**If you are considering BE and are looking for feedback:**
All decisions about behavioral euthanasia should be made in consultation with a professional trainer, veterinarian, and/or veterinary behaviorist. They are best equipped to evaluate your specific dog, their potential, and quality of life.
Anyone who is not a professional who has had eyes on the dog and full situation should not be making serious recommendations either way around this topic. As a result, all posts looking for BE feedback will be locked and comments will not be allowed.
These resources should not be used to replace evaluation by qualified professionals but they can be used to supplement the decision-making process.
• [Lap of Love Quality of Life Assessment](https://www.lapoflove.com/how-will-i-know-it-is-time/lap-of-love-quality-of-life-scale.pdf) \- How to identify when to contact a trainer
• [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- A BE specific group. Not everyone has gone through the process yet, some are trying to figure out how to cope with the decision still.
• [BE decision and support Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/share/YpXDCXCc1YjoetF5/?mibextid=K35XfP) \- Individuals who have not yet lost a pet through BE cannot join the Losing Lulu group. This sister group is a resource as you consider if BE is the right next step for your dog.
• [AKC guide on when to consider BE](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/consider-behavioral-euthanasia/)
• [BE Before the Bite](https://beyondthewalkdogs.com/blog/f/behavioral-euthanasia-before-the-bite)
• [How to find a qualified trainer or behaviorist](https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/wiki/findingaqp/) - If you have not had your dog evaluated by a qualified trainer, this should be your first step in the process of considering BE.
• The Losing Lulu community has also compiled [additional resources for those considering behavioral euthanasia](https://www.losinglulu.com/resources).
**If you have experienced a behavioral euthanasia and need support:**
Behavioral Euthanasia (BE) for our dogs is an extremely difficult decision to consider. No one comes to this point easily. We believe that there are, unfortunately, cases where behavioral euthanasia is the most humane and ethical option, and we support those who have had to come to that decision. In certain situations, a reasonable quality of life and the [Five Freedoms](https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/11/what-are-five-freedoms-and-what-do-they.html) cannot be provided for an animal, making behavioral euthanasia a compassionate and loving choice.
The best resource available for people navigating grief after a behavior euthanasia is the [Losing Lulu website](https://www.losinglulu.com/) and [Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/losinglulu). The group is lead by a professional trainer and is well moderated so you will find a compassionate and supportive community of people navigating similar losses.
[Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- Laps of Love also offers resources for families navigating BE, before and after the loss.
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You're pretty much stuck with surrendering him to animal control/your local animal shelter. But even that probably isn't possible to do "today."
I suggest that you visit urgent care to get your finger looked at, take some pain pills, email wherever you got the dog from that you plan to surrender him, and then go to bed very, very early. Just call it quits on today. Hopefully tomorrow will help you feel a little more clarity and a lot less frustration.
I am worried about having to report bite. I am still trying to get it to stop bleeding. I just can’t think, but will try to just keep distance until I can think of what to do.
edit: also yeah, he is from a family so unable to return. Family would not get back to me the first day I got him (and had met him a few times before committing). Just terrible situation for him and me.
Please take care of yourself first. Seek medical attention and make sure you are OK. I would bring your dog to the vet as soon as possible and discuss options with them. I’m not quite sure if you were saying, and some of your other comments that you cannot afford a vet, or that you don’t want to take the dog, or if there is too long of a waitlist for a vet. Please don’t feel bad because you have been put in a no-win situation by the family that gave the dog up for adoption.
If possible, I would muzzle your dog for any of these types of interactions and on walks. Also use a muzzle or put him behind a gate if you have people in the house. You can leave a light leash attached to him in the house at all times in case of emergencies.
Thank you. I don’t think I explained well but what I meant is that when it comes to the vet the last two times he had to be put under anesthesia before they can examine him because he freaks out and won’t let anyone near him and people were saying take him to the vet to get his nails clipped and I can’t afford to do it each time (extra $110 for anesthesia plus the nail price and vet tech/exam fees every month or every other month for his nails that’s why I just been doing it myself with a dremel). I am disabled with limited income. I had enough resources for what I was told was a well mannered and trained dog. I usually get a trainer just cause it’s easier with a new pup and was an ok expense but with the behaviorist is it a lot to pay and don’t think I can manage if no improvement.
to be honest, i don't think you need to take him with you to go the vets and discuss options. you can show them your finger / the damage, discuss how this has seriously impacted you & they will have a good understanding of his temperament & quirks if they have examined him previously. i don't think it's worth taking him to the vet to discuss options which will just stress him out even more &, in turn, stress you. your adrenaline is probably through the roof right now so don't be too hard on yourself feeling the way you do, you've been significantly hurt so it's important to take time for yourself & decompress 🩷
wishing you a speedy recovery & that whatever outcome you reach, you both are at peace 🩵
The nails is the least of your worries. If you keep dog going forward just try to do walks on concrete and gravel. Anaesthesia is really bad for their health long term.
Good morning! I hope you are feeling better and got some decent rest.
If you still feel like the dog needs to go, I suggest you start reaching out to rescues, especially breed-specific ones. Just draft one email briefly outlining the dog's breed, age, if he's been neutered, any health concerns/meds, and why you can no longer care for him. No need to go into his entire life history just yet--you're just putting out feelers to see if they even have room to take him. Next, call up your local animal control and ask what their policies are about owner-surrendered animals. It's important that you know the consequences of choosing to surrender him to the state so that you can make that decision with eyes open.
It'll probably take some time for the rescues to get back to you. Use that time to think about concrete milestones and deadlines by which you need to see progress if you were to keep the dog. Because I'm going to be honest: there's not much chance of a rescue having space for him and surrendering him comes at a high probability of euthanization.
You're in a TOUGH position. I don't want you to have regrets because you didn't explore all of the options before deciding how you wanted to move.
Also disabled - just so you know, a behaviorist is 100% worth it, if only to get him meds to keep him under threshold.
It can be the best thing to do for both of you.
i agree. board certified behavorist veterinary. for clarification not a "behaviorist" trainer. There are only 50 board certified behaviorist veterinaries.
You need to be seen by a doctor for a washout of the wound and possibly antibiotics depending on their findings and your own medical history etc. Dogs have a lot of nasty bugs on their teeth and you can get a bad infection. I'm a doctor and I've seen one patient develop sepsis due to an untreated dog bite.
Seriously go to ED now.
Unfortunately did not get him from a rescue. I am in Oregon, and no matter the circumstances accident or not, it is mandatory to report to environmental health due to potential rabies (even if you know they’re vaccinated) and has to be reported to the county and added to the bite list. I think in order for insurance to cover the visit you also have to report it unless you truly don’t know the dog or owner information.
oh wow. understood. are you in need of care? risk if rabies? i've had multiple accidental nicks i. 50 years doing and owning reacues. just saying the headache and lack of control would dissaude me unless i thought they were a danger and the spirit of the law applied. Could he have thought you had clippers? Or didn't realize that was your finger? My dog plays and occassionally hurts on accident and when i welp she feels bad. It may have happened 3 times in 7 years. She grabbed my finger once for example instead of her tug a war rope when readjusting grip we were both holding. I would take a breather, keep yourself safe and consider all your options and if you are ok with the results.
There are many options that should put an effort to trying out first before taking a life. This person mentioned the dog showing clear warning signs it was uncomfortable getting its nails trimmed, considering this person isn't the original owner and didn't raise the dog himself. This person could take this dog to behavior training, put a muzzle on it, learn to train it himself more, but a dog treadmill or exercise the dog more before trimming nails, just like people dogs can be put on medications for anxiety like xanax or cbd, take the dog to a groomer.
Tail wag just means dog is aroused, can be good or bad depending on context and body language.
Have you conditioned nail clipping or tried using a dremel instead?
I use a Dremel out of fear of getting the quick, have successfully done his nails about four or five times before today without incident. He gets treats while we do it and honestly has been fine with until today for some reason. It wasn’t just today’s event that is the cherry, it’s everything. I just wanted to have a chill pet but every waking moment with him since I got him has been a nightmare that I was hopeful I could fix.
You should do research on breeds. You should absolutely not get a german shepherd if you want a chill pet. They aren't a chill breed. They require a LOT of consistent training to be well behaved and good dogs but either way they are very high energy.
I have owned a GSD before when I was more able bodied. Point is I was told he was well mannered and trained and he was NOT and was not prepared to take on a more special needs dog.
I think the key here is when you mentioned "able bodied"; GSD isn't an easy breed to handle, especially when you don't know the dog's background and may not be able to meet those energetic needs. You said the pup is intact too, right? That's probably not helping either, but don't know the pup's age. Sorry about the bite, but it really seems like the two of you aren't compatible, so I hope you're able to find a rescue willing to help him, if it's possible.
While unmentioned I have an able bodied partner who does 90% of the intense exercising (or at least is trying to because we know how important exercise is) while I do the training/behavior/indoor exercise, sniffspots and games. So this wasn’t an issue for me, we wanted an active dog. Was looking into a treadmill for him too.
He is 2.5, been waiting on neuter for awhile and consult scheduled in July. However others have mentioned neuter isn’t gonna help if this aggression is fear related and could make his behavior worse. Won’t know though.
i have no idea why you’re being downvoted.
GUYS why are y’all downvoting this comment? nothing here is bad. they have an able-bodied partner. they are paying for behavioral trainers who are expensive and hard to find and you guys are trying to blame OP for choosing the wrong dog and not doing enough research. sometimes people lie about a dog’s temperament. jeez
this is such a love-hate sub for me for this reason. i have gotten amazing advice but it feels like it has a higher than typical number of judgy people who are very downvote happy. like this sub is full of type A people with very strong opinions and apparently i have all of the wrong ones 😅 I guess us folks who get reactive dogs are a certain type of way?
yeah and it’s ok, I don’t know what I said here
I just previously had a GSD when I was more able bodied (still was disabled then) and if he was still here I would be able to manage just fine with him —I am just declining. I have plenty of help and family who loved our previous GSD. I know their breed and they are amazing dogs. Which is why I was thrilled when I found this dog, and I was prepared for well behaved dog. Even if he wasn’t entirely, and needed extra training that was ok for me but I was just not expecting to take on a very reactive dog, I wasn’t looking for a reactive dog. I tried to view it as that me and this dog passed lives for a reason because it’s not his fault that he is this way, but I just won’t be able to keep this up at the rate it’s going.
that all sounds very reasonable and well-thought out. i really do wish you luck and im sorry this is one of life’s bullshit curve balls you have to navigate.
Puppies hit 6 months & become asshole teenagers, which can last up until they are 2 years depending on the breed. But, once you get through that, the payoff is a best friend.
Shepherds can be a handful.
He is about 2.5 now. Big problem (I think) is he was not fixed early. Demand is so high in my area that I don’t have an appointment until July (and that’s only for consult to get fixed) and that was scheduled in March.
I wanted a best friend but I am afraid at this point. I almost could not get him off me and it was very scary trying to get him into his crate. I can’t get bleeding to stop so I have to go to the doctor at this point and it’s gonna be an even bigger issue if he has bite history. Ugh. I feel bad cause I don’t know what went wrong with this dog but damn.
Fixing a dog will not curb the most aggression issues. Thats a myth thats hard to get rid of. If the aggression is fear based fixing the dog actually can make it even worse most likely.
I get this hopeful idea I think cause I have read mixed messages about fixing and was hopeful fixing him could help the behavior and hopeful I would be one of those “oh it helped” people. But yes, I had read it can make it worse too. My apologies though.
Nothing to apologize for. I just wanted you to be aware that if your dog is fear reactive you might make it worth with fixing him.
I hope you can find a way forward for both of you.
My bloodhound became an asshole at around 10 months. I mean very reactive, resource guarding etc. he had a smaller level of resource guarding and aggression before but holy hell, he turned into cujo. we wanted to wait until 18 months to get him neutered but at 14 months I knew we needed to get him fixed asap in hopes of reducing his aggression or I wasn’t sure whether we could keep him.
Fast forward 3 months after neuter & he’s like a different dog. Last time my son & his girlfriend came over pre-neuter, he was so grumpy and angry we had to put him in his kennel because we were afraid of a bite. They were over this weekend and it was such a great visit-no aggression, no grumpiness etc. he was like a different dog.
I’m not saying this is the answer for dogs with similar issues but it was such a lifesaver for our dog.
Ah, I read it that he's 6 months.
2.5 is still a hectic age, I've trained a 3 year old shepherd collie mix that was still a real handful with a lot to learn.
Is he from a working line? You could try taking him down to your local bite sports club & have them take a look at his drive level, they might be better suited to advise on a bitey shepherd than reddit randos.
