My trainer works with police dogs and the public. He's unbelievable the turn around I've seen with the dogs in our group is fantastic. Some come muzzled and it's the last resort. The problem is usually coming from the owner (not saying this in your case cos I'm not the expert) He got hold of my dog walked him amongst the other dogs on and off the lead just a different dog. Now he's a pleasure. He has taught me a lot the best thing I did was get a choke chain the difference is amazing. And no I don't strangle him or yank his head off. Please try someone who works with these big dogs. Also learning to track and search is unbelievable my dog and me love it. Especially the group searches. Best of luck with your dog you seem to be a lovely owner.

 

[SusieT]

Personally its up to you - if you are willing to go the next 5-10 years walking this way as my experience if unpredictable shepards remain unpredictable and tend to respond to a strong motivated owner only - or not.
If not I think your only option is pts as she's obviously not rehomable. I don't envy you the decision though. The other option is not to take her out at all but you would need enough space at home for that or her to be content at home and accept she will age quicker due to weight gain etc. most likely

 

[Cinnamontoast]

You sound how I felt years ago with Zak. He would scream at other dogs, snapped at people coming into the house and is still awful with other dogs. We had severe trainers, all rubbish til we found a gun dog specialist who got us to do retrieving and focussed him. He now ignores other dogs unless they get very close/touch him. We don't do exciting walks unless he's on lead, it's too stressful for him. He broods in a different room when people come then caves and comes for cuddles. He appears to be typically fear aggressive (attacked as a puppy, worries about everything)

Today, I had to lock us up in the tennis courts to avoid a sudden influx of dogs.

When he was young, I never thought we'd get this far. I never thought I could have a 'normal' walk, I never thought he'd stop screaming at other dogs. We taught him a very strong recall and leave it command and to focus on us, not the surroundings.

I do think you can find a safe place for her to go to be exercised and teach her to focus on you so she's not worrying about her surroundings. Zak has calmed down a lot over the years, but would probably try to kill an invasive dog. I hope you find something to help, I know how hard it is, I find walks very stressful!

 

[littlen]

Thankyou everyone.

She wouldn't cope with a dominant man type trainer handling her. She would probably be quiet but due to fear rather than fixing the issue

I am very black and white with her and do not baby her but if I get angry or stressed she panics more.

Cinnamon I hope my dog can learn to cope. If not I will be PTS sadly as it's too much stress for us as a family.
She can't really focus on anything other than the scary thing- even food isn't enough of a reward and she's food obsessed!!

She isn't really interested in toys at all, she likes digging holes and that's about it!

 

[pippixox]

this must be so hard for you and your family, but there are far worse fates, in my opinion, then being PTS. they don't know it's coming. A good quality of life is vital, or what is the point?

I hope some of the ideas people have posted do help though, as clearly in her home she is a lovely dog

 

[Pinkvboots]

As others have said I wouldn't worry about getting her out every day if she finds it stressful I would find other ways to exercise her at home or hire an area where she can have a good run.

my friend has a dog that is not good in public she was attacked twice as a puppy so is very dog aggressive and she can often take a dislike to people, my friend does have 3 other dogs that are fine where ever you take them so they go out but the other one doesn't and she is quite happy, she does have a fairly big area at home where they can all play, her grand daughter does some brilliant training and sets out agility obstacles at home for her to do and she really enjoys it, she is the biggest doberman I have ever seen but when I go round her house she sits on her hind legs waiting for a fuss she really is a happy soppy dog at home with dogs and people she knows.

 

[eatmyshorts]

