Aggression?

I've got an eight month old German Shep/Husky mix (big boy), named him Odin when I should have named him Loki. Eh heh. Got a couple of things to start out with.

Myself and my boyfriend got the puppy when we were living with two 'friends' who also turned out to be totally incapable with strong-willed dogs. One of them couldn't seem to understand the no-touch rule in terms of physical punishment (eventually he did learn that hitting is a no-no) and the other had a hyperactivity effect on Odin. We talked a lot about giving Odin away as he didn't deserve all of the confusion, but my dog-lover Aunt who has had a ton of experience training dogs advised me to stick it out.

So we've waited. Training was impossible; with so many mixed signals poor Odin didn't know what the heck he was supposed to do. Well, now that those two bozos have moved out we're sitting with a quieter, more relaxed but still socially awkward dog. We live in Alaska, so up until recently it's been tough to take Odin out on walks (way too cold for me. . .I used to take him on walks when we first got him, before it got really cold, but apparently some lessons didn't stick as well as others). However, when I *do* take him out on walks now I'm at a loss as to how to stop the tugging and distractions.

I've tried the pulling him around in a circle, changing directions, making him sit, stepping in his path to get his attention (in front of him, not on him). . .but he's already so big that it feels like he's training me!

We're currently waiting on an Obedience class to get started in the place we're most comfortable with (he's got a few dominant problems, such as jumping up and not immediately obeying commands).

Kay, second issue. He has within the past month started to bite me (first it's mouthing, and then he starts to put on the pressure--never broken the skin YET) when I go outside to let him in in the morning after he's been let out for potty. We don't have a fenced in yard so he's had to deal with the tether. Reaching in near his collar seems to trigger the aggressive response. No matter how I yelp, say no, ignore it, whatever. . .it continues. He'll also jump up at me and growl. I don't know what to do with him, and it's starting to get worse in increments. At no other time when I go to hook or unhook something from his collar will he growl and bite.

He's also been kinda off of his feed lately. He doesn't really like to eat breakfast (given about a half-hour before we head off to work), and lately it's been difficult getting him to eat his dinner. I've been having to spoon in a tablespoon of cottage cheese or the like to tempt him. This is the same food he's been eating since, well, we got him. Science diet, lamb stuff.

Help! >.< The last time he was at the vet was for his puppy shots and exams about five-six months ago.

You need to pick ONE method for dealing with his pulling on the leash and stick with it. React the same way every time. If he begins to pull, stop, call him back to you and make him sit. Then YOU decide when to proceed. If you and your boyfriend do this every single time, it will start to sink in. Start today! Do the same thing when he gets distracted, etc. Yes, it will look silly to passersby, but they don't risk life and limb when, a year or less from now, he's big and strong enough to pull your arm out of its socket!

As for him mouthing you, how do you react now? Do you immediately pull away and reprimand him verbally? Do you immediately substitute an okay-to-chew toy? What happens?

Obedience training will help - especially if, knowing that you have a shepherd/husky mix, you take notes, and repeat the exercises every day. For months. You've got to do this, because that combination is undoubtedly a smart dog with a bit of the husky "Selective hearing" which you'll need to overcome.

He's part Shepherd - he wants structure, and if possible, a "job." That can be anything for a simple task like playing fetch, to bringing in the paper (without chewing it) to picking up all his own toys - a busy Shepherd is a good Shepherd, and a tired Husky is a well-behaved husky!

Agreed. It sounds like you're both confused ;) Choose one method and stick with it. Personally, here's what I would do:

- Leash tugging: Take him out to your front yard. As soon as he hits the end of the leash, quickly tug back and walk the opposite way. He will keep tugging. You keep tugging back and changing directions. Keep this fast and fluid. As well, you can also click/treat whenever he catches up to you. Repeat repeat repeat. Eventually, you can try this on regular walks. But you must build a solid foundation before you attempt to loose-leash-walk your daily walks.

- Nipping: It's excitement, not necessarily aggression. It could also be a little frustration, which leads to such behaviors as growling and nipping. It sounds like he's very excitable and that your mere presence is a reward for his play. Thus, if he's outside and you step foot outside and begins to jump/nip, immediately shut the door and walk back inside. Repeat repeat repeat. Eventually, Odin will realize that his jumping results in your disappearance. He will quickly learn to keep four paws on the ground. When this happens, you can throw him a toy and then continue play.

Just be completely firm and consistent, and he'll learn the rules quickly :)

Thanks so much guys. You're right--I am confused too! XD

I was reading some other threads and have also started, as of yesterday, making him sit before he receives pets. He's a goofball, but yeah, he is very intelligent and I can see that he wants something to do.

Previously when I'd go outside I'd keep repeating a litany of "No!" even though it outwardly seemed to do nothing. I'd really almost given up on working on it; I just didn't know what to do any more. I'll start in on this when I get home from work today.

I grew up with irish setters, golden retrievers and american eskies--pretty mild dogs. I'm one of those people who, unfortunately, picked up the dog without first knowing the breed and the right way to train him. I figured, hey, I've grown up with dogs and helping to train and potty train them! Germans are a whole other ball-part, and I guess it's as much retraining myself as Odin.

Hopefully within a few months I'll be able to come back on here and boast about my progress. :D

Stick with the advice you were given and you should be fine in a few months and on your way to a good relationship with this dog.
I think if you could handle Irish Setters, this one should be easy...lol.

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Originally Posted by shepgirl

Stick with the advice you were given and you should be fine in a few months and on your way to a good relationship with this dog.
I think if you could handle Irish Setters, this one should be easy...lol.

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>.> If I was smart I would have specified the setters in question were mixed. . .the one we owned was mixed with a golden retriever and gentle as a butterfly. Endured all sorts of 'play' from myself and my sister when we were kids. ;) The other setters were owned by neighbors and loved to be visited.

I thought about specifying, but thought to myself nahhhh. Shows what I get, eh?

My folks were huge into Goldens, and we had a sort of Golden club growing up. A few of our neighbors owned goldens too, and we learned all sorts of useful things about the breed and training in general (especially after the old guy across the street lost his sweet old lady and got two energetic young puppies. I still remember him yelling after them. . ."DAISY! KENNA! GET OVER HERE!" and seeing two streaks of Golden racing by hehehe) Only after our golden died did we switch to American Eskies. The potty training was hard, but the dogs were easy-going and rarely needed to be corrected.

So here comes Odin with all his intelligence and stubbornness and I was scratching my head thinking, "I've never trained a dog like this one!" Delved into the books and found all these things about how Germans aren't meant for everyone and how they just need more than most other 'family' dogs. So I will learn how to properly train Odin and, well, stop being so stubborn myself in my preconceptions.

It sounds like you are determined to make Odin a nice boy, and one everyone will enjoy having around, and I am sure you will succeed.

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Originally Posted by Whimsy

The potty training was hard, but the dogs were easy-going and rarely needed to be corrected.

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:) Potty training and teaching them that it is never okay to nip at someone are the hardest things to teach an Eskie. But you are right once they get that down, they are very easy-going and instinctively smart dogs.

Here is a suggestion that has helped me out alot, this book "Cesear Way" by Cesear Milian, helped me out so much you would not believe, they walk beside me or sometimes behind me, they lay next to me without any issues, they sit, high five, stay, etc when I want them too, they walk with me without a leash in the yard. They now sleep in the living room with no gate to block them to the room. Day one when I used his ideas, i saw the change quickly. This is a must have book.

Give it time and let us know how you make out.