If I end up keeping him I will look at this. I have actually never heard of this, was looking at videos and honestly looks like something he would like to do. However, he has like zero manners and listens to no one so that has to be addressed first.
have you considered medication at all? a few of the dogs i work with physically could not learn or do basic "obedience" because their anxiety was so high, they were constantly in a state of self preservation/survival. the medication does not fix the issues, but it helps to calm the dogs stress/anxiety down enough to where you can successfully implement behavioural modification x
That's a huge part of it, you train the obedience, and the reward is they get to nail a guy in a bite suit.
You become the door to drive fulfilment, and their following obedience commands correctly becomes the key.
You provide a dog their means to satisfy their drives & they'll follow your lead to get there.
Can confirm that if its a working line mix, their drive and bites are that much harder. You need to build a lot of trust with them and exhaust them mentally every once in a while. If you'd dug through that then they're the best companion possible. But that's what i wanna say, its a lot of work and definitely not for every pet parent.
Opposite actually. Dogs for police work or sport bite work need to be incredibly stable and have massive impulse control. It is creating a dog that is a loaded gun so you need nearly perfect control or you just create an animal that is a deadly hazard. A dog with poor impulse control and not good bite inhibition is an red flag as a dog that should not be taught bite spots.
I'm not an expert which is why I said might. I know that the dogs are temperament tested, assessed and trained though.
OP said the dog was wagging it's tail which sounds like it was a warning that was missed.
Exactly.
Some dogs have purpose outside of being pets and that's okay.
If he's suited to work the streets he'll have a better life doing the work than even the most loving home in the world can provide.
Either way, the bite sports world will be able to call it much better than we.
Seems someone didn't like my comment.
In the UK police breed their working dogs but also look at suggested dogs in rescues to see if they would be suitable. The dogs are well cared for and enjoy their jobs.
This would have nothing to do with whether he’s fixed or not. I have a senior dog that was altered recently due to health issues relating to being intact and he’s never been aggressive his entire life. Some dogs just have a screw loose unfortunately
Regarding tail wagging, no matter what your opinion of Victoria Stilwell’s methods, I recently read an excellent, quite detailed, section in her book from 2013 about how to read tail wags. It’s more complex than I knew.
As for your situation with the dog, I really feel for you and hope you find someone who can truly help you and, if possible, help the dog as well.
If you got him from a rescue or shelter, speak to them to say you need to surrender, but there’s no ethical way to make sure it happens today unfortunately.
Just keep your distance while offering the basic needs. Don’t be cruel or rash just because you’re highly emotionally charged. Look into rescues in your area if the original place gives you any problems.
Unfortunately got him from a family who seemed nice. Let me meet him a few times beforehand and thought it was ok. From day one hasn’t been fine and the original owners would not get back to me.
I will do my best but he is still actively being aggressive towards me and the cat so he is in his crate, covered.
You could try animal control but I’m not sure if they’d take possession of an owner animal. Call the shelters and ask if they’re doing intake/owner surrenders.
I worked at a shelter that had animal control officers working out of there. We accepted dogs that bit someone. Would quarantine them for 2 weeks I think before the decision was made of what to do with them.
OP can definitely talk with animal control and say their dig bit them and needs to be quarantined. There is nothing wrong or shameful about reporting a bite incident. It's actually the correct thing to do and the best thing for everyone involved in the incident.
Please call your local vets office tomorrow morning and ask where he can be surrendered to. It’s possibly not the first time he’s bitten and keep him on his crate until then. Not all dogs are for all people and not all people are honest when they give am animal up. Please keep yourself and your cat safe. It could have been much worse.
Not telling the shelter that he has a bite history is setting him up for failure and putting both the workers and potential adopters at risk for attack.
Shelters are high stress and even calm, even tempered dogs are tested under the pressure.
Not every shelter is a kill shelter.
If you don’t tell the shelter or rescue or private adopter he bites, you could be legally liable for future injuries. OP please DO NOT neglect to mention his bite history. I understand that makes him more complicated to surrender and I can see why that’s frustrating for you, I really can. Nobody wants to feel unsafe in their own home. But passing a bite risk off to someone else without disclosing his issues just puts other people at risk.
You could go the private adoption route (FB marketplace or similar) if you wanted, but bear in mind that this would likely take a while. If this is the route you decide to go, so long as you are completely honest, I think that’s fine. But just keep in mind that this probably wouldn’t be a quick process. Dogs with a bite history are a hard sell. There are plenty of dogs out there who need homes who don’t have a history of biting, and those are the dogs people are going to gravitate towards first.
I know you mentioned having a behaviorist. I hear you about the cost. Do you think you could see if they could do an emergency consult with you (a one-off) to talk about the latest bite and your options?
I understand because I am resentful towards the last owner for not fully disclosing. I am not sure what I will do for now and think I would honestly surrender to shelter so that they can re-home him instead.
I don’t think I would be able to today, maybe if I can find someone online but had planned to talk to my current behaviorist when she’s in tomorrow about next temp steps while we make a decision or have a plan. Thank you kindly.
A wagging tail isn't always a sign of happiness. You have to pay attention to the strides and speed and angle. I understand you wanting to rehome him, but please dont assume every wagging tail is okay in the future. You could get hurt again.
Which is why I am thinking of rehoming/surrendering. I was really not prepared for a more special needs dog. I have been willing and been really on training and working with behaviorist but I don’t think I can manage if it’s gonna be down to the very detail of the wagging tail (he was eating treats and seemed happy, ears neutral, so I really did think it was fine), no problem with admitting that he will need someone else.
I completely understand this because I can not afford to handle a dog who will not give very obvious or vocal warnings about i do not like this. I am legally blind so I can't see the physical differences between different types of wagging or other types of more subtle body language. I personally would refuse to live with a dog who can not learn or refuses to use the obvious warnings I can recognize especially if the dog bites me for not respecting warning signs I literally can not see because that puts the dog and I in a dangerous situation
Not at all, no issue with rehoming, however if you aren't willing to put in the time to learn about dogs body language and behaviors such as tail wagging, you really shouldn't own a dog. You'll put yourself and others at risk by not taking the time to understand what your pet is communicating with you.
Adding on to this, a general trainer isn’t going to cut it in this scenario. Unfortunately, dog training is largely an unregulated field. Ideally, you’d be working with someone certified as a CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, or DACVB. These are people and veterinarians credentialed in the specialized field of behavior modification. Part of their job is to teach you to look for and identify minute cues in your dog’s body language to accurately assess what it is trying to communicate to you. Once you start to understand what your dog is feeling, it feels like you’re able to speak an entirely new language and bond with them at a whole new level. If you decide to go this route, you can look up consultants in your area on the [CCPDT site](https://www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/)
This! I can't remember which one my trainer has but she's certified as one of those. One of the most important things she taught me was how to recognize his body language down to the tiniest things. Which I'll never be able to do perfectly but it's still like you said, it's like speaking a new language. We just got back from a walk and a person walked close by us, normally he'd bark and lunge like crazy but I noticed him do this particular twitch of his lip/mouth that I now can recognize. I immediately distracted him, and not a single bark, let alone a lunge! I was so happy I gave him one of his favorite treats afterwards lol
But you're right, it is absolutely essential if you want a close relationship with your dog in which they're safe for you, others and themselves. They can't talk to us, we've got to learn their language.
that’s a bit extreme? i think what they’re saying is, they don’t have the capacity to become body language experts for a *reactive dog who bites* because the risk of being wrong is going to come with heavy consequences. they have trainers, i think they would be able to handle a normal dog just fine. or a chill senior dog or something. telling them they shouldn’t own a dog because they don’t want to memorize the intricacies of dog body language beyond the basics seems excessive.
The very basics of owning a dog is being in tune with their personal body language. If you aren't willing to learn their particular tail wag and think that is such a tedious chore, then you have no business owning a dog. ESPECIALLY an intelligent breed that requires a ton of obedience training.
Incredibly overboard and extremely unhelpful. You don’t have to be a body language expert to own a well-tempered, adjusted dog. A reactive dog? Absolutely. This is not OP’s fault.
I agree that it's harsh, but I do think every owner ought to be better read on dog behavior than the "basics" because a few times when I went to the dog park (off peak hours, trying to desensitize him to the excitement of new environments), some little dog owner (or even larger dog) would try to tell me "oh he's fine, he plays with larger dogs all the time" while the dog is lip licking and whale eyeing and super tense. A lot of normal dogs become reactive dogs under owners that are undereducated, don't take preventative measures, fail to protect their dog from other dogs showing warning signs, etc. A lot of people get lucky but for those who aren't, by the time they learn, the damage is done.
You need to get antibiotics for an animal bite, it will get infected very easily. I got blood poisoning from a tiny cat bite on my finger and had to be hospitalized for IV antibiotics. So you will probably need to report it.
It's ok to surrender him to your local SPCA - there are thousands of dogs who won't have these issues that need homes. Let them decide what needs to happen with him. He may be BE, but they also may find a suitable owner. Just be 100% honest with them about his aggression
I don't mean to sound rude, but you mentioned you also only had him for 6 months, which is actually super short and then immediately doing all sorts of training all so quickly could have just been all too much. To me it just sounds like the dog doesn't trust you anymore at this point and thus reacted/reacts so aggressively. I hope your able to safely rehome him, or that he can get fully assessed, maybe he's also in pain or something which would explain such aggressive/reactive behavior since dogs mask being in pain awfully well. And some other comments also suggested this but perhaps obtaining some knowledge about dog body language would be very beneficial, not just because of what happened but for any future situations with dogs.
What other signs of reactivity does he have? I’m just a little confused and trying to get the full picture. A lot of dogs have issues with things like having their nails trimmed and it can be a long process slowly desensitizing them to it in a positive manner. If you push it too fast they will react negatively. But what else makes him reactive and you “done”?
sorry if long comment
*dog, people, child, cat, small animal, bug reactive
*lunges, leash reactive bad, yanks, barks at every noise, resource guards, over excited at times, can’t focus, vigilant, snappy, restless, everything is a distraction to him and will intense stare, we have minimized stuff in homes like stopped using roomba, and only shower at night when he’s in crate cause he reacts, built high shelf around house to keep cat away out of sight
Truly only ok when in his crate, covered, with a treat. Sometimes he will nap with me.
things I have been doing
*trainer around week 3 since I knew something wasn’t right, behaviorist shortly after like due to intense reactivity at the vet and nipped vet tech
*we have a consistent schedule that what we attempt
6am walk 20-30 mins
645 feed 1 cup (he 60lbs so 3 cups a day)
8am short training
10am outside activity for 30-45 mins ideally want him running
1145am if no training we feed normal food portion if training partial food portion
1pm training session or if behavior session it is 330pm for an hour
naps in between or after, or if it’s off day he just naps
2pm 20 min walk for just sniffing
5pm last food portion
6pm to 10pm various things try to engage, training, toys, nap, short pee/poo, desensitize for xyz
11pm short walk before bed
12-6am in crate
*This schedule does not play out, just what we attempt
I stay up late with him and bf up early. On boyfriend days off we go to sniffspots or work with him outside cause my goal was to get a dog for outside activities so that I don’t become extremely sedentary from disability
Tried head collar as a tool to help with walking (he screams bloody murder once we get outside with it on, so far 6 weeks desensitize), have not prioritized with muzzle but same ordeal just bloody murder cry, no-pull harness, anxiety collars or those anxiety vests (hated it), positive reinforcement, counter conditioning, just lots of reading and youtube videos along with trainer advice, trying to make him feel safe, avoid triggers, saw vet three times, out of two he has been under anesthesia but vet can’t find anything medically wrong and finds it behavioral. Except the tapeworms that we are currently treating and I did forget that he had yeast that went away after changing food in the first month. I was wanting to get him a treadmill so he doesn’t have to go outside much and I was working on making the second room his room only so he can feel more safe and doesn’t feel like he needs to guard his food, etc. and trying to have as much patience and understanding with him. I think the only thing I have not done is medication except to try for pre-vet visits (gabapentin and trazodone) just because we wanted to try other things first. I think I left things out but this is what I have so far. I do not work and was willing to dedicate my time to a dog but feel resentful and misled by previous family. Felt we crossed paths for a reason so I still wanted to try. He is a beautiful dog, and just so wonderful when he’s cuddly or (perceived as) relaxed and wanting belly rubs.
**If you are considering BE and are looking for feedback:**
All decisions about behavioral euthanasia should be made in consultation with a professional trainer, veterinarian, and/or veterinary behaviorist. They are best equipped to evaluate your specific dog, their potential, and quality of life.
Anyone who is not a professional who has had eyes on the dog and full situation should not be making serious recommendations either way around this topic. As a result, all posts looking for BE feedback will be locked and comments will not be allowed.
These resources should not be used to replace evaluation by qualified professionals but they can be used to supplement the decision-making process.