I can really sympathize with you & appreciate where you are coming from, because she sounds very like our GSDxGSPxDoberman who was (quite literally) thrown (over a 6ft fence) into the pound as a 4week old pup. He remained there until he was a year & a half old & missed all early socialization. Had never been in a house, car, or on a leash when we got him. We've had him 2years & he is still awful with anyone other than us. Walking him is a nightmare - he will attack dogs or people unprovoked, lunge at other dogs, so he is onleash & muzzled ALWAYS when out, as well as wearing a warning harness & Give Me Space bandana. Nobody can even so much as touch him, apart from myself & my husband (even people he has known since we rescued him - he has huge trust issues). Towards us, & his pack, you couldn't find a more sweet & loving dog. When we walk my other dogs, we get comments about how well behaved they all are - when we walk him (on his own) i'm quite sure people think we are incompetent idiots. It sounds like you have done everything you reasonably can to allow your dog to be a normal dog, but she just can't cope with what a normal dog can. I do think she can still have a good quality of life, with adjustments to allow her to cope. Suggestions such as walking her at night, walking her alone, hiring enclosed dog runs (all things we do), & a treadmill are all good (although i will say we have a treadmill & despite the fact all my other dogs will all now happily trot away on their own on it, this particular dog will not even allow me to get so far as switching it on). Clicker training is an another idea to keep entertained. We also do canicross with our boy, a sport in which he can be exercised & socialized, but remains under strict control (& still wears an open basket muzzle). We are currently also looking into IPO training as it's been suggested it may help focus & control his aggression. I think in rare situations such as yours, & ours, you have to accept how they are, & do the best you can. If you can find another suitable home, although you'd have to be very sure it was the right one (our boy came as a foster, but it became apparent pretty quickly we could never pass him on), it may be an option if you cannot cope any longer. All the best with her xx

 

[SpringArising]

That sounds like a nightmare. I empathise with you and others who have difficult dogs to walk. My dog is wonderful but my God he's a pain in the backside out sometimes if he sees another dog he's taken a liking to - and by liking, I mean wants for dinner. It's physically tiring and embarrassing.

Would she do the same thing if you took her running?

 

[CorvusCorax]

With all due respect I would not be doing IPO with dogs like these. The very first thing you encounter is a temperament test and a request to touch the dog.

At the very basic levels they have to remain neutral in a group of people, and with the handler out of sight, while another dog/jogger/bike passes them.

In obedience they must work while another dog is on the field.

The 'protection' phase is a test of resilience under pressure, calmness and stability in the face of threat, not a way to control or focus aggression.

JMO

 

[eatmyshorts]

Thanks CC ... that's info we didn't know & a good insight ... like i said, it's just something that we were going to look into as it had been suggested to us that may help. I did wonder how on earth it'd work if we don't have an "off" switch. xx

 

[CorvusCorax]

Don't get me wrong, it started off with a reactive dog for me, he did the initial traffic safe companion dog test mentioned above and a tracking degree but he was assessed as unsuitable for bitework which was totally fair enough.
He couldn't deal with the mental stress when the tracks got a bit longer and harder, so they do have to be able to cope with pressure through all three phases as well as all the social stuff to get them there in the first place. It was designed as a selection tool for breeding animals rather than a sport.

 

[MeltingSnowflake]

I agree with some others here who have raised the idea of keeping her as a house dog - there are lots of different ways to tire them out in the house and garden.

Teaching tricks and obedience, and giving her mind-testing games and raw/frozen/stuffed bones can tire her out mentally, and throwing a ball around the garden/having races/setting up some small agility props would give her great exercise - I remember seeing one 'It's Me or The Dog' episode where they put little showjumps in the garden to tire out an energetic Boxer

Sorry about your situation - it's a really tough one, but it sounds like you have given her a lovely life and are trying everything you can

 

[Moobli]

How are you getting on with her now Littlen?

 

[JLG]

apologies I haven't read through the 5 pages of replies but as the owner of a reactive rescue lurcher (who is fabulous at home) I feel your pain. You mentioned that you had tried BAT with her but have you tried CARE? Are you on the Reactive Dogs fb group? Its a big and knowledgeable group with authorised trainers that will help.
Whilst my boy is still by no means safe around other dogs and strangers, he doesn't now have a meltdown at the sight of any dog 1/4 of a mile away and is now able to pass most dogs (on the other side of the road) with no reaction.
You know this already, but your stress is adding to her anxiety. Some days I am the same. I have to force myself to be calm and talk in that silly sing-song voice pretending I don't care that he is thrashing about trying to get at a dog on the other side of the road, or that people think I am mad and I have a horrible dog that should be pts. But it does get better. Is there someone who can help out?