• [Lap of Love Quality of Life Assessment](https://www.lapoflove.com/how-will-i-know-it-is-time/lap-of-love-quality-of-life-scale.pdf) \- How to identify when to contact a trainer
• [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- A BE specific group. Not everyone has gone through the process yet, some are trying to figure out how to cope with the decision still.
• [BE decision and support Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/share/YpXDCXCc1YjoetF5/?mibextid=K35XfP) \- Individuals who have not yet lost a pet through BE cannot join the Losing Lulu group. This sister group is a resource as you consider if BE is the right next step for your dog.
• [AKC guide on when to consider BE](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/consider-behavioral-euthanasia/)
• [BE Before the Bite](https://beyondthewalkdogs.com/blog/f/behavioral-euthanasia-before-the-bite)
• [How to find a qualified trainer or behaviorist](https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/wiki/findingaqp/) - If you have not had your dog evaluated by a qualified trainer, this should be your first step in the process of considering BE.
• The Losing Lulu community has also compiled [additional resources for those considering behavioral euthanasia](https://www.losinglulu.com/resources).
**If you have experienced a behavioral euthanasia and need support:**
Behavioral Euthanasia (BE) for our dogs is an extremely difficult decision to consider. No one comes to this point easily. We believe that there are, unfortunately, cases where behavioral euthanasia is the most humane and ethical option, and we support those who have had to come to that decision. In certain situations, a reasonable quality of life and the [Five Freedoms](https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/11/what-are-five-freedoms-and-what-do-they.html) cannot be provided for an animal, making behavioral euthanasia a compassionate and loving choice.
The best resource available for people navigating grief after a behavior euthanasia is the [Losing Lulu website](https://www.losinglulu.com/) and [Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/losinglulu). The group is lead by a professional trainer and is well moderated so you will find a compassionate and supportive community of people navigating similar losses.
[Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- Laps of Love also offers resources for families navigating BE, before and after the loss.
If you believe your post was locked in error, please [message the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Freactivedogs&subject=Post%20locked%20by%20BE%20filter).
Good lord that sounds exhausting and also just like my parents dog except they do nothing to try to work on his issues. So good for you for trying so hard to work on things! I wish I lived closer to my parents so I could try to help their dog. I have warned them so many times that if anything were to happen to them they would absolutely not be able to rehome him and a shelter would euthanize for safety reasons. At the end of the day the people reactive (bites, growls, lunges) is the big kicker.
There’s lots of great dogs out there who will never be dog/cat/small animal friendly and it sucks as it’s certainly limiting in what activities you can do but it’s not a deal breaker. People reactive is tough though. Have you guys been able to make any progress with leash skills/training etc? Like has there been any improvement?
Medication can be a mixed bag but it does have its place in my opinion for the right issues. I’ve known dogs who will punch through drywall or ram windows until they get outside due to separation anxiety. Or just sometimes having the equivalent to doggy Valium can help a very fear based dog get positive experiences trying new things outside their comfort zone.
I am curious what kind of breed he is. Is he a high energy working breed? I’ve seen those breeds get absolutely bananas behaviorally when they aren’t literally ran ten miles a day. When they get into a situation or get an owner who can accommodate that the difference is night and day. I’d just be curious if your lifestyle isn’t compatible because it sounds like he’s got a TON of pent up energy/intensity in general. If it’s not that then I would suspect some sort of psychiatric issue. Which medication may help but also sometimes behavioral euthanasia is appropriate if the dog is that terrified and wound up 24-7 that’s not a good quality of life for him.
My dog bit my lip, and it was pretty bad. I went to the hospital, and they stitched it and gave me a rabies shot. I was mad at my dog for a while, but she’s still my baby, and my lip healed beautifully. Good luck with your doggie.
Please know that not all tail wags are the same. There are sites that describe how to interpret various tail wags.
There is a common myth that a wagging tail means a happy, friendly dog saying “come pet me.” While it is true dogs do wag their tails to express happiness, they also wag to show other emotions such as fear, insecurity, a social challenge or even a warning such as, if you approach, “I am apt to bite you.”
I'm going to be very blunt and honest here, and it isn't coming from a place of judgment.
If you surrender this dog, he is going to be euthanized. I'm not saying this to guilt you or pressure you to keep this dog because I absolutely believe you need to remove him from your home as soon as possible; this is more to encourage you to consider how you want his final moments to be, and who they are spent with.
This shouldn't be a decision you have to consider or make. His previous owner failed him by selfishly putting it in you, likely because they wanted to hold onto the fantasy that he lived a full, long life.
Definitely look into what options might be available to you. Know that you're not a terrible person for wanting a dog that doesn't make every moment spent around it seem like a game of Russian roulette.
For a future dog, if you find yourself ready for one, I'd recommend either looking into reputable breeders or breed specific rescues. There's an FB group called "Retired show dogs & well bred purebreds", if you're looking for older dogs.
Have you seen shelters lately? Bite history dogs go on e-lists first or second (possibly after only seriously medically compromised dogs). I don’t think OP should keep the dog either, but it is very possible a shelter will deadline it now.
I understand your perception of situation, I did see warning signs while trimming and completely stopped, however, I really did not see warning signs after leaving him alone for nearly 10 minutes. I was trying to treat him and praise for doing good a good job cause he appeared calmed down. I am attempting to check paws in a bit to see if he got hurt somehow and that’s why he reacted like that but I was using a Dremel. Despite this event he is still regularly snappy, with reactivity that has led to bouts of aggression. So shelters wouldn’t want to have him even without bite history.
A quick search though there is virtually no shelter around me who will even consider taking him regardless of the situation. I will of course keep looking and look far, but it doesn’t seem to matter what caused the bite cause truthfully I did say and take blame but it didn’t make the report any different. I will talk to animal control and see what they say of if they have other resources.
Ultimately I don’t want his euthanized, so I will search for a remedy first.
If you can find a humane society near you they may be your best bet as they are open admission and do attempt behavior modification with difficult cases. At the very least they should be able to get a better read on the animal and see what his potential is for change, if BE truly is the only course they would be more knowledgeable in that decision besides a vet of course. You can also ask them if they think he is adoptable before you hand him over if that is your concern, it’s a reasonable enough request.
Reporting a dog bite to the Health inspector is mandatory for rabies vaccine verification. Otherwise you would have to do rabies treatment. No other obligation is mandatory.
Insurance claims would likely want law enforcement involved and certain cases of neglect, abuse or whatever should be reported. Just went thru a bite situation and bff is an Inspector in another state. Please get medical attention asap. Or within 20 hours.
Yeah, I am here waiting for treatment and bite has been reported to county. Interesting thing though is the urgent care said that my county doesn’t do rabies treatment because of how rare it is and don’t even have the means to do rabies treatment (which is freaky lol). They said county will probably call me so I will see what happens.
I’m sorry OP. My heart goes out to you. Having a reactive dog is hard, and stressful. Especially when they can be unpredictable and bite the ones that love them the absolute most. You have done what you could have done for him and I think it is understandable why you want to surrender him. Sometimes, for dogs that are so reactive that they are aggressive towards humans and under so much stress all the time, life is not worth living for them. Life isn’t lived to the fullest for them when they’re filled with so much anxiousness and stress. Not every dog can be changed and the decision you make is not a wrong one. Please get some rest, clean your wound or go to the hospital, and have a clear mind tomorrow. Remember this isn’t your fault. Sending hugs
I had a husky who did not like to be bathed. I made the mistake one time of reaching under a table she was hiding under to grab her and take her to the bathtub. She bit me pretty severely. Initially I was enraged. But I took a time out and calmed myself. I hugged her and spoke with her and she began to trust me at that point. I'm not saying you should hug this dog. But it was a turning point in our relationship. Never again did I try to force her to do something. She also hated nail trims and fortunately walked enough to wear hers down. After this point she became one of my heart dogs. The key was me controlling my own emotions. I know your dog has different challenges and probably a different personality. But I'm just trying to make the point that it's not the end of the world. I do understand you wanting to get rid of the dog. Just know that it doesn't have to be the end of your relationship if you didn't want that. I also believe that for some dogs euthanasia is not the worst thing that could happen to them. I'm sorry you're going through all this with your dog and I understand how hard it must be.
Surrendering him will mean euthanasia for the dog….which is sometimes (sadly) warranted for highly reactive dogs that frequently bite. No rescue will take a dog with a bite history; too much liability. Sorry you’re going through this…
Please don't keep this dog. Surrender the dog to an animal shelter. It takes a lot of patience and effort to handle a reactive GSD mix. I'm sure there is someone out there that might be a better fit.
Yeah I will call around tomorrow and figure out next step. Based on other comments too I think he literally needs a job, in addition to the training/behavior. Hopefully I can find a solution.
You’re making the right choice by moving on. A German Shepherd, albeit a mix, is not a breed that suits your lifestyle. They are working breeds that need a lot of training and experience. I read that you are disabled with a limited income. I do not know what the magnitude of your situation is, but the dogs potential can only extend as far as your limits, and a German shepherd may not be the right dog for you.
I had a body handling sensitive foster. Everyday, we basically turned nails/paw handling into a treat game. Baby baby steps, like starting with me just touching a paw, then picking it up, then holding it, then desensitizing to trimmers while NOT holding paw, then slowly touch paw with trimmers, etc. Even then, I basically would “play the game”, give him treats, and then like every few days I would trim ONE nail. I realized I was never going to get more than one in a session without pushing past boundaries. And after that one nail was trimmed, treat jackpot. That actually was working really well until he got adopted, hope they keep it up.
For anyone else that has dogs that don’t like their nails trimmed, I purchased the “digger dog nail file” for my dog and it works wonderfully. It’s a little pricey, but well worth it. You hide a treat inside and they scratch the top that has a nail file on top.
Yes!! I don't have that one, but I have some dog scratch pads for my crazy boy. I have one that was $20 for 3 scratch pads, on amazon!! My dog scratches the door to be let out, so I put it where he usually scratches.
There's also a method to train your dog to scratch the board, by putting a treat on the board under a towel and rewarding him when he interacts with it with his paws. It worked like a charm and now I can hold up a board and say "scratchies" and he'll do it like crazy for a treat!! It works great and they'll never hurt their quicks like this.
However, I don't use it on his hind nails, but those get somewhat filed from walking on the sidewalk, and he's much less touchy about his hind paws so he lets the groomer handle those without much issue! But if your dog won't let anything happen to his hind claws, well at least the scratch pad takes care of the front two!!! Oh also doesn't work on the dew claws so our groomer handles that as well. A lot of caveats but it at least helps with the main issues for us!!
Yes!! Such an easy tool and works wonders. My dogs back nails have always maintained themselves as well and I try and snip his dew claws while he’s sleeping 😂. My dog is not very obedient, so the digger dog nail file works great for us because I just drop the treat in it and he scratches.
We give our rescue German shepherd mix trazodone for vet visits and grooming visits. He would not let us trim his nails despite extensive training since he was a tiny puppy.
I am sorry this happened to you and it’s a tough situation. I do hope you cool down and find a solution that would not involve the dog being killed. Maybe another family is found or you find ways to work through this tough time.
Right, we ended up doing a trazodone and gabapentin mix before my second visit to avoid anesthesia for booster shots and he seemed out of it but as soon as we got in, it was bad and had to go under.
I am trying to really make this dog apart of my family. I am really upset with him right now but there’s moments where he’s does cuddle up with me and appears happy is just mellow out with this adorable look in his face and relaxes and takes a nap with me. Stress is getting to me though I think.
Any way you can take him to vet to clip his nails? That’s what I do and the tech does it and gives treats. She’s happy to go there now. Don’t do anything rash today, if you give him away in anger you might have regrets. For sure they will put him down, too much overcrowding now. Good luck and hope you heal quickly mentally and physically.
Vet is absolutely no go, just cause I can’t afford to do that way they will have to do it everyday time. He had bit/snapped at one of the techs and they thankfully didn’t report. He is muzzled anytime we go but only way anyone can work on him is if he is under anesthesia because of his reactivity and I have had to do that twice for general check up and his vaccines (two trips) cause he wouldn’t let anyone near him. Miracle they even got him under.
It’s like $15 for a nail trim, even in NY. Maybe you shouldn’t have a dog if you’re not prepared for their needs. Sounds like you should probably surrender. I’m sorry you got bitten.
OP mentioned in their comments a few times the vet requires their dog to undergo anesthesia for in-office procedures and exams. The base cost of a nail trim might be $15 but the anesthesia’s gonna run up the bill quite a bit.
This is not helpful because OP stated they need to be under anesthesia. Anesthesia is $300 at my vet + the nail trim. Doing that every other month is not applicable for everyone…
Even small dogs can bite getting their nails trimmed. First neuter him. Call local reduce groups to see if anyone can take him. Ones that deal with shepards would be best.
No, the previous family did not. I am very adamant about neutering to prevent pups and disease and do partially believe it can help with behavior but others have commented too that neutering doesn’t guarantee better behavior and with him being fixed late it could worsen it. I still planned on getting fixed just had a long waitlist.
The thing is when it comes to large dog breeds neutering early affects growth & development … then they can get a lot of health issues later on …
for example … growth plates wrt joints fuse only at 2 years … therefore neutering is only done post 2 years at least for large dog breeds
& I’ve spoken to a few behaviourists about whether neutering helps aggression or not … neutering is kinda like a hit & miss … you won’t know if it’ll work or not … in some cases it might even make the situation worse … & fear based aggression defi not
We gotta always see the warning signs … your dog did not want to bite straight away … he was uncomfortable or in pain maybe & with the first or max second growl you should have given him a break & gotten back to the nails much later
Anyway … good luck finding a decent place for him to go … coz he will definitely need a lot of time effort work … & you gotta think hard & figure out if you can still do it after cooling down … 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
I do have a muzzle for him and was working to desensitize because of the vet issues but wasn’t a priority yet, if I can think of a plan of action for him I will continue to work on this. From other comments it seems the potential to bite is not a rarity in context of nail trimming.
Sounds like a really crappy situation given your disability and the dog's behaviour and what he needs in order to improve and fit into society, but more importantly fit into your life.
It seems like he needs more exercise than you are able to provide given his reactiveness. I can see from your responses that you are really trying though.
I don't really have any advice as such. Just wanted to say that it's not your fault and whatever you choose has to work for the both of your best interests.
Put a muzzle on him to trim his nails. He might act differently with a groomer than with you, my dog does. It’s just so sad because he has probably been through things that you don’t know about and he has been traumatized and hurt. There are signals to look for before your dog reacts that tell you if they are going to react. Those are important to know, the facial expressions, breathing, body language, stance, etc. I wish this dog had a better chance at rehabilitation. Not blaming you.
Have you talked to your vet, had him checked head to toe? Made sure there is no medical issues? I will say there is such a thing as behavioral euthanasia. Sad but true. Some of that is humans & bad breeding, backyard breeding. Some because people don’t spay or neuter 🍀
We had a thorough check up on May 31st, we did blood work, urine, poop, etc. He still had tapeworms from the last time he was checked on April 26st (did oral meds) so we did a round of a liquid dewormer with a second dose due this Friday. Things can change but as far as I know he just dealing with worms still. (He is on flea medicine.)
Did you discuss his behavior? Sadly he sounds like an oops litter. Badly bred. You can not in good conscience rehome him. I would call my vet & talk. You may have to consider behavioral euthanasia. And people are sorry sacks of chit. They will lie to get rid of their dogs. When really for the money you invest trying to be a good person you could have bought from a reputable breeder. Kick in the azz for sure. I wish you the best.
Leave the nails alone for now I'd say.
I have a very good girl at home. She has only ever growled at me before while I took too much time doing her nails...
Maybe reconsider? It was a stressful situation for your pup.
Good example of a situation where a muzzle would be handy moving forward.
Make sure when you take him to the shelter, you mention his full history, including the bite. Unfortunately he won’t be adopted out because of it, but it’s very important to tell them. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Losing a dog is *very* hard, especially when you’ve done everything you could.
I don’t have anything to add about the situation, but in the future please know that tail wagging doesn’t mean happy and it’s not an invitation! I’m sorry you’re going though this. It’s only been 6 mo, i’d give it some more time. I’ve had my dog for 10 months now and she didn’t start making progress until about 2 months ago. She’s never bit me but i’m very careful about approaching her in situations like nail trims for example. Again i’m sorry this happened and I do hope you continue to work with him and give him another chance!
Dog trainer here! Please look into muzzle up pup dog group on Facebook they will have good advice. Shelter will most likely euthanize (not always a bad thing) but there ARE people willing to help. Dog trainer or other people who can handle these types of dogs. If it’s not for you that is okay that is not your fault. If you do keep him take him to a dog behaviorist, get him a muzzle with enough pant room, learn dog behavior it is very important no matter what dog you do have. If you have any questions please message me!
Try to rebuild the trust and relationship before you give up on him. My dog wouldn’t dare let me touch her paws, but she will let her groomer do whatever tf she wants. So just figure out what works. When you’re dealing with a reactive dog , mistakes are gonna happen.
I saved my own dog from someone who wasn't willing to put up with it anymore, it was either I take her or she goes to the pound, and she would have absolutely died within the day, especially the city I was in. Now she's an entirely different dog after a lot of mistakes on my end, a lot of learning, and a lot of patience/love. You aren't listening to your dog, growling/baring teeth is a warning before bite. He gave you the warning, then you came back and touched him anyway. You asked to be bit. I understand reactive dogs are not easy, but you have a SHEPARD. Are you giving him enough exercise? Enough mental stimulation, which I would argue is even more important. There seems to be some stuff missing from this that's not adding up. Regardless of all of this, if you do decide to surrender, your dog will die. Period. He will die within the week if not a couple days. That is just how shelter life goes. I suggest taking some time to reflect, go to urgent care, and read some articles maybe.
I don’t really see how victim blaming is helping here. OP wasn’t ‘asking to be bit’, they backed off when the dog started showing discomfort and then they thought the dog was okay to be touched based on body language. They may have missed a cue, but that doesn’t mean OP ‘deserved’ it. A situation where a dog is stressed sucks, but so does a situation where a stressed dog injures someone, and you can feel sympathy for both parties. You took your dog in knowing their issues. OP was misled (or the original family missed signs, but given they ghosted OP, I’m inclined to believe they weren’t 100% honest) into adopting a dog with significant issues. Every home isn’t right for every dog - it just isn’t. And of OP cannot safely house this dog, then they shouldn’t have to.
I get it. I love dogs. I want them all to have the perfect place for them. But I don’t think people should have to afraid in what is their space, too. Training and working with a behaviorist is expensive and time consuming, and OP has started the process, but then this happened, and OP is worried for their safety. And unfortunately that isn’t unwarranted - dogs rarely de-escalate in bite severity, but they do escalate. So if this bite was a deep puncture, a future one likely will be too.
Obviously I don’t know your situation, maybe your dog delivered serious bites to you and you decided to just keep working with them. That’s great, but not everyone is willing or able to do that, and that doesn’t mean that the owners are heartless. You can care a lot about an animal but still not feel safe around them, and wanting to not be injured badly enough to need medical help because of your dog isn’t unreasonable. Again, if you went through this, kudos to you, but OP shouldn’t *have* to just because you did.
1. I was listening to my dog. I have done his nails before. He was fine wagging his tail and eating treats, I moved onto his other paw but stopped as soon as I saw him barring teeth and I got up and left him alone for about 10 minutes to clean up the area and go to the bathroom. I came back to give him treats and pets. He did not appear to have any intention of biting. I placed treats on the floor and he didn’t immediately get to them so I said “get em buddy” and went to pet him and he bit me. He is snappy, I am use to his snappiness, just not full on biting like today.
2. It is extremely difficult to exercise him enough because he is out of control and will not interact with me outside, only wants to chase or get after other people/animals/critters, and doesn’t do anything with toys. It is very difficult to even walk him outside to go potty. He freaks out from being on a leash and the moment we are outside he tries to get away to go after a smell or the neighbor cats or the worst thing he makes it sound like I am KILLING HIM from being on a lead, screaming/whining. I was told he was leash trained and well mannered so this was not something I was even ready to handle but went ahead and scheduled training and a behaviorist because I was not ok with snappiness. I am literally disabled, limited disposable income, and still doing what I can for this dog despite not being ready to take this on. I was going to invest in a treadmill for him inside to burn energy since the outside is too much for now until he can be desensitized. I was ready to take on what I was originally “sold on” a well mannered, trained dog who I met a few times before committing. So maybe trusting the family was my fault.
3. Again, not interested in mental games, he resource guards food, and if he does manage to get interested in a puzzle game which often involves food he won’t even get the treats— he just guards it. I am very stressed about this dog and now I am afraid. I read nearly every day and almost obsessed about how I can improve his behavior and desensitize because I don’t want to live like this. I am with trainer 2 times a week and behavior 1-2 times a week.
edit: i wonder if I somehow hurt him? but the bite happened quickly and in no position to check his paws, so hopefully he will be chill enough to let me check his paws- but he was unapproachable when I left.
Really sounds like you have put in a lot of work despite your circumstances
V v sorry for what you are going through 😣
I hope something or the other works out for the betterment of you & the dog 🤞🏼🙏🏻
First, it's ShepHERD. Second, this is not behavior that should be normalized and accepted. This was an unprovoked bite. OP had already retreated after the warning and gave the dog space. A dog doesn't get a free pass to bite whenever it feels like it, for the smallest of reasons. Biting and human aggression is not a normal or an accepted trait in German Shepherds.
This dog was failed by its previous owners. OP is under no obligation to continuously risk their own life and safety for a dog that can't be trusted. Not every dog can be saved. That's the unfortunate truth and how life goes.
I own a GSD mix, GSD/Belgian, 5 years old and more reactive than you could ever dream. There could be 5 pit pulls and she'd run towards them and fight till she was dead.
Never have I once, ever thought about giving her up. I got her as a rescue and still try to train here, little bit by little bit she improves over time. I knew getting a GSD was a mixed bag, something YOU should have also known.
People expect dogs to be perfect and learn everything within a day. The majority of humans can't even grasp basic concepts and some of them have been alive for 40 years.
That's what happens when you work against your dog instead of with it. You're not fit to handle a reactive dog. Although I understand you want him gone today, that won't be possible. Please have a bit of patience and re-home the dog to someone that can handle him.
Really, it's a recurrent mistake I see among people with reactive dogs. They do not work AT ALL with the dog and the skill set and needs of the dog, but rather against it, then wonder why it goes wrong.
So much to this comment section that I have taken time to write, so not really gonna address this comment much since I have done a lot for this dog, and not been working against him.
But sure, I will agree with something. I was told the dog was well mannered and trained. So yes, I am aware I am not fully prepared to handle a reactive dog— I wasn’t asking for one. I would have given him back if the owners didn’t just ghost me (obviously because they knew they lied), I still did a lot for this to work.
I’ve seen little dogs bitting when cutting nails.
Dude, your fault completely. He showed teeth, we worn you. If I feel threatened and I say don’t come to me, don’t come to me. He is not dangerous. Yes you can fix what is happening with him. Don’t triim his nails, or get a muzzle to do it.
Please refer to other comments. I have been trimming his nails monthly without issue until today.
Also, if you read, I immediately stopped the second I saw he was uncomfortable and even left him completely alone before I re-approached. Regardless I do not want to be afraid of my dog.
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He did not bite me because I approached him clippers, I was using a dremel anyway. He bit me ten minutes after the dremel was put away and I walked away to use the bathroom. He was just chill sitting and I dropped treats on the floor for him and was trying to praise him for being good (as I have been doing his nails monthly with minimal issue) and went to pet him and he locked on to my finger. His unpredictable behavior is just not ok for me. Here is my other comment with his other issues listed.
https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/s/moWWtphKJ4
Six months is not enough time. He can be chill if you give him more time. Mine was the same for the first year. She is a total potato now. No medication 💊
My dog is very reactive, so I have him wear a mesh muzzle during training or grooming at home and switch to the heavy-duty muzzle during walking. I recently had him neutered, but I was warned it would take some time for him to calm down. I also have an Rx from his vet for his behavior whenever I am ready to fill it.
My dog is an asshole and tries to bite me all the time. Once got my mother on her leg pretty good. I’ve never considered giving him up. I just do my best to work with him as he is and recognize his triggers.
**If you are considering BE and are looking for feedback:** All decisions about behavioral euthanasia should be made in consultation with a professional trainer, veterinarian, and/or veterinary behaviorist. They are best equipped to evaluate your specific dog, their potential, and quality of life. Anyone who is not a professional who has had eyes on the dog and full situation should not be making serious recommendations either way around this topic. As a result, all posts looking for BE feedback will be locked and comments will not be allowed. These resources should not be used to replace evaluation by qualified professionals but they can be used to supplement the decision-making process. • [Lap of Love Quality of Life Assessment](https://www.lapoflove.com/how-will-i-know-it-is-time/lap-of-love-quality-of-life-scale.pdf) \- How to identify when to contact a trainer • [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- A BE specific group. Not everyone has gone through the process yet, some are trying to figure out how to cope with the decision still. • [BE decision and support Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/share/YpXDCXCc1YjoetF5/?mibextid=K35XfP) \- Individuals who have not yet lost a pet through BE cannot join the Losing Lulu group. This sister group is a resource as you consider if BE is the right next step for your dog. • [AKC guide on when to consider BE](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/consider-behavioral-euthanasia/) • [BE Before the Bite](https://beyondthewalkdogs.com/blog/f/behavioral-euthanasia-before-the-bite) • [How to find a qualified trainer or behaviorist](https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/wiki/findingaqp/) - If you have not had your dog evaluated by a qualified trainer, this should be your first step in the process of considering BE. • The Losing Lulu community has also compiled [additional resources for those considering behavioral euthanasia](https://www.losinglulu.com/resources). **If you have experienced a behavioral euthanasia and need support:** Behavioral Euthanasia (BE) for our dogs is an extremely difficult decision to consider. No one comes to this point easily. We believe that there are, unfortunately, cases where behavioral euthanasia is the most humane and ethical option, and we support those who have had to come to that decision. In certain situations, a reasonable quality of life and the [Five Freedoms](https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/11/what-are-five-freedoms-and-what-do-they.html) cannot be provided for an animal, making behavioral euthanasia a compassionate and loving choice. The best resource available for people navigating grief after a behavior euthanasia is the [Losing Lulu website](https://www.losinglulu.com/) and [Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/losinglulu). The group is lead by a professional trainer and is well moderated so you will find a compassionate and supportive community of people navigating similar losses. [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- Laps of Love also offers resources for families navigating BE, before and after the loss. If you believe your post was locked in error, please [message the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Freactivedogs&subject=Post%20locked%20by%20BE%20filter). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/reactivedogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You're pretty much stuck with surrendering him to animal control/your local animal shelter. But even that probably isn't possible to do "today." I suggest that you visit urgent care to get your finger looked at, take some pain pills, email wherever you got the dog from that you plan to surrender him, and then go to bed very, very early. Just call it quits on today. Hopefully tomorrow will help you feel a little more clarity and a lot less frustration.
I am worried about having to report bite. I am still trying to get it to stop bleeding. I just can’t think, but will try to just keep distance until I can think of what to do. edit: also yeah, he is from a family so unable to return. Family would not get back to me the first day I got him (and had met him a few times before committing). Just terrible situation for him and me.
Please take care of yourself first. Seek medical attention and make sure you are OK. I would bring your dog to the vet as soon as possible and discuss options with them. I’m not quite sure if you were saying, and some of your other comments that you cannot afford a vet, or that you don’t want to take the dog, or if there is too long of a waitlist for a vet. Please don’t feel bad because you have been put in a no-win situation by the family that gave the dog up for adoption. If possible, I would muzzle your dog for any of these types of interactions and on walks. Also use a muzzle or put him behind a gate if you have people in the house. You can leave a light leash attached to him in the house at all times in case of emergencies.
Thank you. I don’t think I explained well but what I meant is that when it comes to the vet the last two times he had to be put under anesthesia before they can examine him because he freaks out and won’t let anyone near him and people were saying take him to the vet to get his nails clipped and I can’t afford to do it each time (extra $110 for anesthesia plus the nail price and vet tech/exam fees every month or every other month for his nails that’s why I just been doing it myself with a dremel). I am disabled with limited income. I had enough resources for what I was told was a well mannered and trained dog. I usually get a trainer just cause it’s easier with a new pup and was an ok expense but with the behaviorist is it a lot to pay and don’t think I can manage if no improvement.
to be honest, i don't think you need to take him with you to go the vets and discuss options. you can show them your finger / the damage, discuss how this has seriously impacted you & they will have a good understanding of his temperament & quirks if they have examined him previously. i don't think it's worth taking him to the vet to discuss options which will just stress him out even more &, in turn, stress you. your adrenaline is probably through the roof right now so don't be too hard on yourself feeling the way you do, you've been significantly hurt so it's important to take time for yourself & decompress 🩷 wishing you a speedy recovery & that whatever outcome you reach, you both are at peace 🩵
The nails is the least of your worries. If you keep dog going forward just try to do walks on concrete and gravel. Anaesthesia is really bad for their health long term.
Good morning! I hope you are feeling better and got some decent rest. If you still feel like the dog needs to go, I suggest you start reaching out to rescues, especially breed-specific ones. Just draft one email briefly outlining the dog's breed, age, if he's been neutered, any health concerns/meds, and why you can no longer care for him. No need to go into his entire life history just yet--you're just putting out feelers to see if they even have room to take him. Next, call up your local animal control and ask what their policies are about owner-surrendered animals. It's important that you know the consequences of choosing to surrender him to the state so that you can make that decision with eyes open. It'll probably take some time for the rescues to get back to you. Use that time to think about concrete milestones and deadlines by which you need to see progress if you were to keep the dog. Because I'm going to be honest: there's not much chance of a rescue having space for him and surrendering him comes at a high probability of euthanization. You're in a TOUGH position. I don't want you to have regrets because you didn't explore all of the options before deciding how you wanted to move.
Also disabled - just so you know, a behaviorist is 100% worth it, if only to get him meds to keep him under threshold. It can be the best thing to do for both of you.
i agree. board certified behavorist veterinary. for clarification not a "behaviorist" trainer. There are only 50 board certified behaviorist veterinaries.
Yes! This is very important!
You need to be seen by a doctor for a washout of the wound and possibly antibiotics depending on their findings and your own medical history etc. Dogs have a lot of nasty bugs on their teeth and you can get a bad infection. I'm a doctor and I've seen one patient develop sepsis due to an untreated dog bite. Seriously go to ED now.
No worries, I did. I was just really upset in the moment. Tetanus shot and antibiotics.
* phew * am glad you did, hope you're feeling okay now :)
why do you have to report a bite on you? is this a contract with your rescue? not sure where you are. this is up to you.
Unfortunately did not get him from a rescue. I am in Oregon, and no matter the circumstances accident or not, it is mandatory to report to environmental health due to potential rabies (even if you know they’re vaccinated) and has to be reported to the county and added to the bite list. I think in order for insurance to cover the visit you also have to report it unless you truly don’t know the dog or owner information.
oh wow. understood. are you in need of care? risk if rabies? i've had multiple accidental nicks i. 50 years doing and owning reacues. just saying the headache and lack of control would dissaude me unless i thought they were a danger and the spirit of the law applied. Could he have thought you had clippers? Or didn't realize that was your finger? My dog plays and occassionally hurts on accident and when i welp she feels bad. It may have happened 3 times in 7 years. She grabbed my finger once for example instead of her tug a war rope when readjusting grip we were both holding. I would take a breather, keep yourself safe and consider all your options and if you are ok with the results.
The hospital that treated him has a record & will probably report it
I would add a nice hot shower or bath before going to bed early. Really let the heat soak into your muscles and check out.
If you surrender him he will be euthanized.
I think that that is an option that needs to be considered.
There are many options that should put an effort to trying out first before taking a life. This person mentioned the dog showing clear warning signs it was uncomfortable getting its nails trimmed, considering this person isn't the original owner and didn't raise the dog himself. This person could take this dog to behavior training, put a muzzle on it, learn to train it himself more, but a dog treadmill or exercise the dog more before trimming nails, just like people dogs can be put on medications for anxiety like xanax or cbd, take the dog to a groomer.
Tail wag just means dog is aroused, can be good or bad depending on context and body language. Have you conditioned nail clipping or tried using a dremel instead?
I use a Dremel out of fear of getting the quick, have successfully done his nails about four or five times before today without incident. He gets treats while we do it and honestly has been fine with until today for some reason. It wasn’t just today’s event that is the cherry, it’s everything. I just wanted to have a chill pet but every waking moment with him since I got him has been a nightmare that I was hopeful I could fix.
You should do research on breeds. You should absolutely not get a german shepherd if you want a chill pet. They aren't a chill breed. They require a LOT of consistent training to be well behaved and good dogs but either way they are very high energy.
I have owned a GSD before when I was more able bodied. Point is I was told he was well mannered and trained and he was NOT and was not prepared to take on a more special needs dog.
I think the key here is when you mentioned "able bodied"; GSD isn't an easy breed to handle, especially when you don't know the dog's background and may not be able to meet those energetic needs. You said the pup is intact too, right? That's probably not helping either, but don't know the pup's age. Sorry about the bite, but it really seems like the two of you aren't compatible, so I hope you're able to find a rescue willing to help him, if it's possible.
While unmentioned I have an able bodied partner who does 90% of the intense exercising (or at least is trying to because we know how important exercise is) while I do the training/behavior/indoor exercise, sniffspots and games. So this wasn’t an issue for me, we wanted an active dog. Was looking into a treadmill for him too. He is 2.5, been waiting on neuter for awhile and consult scheduled in July. However others have mentioned neuter isn’t gonna help if this aggression is fear related and could make his behavior worse. Won’t know though.
i have no idea why you’re being downvoted. GUYS why are y’all downvoting this comment? nothing here is bad. they have an able-bodied partner. they are paying for behavioral trainers who are expensive and hard to find and you guys are trying to blame OP for choosing the wrong dog and not doing enough research. sometimes people lie about a dog’s temperament. jeez
I'm sorry you're getting judgement in this thread. This must be incredibly hard for both you and the dog.
this is such a love-hate sub for me for this reason. i have gotten amazing advice but it feels like it has a higher than typical number of judgy people who are very downvote happy. like this sub is full of type A people with very strong opinions and apparently i have all of the wrong ones 😅 I guess us folks who get reactive dogs are a certain type of way?
yeah and it’s ok, I don’t know what I said here I just previously had a GSD when I was more able bodied (still was disabled then) and if he was still here I would be able to manage just fine with him —I am just declining. I have plenty of help and family who loved our previous GSD. I know their breed and they are amazing dogs. Which is why I was thrilled when I found this dog, and I was prepared for well behaved dog. Even if he wasn’t entirely, and needed extra training that was ok for me but I was just not expecting to take on a very reactive dog, I wasn’t looking for a reactive dog. I tried to view it as that me and this dog passed lives for a reason because it’s not his fault that he is this way, but I just won’t be able to keep this up at the rate it’s going.
that all sounds very reasonable and well-thought out. i really do wish you luck and im sorry this is one of life’s bullshit curve balls you have to navigate.
Puppies hit 6 months & become asshole teenagers, which can last up until they are 2 years depending on the breed. But, once you get through that, the payoff is a best friend. Shepherds can be a handful.
He is about 2.5 now. Big problem (I think) is he was not fixed early. Demand is so high in my area that I don’t have an appointment until July (and that’s only for consult to get fixed) and that was scheduled in March. I wanted a best friend but I am afraid at this point. I almost could not get him off me and it was very scary trying to get him into his crate. I can’t get bleeding to stop so I have to go to the doctor at this point and it’s gonna be an even bigger issue if he has bite history. Ugh. I feel bad cause I don’t know what went wrong with this dog but damn.
Fixing a dog will not curb the most aggression issues. Thats a myth thats hard to get rid of. If the aggression is fear based fixing the dog actually can make it even worse most likely.
I get this hopeful idea I think cause I have read mixed messages about fixing and was hopeful fixing him could help the behavior and hopeful I would be one of those “oh it helped” people. But yes, I had read it can make it worse too. My apologies though.
Nothing to apologize for. I just wanted you to be aware that if your dog is fear reactive you might make it worth with fixing him. I hope you can find a way forward for both of you.
My bloodhound became an asshole at around 10 months. I mean very reactive, resource guarding etc. he had a smaller level of resource guarding and aggression before but holy hell, he turned into cujo. we wanted to wait until 18 months to get him neutered but at 14 months I knew we needed to get him fixed asap in hopes of reducing his aggression or I wasn’t sure whether we could keep him. Fast forward 3 months after neuter & he’s like a different dog. Last time my son & his girlfriend came over pre-neuter, he was so grumpy and angry we had to put him in his kennel because we were afraid of a bite. They were over this weekend and it was such a great visit-no aggression, no grumpiness etc. he was like a different dog. I’m not saying this is the answer for dogs with similar issues but it was such a lifesaver for our dog.
Ah, I read it that he's 6 months. 2.5 is still a hectic age, I've trained a 3 year old shepherd collie mix that was still a real handful with a lot to learn. Is he from a working line? You could try taking him down to your local bite sports club & have them take a look at his drive level, they might be better suited to advise on a bitey shepherd than reddit randos.
If I end up keeping him I will look at this. I have actually never heard of this, was looking at videos and honestly looks like something he would like to do. However, he has like zero manners and listens to no one so that has to be addressed first.
have you considered medication at all? a few of the dogs i work with physically could not learn or do basic "obedience" because their anxiety was so high, they were constantly in a state of self preservation/survival. the medication does not fix the issues, but it helps to calm the dogs stress/anxiety down enough to where you can successfully implement behavioural modification x
That's a huge part of it, you train the obedience, and the reward is they get to nail a guy in a bite suit. You become the door to drive fulfilment, and their following obedience commands correctly becomes the key. You provide a dog their means to satisfy their drives & they'll follow your lead to get there.
Can confirm that if its a working line mix, their drive and bites are that much harder. You need to build a lot of trust with them and exhaust them mentally every once in a while. If you'd dug through that then they're the best companion possible. But that's what i wanna say, its a lot of work and definitely not for every pet parent.
Also he may be suitable to be trained and taken on by local police as a working dog.
Opposite actually. Dogs for police work or sport bite work need to be incredibly stable and have massive impulse control. It is creating a dog that is a loaded gun so you need nearly perfect control or you just create an animal that is a deadly hazard. A dog with poor impulse control and not good bite inhibition is an red flag as a dog that should not be taught bite spots.
I'm not an expert which is why I said might. I know that the dogs are temperament tested, assessed and trained though. OP said the dog was wagging it's tail which sounds like it was a warning that was missed.
Exactly. Some dogs have purpose outside of being pets and that's okay. If he's suited to work the streets he'll have a better life doing the work than even the most loving home in the world can provide. Either way, the bite sports world will be able to call it much better than we.
Seems someone didn't like my comment. In the UK police breed their working dogs but also look at suggested dogs in rescues to see if they would be suitable. The dogs are well cared for and enjoy their jobs.
This would have nothing to do with whether he’s fixed or not. I have a senior dog that was altered recently due to health issues relating to being intact and he’s never been aggressive his entire life. Some dogs just have a screw loose unfortunately
Regarding tail wagging, no matter what your opinion of Victoria Stilwell’s methods, I recently read an excellent, quite detailed, section in her book from 2013 about how to read tail wags. It’s more complex than I knew. As for your situation with the dog, I really feel for you and hope you find someone who can truly help you and, if possible, help the dog as well.
If you got him from a rescue or shelter, speak to them to say you need to surrender, but there’s no ethical way to make sure it happens today unfortunately. Just keep your distance while offering the basic needs. Don’t be cruel or rash just because you’re highly emotionally charged. Look into rescues in your area if the original place gives you any problems.
Unfortunately got him from a family who seemed nice. Let me meet him a few times beforehand and thought it was ok. From day one hasn’t been fine and the original owners would not get back to me. I will do my best but he is still actively being aggressive towards me and the cat so he is in his crate, covered.
You could try animal control but I’m not sure if they’d take possession of an owner animal. Call the shelters and ask if they’re doing intake/owner surrenders.
Ours does take owner surrenders but it’s under specific circumstances, not just anyone who wants to rehome a dog.
I worked at a shelter that had animal control officers working out of there. We accepted dogs that bit someone. Would quarantine them for 2 weeks I think before the decision was made of what to do with them. OP can definitely talk with animal control and say their dig bit them and needs to be quarantined. There is nothing wrong or shameful about reporting a bite incident. It's actually the correct thing to do and the best thing for everyone involved in the incident.
I will do that, realized it’s Sunday so just gonna have to cool down before I do anything. Hopefully he will too.
Please call your local vets office tomorrow morning and ask where he can be surrendered to. It’s possibly not the first time he’s bitten and keep him on his crate until then. Not all dogs are for all people and not all people are honest when they give am animal up. Please keep yourself and your cat safe. It could have been much worse.
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Not telling the shelter that he has a bite history is setting him up for failure and putting both the workers and potential adopters at risk for attack. Shelters are high stress and even calm, even tempered dogs are tested under the pressure. Not every shelter is a kill shelter.
If you don’t tell the shelter or rescue or private adopter he bites, you could be legally liable for future injuries. OP please DO NOT neglect to mention his bite history. I understand that makes him more complicated to surrender and I can see why that’s frustrating for you, I really can. Nobody wants to feel unsafe in their own home. But passing a bite risk off to someone else without disclosing his issues just puts other people at risk. You could go the private adoption route (FB marketplace or similar) if you wanted, but bear in mind that this would likely take a while. If this is the route you decide to go, so long as you are completely honest, I think that’s fine. But just keep in mind that this probably wouldn’t be a quick process. Dogs with a bite history are a hard sell. There are plenty of dogs out there who need homes who don’t have a history of biting, and those are the dogs people are going to gravitate towards first. I know you mentioned having a behaviorist. I hear you about the cost. Do you think you could see if they could do an emergency consult with you (a one-off) to talk about the latest bite and your options?
I understand because I am resentful towards the last owner for not fully disclosing. I am not sure what I will do for now and think I would honestly surrender to shelter so that they can re-home him instead. I don’t think I would be able to today, maybe if I can find someone online but had planned to talk to my current behaviorist when she’s in tomorrow about next temp steps while we make a decision or have a plan. Thank you kindly.
A wagging tail isn't always a sign of happiness. You have to pay attention to the strides and speed and angle. I understand you wanting to rehome him, but please dont assume every wagging tail is okay in the future. You could get hurt again.
Which is why I am thinking of rehoming/surrendering. I was really not prepared for a more special needs dog. I have been willing and been really on training and working with behaviorist but I don’t think I can manage if it’s gonna be down to the very detail of the wagging tail (he was eating treats and seemed happy, ears neutral, so I really did think it was fine), no problem with admitting that he will need someone else.
I completely understand this because I can not afford to handle a dog who will not give very obvious or vocal warnings about i do not like this. I am legally blind so I can't see the physical differences between different types of wagging or other types of more subtle body language. I personally would refuse to live with a dog who can not learn or refuses to use the obvious warnings I can recognize especially if the dog bites me for not respecting warning signs I literally can not see because that puts the dog and I in a dangerous situation
Not at all, no issue with rehoming, however if you aren't willing to put in the time to learn about dogs body language and behaviors such as tail wagging, you really shouldn't own a dog. You'll put yourself and others at risk by not taking the time to understand what your pet is communicating with you.
Adding on to this, a general trainer isn’t going to cut it in this scenario. Unfortunately, dog training is largely an unregulated field. Ideally, you’d be working with someone certified as a CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, or DACVB. These are people and veterinarians credentialed in the specialized field of behavior modification. Part of their job is to teach you to look for and identify minute cues in your dog’s body language to accurately assess what it is trying to communicate to you. Once you start to understand what your dog is feeling, it feels like you’re able to speak an entirely new language and bond with them at a whole new level. If you decide to go this route, you can look up consultants in your area on the [CCPDT site](https://www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/)
Thank you, if we decide to keep him this is very specific and actually really helpful information.
This! I can't remember which one my trainer has but she's certified as one of those. One of the most important things she taught me was how to recognize his body language down to the tiniest things. Which I'll never be able to do perfectly but it's still like you said, it's like speaking a new language. We just got back from a walk and a person walked close by us, normally he'd bark and lunge like crazy but I noticed him do this particular twitch of his lip/mouth that I now can recognize. I immediately distracted him, and not a single bark, let alone a lunge! I was so happy I gave him one of his favorite treats afterwards lol But you're right, it is absolutely essential if you want a close relationship with your dog in which they're safe for you, others and themselves. They can't talk to us, we've got to learn their language.
Okay. Thanks for the feedback.
that’s a bit extreme? i think what they’re saying is, they don’t have the capacity to become body language experts for a *reactive dog who bites* because the risk of being wrong is going to come with heavy consequences. they have trainers, i think they would be able to handle a normal dog just fine. or a chill senior dog or something. telling them they shouldn’t own a dog because they don’t want to memorize the intricacies of dog body language beyond the basics seems excessive.
The very basics of owning a dog is being in tune with their personal body language. If you aren't willing to learn their particular tail wag and think that is such a tedious chore, then you have no business owning a dog. ESPECIALLY an intelligent breed that requires a ton of obedience training.
Ok, thanks.
Incredibly overboard and extremely unhelpful. You don’t have to be a body language expert to own a well-tempered, adjusted dog. A reactive dog? Absolutely. This is not OP’s fault.
I agree that it's harsh, but I do think every owner ought to be better read on dog behavior than the "basics" because a few times when I went to the dog park (off peak hours, trying to desensitize him to the excitement of new environments), some little dog owner (or even larger dog) would try to tell me "oh he's fine, he plays with larger dogs all the time" while the dog is lip licking and whale eyeing and super tense. A lot of normal dogs become reactive dogs under owners that are undereducated, don't take preventative measures, fail to protect their dog from other dogs showing warning signs, etc. A lot of people get lucky but for those who aren't, by the time they learn, the damage is done.
You need to get antibiotics for an animal bite, it will get infected very easily. I got blood poisoning from a tiny cat bite on my finger and had to be hospitalized for IV antibiotics. So you will probably need to report it.
It's ok to surrender him to your local SPCA - there are thousands of dogs who won't have these issues that need homes. Let them decide what needs to happen with him. He may be BE, but they also may find a suitable owner. Just be 100% honest with them about his aggression
I don't mean to sound rude, but you mentioned you also only had him for 6 months, which is actually super short and then immediately doing all sorts of training all so quickly could have just been all too much. To me it just sounds like the dog doesn't trust you anymore at this point and thus reacted/reacts so aggressively. I hope your able to safely rehome him, or that he can get fully assessed, maybe he's also in pain or something which would explain such aggressive/reactive behavior since dogs mask being in pain awfully well. And some other comments also suggested this but perhaps obtaining some knowledge about dog body language would be very beneficial, not just because of what happened but for any future situations with dogs.
What other signs of reactivity does he have? I’m just a little confused and trying to get the full picture. A lot of dogs have issues with things like having their nails trimmed and it can be a long process slowly desensitizing them to it in a positive manner. If you push it too fast they will react negatively. But what else makes him reactive and you “done”?
sorry if long comment *dog, people, child, cat, small animal, bug reactive *lunges, leash reactive bad, yanks, barks at every noise, resource guards, over excited at times, can’t focus, vigilant, snappy, restless, everything is a distraction to him and will intense stare, we have minimized stuff in homes like stopped using roomba, and only shower at night when he’s in crate cause he reacts, built high shelf around house to keep cat away out of sight Truly only ok when in his crate, covered, with a treat. Sometimes he will nap with me. things I have been doing *trainer around week 3 since I knew something wasn’t right, behaviorist shortly after like due to intense reactivity at the vet and nipped vet tech *we have a consistent schedule that what we attempt 6am walk 20-30 mins 645 feed 1 cup (he 60lbs so 3 cups a day) 8am short training 10am outside activity for 30-45 mins ideally want him running 1145am if no training we feed normal food portion if training partial food portion 1pm training session or if behavior session it is 330pm for an hour naps in between or after, or if it’s off day he just naps 2pm 20 min walk for just sniffing 5pm last food portion 6pm to 10pm various things try to engage, training, toys, nap, short pee/poo, desensitize for xyz 11pm short walk before bed 12-6am in crate *This schedule does not play out, just what we attempt I stay up late with him and bf up early. On boyfriend days off we go to sniffspots or work with him outside cause my goal was to get a dog for outside activities so that I don’t become extremely sedentary from disability Tried head collar as a tool to help with walking (he screams bloody murder once we get outside with it on, so far 6 weeks desensitize), have not prioritized with muzzle but same ordeal just bloody murder cry, no-pull harness, anxiety collars or those anxiety vests (hated it), positive reinforcement, counter conditioning, just lots of reading and youtube videos along with trainer advice, trying to make him feel safe, avoid triggers, saw vet three times, out of two he has been under anesthesia but vet can’t find anything medically wrong and finds it behavioral. Except the tapeworms that we are currently treating and I did forget that he had yeast that went away after changing food in the first month. I was wanting to get him a treadmill so he doesn’t have to go outside much and I was working on making the second room his room only so he can feel more safe and doesn’t feel like he needs to guard his food, etc. and trying to have as much patience and understanding with him. I think the only thing I have not done is medication except to try for pre-vet visits (gabapentin and trazodone) just because we wanted to try other things first. I think I left things out but this is what I have so far. I do not work and was willing to dedicate my time to a dog but feel resentful and misled by previous family. Felt we crossed paths for a reason so I still wanted to try. He is a beautiful dog, and just so wonderful when he’s cuddly or (perceived as) relaxed and wanting belly rubs.
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**If you are considering BE and are looking for feedback:** All decisions about behavioral euthanasia should be made in consultation with a professional trainer, veterinarian, and/or veterinary behaviorist. They are best equipped to evaluate your specific dog, their potential, and quality of life. Anyone who is not a professional who has had eyes on the dog and full situation should not be making serious recommendations either way around this topic. As a result, all posts looking for BE feedback will be locked and comments will not be allowed. These resources should not be used to replace evaluation by qualified professionals but they can be used to supplement the decision-making process. • [Lap of Love Quality of Life Assessment](https://www.lapoflove.com/how-will-i-know-it-is-time/lap-of-love-quality-of-life-scale.pdf) \- How to identify when to contact a trainer • [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- A BE specific group. Not everyone has gone through the process yet, some are trying to figure out how to cope with the decision still. • [BE decision and support Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/share/YpXDCXCc1YjoetF5/?mibextid=K35XfP) \- Individuals who have not yet lost a pet through BE cannot join the Losing Lulu group. This sister group is a resource as you consider if BE is the right next step for your dog. • [AKC guide on when to consider BE](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/consider-behavioral-euthanasia/) • [BE Before the Bite](https://beyondthewalkdogs.com/blog/f/behavioral-euthanasia-before-the-bite) • [How to find a qualified trainer or behaviorist](https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/wiki/findingaqp/) - If you have not had your dog evaluated by a qualified trainer, this should be your first step in the process of considering BE. • The Losing Lulu community has also compiled [additional resources for those considering behavioral euthanasia](https://www.losinglulu.com/resources). **If you have experienced a behavioral euthanasia and need support:** Behavioral Euthanasia (BE) for our dogs is an extremely difficult decision to consider. No one comes to this point easily. We believe that there are, unfortunately, cases where behavioral euthanasia is the most humane and ethical option, and we support those who have had to come to that decision. In certain situations, a reasonable quality of life and the [Five Freedoms](https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/11/what-are-five-freedoms-and-what-do-they.html) cannot be provided for an animal, making behavioral euthanasia a compassionate and loving choice. The best resource available for people navigating grief after a behavior euthanasia is the [Losing Lulu website](https://www.losinglulu.com/) and [Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/losinglulu). The group is lead by a professional trainer and is well moderated so you will find a compassionate and supportive community of people navigating similar losses. [Lap of Love Support Groups](https://www.lapoflove.com/our-services/pet-loss-support) \- Laps of Love also offers resources for families navigating BE, before and after the loss. If you believe your post was locked in error, please [message the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Freactivedogs&subject=Post%20locked%20by%20BE%20filter).
Good lord that sounds exhausting and also just like my parents dog except they do nothing to try to work on his issues. So good for you for trying so hard to work on things! I wish I lived closer to my parents so I could try to help their dog. I have warned them so many times that if anything were to happen to them they would absolutely not be able to rehome him and a shelter would euthanize for safety reasons. At the end of the day the people reactive (bites, growls, lunges) is the big kicker. There’s lots of great dogs out there who will never be dog/cat/small animal friendly and it sucks as it’s certainly limiting in what activities you can do but it’s not a deal breaker. People reactive is tough though. Have you guys been able to make any progress with leash skills/training etc? Like has there been any improvement? Medication can be a mixed bag but it does have its place in my opinion for the right issues. I’ve known dogs who will punch through drywall or ram windows until they get outside due to separation anxiety. Or just sometimes having the equivalent to doggy Valium can help a very fear based dog get positive experiences trying new things outside their comfort zone. I am curious what kind of breed he is. Is he a high energy working breed? I’ve seen those breeds get absolutely bananas behaviorally when they aren’t literally ran ten miles a day. When they get into a situation or get an owner who can accommodate that the difference is night and day. I’d just be curious if your lifestyle isn’t compatible because it sounds like he’s got a TON of pent up energy/intensity in general. If it’s not that then I would suspect some sort of psychiatric issue. Which medication may help but also sometimes behavioral euthanasia is appropriate if the dog is that terrified and wound up 24-7 that’s not a good quality of life for him.
My dog bit my lip, and it was pretty bad. I went to the hospital, and they stitched it and gave me a rabies shot. I was mad at my dog for a while, but she’s still my baby, and my lip healed beautifully. Good luck with your doggie.
Please know that not all tail wags are the same. There are sites that describe how to interpret various tail wags. There is a common myth that a wagging tail means a happy, friendly dog saying “come pet me.” While it is true dogs do wag their tails to express happiness, they also wag to show other emotions such as fear, insecurity, a social challenge or even a warning such as, if you approach, “I am apt to bite you.”
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That is such a wonderful offer! Thank u for being such a a kind human being💜
Your recent comment/post was removed because it is considered self-promotion and is against the subreddit's rules.
I'm going to be very blunt and honest here, and it isn't coming from a place of judgment. If you surrender this dog, he is going to be euthanized. I'm not saying this to guilt you or pressure you to keep this dog because I absolutely believe you need to remove him from your home as soon as possible; this is more to encourage you to consider how you want his final moments to be, and who they are spent with. This shouldn't be a decision you have to consider or make. His previous owner failed him by selfishly putting it in you, likely because they wanted to hold onto the fantasy that he lived a full, long life. Definitely look into what options might be available to you. Know that you're not a terrible person for wanting a dog that doesn't make every moment spent around it seem like a game of Russian roulette. For a future dog, if you find yourself ready for one, I'd recommend either looking into reputable breeders or breed specific rescues. There's an FB group called "Retired show dogs & well bred purebreds", if you're looking for older dogs.
A trusted shelter shouldn’t euthanize him for one bite in history. Especially when the dog has given warning signs of his discomfort.
Have you seen shelters lately? Bite history dogs go on e-lists first or second (possibly after only seriously medically compromised dogs). I don’t think OP should keep the dog either, but it is very possible a shelter will deadline it now.
I understand your perception of situation, I did see warning signs while trimming and completely stopped, however, I really did not see warning signs after leaving him alone for nearly 10 minutes. I was trying to treat him and praise for doing good a good job cause he appeared calmed down. I am attempting to check paws in a bit to see if he got hurt somehow and that’s why he reacted like that but I was using a Dremel. Despite this event he is still regularly snappy, with reactivity that has led to bouts of aggression. So shelters wouldn’t want to have him even without bite history. A quick search though there is virtually no shelter around me who will even consider taking him regardless of the situation. I will of course keep looking and look far, but it doesn’t seem to matter what caused the bite cause truthfully I did say and take blame but it didn’t make the report any different. I will talk to animal control and see what they say of if they have other resources. Ultimately I don’t want his euthanized, so I will search for a remedy first.
If you can find a humane society near you they may be your best bet as they are open admission and do attempt behavior modification with difficult cases. At the very least they should be able to get a better read on the animal and see what his potential is for change, if BE truly is the only course they would be more knowledgeable in that decision besides a vet of course. You can also ask them if they think he is adoptable before you hand him over if that is your concern, it’s a reasonable enough request.
Reporting a dog bite to the Health inspector is mandatory for rabies vaccine verification. Otherwise you would have to do rabies treatment. No other obligation is mandatory. Insurance claims would likely want law enforcement involved and certain cases of neglect, abuse or whatever should be reported. Just went thru a bite situation and bff is an Inspector in another state. Please get medical attention asap. Or within 20 hours.
Yeah, I am here waiting for treatment and bite has been reported to county. Interesting thing though is the urgent care said that my county doesn’t do rabies treatment because of how rare it is and don’t even have the means to do rabies treatment (which is freaky lol). They said county will probably call me so I will see what happens.
I’m sorry OP. My heart goes out to you. Having a reactive dog is hard, and stressful. Especially when they can be unpredictable and bite the ones that love them the absolute most. You have done what you could have done for him and I think it is understandable why you want to surrender him. Sometimes, for dogs that are so reactive that they are aggressive towards humans and under so much stress all the time, life is not worth living for them. Life isn’t lived to the fullest for them when they’re filled with so much anxiousness and stress. Not every dog can be changed and the decision you make is not a wrong one. Please get some rest, clean your wound or go to the hospital, and have a clear mind tomorrow. Remember this isn’t your fault. Sending hugs
I had a husky who did not like to be bathed. I made the mistake one time of reaching under a table she was hiding under to grab her and take her to the bathtub. She bit me pretty severely. Initially I was enraged. But I took a time out and calmed myself. I hugged her and spoke with her and she began to trust me at that point. I'm not saying you should hug this dog. But it was a turning point in our relationship. Never again did I try to force her to do something. She also hated nail trims and fortunately walked enough to wear hers down. After this point she became one of my heart dogs. The key was me controlling my own emotions. I know your dog has different challenges and probably a different personality. But I'm just trying to make the point that it's not the end of the world. I do understand you wanting to get rid of the dog. Just know that it doesn't have to be the end of your relationship if you didn't want that. I also believe that for some dogs euthanasia is not the worst thing that could happen to them. I'm sorry you're going through all this with your dog and I understand how hard it must be.
Surrendering him will mean euthanasia for the dog….which is sometimes (sadly) warranted for highly reactive dogs that frequently bite. No rescue will take a dog with a bite history; too much liability. Sorry you’re going through this…
Please don't keep this dog. Surrender the dog to an animal shelter. It takes a lot of patience and effort to handle a reactive GSD mix. I'm sure there is someone out there that might be a better fit.
Yeah I will call around tomorrow and figure out next step. Based on other comments too I think he literally needs a job, in addition to the training/behavior. Hopefully I can find a solution.
You’re making the right choice by moving on. A German Shepherd, albeit a mix, is not a breed that suits your lifestyle. They are working breeds that need a lot of training and experience. I read that you are disabled with a limited income. I do not know what the magnitude of your situation is, but the dogs potential can only extend as far as your limits, and a German shepherd may not be the right dog for you.
I had a body handling sensitive foster. Everyday, we basically turned nails/paw handling into a treat game. Baby baby steps, like starting with me just touching a paw, then picking it up, then holding it, then desensitizing to trimmers while NOT holding paw, then slowly touch paw with trimmers, etc. Even then, I basically would “play the game”, give him treats, and then like every few days I would trim ONE nail. I realized I was never going to get more than one in a session without pushing past boundaries. And after that one nail was trimmed, treat jackpot. That actually was working really well until he got adopted, hope they keep it up.
For anyone else that has dogs that don’t like their nails trimmed, I purchased the “digger dog nail file” for my dog and it works wonderfully. It’s a little pricey, but well worth it. You hide a treat inside and they scratch the top that has a nail file on top.
Yes!! I don't have that one, but I have some dog scratch pads for my crazy boy. I have one that was $20 for 3 scratch pads, on amazon!! My dog scratches the door to be let out, so I put it where he usually scratches. There's also a method to train your dog to scratch the board, by putting a treat on the board under a towel and rewarding him when he interacts with it with his paws. It worked like a charm and now I can hold up a board and say "scratchies" and he'll do it like crazy for a treat!! It works great and they'll never hurt their quicks like this. However, I don't use it on his hind nails, but those get somewhat filed from walking on the sidewalk, and he's much less touchy about his hind paws so he lets the groomer handle those without much issue! But if your dog won't let anything happen to his hind claws, well at least the scratch pad takes care of the front two!!! Oh also doesn't work on the dew claws so our groomer handles that as well. A lot of caveats but it at least helps with the main issues for us!!
Yes!! Such an easy tool and works wonders. My dogs back nails have always maintained themselves as well and I try and snip his dew claws while he’s sleeping 😂. My dog is not very obedient, so the digger dog nail file works great for us because I just drop the treat in it and he scratches.
We give our rescue German shepherd mix trazodone for vet visits and grooming visits. He would not let us trim his nails despite extensive training since he was a tiny puppy. I am sorry this happened to you and it’s a tough situation. I do hope you cool down and find a solution that would not involve the dog being killed. Maybe another family is found or you find ways to work through this tough time.
Right, we ended up doing a trazodone and gabapentin mix before my second visit to avoid anesthesia for booster shots and he seemed out of it but as soon as we got in, it was bad and had to go under. I am trying to really make this dog apart of my family. I am really upset with him right now but there’s moments where he’s does cuddle up with me and appears happy is just mellow out with this adorable look in his face and relaxes and takes a nap with me. Stress is getting to me though I think.
Please make the right decision. People jump to conclusions.
Any way you can take him to vet to clip his nails? That’s what I do and the tech does it and gives treats. She’s happy to go there now. Don’t do anything rash today, if you give him away in anger you might have regrets. For sure they will put him down, too much overcrowding now. Good luck and hope you heal quickly mentally and physically.
Vet is absolutely no go, just cause I can’t afford to do that way they will have to do it everyday time. He had bit/snapped at one of the techs and they thankfully didn’t report. He is muzzled anytime we go but only way anyone can work on him is if he is under anesthesia because of his reactivity and I have had to do that twice for general check up and his vaccines (two trips) cause he wouldn’t let anyone near him. Miracle they even got him under.
If you muzzle train him, absolutely use the muzzle when clipping his nails. You’re allowed the same precautions as the techs.
It’s like $15 for a nail trim, even in NY. Maybe you shouldn’t have a dog if you’re not prepared for their needs. Sounds like you should probably surrender. I’m sorry you got bitten.
OP mentioned in their comments a few times the vet requires their dog to undergo anesthesia for in-office procedures and exams. The base cost of a nail trim might be $15 but the anesthesia’s gonna run up the bill quite a bit.
You have no clue how much time, money, and effort I have put into this dog so the first half of your comment is not relevant. Thanks.
Vet techs usually charge 20$ and ya only have to take him every other month or so and they are used to unruly pups and can deal with them and muzzles.
This is not helpful because OP stated they need to be under anesthesia. Anesthesia is $300 at my vet + the nail trim. Doing that every other month is not applicable for everyone…
Even small dogs can bite getting their nails trimmed. First neuter him. Call local reduce groups to see if anyone can take him. Ones that deal with shepards would be best.
They didn't fix him before you adopted him?
No, the previous family did not. I am very adamant about neutering to prevent pups and disease and do partially believe it can help with behavior but others have commented too that neutering doesn’t guarantee better behavior and with him being fixed late it could worsen it. I still planned on getting fixed just had a long waitlist.
The thing is when it comes to large dog breeds neutering early affects growth & development … then they can get a lot of health issues later on … for example … growth plates wrt joints fuse only at 2 years … therefore neutering is only done post 2 years at least for large dog breeds & I’ve spoken to a few behaviourists about whether neutering helps aggression or not … neutering is kinda like a hit & miss … you won’t know if it’ll work or not … in some cases it might even make the situation worse … & fear based aggression defi not We gotta always see the warning signs … your dog did not want to bite straight away … he was uncomfortable or in pain maybe & with the first or max second growl you should have given him a break & gotten back to the nails much later Anyway … good luck finding a decent place for him to go … coz he will definitely need a lot of time effort work … & you gotta think hard & figure out if you can still do it after cooling down … 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
I put a muzzle on my dog to file her toes because she will bite me otherwise.
I do have a muzzle for him and was working to desensitize because of the vet issues but wasn’t a priority yet, if I can think of a plan of action for him I will continue to work on this. From other comments it seems the potential to bite is not a rarity in context of nail trimming.
Sounds like a really crappy situation given your disability and the dog's behaviour and what he needs in order to improve and fit into society, but more importantly fit into your life. It seems like he needs more exercise than you are able to provide given his reactiveness. I can see from your responses that you are really trying though. I don't really have any advice as such. Just wanted to say that it's not your fault and whatever you choose has to work for the both of your best interests.
Put a muzzle on him to trim his nails. He might act differently with a groomer than with you, my dog does. It’s just so sad because he has probably been through things that you don’t know about and he has been traumatized and hurt. There are signals to look for before your dog reacts that tell you if they are going to react. Those are important to know, the facial expressions, breathing, body language, stance, etc. I wish this dog had a better chance at rehabilitation. Not blaming you.
Have you talked to your vet, had him checked head to toe? Made sure there is no medical issues? I will say there is such a thing as behavioral euthanasia. Sad but true. Some of that is humans & bad breeding, backyard breeding. Some because people don’t spay or neuter 🍀
We had a thorough check up on May 31st, we did blood work, urine, poop, etc. He still had tapeworms from the last time he was checked on April 26st (did oral meds) so we did a round of a liquid dewormer with a second dose due this Friday. Things can change but as far as I know he just dealing with worms still. (He is on flea medicine.)
Did you discuss his behavior? Sadly he sounds like an oops litter. Badly bred. You can not in good conscience rehome him. I would call my vet & talk. You may have to consider behavioral euthanasia. And people are sorry sacks of chit. They will lie to get rid of their dogs. When really for the money you invest trying to be a good person you could have bought from a reputable breeder. Kick in the azz for sure. I wish you the best.
Leave the nails alone for now I'd say. I have a very good girl at home. She has only ever growled at me before while I took too much time doing her nails... Maybe reconsider? It was a stressful situation for your pup. Good example of a situation where a muzzle would be handy moving forward.
he might actually be a candidate for BE unfortunately
Is the dog up to date on its vaccines? Like for rabies, specifically?
Of course!
Make sure when you take him to the shelter, you mention his full history, including the bite. Unfortunately he won’t be adopted out because of it, but it’s very important to tell them. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Losing a dog is *very* hard, especially when you’ve done everything you could.
I don’t have anything to add about the situation, but in the future please know that tail wagging doesn’t mean happy and it’s not an invitation! I’m sorry you’re going though this. It’s only been 6 mo, i’d give it some more time. I’ve had my dog for 10 months now and she didn’t start making progress until about 2 months ago. She’s never bit me but i’m very careful about approaching her in situations like nail trims for example. Again i’m sorry this happened and I do hope you continue to work with him and give him another chance!
Please give him another chance. I know I have a boxer husky and he’s a handful in time. He will be your best friend.
Big basket muzzle during the day until he is neutered
Is he a specific breed? If so I recommend looking for a breed specific rescue
Have you tried muzzle training?
Dog trainer here! Please look into muzzle up pup dog group on Facebook they will have good advice. Shelter will most likely euthanize (not always a bad thing) but there ARE people willing to help. Dog trainer or other people who can handle these types of dogs. If it’s not for you that is okay that is not your fault. If you do keep him take him to a dog behaviorist, get him a muzzle with enough pant room, learn dog behavior it is very important no matter what dog you do have. If you have any questions please message me!
Try to rebuild the trust and relationship before you give up on him. My dog wouldn’t dare let me touch her paws, but she will let her groomer do whatever tf she wants. So just figure out what works. When you’re dealing with a reactive dog , mistakes are gonna happen.
I saved my own dog from someone who wasn't willing to put up with it anymore, it was either I take her or she goes to the pound, and she would have absolutely died within the day, especially the city I was in. Now she's an entirely different dog after a lot of mistakes on my end, a lot of learning, and a lot of patience/love. You aren't listening to your dog, growling/baring teeth is a warning before bite. He gave you the warning, then you came back and touched him anyway. You asked to be bit. I understand reactive dogs are not easy, but you have a SHEPARD. Are you giving him enough exercise? Enough mental stimulation, which I would argue is even more important. There seems to be some stuff missing from this that's not adding up. Regardless of all of this, if you do decide to surrender, your dog will die. Period. He will die within the week if not a couple days. That is just how shelter life goes. I suggest taking some time to reflect, go to urgent care, and read some articles maybe.
I don’t really see how victim blaming is helping here. OP wasn’t ‘asking to be bit’, they backed off when the dog started showing discomfort and then they thought the dog was okay to be touched based on body language. They may have missed a cue, but that doesn’t mean OP ‘deserved’ it. A situation where a dog is stressed sucks, but so does a situation where a stressed dog injures someone, and you can feel sympathy for both parties. You took your dog in knowing their issues. OP was misled (or the original family missed signs, but given they ghosted OP, I’m inclined to believe they weren’t 100% honest) into adopting a dog with significant issues. Every home isn’t right for every dog - it just isn’t. And of OP cannot safely house this dog, then they shouldn’t have to. I get it. I love dogs. I want them all to have the perfect place for them. But I don’t think people should have to afraid in what is their space, too. Training and working with a behaviorist is expensive and time consuming, and OP has started the process, but then this happened, and OP is worried for their safety. And unfortunately that isn’t unwarranted - dogs rarely de-escalate in bite severity, but they do escalate. So if this bite was a deep puncture, a future one likely will be too. Obviously I don’t know your situation, maybe your dog delivered serious bites to you and you decided to just keep working with them. That’s great, but not everyone is willing or able to do that, and that doesn’t mean that the owners are heartless. You can care a lot about an animal but still not feel safe around them, and wanting to not be injured badly enough to need medical help because of your dog isn’t unreasonable. Again, if you went through this, kudos to you, but OP shouldn’t *have* to just because you did.
Lmao I love how I got downvoted for this.
1. I was listening to my dog. I have done his nails before. He was fine wagging his tail and eating treats, I moved onto his other paw but stopped as soon as I saw him barring teeth and I got up and left him alone for about 10 minutes to clean up the area and go to the bathroom. I came back to give him treats and pets. He did not appear to have any intention of biting. I placed treats on the floor and he didn’t immediately get to them so I said “get em buddy” and went to pet him and he bit me. He is snappy, I am use to his snappiness, just not full on biting like today. 2. It is extremely difficult to exercise him enough because he is out of control and will not interact with me outside, only wants to chase or get after other people/animals/critters, and doesn’t do anything with toys. It is very difficult to even walk him outside to go potty. He freaks out from being on a leash and the moment we are outside he tries to get away to go after a smell or the neighbor cats or the worst thing he makes it sound like I am KILLING HIM from being on a lead, screaming/whining. I was told he was leash trained and well mannered so this was not something I was even ready to handle but went ahead and scheduled training and a behaviorist because I was not ok with snappiness. I am literally disabled, limited disposable income, and still doing what I can for this dog despite not being ready to take this on. I was going to invest in a treadmill for him inside to burn energy since the outside is too much for now until he can be desensitized. I was ready to take on what I was originally “sold on” a well mannered, trained dog who I met a few times before committing. So maybe trusting the family was my fault. 3. Again, not interested in mental games, he resource guards food, and if he does manage to get interested in a puzzle game which often involves food he won’t even get the treats— he just guards it. I am very stressed about this dog and now I am afraid. I read nearly every day and almost obsessed about how I can improve his behavior and desensitize because I don’t want to live like this. I am with trainer 2 times a week and behavior 1-2 times a week. edit: i wonder if I somehow hurt him? but the bite happened quickly and in no position to check his paws, so hopefully he will be chill enough to let me check his paws- but he was unapproachable when I left.
Really sounds like you have put in a lot of work despite your circumstances V v sorry for what you are going through 😣 I hope something or the other works out for the betterment of you & the dog 🤞🏼🙏🏻
First, it's ShepHERD. Second, this is not behavior that should be normalized and accepted. This was an unprovoked bite. OP had already retreated after the warning and gave the dog space. A dog doesn't get a free pass to bite whenever it feels like it, for the smallest of reasons. Biting and human aggression is not a normal or an accepted trait in German Shepherds. This dog was failed by its previous owners. OP is under no obligation to continuously risk their own life and safety for a dog that can't be trusted. Not every dog can be saved. That's the unfortunate truth and how life goes.
You shouldn’t have a dog period.
Ok. Thanks.
This is not an accurate or helpful comment. OP is asking for help on a reactive and at this point dangerous dog.
Animals react based on what they are taught, their environment or a medical illness that could affect the dog.
They’ll put him down
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I own a GSD mix, GSD/Belgian, 5 years old and more reactive than you could ever dream. There could be 5 pit pulls and she'd run towards them and fight till she was dead. Never have I once, ever thought about giving her up. I got her as a rescue and still try to train here, little bit by little bit she improves over time. I knew getting a GSD was a mixed bag, something YOU should have also known. People expect dogs to be perfect and learn everything within a day. The majority of humans can't even grasp basic concepts and some of them have been alive for 40 years.
That's what happens when you work against your dog instead of with it. You're not fit to handle a reactive dog. Although I understand you want him gone today, that won't be possible. Please have a bit of patience and re-home the dog to someone that can handle him. Really, it's a recurrent mistake I see among people with reactive dogs. They do not work AT ALL with the dog and the skill set and needs of the dog, but rather against it, then wonder why it goes wrong.
So much to this comment section that I have taken time to write, so not really gonna address this comment much since I have done a lot for this dog, and not been working against him. But sure, I will agree with something. I was told the dog was well mannered and trained. So yes, I am aware I am not fully prepared to handle a reactive dog— I wasn’t asking for one. I would have given him back if the owners didn’t just ghost me (obviously because they knew they lied), I still did a lot for this to work.
Ohh i see. Man, those people suck. Well, I hope everything works out for you and for the dog!
I’ve seen little dogs bitting when cutting nails. Dude, your fault completely. He showed teeth, we worn you. If I feel threatened and I say don’t come to me, don’t come to me. He is not dangerous. Yes you can fix what is happening with him. Don’t triim his nails, or get a muzzle to do it.
Please refer to other comments. I have been trimming his nails monthly without issue until today. Also, if you read, I immediately stopped the second I saw he was uncomfortable and even left him completely alone before I re-approached. Regardless I do not want to be afraid of my dog.
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He did not bite me because I approached him clippers, I was using a dremel anyway. He bit me ten minutes after the dremel was put away and I walked away to use the bathroom. He was just chill sitting and I dropped treats on the floor for him and was trying to praise him for being good (as I have been doing his nails monthly with minimal issue) and went to pet him and he locked on to my finger. His unpredictable behavior is just not ok for me. Here is my other comment with his other issues listed. https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/s/moWWtphKJ4
Six months is not enough time. He can be chill if you give him more time. Mine was the same for the first year. She is a total potato now. No medication 💊
My dog is very reactive, so I have him wear a mesh muzzle during training or grooming at home and switch to the heavy-duty muzzle during walking. I recently had him neutered, but I was warned it would take some time for him to calm down. I also have an Rx from his vet for his behavior whenever I am ready to fill it.
My dog is an asshole and tries to bite me all the time. Once got my mother on her leg pretty good. I’ve never considered giving him up. I just do my best to work with him as he is and recognize his triggers.